The Defense Department is recruiting hundreds of U.S. troops to attend the UFC event scheduled to be held on the south lawn of the White House on June 14, the Washington Post reports.Soldiers solicited to be spectators will be expected to pay for their own travel and accommodations to the event, and expected to meet height and weight requirements established by the Pentagon, according to internal memos obtained by the Post. The troops being recruited to attend the event, promoted as UFC Freedom 250, are junior enlisted personnel and junior officers, who comprise the U.S. military’s lowest pay grades. The Defense Department is making clear to those being asked to attend that their travel costs are “member-procured” with neither the military nor the UFC funding travel and lodging costs. A message posted to social media for U.S. Air Force personnel indicated that anyone attending are required to meet height and waist requirements, in addition to passing physical fitness test requirements. Troops must wear short-sleeve dress uniforms and will watch the event in standing-room only sections. Only uniformed personnel are allowed to attend and cannot bring family members. The UFC Freedom 250 event includes a canopy set 87 feet above the Octagon to light the event and allow for the White House to be seen on the broadcast.AP Photo/Manuel Balce CenetaUFC CEO Dana White expects approximately 4,000 people to watch the event on the White House lawn. Thousands of other spectators will watch from a nearby viewing party. White also said that UFC Freedom 250 will cost the company about $30 million to stage and would be a money-losing enterprise. Among the expenses are installing temporary seats, repairs to any damaged grass on the lawn, and a canopy constructed to light the matches, built 87 feet above the Octagon to ensure that the White House would be visible during the telecast.“This is basically me spending a ­s***­load of money to celebrate the 250th birthday of America, with America and the rest of the world,” White told Time magazine.The seven-fight card for UFC Freedom 250 will feature a lightweight championship bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, in addition to a heavyweight interim title match pitting Alex Pereira versus Ciryl Gane.No women’s matches will be part of the event, though White told Time magazine that he tried to arrange a title bout between China’s Zhang Weili and American-Brazilian fighter Mackenzie Dern in hopes of attracting a larger international audience. However, Zhang is taking time away from fighting, White said.

Raheem Sterling arrested on suspicion of drug-driving after motorway supercar crashFormer England international Raheem Sterling has been arrested on suspicion of drug-driving following a serious single-vehicle collision on the M3 motorway. The incident occurred early on Thursday morning when Sterling’s Lamborghini veered off the road near the Minley Interchange, colliding with the southbound barriers. Emergency services responded swiftly, and authorities confirmed no other vehicles were involved. Remarkably, no injuries were reported despite the severity of the impact. Sterling, 31, who currently plays for Dutch Eredivisie side Feyenoord after spells with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, was detained at the scene by Hampshire Police. Officers conducted a roadside assessment before arresting the winger on suspicion of several offences, including driving while unfit through drugs, dangerous driving, possession of a Class C drug, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. Under UK law, Class C substances may include anabolic steroids, nitrous oxide, and certain prescription tranquillisers.Following a roadside assessment, officers arrested the Berkshire-based footballer on suspicion of multiple driving and substance offences. A Hampshire Police spokesperson confirmed Sterling was taken into custody on suspicion of driving while unfit through drugs, dangerous driving, possession of a Class C drug, and failing to provide a specimen. Under UK law, Class C substances include anabolic steroids, nitrous oxide, and certain prescription tranquillisers. The former Manchester City and Liverpool star has since been released on bail pending further inquiries.Sterling spent a brief loan spell at Arsenal before being released as a free agent by Chelsea in January. He joined Feyenoord in February in hopes of reviving his career.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his dream IPL 2026 season with another explosive innings for Rajasthan Royals, but his latest knock against Gujarat Titans surprisingly produced an unusual milestone in his short T20 career.The teenage sensation smashed a breathtaking 96 off 47 balls in Qualifier 2 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Friday. His innings, packed with eight fours and seven sixes, powered Rajasthan Royals to a commanding 214/6 in the high-pressure playoff clash.However, despite the aggressive knock, Sooryavanshi ended up recording the slowest half-century of his IPL career.The Rajasthan opener reached his fifty in 28 deliveries, making it the slowest fifty he has scored in the tournament so far. His previous slowest IPL fifty had come off 27 balls against Chennai Super Kings in Delhi last year.The statistic underlines just how destructive Sooryavanshi has been throughout IPL 2026. Before Friday’s innings, five of his previous seven fifty-plus scores had come in 17 balls or fewer, highlighting the fearless attacking style that has made him one of the breakout stars of the season.Even on a comparatively “slower” night by his own standards, the youngster dominated Gujarat’s bowling attack and once again provided Rajasthan Royals with a flying start in a knockout game.Sooryavanshi looked set for a memorable century after tearing apart both pace and spin during the middle overs, but he eventually fell short of the three-figure mark. Still, his innings placed Rajasthan in complete control for most of the innings.The Royals also received crucial finishing contributions from Ravindra Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 45, and Donovan Ferreira, whose explosive 38 not out came off just 11 balls with four sixes.For Gujarat Titans, Jason Holder emerged as the most economical bowler, finishing with figures of 2/27 in his four overs.Despite missing out on a century again, Sooryavanshi’s innings further strengthened his growing reputation as one of the most dangerous young batters in franchise cricket.

It was a banner day for Cincinnati high school tennis at the 2026 Ohio High School Athletic Association boys tennis state tournament. As the tournament entered its second day on Friday, May 29, three Cincinnati teams were still alive in the semifinals of their respective division. Mason's Greg Bernadsky, the returning champion, was competing in Division I singles. St. Xavier had a dynamic duo of Carson Dwyer and Nihal Narisetty going for gold in Division I doubles, and Indian Hill's Neelan Gandhi and Gareth Kurowski sought the school's first title since 2022.When all was said and done, three trophies found their way into the hands of Cincinnati athletes. Here's how Cincinnati schools dominated the OHSAA state tennis tournament.Mason's Greg Bernadsky on top again in Division I singlesThe Division I singles title returns home to Mason once more.Senior Greg Bernadsky, a Cornell University commit, secured his second straight singles title with wins over Olentangy Liberty's Shane Hand and Sylvania Southview's Landon Vens. It was a historic achievement for Bernadsky, who becomes the first Mason boys tennis player to win repeat titles.Bernadsky said going out on top was a special moment."It feels good to end on a state title," Berdansky said, "and being the first Mason Comet to win two titles is pretty cool."While he was the presumptive favorite entering the day, it wasn't just smooth sailing all the way through for the senior. After handling Olentangy Liberty's Shane Hand in the first set, 6-2, Hand put up a tougher fight in an eventual 6- 4 victory for Bernadsky.In the finals, Bernadsky once again looked terrific in set one. A clean 6-0 sweep made it seem like the trophy would be doled out in record time. But Landon Vens wasn't going to go away without a fight. Vens, who had his first match delayed by a snake crossing the court, broke out in the second set to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Vens was on the cusp of forcing a third set as he approached set point with a 5-2 game advantage.But where some players would crumble under the weight of momentum, Bernadsky slithered all the way back with smart play to take the set to a tiebreaker. He took total control in the final game, securing a 6-0, 7-6 (7-0) victory to reclaim the state title.Mason's first year head coach, Brendan Reedy, said the performance was a testament to Bernadsky's mental strength."He finds a way. Mentally, I would put him up against anybody in Ohio and anybody in the country," Reedy said.After the match, even the officials paid compliments Mason's senior star. The flowers were hard won for Bernadsky, who had struggled with a hand injury in the offseason and had to rebuild confidence coming into his final campaign.Reedy pointed out his injury recovery as further proof of Bernadsky's elite toughness."You have to be mentally tough, and to me, he is the best in that department."St. Xavier's power duo reigns supreme in Division I doublesThe proud lineage of St. Xavier tennis continued on Friday as senior Carson Dwyer and junior Nihal Narisetty emerged victorious in Division I doubles competition.A true dynamic duo, Dwyer and Narisetty looked in full control throughout the tournament, securing a 6-1, 6-2 win over New Albany and a 6-1, 6-4 win against North Royalton. North Royalton's players, upon exiting the court, remarked how excited they were to even have taken five games off St. Xavier's team.Dwyer, of course, is no stranger to the winner's circle. Now a three-time state champion, Dwyer was a singles champion as a sophomore and secured a doubles title as a freshman. He chose not to compete in OHSAA competition last season, focusing on other tournaments before returning for his senior year.The Georgetown commit said it was special to return and secure a state championship in his final season."This one meant a lot, it meant a lot to secure a state championship in my last year of high school tennis," Dwyer said.Narisetty secured his first championship with the win Friday, but proved he's one of the very best players in the state last season as he finished second in the singles tournament, falling only to Mason's Greg Bernadsky. He had also reached the title game in doubles as a freshman. Both Narisetty and Dwyer were dominant singles players during the regular season, so their pairing constituted a super-team of sorts.St. Xavier head coach Joseph Jackson had nothing but praise for his championship duo after the title match."Not many teams have two number ones," Jackson said, "and that's what we have with Carson (Dwyer) and Nihal (Narisetty). It's pretty remarkable what they were able to do."St. Xavier's season isn't quite over yet, as they're still alive in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association team tournament. With the final matches to be played the day after the OHSAA tournament, both Dwyer and Narisetty were already turning their attention to team competition."It was great for me to win a title after finishing as a finalist twice," Narisetty said, "but the goal is to win a team title tomorrow."Indian Hill's doubles team comes out on top in instant classicOf the many adjectives associated with tennis, 'rowdy,' 'raucous,' and 'energetic' don't often come to front of mind. Nevertheless, Indian Hill's state championship victory over Bexley can only be described as a verifiable barn-burner.Indian Hill's junior-sophomore duo of Neelan Gandhi and Gareth Kurowski reached the title game without incident, securing a 6-3, 6-1 win in the semifinals over Pepper Pike Orange sophomores Joseph DeMata-Hiciano and Zayd Adi. On the other side of the bracket, Bexley senior Adrian Schiff and junior Henry Lessard similarly ripped through their semifinal match with a 6-1, 6-1 win.The two teams had something of a history coming into the state championship. Gandhi, on a team with now-graduated Michael Ryu, had faced off with Henry Lessard and his older brother Sam last year in the doubles championship game. In 2025, it was Bexley's Lessard brothers who came out on top. Now that each junior had a new partner, the rematch was set.The title match was hyper-competitive from the jump. With rowdy student sections cheering from the sidelines, neither Indian Hill nor Bexley could secure an advantage and the first set went all the way to a tiebreaker. Lessard used powerful serves to claim a 7-6 (7-4) set one victory, but a lot of tennis was still to be played and Indian Hill never panicked.Indian Hill's second-year head coach Michael Piergalski broke down their conversations after the potentially-demoralizing first set."The first set came down to a couple tight points," Piergalski said, "so the message was just, fine, we're gonna win in three."Gandhi and Kurowski rallied in set two, eking out just enough daylight to force a third set with a 6-4 win. With momentum on their side, the Indian Hill duo looked like they might race to the finish as they took a 5-2 lead in the deciding set.But Bexley refused to go quietly. The Bexley students cheering grew from a dull roar to a jet engine after each subsequent Bexley point, with Lessard and Schiff bellowing with their classmates as the momentum pivoted on a dime. In the blink of an eye, Bexley had taken four straight games for a 6-5 lead and it was Indian Hill on a razor's edge.Indian Hill's student section wouldn't let Gandhi and Kurowski give up. As the Braves' own rowdy bunch began hyping up their friends on the court, the duo found another gear. They stormed back just as quickly as the lead had faded away, and after forcing a tiebreaker the Braves emerged victorious, 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3). With the win, Indian Hill created perhaps the worlds first court storming in tennis as the Braves vocal student section rushed their teammates.After the match, while crediting the fans for their support as well, Gandhi said his team's belief was the deciding factor in the match."We always had the belief we could win the match," Gandhi said. "We never lost hope."Gandhi and Kurowski become the first Indian Hill players to claim a state championship since 2022. Kurowski felt honored to be a part of the storied tradition of Indian Hill tennis."Continuing the legacy of Indian Hill greats, it's one of the happiest days of my life," Kurowski said.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mason, St. Xavier, Indian Hill win 2026 OHSAA state boys tennis titles

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld yesterday defended maggots being fed to detainees at the Delaney Hall Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. A majority of the detainees there have not been convicted of any crimes but are being held as part of a “civil” legal process. During an installment of the Fox News discussion program The Five, Gutfeld noted that Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) recently visited the facility and said that food portions given to detainees were small. Co-host Jessica Tarlov then noted that Nadler also said the portions often contained maggots. Related White House official says James Talarico has less testosterone than a Black woman “Yeah, but it’s in small portions,” Gutfeld said, later adding, “Maggots or not, the food is dietitian approved,” and “Who cares if there are maggots?” The watchdog group Media Matters for America posted a clip of Gutfeld’s remarks on the Bluesky social media platform, where numerous commenters called him “vile,” “horrible,” “evil,” and an “a**hole” and suggested that he should regularly ingest food with maggots in it. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Greg Gutfeld on the federal detention center at Delaney Hall: “Maggots or not, the food is dietitian approved”— Media Matters for America (@mmfa.bsky.social) 2026-05-28T22:30:24.815Z Other commenters noted that a dietitian is a credentialed healthcare professional who determines that meals meet specific health, nutritional, or medical standards, and that such professionals rarely witness all meals being served at a facility in-person; they often just look over a menu of planned ingredients to assess it. Also, no dietitian would ever approve a meal with maggots on it since the fly larvae often feed on rotting or improperly stored meat, which is unsafe for human consumption. Clashes with federal authorities have occurred outside of Delaney Hall during the past weeks, in protests over poor hygiene and healthcare at the facility. Detainees there have begun hunger strikes to protest the conditions inside. An estimated 300 detainees are being held in the approximately 1,000-bed facility. “What I saw with my own eyes and heard from inmates should shake America’s soul,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The ruling was a blow to both President Trump, who had voluntarily dismissed the suit last week, and to the Justice Department, which used the suit to establish a fund likely intended for Trump allies.

Layne Riggs is on the pole for the Allegiance 200NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on May 29 at Nashville Superspeedway after rain washed out qualifying.Kaden Honeycutt will start second, with Jesse Love starting third in a rare Truck Series start for Spire Motorsports.Rajah Caruth, defending his victory last year, will start 25th in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet originally slated for the late Kyle Busch. Busch died on May 21 from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.Here's the full starting lineup and TV information for Friday's NASCAR Truck Series race at Nashville.WEEKEND SCHEDULE: NASCAR Nashville full weekend track schedule, TV schedule for the Cracker Barrel 400, other racesNASCAR Truck Series Nashville starting lineupLayne Riggs, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports FordKaden Honeycutt, No. 11 TRICON Garage ToyotaJesse Love, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletGio Ruggiero, No. 17 TRICON Garage ToyotaChristian Eckes, No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing ChevroletBen Rhodes, No. 99 Thorsport Racing FordBrandon Jones, No. 1 TRICON Garage ToyotaWilliam Sawalich, No. 5 TRICON Garage ToyotaTanner Gray, No. 15 TRICON Garage ToyotaDaniel Hemric, No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing ChevroletJake Garcia, No. 98 Thorsport Racing FordCorey Lajoie, No. 10 Kaulig Racing RamStefan Parsons, No. 4 Niece Motorsports ChevroletTyler Reif, No. 42 Niece Motorsports ChevroletJustin Haley, No. 16 Kaulig Racing RamGrant Enfinger, No. 9 CR7 Motorsports ChevroletTyler Ankrum, No. 18 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing ChevroletParker Retzlaff, No. 62 Halmar Friesen Racing ToyotaAndres Perez de Lara, No. 44 Niece Motorsports ChevroletCarson Ferguson, No. 25 Kaulig Racing RamRoss Chastain, No. 45 Niece Motorsports ChevroletChandler Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports FordDawson Sutton, No. 26 Rackley W.A.R. ChevroletStewart Friesen, No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing ToyotaRajah Caruth, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletFrankie Muniz, No. 33 Team Reaume FordTy Majeski, No. 88 Thorsport Racing FordSpencer Boyd, No. 76 Freedom Racing Enterprises ChevroletCole Butcher, No. 13 Thorsport Racing FordButterbean Queen, No. 12 Kaulig Racing RamDerek Lemke, No. 22 Team Reaume FordKris Wright, No. 81 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing ChevroletMini Tyrrell, No. 14 Kaulig Racing RamClayton Green, No. 2 Team Reaume FordCaleb Costner, No. 93 Costner Motorsports ChevroletToni Breidinger, No. 27 Rackley W.A.R. ChevroletJonathan Shafer, No. 69 MBM Motorsports FordDaniel Dye, No. 20 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing ChevroletNASCAR Truck Series Nashville TV schedule, start time for the Allegiance 200Green Flag Time: Approx. 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Friday, May 29Track: Nashville Superspeedway (1.33-mile oval) in Lebanon, TennesseeLength: 150 laps, 199.5 milesStages: 45 laps, 50 laps, 55 lapsTV coverage: FOX Sports 1Radio: NASCAR Racing Network RadioStreaming: FUBO (free trial available); NASCAR.com and SiriusXM for audio (subscription required)The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Nashville will be broadcast nationally on FS1. Streaming options for the race include FUBO, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Truck Series Nashville lineup, TV schedule for Friday's race

NEW DELHI: Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued to rewrite IPL history on Friday with yet another breathtaking knock, smashing 96 off just 47 balls against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 in New Chandigarh.The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener once again missed out on a deserved hundred, falling agonisingly short for the second consecutive knockout game. Just two days earlier, he had blasted 97 off 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator at the same venue.But even without reaching three figures, Sooryavanshi still managed to script multiple records during his latest batting masterclass.The youngster equalled Glenn Maxwell’s 12-year-old IPL record for the most dismissals in the 90s in a single season. Maxwell had been dismissed three times in the 90s during his extraordinary 2014 campaign, and Sooryavanshi has now matched that unwanted but remarkable feat in IPL 2026.Batters with multiple dismissals in 90s in an IPL edition3 - Glenn Maxwell in 20143 - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in 20262 - Mitchell Marsh in 2026Sooryavanshi joins elite IPL companyWith his third dismissal in the 90s this season, Sooryavanshi also joined an elite list of batters with the most scores in the 90s in IPL history.The record currently stands at three and is now shared by David Warner, KL Rahul, Glenn Maxwell, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sooryavanshi.What makes the teenager’s achievement even more extraordinary is that he already has a century this season, meaning he now has four scores above 90 in a single IPL edition — a staggering feat for the youngster.Batters with most dismissals in 90s in the IPL3 - David Warner3 - KL Rahul3 - Glenn Maxwell3 - Ruturaj Gaikwad3 - Vaibhav SooryavanshiFriday’s knock was also statistically unique in another surprising way.Known for tearing apart bowling attacks from the very first ball, Sooryavanshi registered the “slowest” fifty of his IPL career during the innings. He reached his half-century in 29 balls, slower than his previous slowest IPL fifty which had come off 27 balls against Chennai Super Kings earlier this season.That itself highlights the absurd standards the teenager has set in IPL 2026.This was already his eighth 50-plus score of the season, and on five of the previous seven occasions he had reached the milestone in 17 balls or fewer.Records tumble during another fearless inningsSooryavanshi’s latest innings was packed with records and milestones. During the knock, he also became the fastest batter in IPL history to complete 1000 runs in terms of balls faced.He achieved the milestone in just 440 balls, shattering the previous record held by Andre Russell, who had taken 545 deliveries.The RR opener has also completely dominated the powerplay overs this season. His tally of 521 runs in overs 1-6 is now the highest ever by a batter in a single IPL edition, surpassing David Warner’s 467 runs from the 2016 season.The innings finally ended in the 18th over when Kagiso Rabada dismissed him for 96. Attempting an upper-cut over third man, Sooryavanshi failed to get the desired timing and was caught by Prasidh Krishna near the boundary.Despite missing out on another century, the youngster walked off to a standing ovation after hammering eight fours and seven sixes in an innings that once again underlined why he has become the biggest story of IPL 2026.At just 15, Sooryavanshi is no longer merely a rising star. He is already producing numbers that place him alongside some of the greatest batting seasons in IPL history.

Mar 1, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins against Mississippi State Bulldogs during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images The road to the Men’s College World Series begins on Friday, as regional action gets underway.Here is everything you need to know about the first stage of the NCAA baseball tournament. NCAA baseball schedule and scoresFriday, May 29Here are all the games currently scheduled for the NCAA baseball regionals, by day. In the first set of games, the No. 1 seed in each region takes on the No. 4 seed, while the No. 2 and No. 3 teams square off. All times listed are Eastern:Kentucky 6, Wake Forest 5East Carolina 7, Tennessee 3Georgia Tech 22, UIC 5Kansas 6, Northeastern 3Texas 19, Holy Cross 1Florida 8, Rider 7Milwaukee 13, Auburn 8Liberty 4, Boston College 3USC Upstate 8, Oklahoma State 5Little Rock 7, Southern Miss 4Mississippi State 10, Lipscomb 1St. John’s vs. Florida State, 3:00 p.m., ACCNSaint Mary’s vs. UCLA, 3:00 p.m., ESPNUWashington State 3, Oregon State 2Lamar vs. Texas A&M, 4:00 p.m., SECNSouth Dakota State vs. Nebraska, 4:00 p.m., ESPN+The Citadel vs. Oklahoma, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+VCU vs. North Carolina, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+Binghamton vs. West Virginia, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+Missouri State vs. Arkansas, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+NC State vs. UCF, 6:00 p.m., ESPNUTarleton State vs. UC Santa Barbara, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+Troy vs. Miami, 6:00 p.m., ACCNJacksonville State vs. Virginia, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Louisiana vs. Cincinnati, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Alabama State vs. Alabama, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Long Island vs. Georgia, 7:00 p.m., SECNNorthern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+Cal Poly vs. Virginia Tech, 8:00 p.m,. ESPN+Yale vs. Oregon, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+Arizona State vs. Ole Miss, 9:00 p.m., ESPNUTexas State vs. USC., 9:00 p.m., ESPN+Scores and schedule by regionHere are the schedule and scores for the NCAA baseball regional games by each region. As with the above, the No. 1 team plays the No. 4 team in the opening round, and all times listed are Eastern:Los Angeles regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 4 Saint Mary’s, 3:00 p.m., ESPNUNo. 2 Virginia. Tech vs. No. 3 Cal Poly, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+Atlanta regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 Georgia Tech 22, No. 4 UIC 5No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 The Citadel, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+Athens regionalFriday, May 29No. 3 Liberty 4, No. 2 Boston College 3No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Long Island, 7:00 p.m., SECNAuburn regionalNo. 4 Milwaukee 13, No. 1 Auburn 8No. 3 NC State vs. No. 2 UCFChapel Hill regionalFriday, May 29No. 3 East Carolina 7, No. 2 Tennessee 3No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 VCU, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+Austin regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 Texas 19, No. 4 Holy Cross 1No. 2 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 3 Tarleton State 6:00 p.m., ESPN+Tuscaloosa regionalFriday, May 29No. 3 USC Upstate 8, No. 2 Oklahoma State 5No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Alabama State, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Gainesville regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 Florida 8, No. 4 Rider 7No. 2 Miami vs. No. 3 Troy, 6:00 p.m., ACCNHattiesburg regionalFriday, May 29No. 4 Little Rock 7, No. 1 Southern Miss 4No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 3 Jacksonville State, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Tallahassee regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 St. John’s, 3:00 p.m., ACCNNo. 2 Coastal Carolina vs. No. 3 Northern Illinois, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+Eugene regionalFriday, May 29No. 3 Washington State 3, No. 2 Oregon State 2No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 4 Yale, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+College Station regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 Texas A&M vs. No. 4 Lamar, 4:00 p.m., SECNNo. 2 USC vs. No. 3 Texas State, 9:00 p.m, ESPN+Lincoln regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 South Dakota State, 4:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Arizona State, 9:00 p.m, ESPNUStarkville regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 Mississippi State 10, No. 4 Lipscomb 1No. 2 Cincinnati vs. No. 3 Louisiana, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Lawrence regionalFriday, May 29No. 1 Kansas 6, No. 4 Northeastern 3No. 2 Arkansas vs. No. 3 Missouri State, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+Morgantown regionalFriday, May 29No. 3 Kentucky 6, No. 2 Wake Forest 5No. 1 West Virginia vs. No. 4 Binghamton, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+How do the NCAA baseball regionals work?The NCAA baseball tournament is not your standard single-elimination, bracket format. The tournament kicks off with the regionals, followed by the super regionals, and ultimately the Men’s College World Series.Regionals are a double-elimination format, with the 64 teams divided into 16, four-team mini-brackets. The top 16 teams in the nation each host a regional, and each of those 16 teams is the No. 1 seed in its regional. Games begin on Friday in a double-elimination format, with each bracket winner advancing to the super regionals.Super regionals consist of 16 teams advancing to eight matchups, which are a three-game series. The winner of each super regional advances to the Men’s College World Series, which will see those eight teams split again into two brackets of four, in a double-elimination format. That builds to the Championship Series, which is a best-of-three series between the final two teams. Who are the top 16 teams?Here are the top 16 teams in the NCAA baseball tournament, ranked from No. 1 to No. 16. Each of these teams is hosting a regional this weekend, and the top eight are guaranteed to host a super regional … provided they advance.No. 1 UCLA (51-6)No. 2 Georgia Tech (48-9)No. 3 Georgia (46-12)No. 4 Auburn (38-19)No. 5 North Carolina (45-11-1)No. 6 Texas (40-13)No. 7 Alabama (37-19)No. 8 Florida (39-19)No. 9 Southern Mississippi (44-15)No. 10 Florida State (38-17)No. 11 Oregon (40-16)No. 12 Texas A&M (39-14)No. 13 Nebraska (42-15)No. 14 Mississippi State (40-17)No. 15 Kansas (42-16)No. 16 West Virginia (39-14)What are the 16 regional pairings?Here are the 64 teams in the field, broken down into the 16 regionals. In addition to the top 16 overall teams being seeded, within each regional the teams are seeded No. 1 through No. 4:Los Angeles regionalNo. 1 UCLA (51-6) (No. 1 overall seed)No. 2 Virginia Tech (30-24)No. 3 Cal Poly (36-22)No. 4 Saint Mary’s (34-25)Atlanta regionalNo. 1 Georgia Tech (48-9) (No. 2 overall seed)No. 2 Oklahoma (32-21)No. 3 The Citadel (35-24)No. 4 UIC (27-27-1)Athens regionalNo. 1 Georgia (46-12) (No. 3 overall seed)No. 2 Boston College (36-21)No. 3 Liberty (41-19)No. 4 Long Island (30-20)Auburn regionalNo. 1 Auburn (38-19) (No. 4 overall seed)No. 2 UCF (31-21)No. 3 NC State (32-22)No. 4 Milwaukee (25-31)Chapel Hill regionalNo. 1 North Carolina (45-11-1) (No. 5 overall seed)No. 2 Tennessee (38-20)No. 3 East Carolina (36-22-1)No. 4 VCU (37-23)Austin regionalNo. 1 Texas (40-13) (No. 6 overall seed)No. 2 UC Santa Barbara (38-18)No. 3 Tarleton State (37-19)No. 4 Holy Cross (25-28)Tuscaloosa regionalNo. 1 Alabama (37-19) (No. 7 overall seed)No. 2 Oklahoma State (37-20)No. 3 USC Upstate (33-28)No. 4 Alabama State (34-21)Gainesville regionalNo. 1 Florida (39-19) (No. 8 overall seed)No. 2 Miami (38-18)No. 3 Troy (32-29)No. 4 Rider (33-18)Hattiesburg regionalNo. 1 Southern Miss (44-15) (No. 9 overall seed)No. 2 Virginia (36-21)No. 3 Jacksonville State (46-13)No. 4 Little Rock (36-26)Tallahassee regionalNo. 1 Florida State (38-17) (No. 10 overall seed)No. 2 Coastal Carolina (37-21)No. 3 Northern Illinois (35-17)No. 4 St. John’s (33-24)Eugene regionalNo. 1 Oregon (40-16) (No. 11 overall seed)No. 2 Oregon State (43-12)No. 3 Washington State (30-26)No. 4 Yale (30-13-1)College Station regionalNo. 1 Texas A&M (39-14) (No. 12 overall seed)No. 2 USC (43-15)No. 3 Texas State (36-24)No. 4 Lamar (34-25)Lincoln regionalNo. 1 Nebraska (42-15) (No. 13 overall seed)No. 2 Ole Miss (36-21)No. 3 Arizona State (37-19)No. 4 South Dakota State (24-31)Starkville regionalNo. 1 Mississippi State (40-17) (No. 14 overall seed)No. 2 Cincinnati (37-20)No. 3 Louisiana (39-23)No. 4 Lipscomb (29-24)Lawrence regionalNo. 1 Kansas (42-16) (No. 15 overall seed)No. 2 Arkansas (39-20)No. 3 Missouri State (34-19)No. 4 Northeastern (38-20)Morgantown regionalNo. 1 West Virginia (39-14) (No. 16 overall seed)No. 2 Wake Forest (38-19)No. 3 Kentucky (31-21)No. 4 Binghamton (31-20)

The Twins and Pirates open a three-game interleague series Friday night at PNC Park, with Minnesota trying to climb back toward .500 against a Pittsburgh team sitting just above it.MORE:5 MLB players who should be traded during the 2026 seasonMay 27, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesHow to Watch Twins vs PiratesDate: Friday, May 29, 2026Time: 6:45 PM ETChannel: Apple TVStream: Apple TV (try for free)Minnesota enters at 27-30, while Pittsburgh comes in at 29-28 for Friday’s 6:45 p.m. ET matchup. The Twins will send Taj Bradley to the mound, and he has been one of their steadier arms at 5-1 with a 2.77 ERA and 59 strikeouts, while the Pirates counter with Jared Jones, who is making his 2026 season debut.– Live Stream Twins vs Pirates with Apple TV –The Pirates are coming off a 7-2 loss to the Cubs, while the Twins dropped their previous game 6-2 to the White Sox. Offensively, Byron Buxton leads Minnesota with 17 home runs, while Brandon Lowe has paced Pittsburgh with 14 homers and 36 RBIs, giving this opener a clear power-versus-pitching storyline.This is a great MLB matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.Live stream Twins vs Pirates on Apple TV: Start your subscription now!With Apple TV, you can watch live television, including MLB games, all season long without cable on your phone, TV, or tablet. Apple TV carries a wide array of sports and entertainment channels. The best part is you can try it out today for free.Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

Tennessee baseball’s NCAA Tournament opener ended like so many of its other defeats have. It ended with opposing hitters teeing off on the Vols ever-so-vulnerable relief pitching.But don’t let the ending fool you. No. 2 seed Tennessee (38-21) didn’t lose to No. 3 seed East Carolina (37-22-1) in 14 innings because of pitching. This time, its hitters came up short in a 7-3 defeat that knocked the Vols into the losers bracket of the Chapel Hill Regional on May 29 at Boshamer Stadium. UT twice botched scoring opportunities in extra innings before its relievers gave way in the last inning of a 4 ½ hour game.East Carolina’s Walker Barron broke a 3-3 tie with a home run to lead off the top of the 14th inning against reliever Will Haas. The Pirates tacked on three more runs off Haas and Cam Appenzeller.Brett Antolick, ECU coach Cliff Godwin’s sixth pitcher, closed out the Vols in the bottom of the 14th without a run.Both coaches managed as though this was a single-elimination tournament. They combined to use 11 pitchers and made enough substitutions for two games.If you check the percentages, it basically was a must-win game. About 93% of regional winners prevail in their opening game, which raises the question: “Why didn’t Tennessee coach Josh Elander start his best pitcher?”Answer: Because he was trying to win the regional, not just one game. His decision to start Evan Blanco over No. 1 starter Tegan Kuhns was the right move. That saved Kuhns for Game 2 when the Vols would have expected to play No. 1 seed North Carolina.Face it: Tennessee’s pitching is so shallow, there’s no foolproof strategy.But Blanco made Elander look like a genius by delivering his strongest performance of the year. He allowed only one run, gave up seven hits and didn’t walk a batter in seven innings.Blanco wasn’t the only pitching star for the Vols. Reliever Bo Rhudy gave up just one run in four innings. By Tennessee’s bullpen standards, that’s downright spectacular. The Blanco-Rhudy combination would have been sufficient for victory if only the Vols’ hitters had provided more support.The Vols had their hitting highlights, just not enough of them. Blake Grimmer gave them a 1-0 lead with a fourth-inning home run, and Henry Ford tied the game in the ninth with a two-out solo homer, his 20th of the season.Tennessee went down swinging – and missing.East Carolina pitchers recorded 18 strikeouts. Tennessee’s hitting difficulties were magnified against star reliever Ethan Norby, who’s obviously unfazed by his pitch count. He struck out eight in 4.2 innings after entering the game in the seventh.Give the Pirates credit. They might be deemed a mid-major in football and basketball, but there’s nothing mid about their baseball program. They are playing in their 36th NCAA Tournament, and their tournament experience showed in the clutch.ADAMS: Why making NCAA Tournament is an accomplishment for Tennessee baseball | AdamsEast Carolina has advanced this far despite losing two of its top three starting pitchers and closer to injuries. And it’s comfortable in an underdog role in a regional that host North Carolina is favored to win.But after losing Game 1 of the regional, Tennessee became a bigger underdog.John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com.This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Evan Blanco made Josh Elander look smart, but Tennessee baseball hitters faltered

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One of the most devastating injuries in the NFL is a non-contact lower-body injury. Especially when it occurs during offseason workouts. On Friday, the New York Giants saw a key contributor go down with what could be a season-ending injury.Reports surfaced that former All-Pro kick and punt returner Gunner Olszewski suffered an injury that is expected to sideline him for the season. Early indications suggest he sustained an Achilles injury.MORE: Jaxson Dart breaks silence on Donald Trump rally appearance after Abdul Carter backlashThe news comes as a significant blow to a player the Giants quietly uncovered as a valuable asset in 2023. Since arriving in New York, Olszewski has served as the team’s primary return specialist and a key contributor on special teams.New York Giants wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (80) runs the ball, Sunday, January 4, 2026, in East Rutherford.Olszewski joined the Giants after spending time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. He handled return duties from 2019 through 2023 for the Patriots then Steelers. Olszewski entered the league as an undrafted free agent with New England and earned All-Pro honors in 2020.How Olszewski got to the GiantsHe signed with the Steelers during the 2022 free agency period, but his stint in Pittsburgh was short-lived. Olszewski struggled to make an impact and was released midway through the 2023 season.The Giants signed him to their practice squad later that year before promoting him to the active roster just days afterward. He missed the 2024 season with a groin injury but returned in 2025.MORE: 3 NFL backup quarterbacks who could be traded soonUpon his return, Olszewski reclaimed the lead return role and recorded 50 total returns for 898 yards. He also contributed on offense with 10 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown.New York Giants wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (80) gets ready to complete a pass, Sunday, January 4, 2026, in East Rutherford.The lone silver lining for the Giants is their offseason signing of Calvin Austin III. Austin brings extensive experience as both a kick and punt returner from his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.After Olszewski’s departure from Pittsburgh in 2023, Austin took over as the Steelers’ primary return specialist and held that role through 2025. He was also expected to compete for the WR3 and WR4 spots in New York’s offense.MORE: 5 most underrated NFL players entering the 2026 season Austin entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick by the Steelers in the same offseason that Olszewski signed with Pittsburgh. A foot injury requiring season-ending surgery forced him to miss his entire rookie season in 2022.Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (19) catches a pass during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn ImagesHe developed into a reliable WR3 during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. As a returner, Austin amassed 72 punt returns for 639 yards and a touchdown during his tenure with the Steelers. He also recorded 84 receptions for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns on offense.Still, the Giants would undoubtedly prefer to have both Olszewski and Austin available rather than losing Olszewski for what appears to be the entire season.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 25: Daylen Lile #4 and Jacob Young #30 of the Washington Nationals celebrate scoring on a single hit by Luis García Jr. during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images When the Nats and Padres get together, things tend to get interesting. That could be especially true this time as the two teams are as evenly matched as they have been in a long time. Both are over .500, but have gotten there in very different ways. The Nats are powered by an explosive offense, while the Padres have a lockdown bullpen.Blake Butera is making a couple changes to the lineup. Dylan Crews will be back in there in right field, which pushes James Wood to DH. Nasim Nunez will also be at second base and hit 9th. Keibert Ruiz will be behind the dish and hit 8th. Paxton Schultz will be the opener today, but Andrew Alvarez will be coming for bulk relief duty.tonight's menu 🍽️https://t.co/iUBDqlACVs | @fox5dcpic.twitter.com/5wL5SwK9ke— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 29, 2026The Padres offense has underperformed this year. Fernando Tatis Jr. does not have a home run, while Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado have also taken big steps back. Gavin Sheets, Miguel Andujar and Ty France have the highest OPS numbers in the Padres lineup. We know that the big names in the Padres lineup can get hot at any time though. Lucas Giolito signed with the Padres very late, but he has been solid in his first couple of starts for the team. He will take the mound and face the team that drafted him.New series on deck. pic.twitter.com/6td6nJRCkS— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 29, 2026Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!Game Info:Stadium: Nationals ParkTime: 6:45 PM ESTTV: Nationals.TV and Fox 5 WTTGRadio: 106.7 The FanThe energy in the stadium this weekend should be great, and that fires me up. This team is giving the fans reason to believe. Hopefully the Nats can continue playing better baseball at home, after an awful start to the year at Nats Park. This will be a fun test for the boys. Follow along in the comments down below, and let’s go Nats!

The UCF Knights will not start their NCAA Tournament trip on time.Due to uncooperative weather in the area, their Auburn Regional opener against North Carolina State has been pushed back to 7:06 p.m. on May 29. First pitch at Plainsman Park was originally scheduled for 6 p.m.The winner will move on to a Saturday showdown against Milwaukee, which stunned the host Tigers 13-8 earlier in the afternoon. That game saw a brief delay, too. No rain fell, but lightning was detected within an eight-mile radius, forcing a 30-minute stoppage.According to the National Weather Service, there is a 70% chance of evening precipitation in Auburn, Alabama. Showers and thunderstorms are likely before 7 p.m., and a separate storm is possible between 7 and 10.— Chris Boyle contributed to this reportThis article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF baseball NCAA Tournament game vs NC State starts in weather delay

Great; another opener in front of Brayan Bello. The Guardians lead the AL Central while the Sox slipped right back into fifth place. Who’s looking for a fun weekend?!⚾️ First Pitch: 7:10pm EDT — Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH📺 TV: NESN📻 Radio: WEEIGame 1 with the Guardians. pic.twitter.com/k6Fp8ZlaAo— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 29, 2026City Connect Friday night with perfect weather. What could be better?#GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/WshyWFC4gl— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) May 29, 2026

Claude Lemieux’s reported death at age 60 has pulled one of the rawest chapters in Detroit Red Wings history back into focus, according to recent reporting. In Detroit, Claude Lemieux still connects first to Kris Draper, because Lemieux’s hit in the 1996 Western Conference Finals became the grievance that shaped how this Red Wings rivalry is remembered.Detroit fans still react differently because the feud never lived only in standings or playoff brackets. It stayed attached to Draper’s injuries, Darren McCarty’s revenge on March 26, 1997, and a Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry that kept returning with championships on the line.The Draper hit is still the starting pointThe rivalry’s emotional center in Detroit remains the play that drove Draper face-first into the boards in 1996. Draper suffered a broken orbital bone, broken jaw, broken cheekbone, broken nose and a concussion after Claude Lemieux checked him from behind, as detailed here.That is why Red Wings fans still bring up Draper before they bring up trophies. The anger had a clear target and a visible cost, and Detroit’s memory of Colorado hardened around that moment.Championship stakes kept the wound openDetroit and Colorado were not trading cheap shots in meaningless games. They met in the playoffs five times from 1996 through 2002 and combined to win five Stanley Cups in that span, according to the documented rivalry history.The same stretch is remembered as the rivalry’s peak from 1996 to 2002, with repeated meetings between elite teams carrying heavy stakes, as shown in this retrospective. For Detroit, the hatred lasted because the same opponent kept showing up in the biggest Red Wings moments.Fight Night at the Joe gave Detroit its releaseThe image that still lives in this Red Wings rivalry came less than a year later. Detroit beat Colorado 6-5 in overtime on March 26, 1997, per the official game record, in the game later known as Fight Night at the Joe.Nine fights broke out that night, including McCarty’s fight with Claude Lemieux, and the game produced 148 total penalty minutes and 18 fighting majors, according to documented accounts and this history. Around Detroit, McCarty going after Lemieux remains the replay Red Wings fans cite when this rivalry comes up again.Lemieux lasted as the villain because he was accomplishedClaude Lemieux’s place in Detroit memory held because he was not a fringe player. His career record includes four Stanley Cups, the 1994-95 Conn Smythe Trophy, 1,215 NHL games, 379 goals, and 786 points.That profile made the resentment stick. As Claude Lemieux’s reported death resurfaces the feud now, Detroit’s reference points are still Draper in the boards and McCarty in the pile, and those scenes remain the quickest way Red Wings fans remember Colorado.

Prosecutors would face substantial hurdles in potentially pursuing charges against Ms. Carroll, who twice won cases against Donald Trump, or the billionaire who helped pay her lawyers.

🚨 Major boost: River confirm Otamendi signingClub Atlético River Plate shook up the Argentine transfer market by officially announcing the signing of Nicolás Otamendi. The experienced center-back appeared at the Monumental Stadium to finalize his link with the club, becoming the first major addition for the second half of the year.Contract signed and World Cup aheadAfter successfully passing his medical, the defender signed a contract that will tie him to the club from July 1, 2026, until December 31, 2027. The signing took place alongside president Stefano Di Carlo. Otamendi arrives in outstanding form after an impressive season with Benfica of Portugal, where he played 46 matches, a level that secured him a place in Argentina’s final squad for the upcoming World Cup. His official incorporation into the team will take place once the World Cup comes to an end.River pushing for more in the marketThe Núñez leadership is not stepping away from the market. At the express request of head coach Eduardo Coudet, talks are moving forward to bring in Mauro Arambarri. At the same time, the club is working on the financial engineering needed to try to secure the marquee signings of Giovanni Simeone and Ángel Correa.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers have found their replacement for Daryl Morey and have agreed to hire Mike Gansey as their president of basketball operations, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Friday.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the hiring has not yet been revealed publicly.Gansey joined the Cavaliers in 2011 and has worked as their general manager since 2022.The 43-year-old Gansey is a Northeast Ohio native. He played collegiately at West Virginia, where he was a first-team All-Big East selection. Gansey previously served as GM for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA’s G League.He replaces Morey, who was fired earlier this month after the 76ers were eliminated in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.The 76ers were easily ousted by the New York Knicks to end Morey’s sixth season in charge, and the organization quickly decided that someone else would lead the basketball operations department.The Sixers went 270-212 in the regular season under Morey but just 28-26 in the postseason, failing to advance past the second round. They returned to the playoffs this season after missing them for the only time in Morey’s tenure in 2024-25, when they went 24-58.Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors general manager, led the search for Morey’s replacement.Myers built the Golden State teams that won NBA championships in 2015, ’17, ’18 and ’22. He worked as a commentator at ESPN after leaving the Warriors before joining Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment in October 2025 as president of sports.His first major move with the Sixers is adding Gansey to the front office. The 76ers decided when they fired Morey to keep Nick Nurse as their coach.Gansey worked under Cleveland President Koby Altman and helped shaped the Cavaliers into an Eastern Conference playoff team.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

MISSOULA - Salvatore Bergeron just missed the state track and field podium last year on a tiebreaker. As a senior, the Great Falls High pole vaulter not only went out as an All-State athlete, but did so alongside his teammate and good friend. Luke Allen earned second in the pole vault for the Bison at the Class AA meet on Friday, May 29, at MCPS Stadium, flanked by Bergeron in third. More: Great Falls High’s Bree MacDonald runner-up in pole vault at state track meetMore: VOTE for the Great Falls Tribune Prep Athlete of the Week, May 27-31Allen, who finished fourth as a junior, was runner-up to repeat champ Brayden Brisko of Helena Capital (15 feet) with a vault of 14 feet, 6 inches. Bergeron tied Billings West’s Beau Dringman at 14 feet for bronze. “I didn’t perform the best, but I’m very grateful for how things are,” Bergeron said. “I’ve been vaulting with my best friend (Allen), like ride or die, for four years now and I finally caught up to him (in the regular season).” Allen and Bergeron both surpassed 15 feet this season, which tied the Great Falls High pair for second in all classes across all meets this season to Brisko (16-06), and tied them for fourth in program history. Likewise with Bergeron, Allen said he’d hoped to hit over his personal record, but was content with how it all ended. “I’m feeling pretty good,” Allen said. “I think I couldn’t have had a better team. We’ve got so many people. It’s so fun. I think at the end of the day that’s what everyone is reaching for. Two (podium finishes)? I like it!” Next year, Allen is planning to compete for Carroll College in Helena and Bergeron said he’s considering an offer from Div. II Black Hills State in South Dakota. Among other Great Falls competitors Friday, C.M. Russell High’s Emerson Hamma finished fifth for the second year in a row in the 3200 meters with a time of 9:38.69. This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Allen, Bergeron earn top 3 in pole vault for Great Falls High at state track

On Friday, May 29, after 56 games played (just over a third of the way through the season), the Mets are 10 games under .500, 14.5 GB of the NL East and 7.5 GB of the final Wild Card spot.They’ll begin another three-game series at Citi Field on Friday night when they host the Miami Marlins, who swept New York in Miami last week, but before the team takes the field, David Stearns met with the media to take stock of the Mets and their disappointing season.“We have not had a good year so far, there’s no question,” Stearns said. “We’re not where we thought we would be. We’ve dug ourselves a hole. It’s not an insurmountable hole, but it is definitely a hole and we’re gonna have to play a lot better baseball to do what we want to do this year.”After pointing out the obvious, Stearns attempted to pinpoint the problems affecting New York and, perhaps more importantly, explain why they’ve happened and continue to happen.One of the biggest issues that has befallen the Mets this year – that is top of mind because of David Peterson’s failure on Tuesday to back up home plate on a double that resulted in a run, which drew the ire of SNY commentator Ron Darling on the telecast – is mental mistakes.From the start of the season, whether it’s defenders not knowing how many outs there are, poor decisions on the basepaths or even an unsightly record on ABS challenges, New York has not played clean baseball this year.After Peterson’s gaffe, one of many by the team this year, manager Carlos Mendoza was asked whether his coaching staff’s messaging to the players is being acknowledged and the skipper said he had no concerns in that department.For his part, Stearns also offered a vote of confidence in Mendoza and the rest of the coaches.“I think our coaching staff does a really good job,” he said. “Look, on the Petey [play] in particular, that’s a pretty heady player – he was frustrated – but that’s a pretty heady player who generally does a really good job with those types of things, so I wouldn’t put too much into that.”A more obvious problem for the Mets has been their lack of offense, especially from players who were brought in over the offseason to add some thump to the lineup.While injuries have limited some of those players and other stars on New York’s roster, what the Mets have produced at the plate all season is truly baffling. Even role players who have been given a chance to play every day and take that next step have failed to do so. “We’ve clearly had some players that we thought and still think that are capable of taking that next step forward in their careers, and we haven’t quite seen that yet,” Stearns said. It doesn’t mean we won’t or they’re not capable of it, but we haven’t.”One of the biggest disappointments offensively for New York has been Bo Bichette, who signed a three-year, $126 million contract over the offseason after a great career with the Toronto Blue Jays.But in his first season with the Mets, Bichette has had a terrible showing, hitting .225 with a .590 OPS – well below his career averages – while batting near the top of the lineup all season. In fact, after New York signed Bichette (and to some extent Jorge Polanco), it envisioned him, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto to be one of the best top of the orders in baseball.And while Bichette has struggled, Lindor and Polanco have both been injured for much of the season, leaving Soto as the only player atop the lineup who has come through consistently.“That’s been one of the most frustrating parts of the season,” Stearns said. “We did believe that the top of our order would match any top of order in baseball and we haven’t had those players together and at various points when we’ve had elements of that group on the field, we haven’t gotten the production that we anticipated.“So that has been frustrating, it’s been a challenge. We still believe that those are really good players and when we get them back at the top of the lineup, we’ll have a really good top of the lineup.”Despite the results, though, Stearns still believes the Mets “have the talent to be a very good offensive team.” He is also encouraged by how the players continue to compete even after everything has gone wrong this season.“I think the motivation and energy from these players remains very high,” Stearns said. “I understand there’s frustration everywhere, there’s exacerbation, we all get it, but our players are playing hard and they care and they compete and that’s a reflection on them and on our coaches.”That energy and want-to out of the team is also part of the reason why Stearns isn’t ready to commit to any specific strategy at the trade deadline.“We’re not there yet,” he said. “We’ve got time, so we’re not there yet.”

Mainline Pharmacy will defend three titles as the Johnstown Collegiate Baseball League season opens in a Monday night doubleheader at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point.Mainline Pharmacy won the 2025 JCBL regular-season and playoff championships. Then-first-year manager Chance Osborne’s squad won the 80th All American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament in an all-Johnstown affair against Martella’s Pharmacy.“After coming off of a successful season, the standard for this franchise is set,” said Osborne, whose Mainline Pharmacy squad will face The Hill Group at 7:45 p.m. on opening night of the 29-game season.Martella’s Pharmacy and Infinity Practical Solutions will play at 5:30 p.m. at the Point.“We are well-aware that the league will be highly competitive and we look forward to a competitive season,” Osborne said.The JCBL dropped to four teams after the former Laurel Auto Group franchise exited after the 2025 season.For the first time in 12 years, the local league and the four-team Altoona AAABA League will play an interleague schedule this season.Johnstown and Altoona squads will play each other a total of eight times during the regular season.“We hate to lose a team and we’re always looking for teams and will accept all comers,” veteran JCBL Commissioner Don Stanton said. “The four teams we have are going to be competitive.”The JCBL will include Infinity Practical Solutions, Mainline Pharmacy, Martella’s Pharmacy and The Hill Group.The Altoona AAABA League will include 2025's champion Cumming Motors and new teams Alexander Financial Group, Imler’s Poultry and MH Electric.“We’ve added Altoona and their four-team AAABA League,” Stanton said. “We will play each team twice, once at our place and once at their place.”The Blair County league will host games at Altoona’s Veterans Memorial Field. Stanton said most of the Altoona games at Johnstown will be inside Sargent’s Stadium.“I’ve got four really quality teams, two new managers, two new sponsors. I’m excited to see what we can do,” said Matt Cursio, president of the Altoona AAABA League. “The competition playing against the Johnstown teams will definitely improve both leagues.“We can produce quality teams to get to the national tournament in August.”The local league also will play regular-season dates at Central Cambria and Forest Hills high schools, as well as Dee Dee Osborne Field at Roxbury Park.“With only four teams, that enables us to use the Point for doubleheaders when the Mill Rats are out of town,” Stanton said. “At the end of the season, we hope to play some games at Mount Aloysius College. They are getting their turf redone early in June so we couldn’t schedule games there early in the season.”Stanton said the All American Amateur Baseball Association will implement a courtesy runner rule this season, and the local league will adapt by using the PIAA courtesy runner rule.“Last year, the AAABA Tournament put in the extra hitter rule,” Stanton said. “This year, the AAABA will put in the courtesy runner.“If you ask me, every year it seems like they’re getting further away from Major League Baseball (rules). I understand we’re a college league and I understand it’s a college tournament, but you should never hear in baseball, ‘Batting 10th.’ There definitely should not be a courtesy runner in baseball.”The JCBL regular season will be played from Monday through July 14. The best-of-5 semifinal round playoff series are to begin July 17, with the best-of-5 final set for July 22.The 81st AAABA Tournament will be Aug. 3-8.

Pamela Evette had been among the more vocal proponents of redrawing the state’s congressional map to help Republicans in the midterms.

Plus, the Kennedy Center must remove Trump’s name. Here’s the latest at the end of Friday.

Day 1 of the 2026 NCAA baseball tournament provided an early shocker with No. 1 overall seed UCLA losing its opener to No. 4 Saint Mary’s 3-2 in the Los Angeles Regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday. Jacob Johnson’s second home run of the game off Bruins pitcher Easton Hawk put the Gaels ahead in the top of the ninth inning. Cam Staton closed the game out for Saint Mary’s with two strikeouts and a single allowed to Phoenix Call. National Player of the Year Roch Cholowsky hit a fly ball to center field for the final out. Johnson, a sophomore infielder, gave the Gaels a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with his first home run of the game off Wylan Moss. But UCLA followed up to tie the score in the bottom of the frame on a solo homer from Roman Martin. The Bruins took a 2-1 lead in the fifth after Saint Mary’s starter John Damozonio gave up a leadoff single to Trey Gudoy and walked Dean West. Cholowsky drove Gudoy in with a sacrifice fly. But the Gaels tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the sixth on an RBI double from Makoa Sniffen. Moss walked Tanner Griffith to lead off the frame and was replaced by Landon Stump. On a one-ball, one-strike count, Sniffen hit an opposite-field line drive down the first-base line. Damozonio pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and five hits with six strikeouts. Staton got the win in relief with two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit. Hawk took the loss for UCLA after coming into the NCAA tournament with a 1.81 ERA, 14 saves and a strikeout rate of 11 per nine innings. In the double-elimination regional round, the No. 1 Bruins have not yet been eliminated. But they will have to defeat their next opponent to stay alive in the tournament on their home field. UCLA will face the loser of Friday night’s matchup between No. 2 Virginia Tech and No. 3 Cal Poly.

NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan continued their dream run in IPL 2026 by scripting a major T20 record during Gujarat Titans’ chase against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 on Friday.Gujarat Titans' opening pair became the first duo in men’s T20 cricket history to register 11 century partnerships. The landmark stand came during their pursuit of Rajasthan’s massive 214-run target at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.Gill and Sudharsan went past some of the biggest batting combinations in T20 history, including Chris Gayle-Virat Kohli, Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan and the AB de Villiers-Virat Kohli pairings, all of whom had previously recorded 10 century stands.Most century stands Men’s T20 cricket (any wicket)11 - Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan (48 inns)10 - Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli (63 inns)10 - Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (75 inns)10 - AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli (77 inns)7 - Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh (44 inns)7 - Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (49 inns)What makes the achievement even more remarkable is the speed at which the Gujarat pair reached the milestone. Gill and Sudharsan completed 11 century partnerships in just 48 innings together, far fewer than the other legendary combinations.The pair once again displayed their superb chemistry under pressure while chasing a daunting total in a knockout clash. Rajasthan Royals had posted 214/6 earlier in the evening, thanks largely to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive 96 off 47 balls and Donovan Ferreira’s late blitz in the final over.In response, Gill and Sudharsan came out aggressively and immediately put Rajasthan’s bowlers under pressure. By the end of the 11th over, Gujarat Titans had raced to 144 without loss, with Gill batting on 81 off just 39 deliveries and Sudharsan unbeaten on 51 from 27 balls.The partnership highlighted the contrasting but highly effective styles of the two batters. Gill mixed elegant strokeplay with calculated aggression, while Sudharsan kept the scoreboard moving fluently with clean hitting and sharp running between the wickets.Their consistency at the top has become one of Gujarat Titans’ biggest strengths over the past two IPL seasons. Time and again, the duo has provided solid starts in both high-scoring chases and difficult batting conditions.By overtaking several iconic T20 partnerships, Gill and Sudharsan have now firmly established themselves among the greatest opening combinations in franchise cricket history.

The future of quarterback Matthew Stafford isn't the only thing being talked about with the Los Angeles Rams. While Stafford signed a new contract to remain with the team for at least two more years, former NFL receiver Steve Smith Sr. thinks head coach Sean McVay could follow in his quarterback's footsteps."Sean McVay may take a few years off because he has young children, you know," Smith said on ESPN's First Take. "He's one of those guys, he's all in. He becomes a hermit of football when he's in with football. And we all know you can't do that and be a father, husband, you know, uncle, all that stuff. So you kind of need that time to just get your sabbatical."ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, though, disagreed."That energy and that youth, combined with that brilliance, I don't think he's one that can step away from the game in the near future," Smith said. "I just don't see that in him.""Coach McVay may take a few years off [once Matthew Stafford retires]."Steve Smith Sr. speaks on the Los Angeles Rams' future with Ty Simpson at QB 🏈 pic.twitter.com/KbEpOqewYo— First Take (@FirstTake) May 29, 2026This conversation revolved around what the Rams will look like in the post-Stafford era with Ty Simpson under center. L.A. took Simpson with the No. 13 pick in the 2026 draft, a move that surprised many given Stafford's role on the team and the other areas the Rams could have addressed with a top pick.Instead, the Rams went with Simpson, who will likely inherit the role vacated by Stafford. Because of that, some have considered the possibility that McVay would leave his position once Stafford is finished with football rather than start with a new quarterback under center.Smith doesn't think that will be the case, though, because of how proactive the Rams were with taking Stafford's heir."When I think about Ty Simpson, there's no controversy in him being drafted," Smith added. "Matthew Stafford's 38 years old. He turns 39 a week before the Super Bowl, OK? There was contemplation about retirement before last season. He comes out, he has an MVP year, he's still got something left. But he's not here for the long haul, and he knows that. If he was seven, eight years younger, something like that, it would be a different situation, and I don't think Ty Simpson would have been drafted. ... They knew that [retirement] was a possibility, and that's why you draft Ty Simpson. So I don't consider anything controversial about this pick, because you got to look towards the future when you're looking for a quarterback."There were rumblings that McVay might leave back in 2023 for television and that the Rams would have allowed him to take a year off, but he ultimately stayed. Whether or not those rumors could manifest in a post-Stafford world remains to be seen, but McVay will have some time to see what the team could look like without Stafford and with Simpson over the next few years.This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Ex-WR thinks Sean McVay will step away once Matthew Stafford retires

Spurs vs. Thunder. Wemby vs. SGA. Game 7. Of course.The thrilling Western Conference finals between San Antonio and Oklahoma City, featuring two of the game’s brightest stars, will be decided on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock) with one team advancing to the 2026 NBA Finals, where the New York Knicks await.Will Victor Wembanyama meet the moment in his first-ever Game 7? Will two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead OKC to back-to-back Finals? Our writers weigh in with their Game 7 predictions.What's your take on Spurs-Thunder ahead of Game 7?Steve Jones: This is one of the most tremendous back-and-forth playoff series we have seen in a while. If you point to the blowout nature of the games, you forget how these teams got here. This has been a series of runs, with each team working to swing back until the other beats it into submission. No one has grabbed control of this series. Will Victor Wembanyama be assertive? Will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander make the shots that affect the Spurs’ defense? Will the OKC bench rise to the occasion? Will the Spurs guards hold up their end of the bargain on both ends? Will Chet Holmgren put his stamp on this series? There’s a tension, a feel that anything could happen. And now we get to see that in the ultimate setting. Ben Rohrbach: We are watching the future of the league. Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder are vying for the first back-to-back championships in almost a decade, and Wembanyama’s Spurs, if they were to win the whole thing, might have a stranglehold on the NBA for some time. Given the youth and depth of both rosters, these two teams should compete for Western Conference supremacy — and titles — for another decade, or at least into the 2030s.Dan Devine: The story of this series is how San Antonio’s point-of-attack armada, combined with Wembanyama’s perpetual back-line menace, has effectively broken OKC’s half-court offense. (Or, if not outright fractured, then at least severely sprained it.) During the regular season, the Thunder scored 102.5 points per 100 half-court plays — the third-best attack in the NBA. Through the first two rounds, they scored a scorching 110.1 points-per-100 in the half-court. Against San Antonio? A positively Wizardian 92.7 points-per-100. The Thunder have scored more than one point per possession in the half-court three times in this series, and finished below that mark three times, according to Cleaning the Glass; take a wild guess which ones were OKC wins and which were OKC losses. If Gilgeous-Alexander and Mark Daigneault can’t find a way to generate something against the Spurs’ set defense in Game 7, the Thunder’s repeat bid will likely end on Saturday night.Kelly Iko: The Thunder are playing a dangerous game. San Antonio’s floor spacing and Oklahoma City’s compact defense have resulted in some odd results, sprinkled in with a bit of luck. Through six games, the Spurs are taking 17 “open” 3s a game (defined as shots with the nearest defender at least four feet away), and converting a measly 26.5% of them. That would have ranked third during the regular season in frequency and dead last in percentage. Both teams, through their schemes, have conceded corner 3s; the only difference is one team is shooting less than 30% on such shots, and one team is shooting 40%. Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie, the Spurs’ two best shooters, have never shot better than 34% combined in any game. At some point, the basketball gods will even things out. That could happen in Game 7 if the Thunder aren’t careful.What's an underrated storyline going into Game 7?Devine: It’s maybe worth remembering, as we understandably venerate the work that Wembanyama is putting as a 22-year-old MVP candidate and that Dylan Harper is producing as a precocious 20-year-old, that Stephon Castle — all of 21 years of age himself — is averaging more than 18 points and nearly eight assists and five rebounds per game in his first conference finals. While spending approximately 100% of his floor time as the primary point-of-attack defender on the two-time MVP, and playing a significant role in locking that man in a nightmare cage.Oh — and since those two brutal turnover-filled games to start the series, Castle has coughed the ball up just six times in 130 minutes, with a 4.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. I think everybody understood that, if the Spurs were going to win this series, it would be because Wembanyama was the best player in it. I don’t know if anyone expected Gilgeous-Alexander to be the second-best guard in it, though … and it feels a little undersold that, through six games, there’s a real case to be made in that direction.Iko: Regardless of the outcome, this series has laid the groundwork for what purports to be a fascinating tug-of-war in the Western Conference for at least the next five years. The Thunder will stumble into some interesting financial decisions sooner rather than later — the Spurs are still some years down the line in that regard — but these two franchises largely control their own destinies for the foreseeable future. In a close second, Dylan Harper’s stellar play surely has to spark some questions about lead guard roles heading into next season. De’Aaron Fox’s leadership and experience have been much-needed, but there’s some overlap in their skill sets and one is considerably more cost effective than the other. Rohrbach: The beauty of Game 7 is we don’t know what the most underrated storyline will be, but one random hero will emerge. I’ve covered a few — including Kelly Olynyk’s 26 points in Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference semifinals and Grant Williams’ 27 points in Game 7 of the 2022 second round — and it would’ve taken a thousand guesses to stumble on any of those predictions. Might Jared McCain, who has had two breakout performances so far in the series, be in line for another? Some Harrison Barnes Game 7 redemption? Play pick your random hero.Jones: I will always let you know that Game 7s are weird. There’s a pressure, desire and effort that combines to make the most important game feel like an oddity. We know the superstars, but who else joins the party to change the vibe? The OKC bench has produced at a high level. The battle of Isaiah Hartenstein increasing the height on his floaters (and not missing) against Wembanyama’s lunges to contest becoming more desperate is on the table. The Spurs’ guards and wings have all showed that they are not shying away from the moment. But what does it look like if De’Aaron Fox has the game of his life? Or if Lu Dort finally starts hitting 3s? Harrison Barnes has yet to lose a Game 7 and it’s his birthday. I don’t mean to quote the great Kevin Garnett, but, truly, “anything is possible.” Wemby or SGA: Who needs to have the bigger Game 7?Iko: SGA.Considering the fact he has had an underwhelming series thus far (prior to Game 6, Alex Caruso was the leader in the clubhouse in net points) — and how rapidly Wembanyama and the Spurs are ascending in the West — I would presume the onus should be on the MVP to have a strong bounceback game. Prior to the season, San Antonio was projected to win around 45 games and Oklahoma City nearly 20 more. The Thunder are supposed to be here, the Spurs are clearly ahead of schedule. I also don’t think they’re subject to the “Minnesota curse”, a young, rising team getting to the conference finals before slowly regressing. Gilgeous-Alexander has talked about legacy as his game has elevated and the conversations around this franchise have centered on budding dynasty talk. Game 7 might not be a must win, but it’s pretty close.Devine: SGA. If Big Vic doesn’t have a big Game 7, the takeaway will be that he’s almost ready to reach the mountaintop, but that he, like every other great before him, will have to experience failure and learn from it before he can do so. If Shai doesn’t, though? After a series that’s seen him almost entirely bottled up, frustrated and forced into underwhelming performances? The sharp knives — well, even sharper ones — will come out.Jones: Wemby. He has to be assertive on the offensive end, and he has to deliver reminders of why OKC has worked so hard to move him around the board on the defensive end. When his impact is muted, the punches from the Spurs don’t land as hard. They need him to rise to the occasion in a Game 7, and if he does, it could be one of those games that land in the vaults of history. I do understand the Gilgeous-Alexander portion of the program, but we can be honest. He’s stamped. It’s not just the MVPs and the Finals run; we have seen OKC survive some rough moments from him. Rohrbach: SGA. Given the injuries to Ajay Mitchell (calf) and Jalen Williams (hamstring), who are out for Game 7, it will be on SGA to be the driver of great offense — against a San Antonio defense that has so far had great success against him. Wemby will be great defensively, regardless, and the Spurs, in the absence of two OKC playmakers, have more ways to score, even with De’Aaron Fox limited by an ankle injury. Which team would be the tougher matchup for the Knicks?Rohrbach: Spurs. I’m tempted to say the Thunder, since it’s been almost four years since they lost to the Knicks, but with Mitchell and Williams hampered I think they’re beatable, even if they have the defensive pitbulls at the point of attack to harness Jalen Brunson. The Spurs can field a similarly ferocious backcourt defense, layering Wembanyama behind it, and that’s dangerous, especially when you consider Robinson could be limited by surgery to his pinky finger.Devine: Thunder. The Knicks have beaten the Spurs twice in three tries this season, winning the NBA Cup final in December and a dominant performance at Madison Square Garden in March. Nobody has an answer for Wembanyama, as the Western finals have made clear, but I think New York’s combination of wing versatility and frontcourt size profiles better against San Antonio — though Mitchell Robinson’s broken finger looms large — than against a Thunder team that the Knicks haven’t beaten since November of 2022.Jones: Thunder. Their defensive personnel can just poke at a lot of what the Knicks want to do. They have multiple players to throw at Brunson/Towns. They have lineups where they can switch to throw off the Knicks’ movement. Gilgeous-Alexander would likely enjoy attacking Brunson/KAT after a series of dealing with Wembanyama. The Knicks would absolutely have a shot, but the Thunder have more answers in the cupboard. As good as the Spurs’ run has been, the Knicks have the defensive personnel to keep the Spurs guards in a box and the team mindset to protect vs. Wembanyama’s scoring. Either would be hard fought, but I would trust the Knicks against the Spurs more than a Thunder team that finally got past its biggest issue. Iko: Thunder, for the bulk of reasons that my esteemed colleagues have laid out. The Thunder simply have too many plug-and-play defensive options to interrupt the offensive groove the Knicks have been in for weeks, and certainly have enough physicality to deal with Karl-Anthony Towns as a hub with Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort. Forcing New York to have to work backward, resorting to some of its old, bad offensive habits might cause the Knicks to unravel quicker than, say, dealing with a bruised, beat-up San Antonio team with smaller guards.Spurs-Thunder, Game 7: Who’s advancing to the NBA Finals?Rohrbach: Thunder. Considering the health of both teams, I think the Spurs might be better equipped to challenge the Knicks in the Finals, but I just trust the experience of the defending champions — and home-court advantage — in a Game 7, just a little bit more than I believe the Spurs can seize hold of the league right now. History tells us nobody at age 22 is ready to take over the NBA, so I guess I’ll wait until Wemby proves otherwise to believe it can be done.Devine: Thunder. I picked OKC before the start of the season, again at the start of the playoffs, and again before the start of this series. I’ll stick with them to grind out a Game 7 at home; I’m stubborn like that.Iko: Spurs.My Cavs-in-7 prediction never actually existed so, in fellow stubbornness, I’ll stick with the Spurs. Momentum has teetered back and forth with every game — and it’s been utterly thrilling — but San Antonio has figured out how to slow down SGA, and Jalen Williams, who should be the next man up, isn’t 100%. Jones: Thunder. They have never lost a Game 7 in that building in Oklahoma City (please don’t ask me how I know, I have a suitcase full of Clippers playoff books I have yet to touch to prove it). The Spurs’ run has been great, they have all the tools to steal this one, but that city and that building tend to lift this team up to different heights. No matter the era.

David Benavidez is no doubt a beneficiary of the battle between Zuffa Boxing and the sport’s major sanctioning bodies. The WBC made the rare move of ordering its cruiserweight champion, Noel Mikaelian, to defend his championship against the WBA and WBO unified titlist Benavidez on Friday, according to a ruling obtained by Uncrowned. “The WBC has received a letter from [Benavidez’s] promoter with the petition to mandate WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian to make his first mandatory defense against WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez,” a WBC statement read. “The WBC Board has voted in favor to order cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian to fight mandatorily David Benavidez.”Ordering a reigning champion to face another titlist is an uncommon occurrence in world-level boxing, although there is precedent for it in the women’s side of the sport, where sanctioning bodies have previously ordered unification fights. One such example came in November 2022 when the WBA called for its champion, Erika Cruz, to face Amanda Serrano, who held the other three belts in the division. Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KOs) was finalizing a deal to defend his crown against the ex-IBF champion Jai Opetaia next. The WBC’s order of Mikaelian-Benavidez presents a stumbling block for Opetaia and the plans of his promoter, Zuffa Boxing, as well as putting Benavidez just one belt away from becoming an undisputed champion at cruiserweight should he defeat Mikaelian.Opetaia’s former world title, the now-vacant IBF belt, will be contested by No. 2 contender Viddal Riley and the winner of the IBF’s upcoming No. 1 contender Trans-Tasman clash between Floyd Masson and David Nyika in the coming months.Benavidez, a three-division champion, formerly held the WBC title at super middleweight. He obliterated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez earlier in May to capture two cruiserweight championships.

But details remained scant after officials said last week that, with “extraordinary” exceptions, people seeking permanent residency must first leave the country.

Casey Mize changed the Tigers’ weekend story the moment he walked off after four scoreless innings on May 27 against the Angels with right groin tightness. Heading into the May 29-31 series at the White Sox, Detroit has Mize listed as day-to-day, but the club’s probable starters for Chicago are Troy Melton on Friday, Framber Valdez on Saturday, and Keider Montero on Sunday.That leaves Detroit entering a division series without one of the few starters who had recently given the rotation some stability. The Tigers opened the weekend at 22-35, while the White Sox were 29-27.Mize’s latest setback came right after his returnThe Casey Mize injury update took another turn when Mize struck out six and did not allow a run before leaving Tuesday’s start after four innings with a right groin issue. He said the sensation was in the same area as the earlier injury, though it did not feel as severe. He was making his third start back from the injured list in that outing, with details from the game and his postgame update documented here and here.The earlier absence started after Mize suffered a right adductor strain on April 28 in Atlanta. When he returned on May 16, Detroit was getting back a pitcher the club had already framed as important to an injury-plagued rotation.Why the White Sox series looks different nowMize’s first game back showed exactly why Detroit needed him. He returned without a rehab assignment and delivered six scoreless innings against Toronto on May 16, giving the rotation needed length right away.Now the Tigers are back to a less certain setup. Even without a formal IL move as of May 29, Mize was not lined up for any game in Chicago, and the current plan puts the series on Melton, Valdez, and Montero. That makes the Casey Mize injury a central storyline heading into Tigers-White Sox.Detroit’s rotation problem is back in the foregroundThe biggest roster issue for Detroit this weekend is not just Mize’s health update. It is the way another interruption strips away one of the few recent answers the Tigers had found in the rotation.Mize played catch Thursday and was awaiting MRI results, so the next development is not only whether he lands on the injured list. Detroit also needs clarity on how long this latest groin problem will keep him out, because the current weekend alignment already shows how quickly the rotation plan can shift when he is unavailable. Until then, the Casey Mize injury remains the key question hanging over this Tigers series.

Fifty four athletes from Illinois are heading to compete in the Special Olympics in a matter of weeks.They say they can't wait to showcase their skills on the big stage.ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch"I'm competing in bocce for USA games in Minnesota, and I'm very excited," April Papke said.For April Papke of Naperville, competing in the Special Olympics for the first time has been a dream come true.Police officers and Special Olympics athletes gathered at Soldier Field for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg Friday.The event started with the ceremonial lighting of the Flame of Hope at Soldier Field, the birthplace of the Special Olympics."This moment actually means a lot. Running was actually my way of destressing," Alex Huegea said. "I got to compete last time in athletics, and now this time I get to serve in another capacity. So I get to run the torch."Local law enforcement officers ran alongside special Olympic athletes as a symbol of unity and inclusion."This cause is very near and dear to me as I have a brother who's a Special Olympic athlete," said Debbie Henning, with the Lockport Police Department. "When I became a police officer, I felt the need to go out and raise the funds to help athletes be able to continue to compete.""Special Olympics at its core really is about belonging, you know, in a world where a lot of our athletes, people with down syndrome, fragile X, somewhere on the autism spectrum, aren't typically welcomed in the world and don't have a place. And if you ask any one of our athletes, probably the No. 1 thing they'll tell you that they love about Special Olympics is it's where their friends are. It's where they belong," said Pete Beale-DelVecchio, president and CEO of Special Olympics Illinois.The Flame of Hope will be making its first ever coast-to-coast journey, before ending in Minnesota, where the games begin in June.

The San Francisco 49ers have put together one of the better rosters in the NFL thanks to savvy trades, free agency decisions and, of course, great drafting.Interestingly enough, though, the 49ers have thrived with some of their late-round picks more than their early ones. That idea is reflected in Pro Football Focus' recent ranking of the most valuable non-first-round NFL draft picks since 2016. Three players currently on the 49ers roster made the top seven, including Brock Purdy at No. 1, George Kittle at No. 6 and Fred Warner at No. 7.Purdy was, famously, the final pick of the 2022 draft out of Iowa State. And while he didn't begin the year as the 49ers starter, he ended up with that mantle after injuries and never let it go. Since his debut in 2022, the former Mr. Irrelevant has gone from sleeper to outright star. Over the last four years, Purdy ranks ninth in PFF passing grade, and his 60 turnover-worthy plays are tied for the ninth-fewest. The Iowa State has been exceptional at avoiding negatives altogether, as his career pressure-to-sack ratio sits at an excellent 13.4%.Awarded a five-year, $265 million extension last offseason, Purdy is already one of the greatest Day 3 picks in league history, presenting the 49ers with nearly unprecedented surplus value at the sport’s most paramount position.On top of his impressive PFF numbers, Purdy has completed 67.9% of his passing attempts for 11,685 yards, 84 passing touchdowns and 37 interceptions in four years at the helm.Kittle has been a big part of Purdy's success and the centerpiece of the 49ers offense since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 draft. He had four 1,000-yard seasons as a tight end with 595 receptions, 8,008 total receiving yards and 52 receiving touchdowns in his career. Not bad for the No. 146 selection.The hit rate on mid-round players isn’t particularly encouraging overall. But that mantra definitely doesn’t apply to Kittle, who’s rounded into one of the league’s foremost weapons.Kittle has been an insanely consistent player, notching at least an 84.7-plus overall PFF grade in eight straight seasons. Unsurprisingly, his 94.1 overall mark since 2017 is the best among all tight ends, and he trails only Travis Kelce in WAR during that duration.Then there's Warner, who is perhaps the quarterback of the 49ers' defense. While Warner was drafted a little bit earlier than Purdy and Kittle at No. 70 in 2018, he's nevertheless transformed into arguably the best middle linebacker in the league. He's tallied 948 combined tackles, 38 tackles for a loss, 17 forced fumbles, 10 sacks, 10 interceptions and 30 quarterback hits in his career.Over the last six seasons, the former BYU Cougar leads the position in overall PFF grade (93.0) and ties for second in WAR among his counterparts. It’s difficult to pinpoint any holes in his game given that Warner boasts a 92.3 grade or better in both coverage and run defense in that span.Warner’s position on this list is affected by him being a third-round pick, where more talent tends to linger. Nonetheless, developing a potential Hall-of-Famer with the 70th overall selection is still remarkable.All of these picks were made in the John Lynch-Kyle Shanahan era, which is a testament to the duo's ability to identify talented players outside of the first round. While the 49ers haven't had the most success with their early-round picks or with some positions, these three epitomize why the 49ers have been a perennial contender over the past decade.This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Purdy, Kittle, Warner headline PFF's best late-round picks list

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe suspended after hitting WWE-style crotch-chop as strikeout celebration originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.While it must be an exhilarating feeling to throw an inning-ending strikeout while runners are on base, Abner Uribe took things a little too far, according to the MLB (and Uribe's manager).During Tuesday's 6-0 shutout win over the St. Louis Cardinals, the Milwaukee Brewers' relief pitcher celebrated quite emphatically towards the away team's dugout. Many fans who were familiar with the WWE had seen that celebration before from famous wrestling stable D-Generation X.The MLB did not find Uribe's moves on the mound to be that funny and suspended the pitcher for one game on Friday evening. Uribe has appealed the ruling, and it remains in the air what will definitively happen to the pitcher.Here's the latest on the penalty for Uribe's nontraditional strikeout celebration, and its ties to WWE group D-Generation X.SN's MLB HQ: Live MLB scores | Updated MLB standings | Full MLB scheduleAbner Uribe suspended for crotch-chop During the eighth inning of Tuesday's shutout win over the Cardinals, Uribe was able to get an inning-ending strikeout on first-baseman Alec Burleson. While it was a full count, Milwaukee's pitcher did not shy away from showing the fans what the out meant to him.Here's a look at what appears to be a mimic of D-Generation X's celebration in the WWE.Abner Uribe with a triple chop toward the Cardinals dugout and Pat Murphy wasn’t happy about it pic.twitter.com/tutsuCvSTq— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 27, 2026It's safe to say Brewers manager Alec Murphy was far from happy with his reliever's eighth-innings antics, and expressed that during the postgame press conference. Here's the full clip regarding his thoughts on Uribe's "unacceptable" celebration.Pat Murphy spoke about Abner Uribe's chop towards the Cardinals dugout in tonight's game in Milwaukee🎥: Brewers TV pic.twitter.com/Q1uTvXZVEz— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 27, 2026On Friday afternoon, the MLB shared that they would be suspending Uribe for one game and imposing an undisclosed fine, according to the league. Uribe did appeal the penalty, so the suspension and fine will be on hold until the appeal process is complete.MORE: Which MLB teams will be most impacted by the proposed salary cap rules?Who is D-Generation X?D-Generation X was originally a WWE trio that was established in 1997, according to ESPN. Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Chyna were the group's first three members. The entourage became popular after their famous "crotch chop" celebration after event wins. The group, later including X-Pac, Billy Gunn, and Road Dogg, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019 for their exciting appearances during the WWE's Attitude Era.Here is a GIF showing the group celebrating in the ring.That'll get ya punished every dang time, fella. My ma grounded me no less than 5x as a kiddo for the DX chop to the crotch. LOL https://t.co/8uQ8OsrrRypic.twitter.com/o5Kodtctz3— Tyler Milner (@tmilrealdeal) May 29, 2026Many MLB fans who had watched the WWE growing up instantly recalled the past when they saw Uribe hitting the celebration. While Joel Embiid has also hit this celebration in the past, D-Generation X was the group that first popularized the movement.People crying about this did not grow up with D Generation X and it shows...Hahahahahahahaha! Love it. https://t.co/LwYA5v49Dg— Buy The Hook! (@GlobKnowsBall) May 28, 2026D GENERATION X https://t.co/mXBCNJ7c4i— DeePlaysBets (@deeplaysbets) May 29, 2026MORE: Which pitcher has the longest scoreless innings streak in the MLB?Abner Uribe statsDuring this season thus far, Uribe has made 21 appearances for the Brewers. Here is how the fourth-year pitcher has fared during the 2026 season.GIPERAK'sBBWHIPSaves2119.14.192181.195

Jalen Williams tried. He suited up for Game 6 ready to see if he could help Oklahoma City close out San Antonio. What was clear in his 10 minutes off the bench is that his strained left hamstring was not ready for an NBA game.Williams has officially been ruled out of Game 7 on Saturday, the team announced, something that wasn't a surprise after he sat the entire fourth quarter of Game 6 (even though the game was out of hand, if Williams could have played he would have been out there to shake off some rust). Ajay Mitchell also remains out with the calf strain that has sidelined him for the last few games.It's bad news for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been up and down this series — and is shooting 37.9% for the first six games — because an elite San Antonio defense can drill down on stopping him, and he doesn't have his most trusted secondary shot creators next to him to relieve the pressure.It also leaves Thunder coach Mark Daigneault with some tough choices. He almost certainly now keeps Jared McCain in the starting lineup, but Oklahoma's lineups in this series with SGA, McCain, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort have struggled — San Antonio keeps racing out to a lead in games for a reason. Does Daigneault start Cason Wallace in Dort's spot? Is changing the starting lineup for a Game 7 wise?That said, it's best to know that Williams just can't go, rather than feeling obligated to roll him out for minutes where he only hurts the team in the biggest game of the season.

The leaderboard is tight at Colonial entering the weekend, and that means golf fans are likely in for a treat.Jordan Smith carries the 36-hole lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge but it sure is anybody's tournament with 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and 2023 Open winner Brian Harman just one shot back.And then there's reigning U.S. Open winner J.J. Spaun, who sits two off Smith's lead at 10 under. He's T-6 with names like Russell Henley (the world's 12th-ranked player), Akshay Bhatia (this year's Arnold Palmer champ and Alex Smalley (2026 PGA runner-up).Here's how the TV schedule breaks down for Saturday.Charles Schwab Challenge - Rd 3The third round of the Charles Schwab Challenge is underway at Colonial Country Club in Ft. Worth, Texas.12:30-1:30PM: Golf Central Pregame 1:30-3:30PM: Charles Schwab Challenge, Round 33:30-6:30: Charles Schwab Challenge, Round 36:30-7:30: Golf Central PostgameRound 3 tee times at Colonial Country Club

Last week, Jack Campbell signed a four-year, $81 million contract extension that ties him to the franchise through the 2030 NFL season.On Wednesday, Campbell commented on his extension and also made sure to thank Detroit Lions fans.To the fans: pic.twitter.com/rwVoTffWuW— Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 27, 2026"And to the fans, I'm just super grateful and excited to have the opportunity to put it on and go out there and truly give you what you want to see. I feel like that's a thing that's kind of opened my eyes is just people, how much they care about the team and how the team is just the heartbeat of the city."We're in a city full of working-class people that every single day grind it out. So I I feel for those people, because I see firsthand, like my brother back home. I see how hard he works. Growing up, I saw how hard my parents worked for what they got. So, I've just got a deep appreciation for people who show up to work every single day, even if no one notices, even if no one writes stories about them. Get to work, do their job, and take care of their families and keep their family first," Campbell said.The 6-foot-5, 246-pound linebacker said he hopes his play can symbolize the spirit of the city."Just a great appreciation. It's literally what the city of Detroit epitomizes. So ,that's what I'm gonna try to epitomize, just that's how I was raised, that's how I guess I see life, and that's my perspective on things."You guys already know what you're going to get from me every single day. Nothing less than the standard. We're setting the standard at the highest level this season... I'm just super grateful, and I get to be around a little bit longer, so I'll take that," Campbell said.For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNewsThis article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Jack Campbell vows to epitomize heartbeat of Detroit Lions fans

CHICAGO – Detroit Tigers left-handed reliever Brant Hurter has been on the 15-day injured list since Saturday, May 23, with lumbar spine inflammation.Six days later, the Tigers transferred Hurter to the 60-day injured list.Just like that, Hurter – the best lefty reliever in Detroit's bullpen – isn't eligible to return to the Tigers until July 22, roughly one week after the All-Star Game."It requires a shutdown – and then a rebuild back up," manager A.J. Hinch said before Friday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. "We know it's going to be a couple of months. Losing him for that period of time is tough."WHEN HE LEFT: Brant Hurter to injured list, leaving Tigers vulnerable vs leftiesHurter recently visited a specialist.Further medical information about his back injury led to the Tigers shutting him down from throwing."If he shuts down for a period of time, you have to almost start over with the throwing," Hinch said. "It goes back to playing catch. It goes back to mound progression. It just takes time."MORE INJURY WOES: Detroit Tigers' Casey Mize lands on injured list; Beau Brieske returnsIn 2026, Hurter owns a 2.84 ERA with 12 walks and 18 strikeouts across 25⅓ innings in 21 games. The 27-year-old has limited left-handed hitters to a .114 batting average with a .303 OPS in 48 plate appearances.Hurter suffered the back injury May 22 while pitching in the rain against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards."We're left to the waiting game and hoping he can return stronger than ever," Hinch said.Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers transfer reliever Brant Hurter to 60-day injured list

There is something about the glitz of a Champions League final that awakens the Ballon d’Or imagination.On paper, the European competition is no more related to the French award for the player voted best in the world than any of the other continental tournaments, except for their physical proximity to each other. And yet a successful UEFA Champions League campaign — individually or as a team — has proven more effective to securing a Ballon d’Or than every other competition apart from the World Cup.Look no further than the last five awards, split between three-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati and two-time winner Alexia Putellas. Both were mainstays on an FC Barcelona team that won four of the last six Champions League finals and featured in all six. (They also lifted the World Cup with Spain in 2023 and made it to the European Championship in 2025.)What is the proper balance between a candidate’s accomplishments for club and country to earn a Ballon d’Or nomination? And how prestigious does each of those teams need to be?One of the more prominent shifts in the women’s game globally has been the emergence of star players from countries outside North America and Europe. Increasingly, they represent those countries at the international level as well, rather than for the country that likely colonized their homeland.By some measures, this has presented a conundrum when assessing a player’s talent for a Ballon d’Or nod. Stark differences in development and investment from national teams and the federations that govern them lead to contrasts in the quality of competition from one region to the next.The weight of those factors has historically tilted toward Europe. It’s time for that to change, and there may be no better player for this departure than Melchie Dumornay of OL Lyonnes in France.After finishing 18th in the Ballon d’Or rankings last year, the Haitian midfielder is well deserving of a top-three finish.It could have been higher had Lyon won the Champions League this year. Instead, the eight-time champions were outplayed by a clinical and composed Barcelona in Saturday’s final by a decisive four goals to nil, but that should not erase Dumornay’s impact on Lyon and across European women’s football. She is among the single most important players to any team’s success, a reality that was on display during Lyon’s semifinal fixtures against 2025 European champions Arsenal.Dumornay was on the bench due to injury in the first leg and Arsenal won 2-1. She returned for the second leg and Lyon won 3-1, which included a sublime assist to German winger Jule Brand to seal their victory. Altogether, Dumornay recorded five goals and an assist in Lyon’s Champions League campaign, and another six goals and seven assists in the French Première Ligue. She has been voted league MVP, and in the league final on Friday, added a hat trick to her tally against Paris FC, whom Lyon beat 5-0. This was on top of their 4-1 French Cup victory over Paris Saint-Germain in May, for which Dumornay also earned best player honors.She has been a crucial presence on the Haitian women’s national team as they seek World Cup qualification for the second time. Ranked 50th in the world by FIFA and coached by Swedish veteran manager Pia Sundhage, Haiti currently tops their group alongside Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador.C'EST QUOI CETTE FRAPPE EXTRAORDINAIRE ??? 🤯Melchie Dumornay et les Lyonnes de l'OL font sombrer le Paris FC, la suite de cette finale folle sur CANAL 📺#ArkemaPL | #OLPFCpic.twitter.com/raiVJDeXVr— CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) May 29, 2026Dumornay, of course, is not the only player who deserves a look at being the first non-American or European player to win the Ballon d’Or. Japanese midfielder Yui Hasegawa of Manchester City did not crack in to the top 30 list last year. The 29-year-old’s prospects this time around should be much brighter now, bolstered by a continental championship with Japan at the AFC Asian Cup in March, and by a title run with Manchester City that saw them lift a WSL trophy for the first time in a decade. Hasegawa was central to both as arguably the most complete defensive midfielder in the women’s game right now. Historically, Asian women’s football has not been regarded with the same respect as its European counterparts, but Japan, with its World Cup pedigree, has set out to change that narrative.As the Mexican professional league Liga MX Femenil continues to grow in domestic and international prominence, they will soon be demanding Ballon d’Or attention too. Club América captain and Mexican national team forward Scarlett Camberos has just this week been involved in two champions runs for her club: the Clausura on May 17 and their first Concacaf W Champions Cup title six days later. By winning Concacaf, América qualifies for the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup scheduled to begin in January 2028. (Barcelona has also qualified by winning the Champions League.) Should Mexico punch their ticket to the 2027 World Cup, players like Camberos will deserve the international recognition of a Ballon d’Or nomination, too.Lyon forward Ada Hegerberg was the inaugural Ballon d’Or recipient in 2018, the same year the French side won its third Champions League title. The following year it went to U.S. forward Megan Rapinoe. The only non-European Ballon d’Or winner to date, Rapinoe’s shock of purple hair, statuesque goal celebrations and infamous refusal of a Trump White House visit defined the arc of the U.S. women’s national team’s triumphant run at the 2019 World Cup, for which she won the Golden Boot.But not all European nations are treated equally. Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor was a poetic protagonist on the Catalan side, lifting her first Champions League trophy after five failed attempts. The Polish forward finally found glory last weekend, her pair of goals providing first relief, and then security to Barcelona’s resolve against Lyon. Even after adding to that the 16 goals she scored across 22 games for Barcelona in the Spanish Liga F, and subtracting whatever Ballon d’Or boost Pajor might lose should Poland fail to qualify for the 2027 World Cup, Pajor is also worthy of a top-five finish.It has been all Spain and Barcelona — specifically, Putellas and Bonmatí, the only two Ballon d’Or winners since 2021. Putellas won back-t0-back awards in 2021 and 2022, years in which Barcelona won their first Champions League and reached the finals of the other, respectively. Bonmatí topped that up with three consecutive Ballon d’Or honors, beginning with the year Spain won its first World Cup in 2023.Spain were finalists at the Euros last summer. Despite missing most of the group stage matches as she recovered from viral meningitis, Bonmatí still made crucial contributions to her team’s journey through the knockout stages, recording an assist in the quarterfinals against Switzerland and scoring the game-winning goal in the semifinals against Germany. Spain fell to England on penalties in the Euros final, three goals to one. Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey — last year’s Ballon d’Or runner-up — and Salma Paralluelo all missed their shots.If setbacks like those were not enough to thwart Bonmatí or Caldentey’s chances at a Ballon d’Or, neither should the fact that Dumornay did not win the Champions League, or that Hasegawa did not compete in it or that Pajor may not qualify for the World Cup with Poland. As with many things within the women’s game, nuance is necessary to fully appreciate what these special players offer.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.Manchester City WFC, Women's Soccer, Women's Super League2026 The Athletic Media Company

Apple TV's "Friday Night Baseball" returns May 29, 2026, as the Minnesota Twins take on the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies face the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both games are available exclusively on the Apple TV app. Here's broadcast information for tonight’s action:What MLB games are on Apple TV tonight?Minnesota Twins at Pittsburgh Pirates: 6:45 p.m. EasternPhiladelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers: 10:15 p.m. EasternTwins at Pirates pitching matchupTaj Bradley (Twins) vs TBD (Pirates)Phillies at Dodgers pitching matchupZack Wheeler (Phillies) vs. Justin Wrobleski (Dodgers)How to watch Friday Night BaseballFans can stream “Friday Night Baseball” through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, gaming consoles and Roku or Amazon Fire TV. The games are also available at tv.apple.com. New subscribers can start a seven-day free trial before the $12.99 monthly fee begins.Apple TV+ baseball schedule 2026Friday, June 5Cleveland Guardians at Texas Rangers: 8:15 p.m. EasternKansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins: 8:15 p.m. EasternFriday, June 12Arizona Diamondbacks at Cincinnati Reds: 7:15 p.m. EasternAtlanta Braves at New York Mets: 7:15 p.m. EasternFriday, June 19St. Louis Cardinals at Kansas City Royals: 8:15 p.m. EasternMinnesota Twins at Arizona Diamondbacks: 9:45 p.m. EasternFriday, June 26Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers: 7:45 p.m. EasternLos Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres: 9:45 p.m. EasternThis article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: What time is the Phillies-Dodgers game tonight? Game time, channel info

A British evangelical Christian man who sued the U.K. government for “religious discrimination” after his government employer refused to accommodate his discomfort of LGBTQ+ symbols had his lawsuit dismissed by a tribunal, according to a Daily Mail article published yesterday. Mark Jennings accepted a job with U.K. Department for Work and Pensions in June 2024, but reportedly began making “unreasonable demands” soon afterwards. He requested that he be allowed to work from home during Pride month because of his “phobia” of Pride symbols. Related World’s biggest trans flag unfurled: “It stands for our resistance and triumphs” He said he didn’t want to hear his work colleagues “using different pronouns” because he believed “gender ideology [is] the work of the devil.” He also requested that “no visible imagery of the Pride or LGBTQ+ movements be displayed or celebration of those causes be permitted.” An employment tribunal heard that his Roman Catholic and evangelical Christian faith made him feel “great anxiety” around LGBTQ+ symbols. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today “It is his view, in line with many others within the faith, that homosexuality and transgenderism is a sin contrary to the laws of God, and that a Christian should not promote LGBTQ+ activities,” the tribunal heard. “He also sees the use of the rainbow by the LGBTQ+ community as co–opting, a symbol of God and Christianity [referencing the promise made to Noah after the flood], which is offensive to him,” the tribunal heard. He said the mere sight of Pride rainbows in bus stops, local shops, and soccer matches caused him to go into “autistic shutdown.” However, his employer refused to accommodate his request since the law allows people to express support for Pride. He ultimately declined the job offer, but the workplace held the position open for him, just in case he changed his mind. Instead, he filed a complaint with the employment tribunal alleging indirect religious belief discrimination and a failure to make reasonable adjustments, a form of disability discrimination, the aforementioned publication wrote. The tribunal Judge Daniel Wright said that the government couldn’t have accommodated Jennings’ request to restrict Pride displays or pronoun usage because it would have opened the employer to possible discrimination claims. The employer also said his job role required him to work in the office in-person, making his work from home request untenable. Jennings reportedly filed similar cases against on similar grounds against the Stagecoach bus travel company and the NatWest banking company. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

GALLOWAY, N.J. — Laetitia Beck rolled in a 6-foot birdie on the final hole Friday for an 8-under 63, the lowest score of her LPGA Tour career, giving her a one-shot lead over new mom Nicole Broch Estrup of Denmark after one round of the ShopRite LPGA.Beck, the first Israeli player in LPGA history who last year picked up her first win on the developmental Epson Tour, took only 25 putts on a strong day on the greens.The surprise was Broch Estrup, playing for the first time in 15 months while on maternity leave. Her son, Max, is approaching his first birthday and is with his mom this week.“We’re hopeful we can make it work as a family out here,” she said.The 33-year-old Dane last played on Feb. 15, 2025, in the Saudi International on the Ladies European Tour. The LPGA policy for maternity leave allows for players to return to the same status for up to two years after giving birth.ShopRite LPGA Classic - Rd 2Tune into the second round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Seaview’s Bay Course in Galloway, N.J.In her return, Broch Estrup made all seven birdies in an eight hole stretch from the fourth hole through the 11th hole — three straight birdies, a par, then four straight birdies.“I got really nervous, especially on the second streak,” Broch Estrup said. “It hit me on 9 when I had a 20-footer for eagle. Left myself a 3-footer for birdie and then I started shaking, to be honest. But having Max here and having Max in general just gives another perspective.”“My biggest goal is to not get in my own way,” she said. “I feel like I was definitely not striking it well today, but I just kept a smile on my face and took the good bounces. Yeah, so it was nice day in many ways.”Briana Chacon holed out from the 16th fairway for eagle — her seventh hole of the round — and was at 65 along with Arpichaya Yubol and Polly Mack.Charley Hull, at No. 7 the only player from the top 10 in the world who is playing this week, and defending champion Jennifer Kupcho each opened with 74.The ShopRite LPGA is one of the two scheduled 54-hole events on the LPGA Tour. This did not attract a strong field because of the scheduling, with the U.S. Women’s Open next week across the country in Los Angeles, held at Riviera for the first time.U.S. Women’s Open 2026: How to watch, TV schedule, stream informationHow to watch all of the action from the 81st U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club. Golf Channel Staff, Golf Channel Staff,Beck has been around for 12 years, and while she has not won on the LPGA or the Ladies European Tour, she isn’t about to let a career-low score get her thinking too far ahead.But this was good golf, missing only three fairways and seeing the line on her putts just as clearly as she did during the pro-am round on the Bay course at Seaview Hotel.“I was just able to make a lot of putts, didn’t miss too many greens, few up-and-downs, and it felt easy,” Beck said.Celine Boutier of France and Soo Bin Joo of South Korea were at 66, while Hye Jin Choi led a large group of players a 67.

HOOVER, AL - MAY 22: Pitcher Clayton Freshcorn #25 of the Texas A&M Aggies pitches the ball during the SEC Baseball Tournament Quarterfinals game between Texas A&M Aggies and Auburn Tigers on May 22, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images This article will update after each of Texas A&M’s game in the 2026 College Station Regional.Hosting as the 12-seed, Texas A&M welcomed the USC Trojans, Texas State Bobcats, and Lamar Cardinals to Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park to the College Station Regional. The Aggies advanced themselves into the winner’s bracket, defeating Lamar 7-5 in their opening round matchup on Friday. Up next is a battle with the winner of Texas State/USC on Saturday night under the lights. Friday’s Opening Round: #12 A&M 7, Lamar 5The 12th-seeded Aggies erased a five-run deficit on Friday, defeating Lamar 7-5 in the opening round of the College Station Regional inside Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. The hosts scored seven unanswered runs with the help of seven walks, three hit-by pitches and two homers.A&M transfer Tab Tracy led off the contest for Lamar (34-25) and got to second base. The infielder hit a dribbler that was fielded with an error. Tracy later scored on a two out single up the middle, giving the Southland Champs the early 1-0 lead. In the bottom half, the Aggies (40-14) got runners to first and third, but a deep fly out snuffed a potential response.Starter Shane Sdao settled in and retired seven Cardinals in a row. In the third, Lamar once again broke through with two outs, mustering three straight hits to extend their lead to 3-0.A Caden Sorrell double and Chris Hacopian walk put runners on the corners with two outs, creating pressure for Lamar starter Chris Olivier. The Southland Pitcher of the Year responded with a punchout of Nico Partida to keep the Aggies off the board through the first trio of frames.Lamar’s Braden Benton added to the lead on his solo shot to left center, knocking Sdao out of the 4-0 game. Two outs later, the nine hole hitter Kevin Duran left the yard off reliever Gavin Lyons to put Lamar up by five through four innings.Gavin Grahovac ended a 13-inning scoring drought on the first pitch of the fifth, tallying his 20th longball of the year to dead center. That swing awoke the bats. Sorrell reached on a hit-by-pitch, before Hacopian unloaded on his 10th homer of the season to close the gap to 5-3. HOME RUN, GAVIN GRAHOVAC 🚨‼️ @GavinGrahovacpic.twitter.com/UJqaymDpJD— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 29, 2026Hacopian Homer 😤His 10th of the season 👏 pic.twitter.com/BiRxbpJMmF— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 29, 2026Lyons provided quality relief, keeping the Cardinals in check and giving the Aggie offense a chance to get back in the game. The junior tossed four innings and sat down 10 of the final 11 Lamar hitters he faced.Lamar finally went to the bullpen in the seventh following six strong innings from Olivier. That decision was a welcome sight for the Maroon and White. A walk, infield single and hit batter loaded the bases with one out, setting up an RBI from Partida on his bases-loaded walk. One batter later, Bear Harrison sent a fly ball into center, deep enough to tie the game on a sacrifice fly. Lamar exited without giving up the go-ahead score, going to the eighth all square at 5-5.Aggies have tied the game ‼️ @bearharrison32pic.twitter.com/kpu2XNgEbu— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 29, 2026Riding momentum from a seven-pitch eighth inning performance from Clayton Freshcorn, A&M’s hitters went back to work. Ben Royo doubled inside the left field line to bring up Travis Chestnut. The speedy pinch hitter laid down a sacrifice bunt that resulted in a throwing error giving the Aggies a 6-5 lead. Two walks loaded the bases as the hosts were looking for insurance. Hacopian notched a sacrifice fly that brought Chestnut home and extended the lead to 7-5.AGS TAKE THE LEAD 🚨 @TravisChestnut_pic.twitter.com/f9ZClNkQgu— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 29, 2026Freshcorn again worked efficiently, getting two quick outs in the ninth on six pitches. An error brought Duran up the plate as the tying run. Lamar’s second baseman hit a sharp grounder up the middle, but it was fielded cleanly, securing A&M’s comeback victory.That'll do it for Game 1! See u tomorrow at 8pm 👍 pic.twitter.com/s9U9lQc3wH— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 29, 2026Up next for the Aggies will be Saturday’s winner’s bracket contest against Texas State or USC, scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CT on a TV network to be determined.

KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 25: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals takes batting practice prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Monday, May 25, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Sydney Schneider/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images The Royals did not follow through after that Mariners series to do anything to the Yankees except scare them enough in that series opener to annoy the Yankees into grinding them into the dirt for two straight nights. The Royals don’t have a lot to play for in terms of wins and losses, but if they want to be a good team next year, they’d do well to look for some diamonds in the rough with the rest of their season. That’s going to start with figuring out if Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone can learn to hit lefties. Unfortunately, the Royals don’t seem to have figured that out, and one of them is sitting against lefty Mackenzie Gore.The Rangers made one of the bigger trades this past offseason when they traded for the former Nationals ace. Unfortunately for them, he’s struggled since donning the Rangers colors. In particular, the effectiveness of his slider has diminished quite a bit despite a slight arm-angle change giving him more depth and movement on the pitch even without a change in its spin rate. Laying off of that pitch, as the rest of the league has done, is probably going to be a key for the Royals tonight.Gore did have one of the best starts of his season last time out against the Angels. In that game he struck out 7, walked 1, and allowed only a single run in 6 innings. He hasn’t faced KC in the regular season in almost exactly 3 years, May 28, 2023. In that game he pitched 7 innings of 1-run ball and struck out 11. It remains one of the best starts of his career. He did face KC twice this spring training. In the first game, he allowed 7 runs in 1.2 innings. In the last, an exhibition matchup in Globe Life Field, he tossed 4 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts.Stephen Kolek will take the mound again tonight for KC. His last time out all he did was pitch a complete-game no-hitter. The first for the Royals since 2020. I wouldn’t expect him to manage the same thing tonight, but 6-7 scoreless innings would not be amiss considering how the Royals’ offense has performed on the road this year.LineupsAs you can see, Carter Jensen is getting the day off. It took until now, but Matt Quatraro is finally trying one of the lineup configurations that seemingly half of Royals Kingdom has been begging for for weeks; Lane Thomas will lead off, and Maikel Garcia will bat third in an attempt to juice the middle of the order. Vinnie Pasquantino is moved down to sixth in the order. Jac Caglianone hit his first two major league home runs in this park, off of two different Rangers lefties, both of whom are still with Texas.Yes, that is old friend Nicky Lopez batting a gentleman’s .000 in 11 at-bats at the nine slot for the Rangers. Still, they don’t seem to miss Marcus Semien with Nimmo providing good offense in their outfield and Semien completing his fall off of a cliff that he started last year. A couple of injury updates for you, that I picked up from MLB.com. Matt Strahm seems primed to return to the bullpen by the end of this series when he is first eligible. Kris Bubic is still dealing with arm fatigue and has not resumed throwing off the mound, yet. He’s still expected to return sometime in June.

Former Penn State guard Dylan Williams is transferring to Northwestern men’s basketball for his final year of eligibility, he confirmed to Conor Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer on Friday evening. Isaiah 60:22💜 #Poundtherockpic.twitter.com/ghvW0RhZfw— Dylan Williams (@Dywill03) May 29, 2026 Williams appeared in just seven games for the Nittany Lions last season before his year was cut short due to an injury. In 2024-25, he appeared in 25 of 27 games, starting 11 of them, in which he averaged 17.0 minutes and posted 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Williams competed at two junior colleges before joining Penn State.Williams bring depth to NU’s guard room along with veteran experience in multiple levels of college basketball. He marks the eight transfer to join the ‘Cats, and the most recent addition since Colombia forward Ryan Soulis committed on May 15.

A Kyle Busch No. 8 logo was painted on the Nashville Superspeedway prior to the tripleheader race weekend as a tribute to the NASCAR Cup legend who died on May 21.The large black-and-white logo near Turn 4 is one of several gestures made for Busch during the NASCAR Nashville race weekend, which includes the Cracker Barrel 400 Cup race on May 31.Busch, who was 41, died from hemorrhagic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation due to complications from pneumonia, which led to sepsis.WHAT BUSCH DEATH CERTIFICATE REVEALED: What Kyle Busch's death certificate revealed about NASCAR legend's final hoursOther tributes at Nashville Superspeedway included the eighth lap in all three races (Craftsman Truck, O'Reilly Series and Cup Series) going silent from both the television commentators and the track's public address system. Also, a large flag placed in the Fan Zone for fans to sign and parajumpers with No. 8 banners attached to them landing in the infield before the start of the race.A seat with Busch's name on it was left empty in the driver's meeting for the May 24 Coca-Cola 600 race in Charlotte, North Carolina. NASCAR has not announced if it will do the same for the Cracker Barrel 400 driver's meeting.Busch's wife, Samantha, was the keynote speaker for the Wheels & Heels charity event in Lebanon on April 23. Samantha attended the Coca-Cola 600 with the couple's son, Brexton, and daughter, Lennix. Kyle Busch's brother, Kurt Busch, was also at the Coca-Cola 600. There hasn't been confirmation of whether the family will be present at any of the races at Nashville Superspeedway.Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Kyle Busch tributes being put in place for NASCAR Nashville race

A political fight is playing out in Iran, where the small but loud faction of hard-liners has used rallies, state media and private and public statements to try to undermine negotiations.

Clashes between protesters and armed federal agents have erupted at the parking lot of Delaney Hall in Newark since the Memorial Day weekend.

GRASS VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Larry W. King, the former husband of Billie Jean King who partnered with her on the creation of the WTA Tour and the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match, died Friday. He was 81.King died at his home of prostate cancer, said his wife, Nancy Bolger King.Larry King and Billie Jean King met at Cal State-Los Angeles and married in 1965. Billie Jean King credited him as "one of the unsung heroes in the establishment of women’s professional tennis in the early 1970s.” “Larry’s intelligence, love, commitment and humor helped me navigate my career for more than 20 years,” Billie Jean King added in a statement, saying: “We were married for 22 years and in business together for decades. He was involved behind the scenes when the Original 9 signed our $1 contracts and he and I co-owned several tournaments on the Virginia Slims Tour.”Together, Larry and Billie Jean King founded World TeamTennis, after Billie Jean was long interested in a team format for the sport. Larry King designed the colorful courts and revamped scoring system that helped popularize the sport.He played a major role in a breakthrough for women's tennis in 1973. The WTA Tour was formed that year, before King went on to beat Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes,” which remains the most-watched tennis match in history.Larry and Billie Jean King divorced in 1987. He later married Nancy Bolger King, whom he met on the women’s tour in the late 1980s. They moved a few years later to Grass Valley, where he co-founded Roller Hockey International, a professional roller hockey league played on inline skates; and Bridge Pro Tour, a professional bridge tour.Besides his wife, King is survived by son Sky King and daughter Katie King, and their families.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis