LAWRENCE, Kan. – As construction continues on the transformational Gateway District and a reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the Kansas Jayhawks have determined the locations of their home games for the 2024 season.

Kansas Football will play all six of its home games in 2024 in the Kansas City metropolitan area, including its first two home games against Lindenwood and UNLV at Children’s Mercy Park – the home to Sporting Kansas City. The Jayhawks will play their four Big 12 Conference home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium against TCU (Sept. 28), Houston (Oct. 19), Iowa State (Nov. 9) and Colorado (Nov. 23). 

The alternate venues enable Kansas Athletics to provide increased fan amenities and a full event experience that would not be possible in a reduced capacity Memorial Stadium. Most importantly, playing the six games outside Lawrence is necessary to keep the Gateway District construction on schedule and ensure that KU can host its 2025 home games in Lawrence.

"This plan for the 2024 season has an incredible number of benefits for our student-athletes, our fans and supporters, our campus partners and the Kansas Football program. While we are disappointed we can’t play in Lawrence, ultimately, we want to create the best possible experience for all involved, and playing two games at Children’s Mercy Park and four games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium allows us to do that. It has been a thrill to see construction begin in earnest in Lawrence on the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and this decision allows that construction to continue on a necessary timeline while also benefiting the overall budget of the project and the 2024 fan experience."

Fans looking to support the Jayhawks throughout the 2024 season can purchase a full six-game season ticket package beginning at $275. There will also be a family zone opportunity for $200 per ticket. Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase a four-game package for the games solely at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Kansas Football is coming off a 9-4 season in 2023, winning the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against UNLV for the program’s first bowl victory since 2008. The Jayhawks won nine games in a season for just the seventh time in program history. Head Coach Lance Leipold will welcome back several key members of the 2023 team, including running back Devin Neal, receivers Lawrence Arnold, Luke Grimm and Quentin Skinner and quarterback Jalon Daniels on offense.

LAWRENCE, Kan. – As construction continues on the transformational Gateway District and a reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the Kansas Jayhawks have determined the locations of their home games for the 2024 season.Kansas Football will play all six of its home games in 2024 in the Kansas City metropolitan area, including its first two home games against Lindenwood and UNLV at Children’s Mercy Park – the home to Sporting Kansas City. The Jayhawks will play their four Big 12 Conference home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium against TCU (Sept. 28), Houston (Oct. 19), Iowa State (Nov. 9) and Colorado (Nov. 23). The alternate venues enable Kansas Athletics to provide increased fan amenities and a full event experience that would not be possible in a reduced capacity Memorial Stadium. Most importantly, playing the six games outside Lawrence is necessary to keep the Gateway District construction on schedule and ensure that KU can host its 2025 home games in Lawrence."This plan for the 2024 season has an incredible number of benefits for our student-athletes, our fans and supporters, our campus partners and the Kansas Football program. While we are disappointed we can’t play in Lawrence, ultimately, we want to create the best possible experience for all involved, and playing two games at Children’s Mercy Park and four games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium allows us to do that. It has been a thrill to see construction begin in earnest in Lawrence on the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and this decision allows that construction to continue on a necessary timeline while also benefiting the overall budget of the project and the 2024 fan experience."Fans looking to support the Jayhawks throughout the 2024 season can purchase a full six-game season ticket package beginning at $275. There will also be a family zone opportunity for $200 per ticket. Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase a four-game package for the games solely at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.Kansas Football is coming off a 9-4 season in 2023, winning the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against UNLV for the program’s first bowl victory since 2008. The Jayhawks won nine games in a season for just the seventh time in program history. Head Coach Lance Leipold will welcome back several key members of the 2023 team, including running back Devin Neal, receivers Lawrence Arnold, Luke Grimm and Quentin Skinner and quarterback Jalon Daniels on offense.

Kansas Football to Play 2 Games at Children’s Mercy Park; 4 at Arrowhead Stadium in 2024

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Great start. Great finish.

And now, after beating Tennessee 9-5 in the College World Series finals opener Saturday night, Texas A&amp;M faces its most difficult task of the season. The Aggies must knock off the high-powered No. 1 national seed one more time Sunday to claim their first national championship.

The Aggies (53-13) put themselves in position with Gavin Grahovac homering to begin the game, breaking it open with a five-run third inning and bringing in Evan Aschenbeck to pitch 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief to turn back a Tennessee offense that was starting to get cranked up.

“We all know what’s at stake,” Schlossnagle said. “There’s no Lombardi speech. We just try to keep them as loose as we can.”

Tennessee (58-13), trying to become the first No. 1 seed since 1999 to win the championship, will go into Sunday’s Game 2 having lost consecutive games just once this season and not since March 16-17 at Alabama.

“You find out different ways to respond, and you can either get frustrated that tonight went the way that it did, or you can get more determined,” Vols coach Tony Vitello said. “We’ve got guys that have done that a lot in the past where determination kicks up, play kicks up.”

The No. 3 Aggies capitalized on a couple errors that led to two runs — Tennessee has committed eight in four CWS games — and on the inability of pitchers Chris Stamos (3-1) and AJ Causey to consistently hit their spots.

Grahovac drove Stamos’ 0-2 fastball out to right for the first leadoff homer in a CWS finals since Sam Fuld did it for Stanford against Rice in Game 2 in 2003.

Causey walked Jace LaViolette leading off the third, Jackson Appel’s comebacker deflected off Causey’s foot for a base hit and Hayden Schott followed with an RBI single to start the Aggies’ five-run outburst.

Kaeden Kent, son of ex-major leaguer Jeff Kent, made it a seven-run game in the seventh with his homer into the right-field bullpen.

“Rounding the bases, I was able to take it in,” Kent said. “The bullpen was going crazy. The fans were so loud; these fans are amazing. I love playing in front of these fans. They help us out so much and so much credit to them.”

Kent, who entered the starting lineup two weeks ago after star Braden Montgomery broke his ankle in the super regionals, finished with three hits and four RBIs.

The Vols, the nation’s most prolific home-run hitting team in three decades, used the long ball to create some anxiety for the Aggies in the bottom of the seventh.

Dylan Dreiling’s two-run shot to right ended the night for reliever Josh Stewart (2-2), and Hunter Ensley’s high fly over the left-field fence off Brad Rudis made it 9-5. The Vols have 180 homers this season, eight behind LSU’s NCAA record set in 1997.

Ensley was the only batter Rudis faced. Aggies coach Jim Schlossnagle brought in Aschenbeck, and the left-hander retired six in a row before back-to-back singles put runners on the corners with one out in the ninth. The National Stopper of the Year struck out Ensley and Kavares Tears to end the game.

“It’s just something I’ve been doing all year, just kind of try to give my team the best chance to win,” Aschenbeck said. “That’s what pitchers are there for. Our job as a relief pitcher is to come in and pick up the guys in front of us. To come into that opportunity, it was awesome because the atmosphere was crazy.

“It’s the College World Series. Everything’s cool about it.”

The Vols were 2 of 13 with runners in scoring position, 2 of 11 with two outs and they left 10 runners on base.

“Even though we didn’t bring our best,” Vitello said, “we were within striking distance against their guy there at the end of the game.”

Aschenbeck accounted for seven of the Aggies’ season high-tying 17 strikeouts. He has allowed just one earned run in his last nine appearances, spanning 25 2/3 innings.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Great start. Great finish.And now, after beating Tennessee 9-5 in the College World Series finals opener Saturday night, Texas A&amp;M faces its most difficult task of the season. The Aggies must knock off the high-powered No. 1 national seed one more time Sunday to claim their first national championship.The Aggies (53-13) put themselves in position with Gavin Grahovac homering to begin the game, breaking it open with a five-run third inning and bringing in Evan Aschenbeck to pitch 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief to turn back a Tennessee offense that was starting to get cranked up.“We all know what’s at stake,” Schlossnagle said. “There’s no Lombardi speech. We just try to keep them as loose as we can.”Tennessee (58-13), trying to become the first No. 1 seed since 1999 to win the championship, will go into Sunday’s Game 2 having lost consecutive games just once this season and not since March 16-17 at Alabama.“You find out different ways to respond, and you can either get frustrated that tonight went the way that it did, or you can get more determined,” Vols coach Tony Vitello said. “We’ve got guys that have done that a lot in the past where determination kicks up, play kicks up.”The No. 3 Aggies capitalized on a couple errors that led to two runs — Tennessee has committed eight in four CWS games — and on the inability of pitchers Chris Stamos (3-1) and AJ Causey to consistently hit their spots.Grahovac drove Stamos’ 0-2 fastball out to right for the first leadoff homer in a CWS finals since Sam Fuld did it for Stanford against Rice in Game 2 in 2003.Causey walked Jace LaViolette leading off the third, Jackson Appel’s comebacker deflected off Causey’s foot for a base hit and Hayden Schott followed with an RBI single to start the Aggies’ five-run outburst.Kaeden Kent, son of ex-major leaguer Jeff Kent, made it a seven-run game in the seventh with his homer into the right-field bullpen.“Rounding the bases, I was able to take it in,” Kent said. “The bullpen was going crazy. The fans were so loud; these fans are amazing. I love playing in front of these fans. They help us out so much and so much credit to them.”Kent, who entered the starting lineup two weeks ago after star Braden Montgomery broke his ankle in the super regionals, finished with three hits and four RBIs.The Vols, the nation’s most prolific home-run hitting team in three decades, used the long ball to create some anxiety for the Aggies in the bottom of the seventh.Dylan Dreiling’s two-run shot to right ended the night for reliever Josh Stewart (2-2), and Hunter Ensley’s high fly over the left-field fence off Brad Rudis made it 9-5. The Vols have 180 homers this season, eight behind LSU’s NCAA record set in 1997.Ensley was the only batter Rudis faced. Aggies coach Jim Schlossnagle brought in Aschenbeck, and the left-hander retired six in a row before back-to-back singles put runners on the corners with one out in the ninth. The National Stopper of the Year struck out Ensley and Kavares Tears to end the game.“It’s just something I’ve been doing all year, just kind of try to give my team the best chance to win,” Aschenbeck said. “That’s what pitchers are there for. Our job as a relief pitcher is to come in and pick up the guys in front of us. To come into that opportunity, it was awesome because the atmosphere was crazy.“It’s the College World Series. Everything’s cool about it.”The Vols were 2 of 13 with runners in scoring position, 2 of 11 with two outs and they left 10 runners on base.“Even though we didn’t bring our best,” Vitello said, “we were within striking distance against their guy there at the end of the game.”Aschenbeck accounted for seven of the Aggies’ season high-tying 17 strikeouts. He has allowed just one earned run in his last nine appearances, spanning 25 2/3 innings.

Texas A&M beats Tennessee 9-5 in Game 1 of College World Series finals

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jon Gray allowed two hits over five innings to rebound from his worst major league start and Wyatt Langford hit an eighth-inning grand slam that led the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday.

Gray (3-3) gave up back-to-back third-inning singles while throwing 51 of 72 pitches for strikes. He gave nine earned runs and 11 hits in three innings-plus last Monday in a 14-2 loss to the New York Mets.

Langford, a rookie who debuted on opening day, connected off Angel Zerpa for the Rangers' first grand slam this season.

World Series champion Texas has won three straight following a five-game losing streak. Kansas City has lost 10 of 13, scoring 36 runs in those games.

Josh Smith hit a solo homer in the fourth off Michael Wacha (4-6) and Adolis García hit a run-scoring comebacker in the eighth as Marcus Semien slid home ahead of Zerpa's throw.

Jacob Latz, David Robertson and Brock Burke finished the three-hitter, just the third shutout against the Royals this season. Seventeen consecutive Kansas City batters were retired between Adam Frazier’s third-inning single and pinch-hitter Nelson Velázquez’s one-out single in the ninth.

Wacha gave up three hits and one walk in five innings. It was his first start since May 31, when his left foot was fractured by a comebacker on his fourth pitch against San Diego.

Rangers: 3B Josh Jung (fractured right wrist) will accompany the team on next week’s trip and could be ready to play by midweek.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jon Gray allowed two hits over five innings to rebound from his worst major league start and Wyatt Langford hit an eighth-inning grand slam that led the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday.Gray (3-3) gave up back-to-back third-inning singles while throwing 51 of 72 pitches for strikes. He gave nine earned runs and 11 hits in three innings-plus last Monday in a 14-2 loss to the New York Mets.Langford, a rookie who debuted on opening day, connected off Angel Zerpa for the Rangers' first grand slam this season.World Series champion Texas has won three straight following a five-game losing streak. Kansas City has lost 10 of 13, scoring 36 runs in those games.Josh Smith hit a solo homer in the fourth off Michael Wacha (4-6) and Adolis García hit a run-scoring comebacker in the eighth as Marcus Semien slid home ahead of Zerpa's throw.Jacob Latz, David Robertson and Brock Burke finished the three-hitter, just the third shutout against the Royals this season. Seventeen consecutive Kansas City batters were retired between Adam Frazier’s third-inning single and pinch-hitter Nelson Velázquez’s one-out single in the ninth.Wacha gave up three hits and one walk in five innings. It was his first start since May 31, when his left foot was fractured by a comebacker on his fourth pitch against San Diego.<h2>Trainer’s room</h2>Rangers: 3B Josh Jung (fractured right wrist) will accompany the team on next week’s trip and could be ready to play by midweek.<h2>Up next</h2>

Gray pitches 2-hit ball over 5 innings to lift Rangers over Royals

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jon Gray allowed two hits over five innings to rebound from his worst major league start and Wyatt Langford hit an eighth-inning grand slam that led the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday. Gray (3-3) gave up back-to-back third-inning singles while throwing 51 of 72 pitches for strikes. He gave nine earned runs and 11 hits in three innings-plus last Monday in a 14-2 loss to the New York Mets. Langford, a rookie who debuted on opening day, connected off Angel Zerpa for the Rangers' first grand slam this season. World Series champion Texas has won three straight following a five-game losing streak. Kansas City has lost 10 of 13, scoring 36 runs in those games.

DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon drew a bases-loaded walk on a full-count, pitch-clock violation by Kyle Finnegan, and the Colorado Rockies scored two runs in the ninth inning for an 8-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night. Colorado had four straight singles to open the ninth off Nationals closer Finnegan (2-4) to bring up McMahon. Hunter Goodman and Jake Cave singled to open the inning, and Brenton Doyle singled to tie it after fouling off two bunt attempts. Ezequiel Tovar hit a line single to right to load the bases. Luis Garcia hit two-run homer to give Washington a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning and CJ Abrams had three his including his 12th home run. The Nationals had won 10 of 13.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Gavin Grahovac homered to begin the game, Texas A&amp;M broke it open with a five-run third inning and the Aggies moved within a win of their first national title in baseball with a 9-5 victory over Tennessee in the College World Series finals opener. Evan Aschenbeck pitched 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief. Tennessee is trying to become the first No. 1 national seed since 1999 to win the championship. The Volunteers go into Sunday’s Game 2 having lost consecutive games just once this season and not since March 16-17 at Alabama.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — It’s the greatest offer a team could get at the start of a season: Reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and as an added bonus, play host to it in your rink. One game. For everything. This is the reality for coach Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers. On one hand, they have blown a 3-0 series lead against the Edmonton Oilers in this Stanley Cup Final. On the other, there’s still Game 7 Monday night in Sunrise, Florida. Before his team left Edmonton Saturday, Maurice insisted the Panthers will focus on the opportunity ahead, not those wasted.

UNDATED (AP) — France isn’t the only country producing top prospects for the NBA — it just sort of seems that is the case. There are other international prospects expected to be selected in the NBA draft this week beyond France's Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher. Other international prospects include Nikola Topic and Nikola Djurisic of Serbia, Bobi Klintman of Sweden, Juan Nunez of Spain, and Ulrich Chomche of Cameroon.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Sha’Carri Richardson earned her spot in the Paris Olympics, winning the 100-meter final in a season-best 10.71 seconds at U.S. track trials. Her win in the final came by a margin of .09 seconds over training partner Melissa Jefferson, the 2022 U.S. champion. Another training partner, Twanisha Terry, finished third and also earned a spot on the women’s 100-meter team. Richardson, whose win at the 2021 Olympic trials was erased because of a positive test for marijuana, is the early favorite against Jefferson and what’s expected to be a stacked field of Jamaicans beginning Aug. 2 in Paris.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caeleb Dressel has locked up his second individual race in Paris, giving him another chance to shine after his stellar performance at the last Olympics. The winner of five gold medals at the Tokyo Games, Dressel claimed a victory in the men’s 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis. Keep an eye on Kate Douglass, too. She could be the biggest American star at the pool. Douglass locked up her third individual event at the Olympics with a victory in the 200 individual medley. Katie Ledecky will be swimming a bunch of events, too. She notched her fourth victory of the trials with a dominating win in the 800 freestyle.

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Cameron Young has shot the 13th round of 59 or lower on the PGA Tour. Young made a pair of eagles on par 4s. He finished with a par putt from just inside 10 feet for a 59 in the Travelers Championship. Young doesn't even have the course record at the TPC River Highlands. That belongs to Jim Furyk. He shot 58 at the Travelers Championship in 2016 for the PGA Tour record. Young had the first sub-60 round since Scottie Scheffler at the TPC Boston in 2020. It's the seventh sub-60 round this year on tours around the world.

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Tom Kim has made just enough birdies to keep in front at the rain-softened Travelers Championship. But just barely. Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was one shot behind. PGA champion Xander Schauffele was in the group another shot behind. Kim saved par on the final hole in the darkness for a 65. The third round was stopped for nearly three hours because of thunderstorms. The heavy rain drenched an already-soft TPC River Highlands. The tone was set early. Cameron Young shot 59 before the leaders teed off. Scheffler birdied his last four holes and was one back with Akshay Bhatia.

SAMMAMISH, Wash. (AP) — Amy Yang shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship as she chases her first major victory. Yang was at 7-under 209 at Sahalee Country Club. The 34-year-old South Korean player has five LPGA Tour victories. Lauren Hartlage and Miyu Yamashita were tied for second. Hartlage shot her second straight 69 for the only bogey-free round of the day. Yamashita, from Japan, had her second 70 in a row. Sarah Schmelzel, the American who shared the second-round lead with Yang, shot a 74 to drop to 4 under. First-round leader Lexi Thompson had a 73 to drop into a tie for fifth at 3 under.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718617262520.jpeg" alt="BARTON TEXTBOOK BILLBOARD.jpg" />
 <figcaption>BARTON TEXTBOOK BILLBOARD.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Texas — Jon Gray allowed two hits over five innings to rebound from his worst major league start and Wyatt Langford hit an eighth-inning grand slam that led the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday. Gray (3-3) gave up back-to-back third-inning singles while throwing 51 of 72 pitches for strikes. He gave nine earned runs and 11 hits in three innings-plus last Monday in a 14-2 loss to the New York Mets. Langford, a rookie who debuted on opening day, connected off Angel Zerpa for the Rangers' first grand slam this season. World Series champion Texas has won three straight following a five-game losing streak. Kansas City has lost 10 of 13, scoring 36 runs in those games.DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon drew a bases-loaded walk on a full-count, pitch-clock violation by Kyle Finnegan, and the Colorado Rockies scored two runs in the ninth inning for an 8-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night. Colorado had four straight singles to open the ninth off Nationals closer Finnegan (2-4) to bring up McMahon. Hunter Goodman and Jake Cave singled to open the inning, and Brenton Doyle singled to tie it after fouling off two bunt attempts. Ezequiel Tovar hit a line single to right to load the bases. Luis Garcia hit two-run homer to give Washington a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning and CJ Abrams had three his including his 12th home run. The Nationals had won 10 of 13.OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Gavin Grahovac homered to begin the game, Texas A&amp;M broke it open with a five-run third inning and the Aggies moved within a win of their first national title in baseball with a 9-5 victory over Tennessee in the College World Series finals opener. Evan Aschenbeck pitched 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief. Tennessee is trying to become the first No. 1 national seed since 1999 to win the championship. The Volunteers go into Sunday’s Game 2 having lost consecutive games just once this season and not since March 16-17 at Alabama.FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — It’s the greatest offer a team could get at the start of a season: Reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and as an added bonus, play host to it in your rink. One game. For everything. This is the reality for coach Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers. On one hand, they have blown a 3-0 series lead against the Edmonton Oilers in this Stanley Cup Final. On the other, there’s still Game 7 Monday night in Sunrise, Florida. Before his team left Edmonton Saturday, Maurice insisted the Panthers will focus on the opportunity ahead, not those wasted.UNDATED (AP) — France isn’t the only country producing top prospects for the NBA — it just sort of seems that is the case. There are other international prospects expected to be selected in the NBA draft this week beyond France's Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher. Other international prospects include Nikola Topic and Nikola Djurisic of Serbia, Bobi Klintman of Sweden, Juan Nunez of Spain, and Ulrich Chomche of Cameroon.EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Sha’Carri Richardson earned her spot in the Paris Olympics, winning the 100-meter final in a season-best 10.71 seconds at U.S. track trials. Her win in the final came by a margin of .09 seconds over training partner Melissa Jefferson, the 2022 U.S. champion. Another training partner, Twanisha Terry, finished third and also earned a spot on the women’s 100-meter team. Richardson, whose win at the 2021 Olympic trials was erased because of a positive test for marijuana, is the early favorite against Jefferson and what’s expected to be a stacked field of Jamaicans beginning Aug. 2 in Paris.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caeleb Dressel has locked up his second individual race in Paris, giving him another chance to shine after his stellar performance at the last Olympics. The winner of five gold medals at the Tokyo Games, Dressel claimed a victory in the men’s 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis. Keep an eye on Kate Douglass, too. She could be the biggest American star at the pool. Douglass locked up her third individual event at the Olympics with a victory in the 200 individual medley. Katie Ledecky will be swimming a bunch of events, too. She notched her fourth victory of the trials with a dominating win in the 800 freestyle.CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Cameron Young has shot the 13th round of 59 or lower on the PGA Tour. Young made a pair of eagles on par 4s. He finished with a par putt from just inside 10 feet for a 59 in the Travelers Championship. Young doesn't even have the course record at the TPC River Highlands. That belongs to Jim Furyk. He shot 58 at the Travelers Championship in 2016 for the PGA Tour record. Young had the first sub-60 round since Scottie Scheffler at the TPC Boston in 2020. It's the seventh sub-60 round this year on tours around the world.CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Tom Kim has made just enough birdies to keep in front at the rain-softened Travelers Championship. But just barely. Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was one shot behind. PGA champion Xander Schauffele was in the group another shot behind. Kim saved par on the final hole in the darkness for a 65. The third round was stopped for nearly three hours because of thunderstorms. The heavy rain drenched an already-soft TPC River Highlands. The tone was set early. Cameron Young shot 59 before the leaders teed off. Scheffler birdied his last four holes and was one back with Akshay Bhatia.SAMMAMISH, Wash. (AP) — Amy Yang shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship as she chases her first major victory. Yang was at 7-under 209 at Sahalee Country Club. The 34-year-old South Korean player has five LPGA Tour victories. Lauren Hartlage and Miyu Yamashita were tied for second. Hartlage shot her second straight 69 for the only bogey-free round of the day. Yamashita, from Japan, had her second 70 in a row. Sarah Schmelzel, the American who shared the second-round lead with Yang, shot a 74 to drop to 4 under. First-round leader Lexi Thompson had a 73 to drop into a tie for fifth at 3 under.

Sunday Sports Headlines presented by Barton Community College

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jon Gray allowed two hits over five innings to rebound from his worst major league start and Wyatt Langford hit an eighth-inning grand slam that led the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday.

Langford, a rookie who debuted on opening day, connected off Angel Zerpa for the Rangers’ first grand slam this season.

Josh Smith hit a solo homer in the fourth off Michael Wacha (4-6) and Adolis García hit a run-scoring comebacker inthe eighth as Marcus Semien slid home ahead of Zerpa’s throw.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is to make his season debut in Sunday’s series finale. Scherzer, 39, hasn’t pitched for the Rangers since Game 3 of the World Series last fall. RHP Alec Marsh (5-4, 4.37 ERA) starts for the Royals after allowing a career-high seven runs in three innings in a loss at Oakland on Tuesday.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jon Gray allowed two hits over five innings to rebound from his worst major league start and Wyatt Langford hit an eighth-inning grand slam that led the Texas Rangers over the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday.Gray (3-3) gave up back-to-back third-inning singles while throwing 51 of 72 pitches for strikes. He gave nine earned runs and 11 hits in three innings-plus last Monday in a 14-2 loss to the New York Mets.Langford, a rookie who debuted on opening day, connected off Angel Zerpa for the Rangers’ first grand slam this season.World Series champion Texas has won three straight following a five-game losing streak. Kansas City has lost 10 of 13, scoring 36 runs in those games.Josh Smith hit a solo homer in the fourth off Michael Wacha (4-6) and Adolis García hit a run-scoring comebacker inthe eighth as Marcus Semien slid home ahead of Zerpa’s throw.Jacob Latz, David Robertson and Brock Burke finished the three-hitter, just the third shutout against the Royals this season. Seventeen consecutive Kansas City batters were retired between Adam Frazier’s third-inning single and pinch-hitter Nelson Velázquez’s one-out single in the ninth.Wacha gave up three hits and one walk in five innings. It was his first start since May 31, when his left foot was fractured by a comebacker on his fourth pitch against San Diego.TRAINER’S ROOMRangers: 3B Josh Jung (fractured right wrist) will accompany the team on next week’s trip and could be ready to play by midweek.UP NEXTThree-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is to make his season debut in Sunday’s series finale. Scherzer, 39, hasn’t pitched for the Rangers since Game 3 of the World Series last fall. RHP Alec Marsh (5-4, 4.37 ERA) starts for the Royals after allowing a career-high seven runs in three innings in a loss at Oakland on Tuesday.

Rangers shutout Royals 6-0

DETROIT (AP) — Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders says he “experienced a health scare related to my heart” last weekend.

“It was unexpected and served as a reminder of the importance of staying vigilant about our physical well-being, even when we are feeling fine,” the former Detroit Lions great said in a statement posted Friday on social media.

The Lions issued their own social media post saying, “Get well soon Barry.”

“I am grateful for the amazing doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals for providing me with needed care,” Sanders said. “My family and I are thankful for your prayers and support during this time. Per my doctors’ recommendation, I am taking this opportunity to prioritize my health and well-being. I appreciate your understanding and continued support.”

Sanders, who turns 56 next month, was a six-time All-Pro while starring for the Lions from 1989-98 before his sudden retirement. He rushed for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns in his career, including 2,053 yards in his MVP season of 1997.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

DETROIT (AP) — Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders says he “experienced a health scare related to my heart” last weekend.“It was unexpected and served as a reminder of the importance of staying vigilant about our physical well-being, even when we are feeling fine,” the former Detroit Lions great said in a statement posted Friday on social media.The Lions issued their own social media post saying, “Get well soon Barry.”“I am grateful for the amazing doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals for providing me with needed care,” Sanders said. “My family and I are thankful for your prayers and support during this time. Per my doctors’ recommendation, I am taking this opportunity to prioritize my health and well-being. I appreciate your understanding and continued support.”Sanders, who turns 56 next month, was a six-time All-Pro while starring for the Lions from 1989-98 before his sudden retirement. He rushed for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns in his career, including 2,053 yards in his MVP season of 1997.He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Barry Sanders says he experienced ‘health scare’ related to his heart

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

Earlier announced by the Virgin Island Track and Field Federation, their 2024 National Championships has been named this year after Tabarie Henry in recognition for his accomplishments and representation of the country.

Native of St. Thomas of the Virgin Islands, Henry began his collegiate career at Barton Community College competing for the Cougars in the 2008 and 2009 seasons before continuing at Texas A&amp;M University.

"This recognition is not just about me," Henry said. "It is a tribute to the countless hours of hard work, the unwavering support of my family and mentors, and the spirit of camaraderie that thrives within the Virgin Islands athletics community. It is a testament to the power of sport to unite people, build character, and create lasting memories."

While at Barton, Henry was a 6-time NJCAA Champion in leaving his name etched on multiple indoor and outdoor program top ten slots, notably as a 400m specialist in ranking 2nd in Cougar history behind fellow Olympian Derrick Brew. Henry is also on multiple NJCAA all-time best lists including currently fourth in the 400m with Brew still atop the chart.

Moving on to Texas A&amp;M, Henry was a 7-time NCAA All-America performer, as well as, has successfully competed in regional and world championships with multiple Virgin Island records while representing his native country including in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic games.

Transitioning into coaching, Henry has helped the programs at New Mexico Junior College and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) earning many coaching accolades along with numerous successes performed by his athletes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719059285580.png" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoEarlier announced by the Virgin Island Track and Field Federation, their 2024 National Championships has been named this year after Tabarie Henry in recognition for his accomplishments and representation of the country.Native of St. Thomas of the Virgin Islands, Henry began his collegiate career at Barton Community College competing for the Cougars in the 2008 and 2009 seasons before continuing at Texas A&amp;M University."This recognition is not just about me," Henry said. "It is a tribute to the countless hours of hard work, the unwavering support of my family and mentors, and the spirit of camaraderie that thrives within the Virgin Islands athletics community. It is a testament to the power of sport to unite people, build character, and create lasting memories."While at Barton, Henry was a 6-time NJCAA Champion in leaving his name etched on multiple indoor and outdoor program top ten slots, notably as a 400m specialist in ranking 2nd in Cougar history behind fellow Olympian Derrick Brew. Henry is also on multiple NJCAA all-time best lists including currently fourth in the 400m with Brew still atop the chart.Moving on to Texas A&amp;M, Henry was a 7-time NCAA All-America performer, as well as, has successfully competed in regional and world championships with multiple Virgin Island records while representing his native country including in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic games.Transitioning into coaching, Henry has helped the programs at New Mexico Junior College and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) earning many coaching accolades along with numerous successes performed by his athletes.

Former Cougar Tabarie Henry with namesake honor

ARLINGTON (AP) -- The Royals’ road struggles made their way to Texas.

An inconsistent offense and a shaky bullpen led to a 6-2 loss to the Rangers on Friday at Globe Life Field. Kansas City has now lost 10 of its last 14 road games and is four games below .500 (17-21) on the road. At home, the Royals are 11 games over .500 (25-14).

“I don’t know what most teams do or any of that, but I know our guys feel really good at home,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Our crowd has been great this year. The way they’ve supported us, we’ve had a lot of big comeback wins at home, so that’s part of it.

“I think we’ve played some really tough games on the road, really close games and competitive games and the numbers don’t lie. We’re below .500, so we’ve got to do better.”

As Quatraro said, the numbers don’t lie and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture away from home for the Royals.

Offensively on the road, the Royals have a .224 average (28th in MLB), scored 152 runs (22nd), walked 98 times (27th), hit to a .650 OPS (26th MLB) and average 4.00 runs per game.

At home, meanwhile, they have a .271 average (MLB best), scored 210 runs (2nd), walked 123 times (14th), slugged to a .778 OPS (2nd), struck out 235 times (least in MLB) and average 5.38 runs per game.

Those road woes were showcased once again Friday with the only two runs scored being produced at the nine-hole spot.

Kyle Isbel belted a solo home run into the right-field seats in the third inning to give the Royals a 1-0 lead after Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi started the game by setting down the first eight batters.

“Obviously, Eovaldi has really good stuff,” Isbel said. “Got a pitch I could handle and put a good swing on it.”

Unfortunately for Isbel, he exited in the fifth inning with lower back tightness, a move that was deemed more precautionary than anything else. Garrett Hampson stepped into Isbel’s place and delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the fifth to put the Royals up 2-1.

However, the Royals didn’t get any offensive production from the top of the lineup. The top five batters combined to go 2-for-19 with seven strikeouts.

On the pitching front, the Royals received a solid start from Brady Singer, who threw five innings of one-run ball. Singer worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth inning, striking out Travis Jankowski before getting Leody Taveras to bounce into a fielder’s choice.

“Felt good. Struggled there in the fourth, threw a lot of pitches and kind of drove my pitch count up,” Singer said. “Driving that pitch count up kind of took away from getting deep in the outing.”

Added Quatraro: “[Singer’s] stuff was good. That’s a tough lineup, especially with all the good lefties in there. Slider looked good today, both sliders were good. He executed a lot of them. His [velocity] was up in the beginning of the game, so there were a lot of positives there.”

As it tends to go in these types of stretches, though, the Royals couldn’t find a way to lock down a one-run lead. Instead, the Rangers took control with a five-run sixth against Royals relievers John Schreiber and Sam Long.

“Schreiber has been so good for us, just didn’t execute tonight,” Quatraro said. “Again, that’s a tough lineup.”

It’s the way things have been going for the Royals, especially on the road. They now have scored three runs or fewer in three straight games and in five of the seven games during this road trip.

The silver lining for the Royals is they are starting a stretch in which they will face teams .500 or below in five of the seven series (including Texas) until the All-Star break. Yes, Kansas City has started 1-3 in this stretch after dropping two of three at Oakland (29-49) and the first of a three-game set against the Rangers (35-40), but the Royals are still 30-16 against teams currently below .500.

And with Michael Wacha’s return expected for Saturday, maybe his presence back in the rotation can start to shift things for the Royals. Wacha is certainly ready to get back and help the team turn it around.

ARLINGTON (AP) -- The Royals’ road struggles made their way to Texas.An inconsistent offense and a shaky bullpen led to a 6-2 loss to the Rangers on Friday at Globe Life Field. Kansas City has now lost 10 of its last 14 road games and is four games below .500 (17-21) on the road. At home, the Royals are 11 games over .500 (25-14).“I don’t know what most teams do or any of that, but I know our guys feel really good at home,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Our crowd has been great this year. The way they’ve supported us, we’ve had a lot of big comeback wins at home, so that’s part of it.“I think we’ve played some really tough games on the road, really close games and competitive games and the numbers don’t lie. We’re below .500, so we’ve got to do better.”As Quatraro said, the numbers don’t lie and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture away from home for the Royals.Offensively on the road, the Royals have a .224 average (28th in MLB), scored 152 runs (22nd), walked 98 times (27th), hit to a .650 OPS (26th MLB) and average 4.00 runs per game.At home, meanwhile, they have a .271 average (MLB best), scored 210 runs (2nd), walked 123 times (14th), slugged to a .778 OPS (2nd), struck out 235 times (least in MLB) and average 5.38 runs per game.Those road woes were showcased once again Friday with the only two runs scored being produced at the nine-hole spot.Kyle Isbel belted a solo home run into the right-field seats in the third inning to give the Royals a 1-0 lead after Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi started the game by setting down the first eight batters.“Obviously, Eovaldi has really good stuff,” Isbel said. “Got a pitch I could handle and put a good swing on it.”Unfortunately for Isbel, he exited in the fifth inning with lower back tightness, a move that was deemed more precautionary than anything else. Garrett Hampson stepped into Isbel’s place and delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the fifth to put the Royals up 2-1.However, the Royals didn’t get any offensive production from the top of the lineup. The top five batters combined to go 2-for-19 with seven strikeouts.On the pitching front, the Royals received a solid start from Brady Singer, who threw five innings of one-run ball. Singer worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth inning, striking out Travis Jankowski before getting Leody Taveras to bounce into a fielder’s choice.“Felt good. Struggled there in the fourth, threw a lot of pitches and kind of drove my pitch count up,” Singer said. “Driving that pitch count up kind of took away from getting deep in the outing.”Added Quatraro: “[Singer’s] stuff was good. That’s a tough lineup, especially with all the good lefties in there. Slider looked good today, both sliders were good. He executed a lot of them. His [velocity] was up in the beginning of the game, so there were a lot of positives there.”As it tends to go in these types of stretches, though, the Royals couldn’t find a way to lock down a one-run lead. Instead, the Rangers took control with a five-run sixth against Royals relievers John Schreiber and Sam Long.“Schreiber has been so good for us, just didn’t execute tonight,” Quatraro said. “Again, that’s a tough lineup.”It’s the way things have been going for the Royals, especially on the road. They now have scored three runs or fewer in three straight games and in five of the seven games during this road trip.The silver lining for the Royals is they are starting a stretch in which they will face teams .500 or below in five of the seven series (including Texas) until the All-Star break. Yes, Kansas City has started 1-3 in this stretch after dropping two of three at Oakland (29-49) and the first of a three-game set against the Rangers (35-40), but the Royals are still 30-16 against teams currently below .500.And with Michael Wacha’s return expected for Saturday, maybe his presence back in the rotation can start to shift things for the Royals. Wacha is certainly ready to get back and help the team turn it around.

Royals road woes continue with 6-2 loss to Texas


ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Marcus Semien hit a three-run double to cap
Texas’ five-run sixth inning, Wyatt Langford had two run-scoring
hits and the Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Friday night.
Nathan Eovaldi (4-3) allowed two runs and four hits and with one walk
while striking out six in six innings as the Rangers won their second
straight following a five-game losing streak. Royals starter Brady
Singer, seeking his first win since May 19, left with a 2-1 lead
after giving up three hits and two walks in five innings with four
strikeouts, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth. Kansas City has
lost nine of its last 12 games while totaling 36 runs.


EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl made his first major impact
in the Stanley Cup Final, and the series is heading back to South
Florida. Draisaitl set up Warren Foegele’s early goal, Adam
Henrique and Zach Hyman scored and the Edmonton Oilers forced a Game
7 by beating the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game 6. They are the first
team to tie the final after falling behind 3-0 in the series since
the Detroit Red Wings in 1945. They have the chance Monday night in
Sunrise to join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs as the only NHL teams to
come all the way back from that deficit to hoist the Stanley Cup.


BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics have celebrated their 18th NBA
championship with the customary duck boat parade through the city.
The amphibious vehicles are normally ridden by sightseeing tourists
but have been used by all four of Boston's major professional sports
franchises to celebrate championships in recent years. The Celtics
broke a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most league titles
when they beat the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on
Monday night. On Friday, Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck and his family
carried the Larry O'Brien Trophy past a sea of fans on foot as they
made their way to TD Garden.


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caeleb Dressel has earned his first individual
race of the Paris Games, winning the men’s 50-meter freestyle at
the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. The winner of five gold medals in
Tokyo finished finished third in the first individual event, the 100
freestyle. But Dressel will get a chance to defend his 50 free title
in Paris after touching in 21.41 seconds. Chris Guiliano claimed his
third individual race in Paris with a runner-up finish of 21.61.
Regan Smith will also be swimming three individual events at the
Olympics after winning the 200 backstroke. Phoebe Bacon also claimed
an Olympic berth, edging reigning world champ Claire Curzan. Also,
Carson Foster earned his second Olympic race with a win in the 200
individual medley. Shaine Casas grabbed the second spot for Paris.


EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Sha’Carri Richardson wobbled out of the
starting block and raced with her right shoe untied but still won her
preliminary 100-meter heat in 10.88 seconds to open her quest to make
the Olympics at the U.S. track trials. The 24-year-old sprinter,
whose victory three years ago at trials was erased because of a
positive test for marijuana, stumbled to her right at the start and
was briefly in last place. She overcame that mistake quickly to not
only overcome the field but finish with the night’s best
opening-round time.


SAMMAMISH, Wash. (AP) — Nelly Korda was sent packing early again
Friday in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, another shocking
downfall after a dominating run. A stroke behind first-round leader
Lexi Thompson after an opening 3-under 69, the top-ranked Korda shot
an 81 in the second round to miss the cut by a stroke. Korda also
missed the cuts in the U.S. Women’s Open — opening with an 80 —
and the Meijer LPGA Classic in her last two starts after winning six
of seven events, a run that started with a record-tying five straight
victories. While Korda struggled at tree-lined Sahalee Country Club,
Sarah Schmelzel and Amy Yang shared the lead at 6-under 136.
Schmelzel had a 67 in the morning, and Yang shot 68 in the afternoon.


CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Tom Kim talks about building blocks of
momentum for the rest of the season. It's starting to pay off now in
the Travelers Championship. Kim started with a 62. He celebrated his
22nd birthday on Friday with a 65. That gives him a two-shot lead
over Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Akshay
Bhatia. Kim made par on the last eight holes and still reached
13-under 127. That's his lowest 36-hole score. Scheffler is having an
easier time at the TPC River Highlands than he did at Pinehurst No. 2
for the U.S. Open. He had a 64.


EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Olympic team is one of a handful that
will supply air conditioners for their athletes at the Paris Games in
a move that undercuts organizers’ plans to cut carbon emissions.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic CEO Sarah Hirshland says while the U.S.
appreciates efforts aimed at sustainability, the federation would be
supplying AC units for what is typically the largest contingent of
athletes at the Summer Games. Hirshland says athletes said AC units
were a high priority and something they felt was critical to their
performance at the upcoming Olympics. Average temperatures in Paris
hover at around 80 degrees in the summer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718617262520.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Marcus Semien hit a three-run double to cap
Texas’ five-run sixth inning, Wyatt Langford had two run-scoring
hits and the Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Friday night.
Nathan Eovaldi (4-3) allowed two runs and four hits and with one walk
while striking out six in six innings as the Rangers won their second
straight following a five-game losing streak. Royals starter Brady
Singer, seeking his first win since May 19, left with a 2-1 lead
after giving up three hits and two walks in five innings with four
strikeouts, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth. Kansas City has
lost nine of its last 12 games while totaling 36 runs.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl made his first major impact
in the Stanley Cup Final, and the series is heading back to South
Florida. Draisaitl set up Warren Foegele’s early goal, Adam
Henrique and Zach Hyman scored and the Edmonton Oilers forced a Game
7 by beating the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game 6. They are the first
team to tie the final after falling behind 3-0 in the series since
the Detroit Red Wings in 1945. They have the chance Monday night in
Sunrise to join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs as the only NHL teams to
come all the way back from that deficit to hoist the Stanley Cup.
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics have celebrated their 18th NBA
championship with the customary duck boat parade through the city.
The amphibious vehicles are normally ridden by sightseeing tourists
but have been used by all four of Boston's major professional sports
franchises to celebrate championships in recent years. The Celtics
broke a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most league titles
when they beat the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on
Monday night. On Friday, Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck and his family
carried the Larry O'Brien Trophy past a sea of fans on foot as they
made their way to TD Garden.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caeleb Dressel has earned his first individual
race of the Paris Games, winning the men’s 50-meter freestyle at
the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. The winner of five gold medals in
Tokyo finished finished third in the first individual event, the 100
freestyle. But Dressel will get a chance to defend his 50 free title
in Paris after touching in 21.41 seconds. Chris Guiliano claimed his
third individual race in Paris with a runner-up finish of 21.61.
Regan Smith will also be swimming three individual events at the
Olympics after winning the 200 backstroke. Phoebe Bacon also claimed
an Olympic berth, edging reigning world champ Claire Curzan. Also,
Carson Foster earned his second Olympic race with a win in the 200
individual medley. Shaine Casas grabbed the second spot for Paris.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Sha’Carri Richardson wobbled out of the
starting block and raced with her right shoe untied but still won her
preliminary 100-meter heat in 10.88 seconds to open her quest to make
the Olympics at the U.S. track trials. The 24-year-old sprinter,
whose victory three years ago at trials was erased because of a
positive test for marijuana, stumbled to her right at the start and
was briefly in last place. She overcame that mistake quickly to not
only overcome the field but finish with the night’s best
opening-round time.
SAMMAMISH, Wash. (AP) — Nelly Korda was sent packing early again
Friday in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, another shocking
downfall after a dominating run. A stroke behind first-round leader
Lexi Thompson after an opening 3-under 69, the top-ranked Korda shot
an 81 in the second round to miss the cut by a stroke. Korda also
missed the cuts in the U.S. Women’s Open — opening with an 80 —
and the Meijer LPGA Classic in her last two starts after winning six
of seven events, a run that started with a record-tying five straight
victories. While Korda struggled at tree-lined Sahalee Country Club,
Sarah Schmelzel and Amy Yang shared the lead at 6-under 136.
Schmelzel had a 67 in the morning, and Yang shot 68 in the afternoon.
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Tom Kim talks about building blocks of
momentum for the rest of the season. It's starting to pay off now in
the Travelers Championship. Kim started with a 62. He celebrated his
22nd birthday on Friday with a 65. That gives him a two-shot lead
over Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Akshay
Bhatia. Kim made par on the last eight holes and still reached
13-under 127. That's his lowest 36-hole score. Scheffler is having an
easier time at the TPC River Highlands than he did at Pinehurst No. 2
for the U.S. Open. He had a 64.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Olympic team is one of a handful that
will supply air conditioners for their athletes at the Paris Games in
a move that undercuts organizers’ plans to cut carbon emissions.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic CEO Sarah Hirshland says while the U.S.
appreciates efforts aimed at sustainability, the federation would be
supplying AC units for what is typically the largest contingent of
athletes at the Summer Games. Hirshland says athletes said AC units
were a high priority and something they felt was critical to their
performance at the upcoming Olympics. Average temperatures in Paris
hover at around 80 degrees in the summer.FRIDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal	Tampa
Bay	10	Pittsburgh	3	Final	Miami	3	Seattle	2	Final	Cincinnati	5	Boston	2	Final	Atlanta	8	N.Y.
Yankees	1	Final	L.A.
Angels	3	L.A. Dodgers	2	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	2	Chicago
White Sox	1	Final	Cleveland	7	Toronto	1	Final	Texas	6	Kansas
City	2	Final	Houston	14	Baltimore	11	Final	Oakland	6	Minnesota	5	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	N.Y.
Mets	11	Chicago Cubs	1	Final	Arizona	5	Philadelphia	4	Final	Washington	11	Colorado	5	Final	San
Diego	9	Milwaukee	5	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

Saturday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Until he saw messages flying back and forth on the 1990s-era LSU players' group text thread late this season, Skip Bertman didn't realize the Tennessee team of 2024 was making a serious run at the Holy Grail of the college baseball record book.

Bertman's 1997 Tigers slugged 188 home runs in 70 games on their way to the second of two straight national championships and were the inspiration for the phrase "gorilla ball,” the descriptor for the style of offense in an era when bats were juiced and balls flew out of ballparks at unprecedented rates.

No team had come close to approaching 188 until this year's Volunteers, who have 178 in 70 games heading into Game 1 of the best-of-three College World Series finals against Texas A&amp;M on Saturday.

“My God, I thought that was the one record that never could be broken,” the retired Bertman said Thursday from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, summarizing the text traffic among his former players. “And here they are, I guess, (178), which is incredibly close and obviously means they could break it in the future."

The record probably is safe this year. The Vols would have to average nearly four homers a game the rest of the way to break it — and that's if the finals go three games.

As it is, Tennessee ranks second all-time in single-season home runs, and it's the only team to ever have five players hit at least 20 each in a season.

Homers are harder to come by at Charles Schwab Field than they were at Rosenblatt Stadium, where the LSU teams regularly took up residence during Junes of the 1990s.

The ’97 Tigers hit 10 homers in four CWS games. The ’24 Vols have hit five in three games so far.

Christian Moore homered while hitting for the cycle and Kavares Tears also connected in their opener against Florida State, but it was a triple, double, walk and three singles that brought them back from a three-run deficit in a 12-11 walk-off win.

Tears and Reese Chapman homered to get the Vols' offense going in their 6-1 win over North Carolina on Sunday. Blake Burke's ninth-inning homer against Florida State on Wednesday happened when the 7-2 win was all but secured.

Tennessee is batting a CWS-best .321, and it has three of the top five hitters in Moore (.571), Burke (.500) and Dreiling (.500). The Vols are batting .333 with runners in scoring position, .375 with runners on base and .428 with two outs. Batters leading off innings have combined to hit .357.

“We’re just loaded throughout the lineup,” Vols pitcher Zander Sechrist said. “And obviously it prepares you for moments like this.”

Though Tennessee is built for power to take advantage of its hitter-friendly ballpark in Knoxville, it has shown it can produce plenty of offense in different ways at the expansive Omaha stadium.

“Sometimes it doesn’t happen for you the way you want,” coach Tony Vitello said, “but we knew our guys would take consistently good swings. We knew they were very physical, and we knew we’d have some depth.”

Bertman said he sees a lot of his 1997 team in the Vols, even though the bats they swing have been drastically toned down from the ones used three decades ago.

Through 70 games, Tennessee has five sacrifice bunts and averages 0.70 steals per game to rank near the bottom of Division I in both. LSU had only four sacrifice bunts and averaged 1.01 steals over its 70 games in 1997.

“One thing I'm sure Coach goes for is the homer, and he doesn't bunt or steal a lot, and that's one way to do it,” Bertman said. “Honestly, it’s a wonderful effort by Tennessee."

Asked what would happen if the 1997 LSU Tigers played the 2024 Tennessee Volunteers at the old Rosenblatt using the bats of the late '90s, Bertman laughed and said he could imagine homers galore and a 30-28 final score.

The 86-year-old Bertman still watches plenty of college baseball, particularly in the Southeastern Conference, and he said Texas A&amp;M is a team capable of holding down the Vols' offense.

The Aggies have allowed a total of three runs in three CWS games, and for the season they rank in the top 10 nationally in ERA (3.86) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.8) and they lead the country with 11 shutouts.

Justin Lamkin, who has thrown eight shutout innings in two CWS starts, has been a revelation as the No. 2 pitcher behind ace Ryan Prager. They also have a deep bullpen featuring National Stopper of the Year Evan Aschenbeck as the closer. His 1.59 ERA leads the nation.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Until he saw messages flying back and forth on the 1990s-era LSU players' group text thread late this season, Skip Bertman didn't realize the Tennessee team of 2024 was making a serious run at the Holy Grail of the college baseball record book.Bertman's 1997 Tigers slugged 188 home runs in 70 games on their way to the second of two straight national championships and were the inspiration for the phrase "gorilla ball,” the descriptor for the style of offense in an era when bats were juiced and balls flew out of ballparks at unprecedented rates.No team had come close to approaching 188 until this year's Volunteers, who have 178 in 70 games heading into Game 1 of the best-of-three College World Series finals against Texas A&amp;M on Saturday.“My God, I thought that was the one record that never could be broken,” the retired Bertman said Thursday from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, summarizing the text traffic among his former players. “And here they are, I guess, (178), which is incredibly close and obviously means they could break it in the future."The record probably is safe this year. The Vols would have to average nearly four homers a game the rest of the way to break it — and that's if the finals go three games.As it is, Tennessee ranks second all-time in single-season home runs, and it's the only team to ever have five players hit at least 20 each in a season.“Really astonishing,” Bertman said.Homers are harder to come by at Charles Schwab Field than they were at Rosenblatt Stadium, where the LSU teams regularly took up residence during Junes of the 1990s.The ’97 Tigers hit 10 homers in four CWS games. The ’24 Vols have hit five in three games so far.Christian Moore homered while hitting for the cycle and Kavares Tears also connected in their opener against Florida State, but it was a triple, double, walk and three singles that brought them back from a three-run deficit in a 12-11 walk-off win.Tears and Reese Chapman homered to get the Vols' offense going in their 6-1 win over North Carolina on Sunday. Blake Burke's ninth-inning homer against Florida State on Wednesday happened when the 7-2 win was all but secured.Tennessee is batting a CWS-best .321, and it has three of the top five hitters in Moore (.571), Burke (.500) and Dreiling (.500). The Vols are batting .333 with runners in scoring position, .375 with runners on base and .428 with two outs. Batters leading off innings have combined to hit .357.“We’re just loaded throughout the lineup,” Vols pitcher Zander Sechrist said. “And obviously it prepares you for moments like this.”Though Tennessee is built for power to take advantage of its hitter-friendly ballpark in Knoxville, it has shown it can produce plenty of offense in different ways at the expansive Omaha stadium.“Sometimes it doesn’t happen for you the way you want,” coach Tony Vitello said, “but we knew our guys would take consistently good swings. We knew they were very physical, and we knew we’d have some depth.”Bertman said he sees a lot of his 1997 team in the Vols, even though the bats they swing have been drastically toned down from the ones used three decades ago.Through 70 games, Tennessee has five sacrifice bunts and averages 0.70 steals per game to rank near the bottom of Division I in both. LSU had only four sacrifice bunts and averaged 1.01 steals over its 70 games in 1997.“One thing I'm sure Coach goes for is the homer, and he doesn't bunt or steal a lot, and that's one way to do it,” Bertman said. “Honestly, it’s a wonderful effort by Tennessee."Asked what would happen if the 1997 LSU Tigers played the 2024 Tennessee Volunteers at the old Rosenblatt using the bats of the late '90s, Bertman laughed and said he could imagine homers galore and a 30-28 final score.The 86-year-old Bertman still watches plenty of college baseball, particularly in the Southeastern Conference, and he said Texas A&amp;M is a team capable of holding down the Vols' offense.The Aggies have allowed a total of three runs in three CWS games, and for the season they rank in the top 10 nationally in ERA (3.86) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.8) and they lead the country with 11 shutouts.Justin Lamkin, who has thrown eight shutout innings in two CWS starts, has been a revelation as the No. 2 pitcher behind ace Ryan Prager. They also have a deep bullpen featuring National Stopper of the Year Evan Aschenbeck as the closer. His 1.59 ERA leads the nation.

Vols' run at 'unbreakable' HR mark impresses Bertman

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — As Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field and gazed at tributes displayed in honor of Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers, he clutched a cherished memory under his arm.

It was a picture from 2004 of Mays holding Stone's then-10-month-old daughter Haley, who was wearing San Francisco Giants gear. In Mays' hand was a chunk of a chocolate chip cookie, which he was handing over for Haley to eat.

“Willie gave her that cookie. She had no teeth,” Stone remembered. "But we took the cookie and we kept it in her stroller for a year and a half. The great Willie Mays gave it to her, so it was special to us.”

Stone and his wife Christina traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to be in Birmingham, Alabama, on Thursday for a moment they deemed just as special.

It was hours before Rickwood Field hosted its first Major League Baseball game, as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Giants 6-5. The game, which MLB called “A Tribute to the Negro Leagues,” was meant to honor the legacy of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an enduring mark on the sport.

MLB planned a week of activities around Mays and the Negro Leagues, including an unveiling ceremony on Wednesday of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham. Those tributes took on a more significant meaning Tuesday afternoon when Mays died at 93. As news of his death spread throughout Birmingham, celebrations of his life ramped up.

You could hear the celebration at Rickwood Field on Thursday even before arriving at the ballpark with the rapid thumping of a drum echoing from inside the ballpark, excited murmurs from fans skipping toward the music and frequent bursts of laughter.

Inside, there were reminders of history all around.

There were photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who played at the 114-year-old ballpark, including Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige. The original clubhouse of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, where Mays got his pro start in 1948, was open. A memorial of Mays was at the front, with bobbleheads, a signed glove and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys on display.

Outside, fans stood in line to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959. They took photos sitting inside an original bus from 1947 that was typically used during barnstorming tours by Negro Leagues teams. They danced to live music and ate food from concession stands featuring menu boards designed to reflect the look and feel of the 1940s.

Eddie Torres and his son Junior wore matching Giants jerseys as they took pictures inside the ballpark. They're lifelong Giants fans who came from California for the game.

“I never even got to see Willie Mays play, but as a Giants fan, you knew what he meant to the game of baseball,” Torres said. “My son, he’s only 11. Willie Mays had such an effect on the game that even he knew who Willie Mays was."

Musical artist Jon Batiste strummed a guitar while dancing on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch. Fans stood as former Negro Leaguers were helped to the field for a pregame ceremony.

Shouts of “Willie! Willie! broke out after a brief moment of silence.

For Michael Jackson, sitting in the stands at Rickwood Field reminded him of the past.

The 71-year-old Jackson played baseball in the 1970s and 80s with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League, which was a semi-professional league made up of iron and steel workers that was an integral form of entertainment in Birmingham in the 20th century.

Jackson’s baseball journey took him to Rickwood Field many times. After all these years, he was just excited that it’s still standing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718994713990.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;The San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals play in the fifth inning of a baseball game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, June 20, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;The San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals play in the fifth inning of a baseball game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, June 20, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — As Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field and gazed at tributes displayed in honor of Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers, he clutched a cherished memory under his arm.It was a picture from 2004 of Mays holding Stone's then-10-month-old daughter Haley, who was wearing San Francisco Giants gear. In Mays' hand was a chunk of a chocolate chip cookie, which he was handing over for Haley to eat.“Willie gave her that cookie. She had no teeth,” Stone remembered. "But we took the cookie and we kept it in her stroller for a year and a half. The great Willie Mays gave it to her, so it was special to us.”Stone and his wife Christina traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to be in Birmingham, Alabama, on Thursday for a moment they deemed just as special.It was hours before Rickwood Field hosted its first Major League Baseball game, as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Giants 6-5. The game, which MLB called “A Tribute to the Negro Leagues,” was meant to honor the legacy of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an enduring mark on the sport.MLB planned a week of activities around Mays and the Negro Leagues, including an unveiling ceremony on Wednesday of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham. Those tributes took on a more significant meaning Tuesday afternoon when Mays died at 93. As news of his death spread throughout Birmingham, celebrations of his life ramped up.You could hear the celebration at Rickwood Field on Thursday even before arriving at the ballpark with the rapid thumping of a drum echoing from inside the ballpark, excited murmurs from fans skipping toward the music and frequent bursts of laughter.Inside, there were reminders of history all around.There were photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who played at the 114-year-old ballpark, including Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige. The original clubhouse of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, where Mays got his pro start in 1948, was open. A memorial of Mays was at the front, with bobbleheads, a signed glove and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys on display.Outside, fans stood in line to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959. They took photos sitting inside an original bus from 1947 that was typically used during barnstorming tours by Negro Leagues teams. They danced to live music and ate food from concession stands featuring menu boards designed to reflect the look and feel of the 1940s.Eddie Torres and his son Junior wore matching Giants jerseys as they took pictures inside the ballpark. They're lifelong Giants fans who came from California for the game.“I never even got to see Willie Mays play, but as a Giants fan, you knew what he meant to the game of baseball,” Torres said. “My son, he’s only 11. Willie Mays had such an effect on the game that even he knew who Willie Mays was."Musical artist Jon Batiste strummed a guitar while dancing on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch. Fans stood as former Negro Leaguers were helped to the field for a pregame ceremony.Shouts of “Willie! Willie! broke out after a brief moment of silence.For Michael Jackson, sitting in the stands at Rickwood Field reminded him of the past.The 71-year-old Jackson played baseball in the 1970s and 80s with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League, which was a semi-professional league made up of iron and steel workers that was an integral form of entertainment in Birmingham in the 20th century.Jackson’s baseball journey took him to Rickwood Field many times. After all these years, he was just excited that it’s still standing.

Celebrations honor Willie Mays and Negro League players at Rickwood Field

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' governor signed legislation Friday enabling the state to lure the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball's Royals away from neighboring Missouri by helping the teams pay for new stadiums.

Gov. Laura Kelly's action came three days after the Republican-led Legislature approved the measure with bipartisan supermajorities — an unusually quick turnaround that signals how urgently Kansas officials consider making the offers.

Missouri officials have argued that discussions about building new stadiums are still in the early stages. They said construction of a new one typically takes about three years, and pointed out that the lease on the existing complex that includes the teams' side-by-side stadiums doesn't end until January 2031.

The measure Kelly signed takes effect July 1 and will allow bonds to cover 70% of a new stadium's cost. The state would have 30 years to pay them off with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes generated in the area around each proposed stadium.

The Kansas-Missouri border splits the 2.3 million-resident Kansas City area, with about 60% of the people living on the Missouri side.

Kansas officials began working on the legislation after voters on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area refused in April to continue a sales tax used to keep up the existing stadium complex. The Royals outlined a plan in February to build a $2 billion-plus ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, while the Chiefs were planning an $800 million renovation of their existing home.

Attorneys for the teams told Kansas legislators they needed to make decisions about the future soon for new stadiums to be ready on time — though the Royals had planned to move into a new downtown ballpark at the start of their 2028 season. Some critics suggested the teams are pitting the two states against each other for the biggest government subsidies possible.

“The Chiefs and the Royals are pretty much using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat from the Kansas City, Kansas, area who voted against the bill.

Supporters of bringing the teams to Kansas warned that if neither state acts quickly enough, one or both teams could leave for another community entirely. Several economists who have studied professional sports were skeptical that a move would make financial sense for either a team or a new host city, and both the National Football League and Major League Baseball require a supermajority of owners to approve franchise moves.

The plan had support from throughout Kansas, including about half of the lawmakers from western Kansas, 200 miles (320 kilometers) away from any new stadium.

Kansas lawmakers approved the stadium financing plan during a single-day special session Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat, called the session for the Legislature to consider tax cuts after she vetoed three previous tax plans and legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1. On Friday, she also signed a bill that will save income and property taxpayers a total of $1.23 billion over the next three years.

Although the financing law doesn't specifically name the Chiefs or Royals, it is limited to stadiums for National Football League and Major League Baseball teams "in any state adjacent to Kansas.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718994395012.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' governor signed legislation Friday enabling the state to lure the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball's Royals away from neighboring Missouri by helping the teams pay for new stadiums.Gov. Laura Kelly's action came three days after the Republican-led Legislature approved the measure with bipartisan supermajorities — an unusually quick turnaround that signals how urgently Kansas officials consider making the offers.Missouri officials have argued that discussions about building new stadiums are still in the early stages. They said construction of a new one typically takes about three years, and pointed out that the lease on the existing complex that includes the teams' side-by-side stadiums doesn't end until January 2031.The measure Kelly signed takes effect July 1 and will allow bonds to cover 70% of a new stadium's cost. The state would have 30 years to pay them off with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes generated in the area around each proposed stadium.The Kansas-Missouri border splits the 2.3 million-resident Kansas City area, with about 60% of the people living on the Missouri side.Kansas officials began working on the legislation after voters on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area refused in April to continue a sales tax used to keep up the existing stadium complex. The Royals outlined a plan in February to build a $2 billion-plus ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, while the Chiefs were planning an $800 million renovation of their existing home.Attorneys for the teams told Kansas legislators they needed to make decisions about the future soon for new stadiums to be ready on time — though the Royals had planned to move into a new downtown ballpark at the start of their 2028 season. Some critics suggested the teams are pitting the two states against each other for the biggest government subsidies possible.“The Chiefs and the Royals are pretty much using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat from the Kansas City, Kansas, area who voted against the bill.Supporters of bringing the teams to Kansas warned that if neither state acts quickly enough, one or both teams could leave for another community entirely. Several economists who have studied professional sports were skeptical that a move would make financial sense for either a team or a new host city, and both the National Football League and Major League Baseball require a supermajority of owners to approve franchise moves.The plan had support from throughout Kansas, including about half of the lawmakers from western Kansas, 200 miles (320 kilometers) away from any new stadium.Kansas lawmakers approved the stadium financing plan during a single-day special session Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat, called the session for the Legislature to consider tax cuts after she vetoed three previous tax plans and legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1. On Friday, she also signed a bill that will save income and property taxpayers a total of $1.23 billion over the next three years.Although the financing law doesn't specifically name the Chiefs or Royals, it is limited to stadiums for National Football League and Major League Baseball teams "in any state adjacent to Kansas.”

Kelly signs bills enabling effort to entice Chiefs and Royals with new stadiums

AMERICAN
LEAGUEEast
DivisionW	L	Pct	GB
New York	51	26	.662	—
Baltimore	49	25	.662	½
Boston	40	35	.533	10
Tampa Bay	36	39	.480	14
Toronto	35	39	.473	14½Central
Division
Cleveland	46	26	.639	—Kansas
City	42	34	.553	6
Minnesota	41	34	.547	6½
Detroit	34	40	.459	13
Chicago	20	56	.263	28West
Division
Seattle	44	33	.571	—
Houston	35	40	.467	8
Texas	34	40	.459	8½
Los Angeles	29	45	.392	13½
Oakland	28	49	.364	16NATIONAL
LEAGUEEast
DivisionW	L	Pct	GB
Philadelphia	49	25	.662	—
Atlanta	41	31	.569	7
Washington	36	38	.486	13
New York	35	38	.479	13½
Miami	25	49	.338	24Central
Division
Milwaukee	44	31	.587	—St.
Louis	37	37	.500	6½
Pittsburgh	36	38	.486	7½
Chicago	36	39	.480	8
Cincinnati	35	39	.473	8½West
Division
Los Angeles	47	30	.610	—
San Diego	39	40	.494	9
Arizona	37	38	.493	9
San Francisco	36	40	.474	10½

MLB Standings

Former Cougar Taaj Ridley became part of NBA history this past Monday helping the Boston Celtics to the 2024 NBA title defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the best-of-seven championship series.

Originally from Bronx, New York, Ridley spent the 2008-09 season with the Barton Community College men's basketball team, sidelined by injury his sophomore campaign before moving on to the four-year level and beyond. Spending eight years playing professionally including a season in the NBA G League, Ridley coached two seasons as a graduate assistant at Penn State University.

While at PSU, Ridley helped the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten runner-up finish going on to break a twelve year big dance drought by participating in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Ridley joined the Celtics as Video Coordinator and Player Development Coach with his initial season capped by the franchise's 18th Championship banner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718963878641.png" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoFormer Cougar Taaj Ridley became part of NBA history this past Monday helping the Boston Celtics to the 2024 NBA title defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the best-of-seven championship series.Originally from Bronx, New York, Ridley spent the 2008-09 season with the Barton Community College men's basketball team, sidelined by injury his sophomore campaign before moving on to the four-year level and beyond. Spending eight years playing professionally including a season in the NBA G League, Ridley coached two seasons as a graduate assistant at Penn State University.While at PSU, Ridley helped the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten runner-up finish going on to break a twelve year big dance drought by participating in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.Ridley joined the Celtics as Video Coordinator and Player Development Coach with his initial season capped by the franchise's 18th Championship banner.

Former Cougar Taaj Ridley contributes to Boston Celtics' 2024 NBA title


The Texas Rangers open a
three-game series at home against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.


Kansas City Royals (42-34,
second in the AL Central) vs. Texas Rangers (34-40, third in the AL
West)

PITCHING PROBABLES:
Royals: Brady Singer (4-4, 3.39 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 76 strikeouts);
Rangers: Nathan Eovaldi (3-3, 3.15 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 64 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE
Rangers -148, Royals +125; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Texas
Rangers open a three-game series at home against the Kansas City
Royals on Friday.


Texas has a 17-19 record in
home games and a 34-40 record overall. The Rangers have a 22-5 record
in games when they scored at least five runs.


Kansas City is 42-34 overall
and 17-20 on the road. The Royals are 32-6 in games when they out-hit
their opponents.


The teams match up Friday for
the fourth time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Josh
Smith has a .298 batting average to lead the Rangers, and has 17
doubles, a triple and five home runs. Wyatt Langford is 11-for-35
with a home run and nine RBI over the past 10 games.


Bobby Witt Jr. leads the
Royals with 39 extra base hits (20 doubles, seven triples and 12 home
runs). Freddy Fermin is 10-for-30 with a double, three home runs and
five RBI over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers:
4-6, .204 batting average, 6.07 ERA, outscored by 24 runs

Royals: 3-7, .212
batting average, 4.92 ERA, outscored by 20 runs

INJURIES: Rangers:
Evan Carter: 10-Day IL (lumbar), Cody Bradford: 60-Day IL (back),
Austin Pruitt: 60-Day IL (knee), Max Scherzer: 60-Day IL (back), Josh
Sborz: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Justin Foscue: 60-Day IL (oblique
strain), Joshua Jung: 60-Day IL (wrist), Tyler Mahle: 60-Day IL
(elbow), Jacob deGrom: 60-Day IL (elbow), Carson Coleman: 60-Day IL
(elbow)

By
The Associated Press
The Texas Rangers open a
three-game series at home against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.
Kansas City Royals (42-34,
second in the AL Central) vs. Texas Rangers (34-40, third in the AL
West)
Arlington, Texas; Friday, 8:05
p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Royals: Brady Singer (4-4, 3.39 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 76 strikeouts);
Rangers: Nathan Eovaldi (3-3, 3.15 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 64 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE
Rangers -148, Royals +125; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Texas
Rangers open a three-game series at home against the Kansas City
Royals on Friday.
Texas has a 17-19 record in
home games and a 34-40 record overall. The Rangers have a 22-5 record
in games when they scored at least five runs.
Kansas City is 42-34 overall
and 17-20 on the road. The Royals are 32-6 in games when they out-hit
their opponents.
The teams match up Friday for
the fourth time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh
Smith has a .298 batting average to lead the Rangers, and has 17
doubles, a triple and five home runs. Wyatt Langford is 11-for-35
with a home run and nine RBI over the past 10 games.
Bobby Witt Jr. leads the
Royals with 39 extra base hits (20 doubles, seven triples and 12 home
runs). Freddy Fermin is 10-for-30 with a double, three home runs and
five RBI over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers:
4-6, .204 batting average, 6.07 ERA, outscored by 24 runs
Royals: 3-7, .212
batting average, 4.92 ERA, outscored by 20 runs
INJURIES: Rangers:
Evan Carter: 10-Day IL (lumbar), Cody Bradford: 60-Day IL (back),
Austin Pruitt: 60-Day IL (knee), Max Scherzer: 60-Day IL (back), Josh
Sborz: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Justin Foscue: 60-Day IL (oblique
strain), Joshua Jung: 60-Day IL (wrist), Tyler Mahle: 60-Day IL
(elbow), Jacob deGrom: 60-Day IL (elbow), Carson Coleman: 60-Day IL
(elbow)

Rangers host the Royals in first of 3-game series


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) —
Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer
in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland
Athletics 3-2 to avoid a three-game sweep. Fermin also singled for
his first three-hit game of the season. Witt homered off Oakland
reliever Vinny Nittoli to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth. Zack Gelof
homered for the third straight game, but Oakland failed to sweep
Kansas City for the first time since 2016. The Royals haven’t been
swept this year.


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) —
Brendan Donovan hit a two-run homer and a double and the St. Louis
Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-5 in the Negro Leagues
tribute game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The
114-year-old Rickwood Field is the oldest professional ballpark in
the U.S. and former home to late baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays
and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. Andre Pallante
pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs in the win.
He walked three and struck out five. Ryan Helsley got the final three
outs for his 24th save.


NEW YORK (AP) — Cedric
Mullins hit a two-run homer to spark a six-run second inning, Gunnar
Henderson reached base four times and the Baltimore Orioles knocked
out rookie pitcher Luis Gil early in a 17-5 rout of the New York
Yankees. The Orioles improved to 5-2 against the Yankees and set a
major league record by winning their 22nd straight series against an
AL East opponent. Henderson extended the majors’ longest active
on-base streak to 27 games and his hitting streak to a career-high 13
games. Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer as the Orioles moved
to within a half-game of first-place New York. Austin Hays also
homered for Baltimore. New York's Gleyber Torres hit a solo homer
before exiting with a groin injury. Aaron Judge hit his major
league-leading 27th homer.


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Fans
came out to celebrate Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers in several
events and festivities around the historic Rickwood Field. Rickwood
Field in Birmingham, Alabama, hosted its first Major League Baseball
game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. The game, which MLB
called “A Tribute to the Negro Leagues,” was meant to honor the
legacy of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an enduring
mark on the sport. The celebration started hours before the game and
continued into the pregame ceremony.


UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has
presented a plan to Division I conference commissioners that would
expand the lucrative men’s and women’s basketball tournaments by
four or eight teams alongside an option to leave each field at 68
teams. If approved, the NCAA would keep its 64-team bracket but would
add play-in games involving the 10 through 12 seeds. The earliest the
NCAA Tournament could expand would be the 2025-26 season and more
meetings are scheduled. The men’s tournament last expanded in 2011
when it went from 64 to 68 teams. The women’s tournament matched
that in 2022.


LOS ANGELES (AP) — JJ Redick
is being hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a person
with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press. The person
spoke on condition of anonymity because the Lakers hadn’t yet
publicly announced the decision to hire the former NBA shooting guard
for his first coaching job. The 39-year-old Redick is an
extraordinary choice by the Lakers, who hired a 15-year veteran with
absolutely no coaching experience to lead a franchise with 17 NBA
titles, one of the biggest brand names in world sports — and LeBron
James, the top scorer in league history.


EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) —
Connor McDavid put the Edmonton Oilers on his back to keep the
Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers going by doing
something no other player in NHL history has at this stage of the
season. McDavid became the first player to have back-to-back
four-point games in the final. Wayne Gretzky is the only other player
to have two four-point games at any point in the same final. McDavid
with his heroics has emerged as the front-runner to win the Conn
Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, even if the Oilers lose Game 6 on home
ice Friday night.


UNDATED (AP) — Facing
upheaval on the way in college athletics, a handful of administrators
and athletes from smaller schools have been working on a new model of
governance. The hope by members of the Football Championship
Subdivision and Division I-AAA is to give their athletes more of a
say and essentially treat them more like students than employees. It
is also a way to be proactive and potentially head off future
lawsuits. The plans are still in the discussion stage.


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — On a
night for doubling up at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Lilly King
left with another big prize. An engagement ring. Ryan Murphy, Regan
Smith, Kate Douglass and King all claimed a second individual event
at the Paris Games with their performances in the temporary pool at
Lucas Oil Stadium. But the most dramatic moment came just off the
deck. King’s boyfriend, former Indiana University swimmer James
Wells, pulled out a ring, dropped to a knee and asked her to marry
him. She said yes with a kiss and a big hug. Murphy won the 200-meter
backstroke, Regan Smith touched first in the 200 butterfly and
Douglass claimed the top spot in the 200 breaststroke. King finished
second to Douglass to earn another race in Paris after winning the
100 breast.


CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) —
Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim share a birthday and they will be
fighting for the lead in the second round at the Travelers
Championship. Kim shot an 8-under-par 62 on Thursday in the first
round at the TPC River Highlands. That gave him a two-stroke lead in
the final limited field, no-cut signature event on the PGA Tour
schedule. Scheffler is the world's No. 1 ranked player. He was tied
for sixth, three shots back. Kim turns 22 on Friday and Scheffler is
exactly six years older. They marked the occasion for the second year
in a row by heading about 30 miles south to New Haven for pizza.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718617262520.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) —
Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer
in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland
Athletics 3-2 to avoid a three-game sweep. Fermin also singled for
his first three-hit game of the season. Witt homered off Oakland
reliever Vinny Nittoli to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth. Zack Gelof
homered for the third straight game, but Oakland failed to sweep
Kansas City for the first time since 2016. The Royals haven’t been
swept this year.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) —
Brendan Donovan hit a two-run homer and a double and the St. Louis
Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-5 in the Negro Leagues
tribute game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The
114-year-old Rickwood Field is the oldest professional ballpark in
the U.S. and former home to late baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays
and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. Andre Pallante
pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs in the win.
He walked three and struck out five. Ryan Helsley got the final three
outs for his 24th save.
NEW YORK (AP) — Cedric
Mullins hit a two-run homer to spark a six-run second inning, Gunnar
Henderson reached base four times and the Baltimore Orioles knocked
out rookie pitcher Luis Gil early in a 17-5 rout of the New York
Yankees. The Orioles improved to 5-2 against the Yankees and set a
major league record by winning their 22nd straight series against an
AL East opponent. Henderson extended the majors’ longest active
on-base streak to 27 games and his hitting streak to a career-high 13
games. Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer as the Orioles moved
to within a half-game of first-place New York. Austin Hays also
homered for Baltimore. New York's Gleyber Torres hit a solo homer
before exiting with a groin injury. Aaron Judge hit his major
league-leading 27th homer.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Fans
came out to celebrate Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers in several
events and festivities around the historic Rickwood Field. Rickwood
Field in Birmingham, Alabama, hosted its first Major League Baseball
game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. The game, which MLB
called “A Tribute to the Negro Leagues,” was meant to honor the
legacy of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an enduring
mark on the sport. The celebration started hours before the game and
continued into the pregame ceremony.
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has
presented a plan to Division I conference commissioners that would
expand the lucrative men’s and women’s basketball tournaments by
four or eight teams alongside an option to leave each field at 68
teams. If approved, the NCAA would keep its 64-team bracket but would
add play-in games involving the 10 through 12 seeds. The earliest the
NCAA Tournament could expand would be the 2025-26 season and more
meetings are scheduled. The men’s tournament last expanded in 2011
when it went from 64 to 68 teams. The women’s tournament matched
that in 2022.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — JJ Redick
is being hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a person
with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press. The person
spoke on condition of anonymity because the Lakers hadn’t yet
publicly announced the decision to hire the former NBA shooting guard
for his first coaching job. The 39-year-old Redick is an
extraordinary choice by the Lakers, who hired a 15-year veteran with
absolutely no coaching experience to lead a franchise with 17 NBA
titles, one of the biggest brand names in world sports — and LeBron
James, the top scorer in league history.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) —
Connor McDavid put the Edmonton Oilers on his back to keep the
Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers going by doing
something no other player in NHL history has at this stage of the
season. McDavid became the first player to have back-to-back
four-point games in the final. Wayne Gretzky is the only other player
to have two four-point games at any point in the same final. McDavid
with his heroics has emerged as the front-runner to win the Conn
Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, even if the Oilers lose Game 6 on home
ice Friday night.
UNDATED (AP) — Facing
upheaval on the way in college athletics, a handful of administrators
and athletes from smaller schools have been working on a new model of
governance. The hope by members of the Football Championship
Subdivision and Division I-AAA is to give their athletes more of a
say and essentially treat them more like students than employees. It
is also a way to be proactive and potentially head off future
lawsuits. The plans are still in the discussion stage.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — On a
night for doubling up at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Lilly King
left with another big prize. An engagement ring. Ryan Murphy, Regan
Smith, Kate Douglass and King all claimed a second individual event
at the Paris Games with their performances in the temporary pool at
Lucas Oil Stadium. But the most dramatic moment came just off the
deck. King’s boyfriend, former Indiana University swimmer James
Wells, pulled out a ring, dropped to a knee and asked her to marry
him. She said yes with a kiss and a big hug. Murphy won the 200-meter
backstroke, Regan Smith touched first in the 200 butterfly and
Douglass claimed the top spot in the 200 breaststroke. King finished
second to Douglass to earn another race in Paris after winning the
100 breast.
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) —
Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim share a birthday and they will be
fighting for the lead in the second round at the Travelers
Championship. Kim shot an 8-under-par 62 on Thursday in the first
round at the TPC River Highlands. That gave him a two-stroke lead in
the final limited field, no-cut signature event on the PGA Tour
schedule. Scheffler is the world's No. 1 ranked player. He was tied
for sixth, three shots back. Kim turns 22 on Friday and Scheffler is
exactly six years older. They marked the occasion for the second year
in a row by heading about 30 miles south to New Haven for pizza.THURSDAY
SCORESMAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALLAMERICAN
LEAGUE
Final	Cleveland	6	Seattle	3	
Final	Tampa Bay	7	Minnesota	6	
Final	Houston	5	Chicago White
Sox	3	
Final	Kansas City	3	Oakland	2	
Final	Baltimore	17	N.Y.
Yankees	5	NATIONAL
LEAGUE
Final	Arizona	5	Washington	2	
Final	L.A.
Dodgers	5	Colorado	3	
Final	St. Louis	6	San
Francisco	5

Friday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Fermin also singled for his first three-hit game of the season.

“He’s swinging the bat really well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s part of the reason we were trying to get him some at-bats and DH him. He works extremely hard, he’s always prepared, puts together really good at-bats, so I’m really happy for him.”

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep.Fermin also singled for his first three-hit game of the season.“He’s swinging the bat really well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s part of the reason we were trying to get him some at-bats and DH him. He works extremely hard, he’s always prepared, puts together really good at-bats, so I’m really happy for him.”Witt homered off Oakland reliever Vinny Nittoli (0-1) to break a 2-all tie in the eighth, his 12th homer of the year.“Just trying to make something happen,” Witt said. “It’s frustrating losing, so I knew we needed to do something to get a win.”Zack Gelof homered for the third straight game, but Oakland failed to sweep Kansas City for the first time since 2016.The Royals (42-34) haven’t been swept this year.“We’re trying to be relentless,” Witt said. “We just try to go out there and take things day by day and not worry about what happened in the past, not worry about what’s still to come in the future and just worry about where we’re at.”Fermin took A’s rookie Mitch Spence deep to left in the second inning and victimized Spence again in the fourth for his second career multi-homer game. He doubled his home run total this season.Spence had a solid outing otherwise. He struck out a career-high seven, allowing two runs and six hits with a walk in six innings.“It was a great series for us, especially coming off a road trip where we didn’t win a game,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Coming back home, winning a series and having an opportunity to sweep a team that’s in (contention), that’s a good sign.”Gelof tied the game in the seventh with a two-run homer to center off Royals starter Seth Lugo. Following a two-out walk by Kyle McCann, Abraham Toro doubled down the right-field line against reliever James McArthur (4-3), but McCann was thrown out at the plate to keep the game tied.Lugo permitted two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight and walking two.“I thought it went pretty well, for the most part,” he said. “Giving up the two-run homer for them to tie it, that hurt, but glad we got the win. We needed a win, so it was big time.”The A’s put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth. Chris Stratton came in and got two flyouts to secure his fourth save.McCann was ejected by home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn in the bottom of the ninth for arguing balls and strikes from the dugout following a called third strike to Gelof.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: RHP Dan Altavilla was placed on the 15-day injured list after straining his right oblique Wednesday night. RHP Steven Cruz was recalled from Triple-A Omaha.Athletics: Toro (shoulder soreness) was held out of the starting lineup for the third straight game, but entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and finished the game at third base.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Brady Singer (4-4, 3.39 ERA) seeks his first win since May 19 as Kansas City opens a three-game series at Texas on Friday night. The Rangers counter with RHP Nathan Eovaldi (3-3, 3.15)Athletics: RHP Joey Estes (2-2, 5.97) opens a three-game home series against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night opposite RHP Chris Paddack (5-3, 5.25).