LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks christened the reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium with a 31-7 victory over Fresno State on Saturday evening in front of a sold out crowd of 41,525 spectators.

The win gives Kansas a 1-0 record to start a season for the fifth-straight year and is the Jayhawks' earliest win in a season in program history.

Jalon Daniels&nbsp;had an efficient night guiding the Jayhawks offensive attack, completing 18-of-20 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns while also carrying the ball eight times for 47 yards.&nbsp;Leshon Williams&nbsp;rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown on six carries, while&nbsp;Cam Pickett&nbsp;led the Jayhawks with six receptions for 77 yards and two scores.

Trey Lathan&nbsp;led the Jayhawks with eight tackles (four solo, four assist) and added one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry. Kansas forced three turnovers on the night, getting a forced and recovered fumble from&nbsp;Bangally Kamara&nbsp;to go along with interceptions by&nbsp;Lyrik Rawls&nbsp;and&nbsp;Devin Dye.

"I thought we had good answers," Kansas coach&nbsp;Lance Leipold&nbsp;said after the game. "I didn't think we got overly rattled when they did bring pressure and Jalon knew where he was going with the ball. I thought that&nbsp;Jim Zebrowski&nbsp;called a heck of a game and mixed things up extremely well.&nbsp;Leshon Williams&nbsp;played extremely well, and Daniel Hishaw ran hard and they showed the ability to move the ball either in the air or on the ground."

Kansas received the opening kickoff and took its first drive the distance of the field for a touchdown as Daniels found Pickett for a 21-yard score. The Jayhawks drove 86 yards in nine plays, with Daniels completing 3-of-4 passes on the drive, while also rushing twice for 34 yards. The Jayhawks opening drive lasted less than four minutes, as KU took the 7-0 lead with 11:06 to play in the first quarter.&nbsp;

Fresno State answered with a seven play, 75-yard touchdown drive, knotting the score at 7-7 with 7:20 to play in the opening quarter. Daniels again led the Jayhawks down the field on KU's next drive, needing eight plays to cover 75 yards.&nbsp;Leshon Williams&nbsp;scored his first touchdown in a Kansas uniform with a 19-yard rush into the north end zone that put KU up 14-7 with 2:10 to play in the quarter.&nbsp;

After the first three drives of the game ended in KU touchdowns, the next three ended in punts before the Jayhawks took over with 9:23 to play in the half. Daniels completed three passes to Pickett on a five-play scoring drive, including a 13-yard touchdown, as KU pushed its lead to 21-7 at the midway point of the second quarter. Kansas ended Fresno State's next drive with an interception from Dye, then drove into Fresno State territory and got a 47-yard field goal from&nbsp;Laith Marjan&nbsp;to make it 24-7 at halftime.&nbsp;

Fresno State drove into Kansas territory on their first drive of the second half, but Kamara came up with a sack fumble to return possession to the Jayhawks. KU's offense needed just five plays to turn it into points, which came as Daniels found&nbsp;Keaton Kubecka&nbsp;across the middle for a 12-yard touchdown pass, upping the lead to 31-7, the eventual final score, with 7:47 to play in the third quarter. Rawls ended the Bulldogs next drive with an interception - KU's second takeaway of the quarter and third of the game.&nbsp;

Kansas returns to action next Friday, Aug. 29, hosting Wagner at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. That game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT and be broadcast on ESPN+.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756046353317.jpeg" alt="KUAthletics.com.jpg" />
 <figcaption>KUAthletics.com.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks christened the reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium with a 31-7 victory over Fresno State on Saturday evening in front of a sold out crowd of 41,525 spectators.The win gives Kansas a 1-0 record to start a season for the fifth-straight year and is the Jayhawks' earliest win in a season in program history.Jalon Daniels&nbsp;had an efficient night guiding the Jayhawks offensive attack, completing 18-of-20 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns while also carrying the ball eight times for 47 yards.&nbsp;Leshon Williams&nbsp;rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown on six carries, while&nbsp;Cam Pickett&nbsp;led the Jayhawks with six receptions for 77 yards and two scores.Trey Lathan&nbsp;led the Jayhawks with eight tackles (four solo, four assist) and added one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry. Kansas forced three turnovers on the night, getting a forced and recovered fumble from&nbsp;Bangally Kamara&nbsp;to go along with interceptions by&nbsp;Lyrik Rawls&nbsp;and&nbsp;Devin Dye."I thought we had good answers," Kansas coach&nbsp;Lance Leipold&nbsp;said after the game. "I didn't think we got overly rattled when they did bring pressure and Jalon knew where he was going with the ball. I thought that&nbsp;Jim Zebrowski&nbsp;called a heck of a game and mixed things up extremely well.&nbsp;Leshon Williams&nbsp;played extremely well, and Daniel Hishaw ran hard and they showed the ability to move the ball either in the air or on the ground."Kansas received the opening kickoff and took its first drive the distance of the field for a touchdown as Daniels found Pickett for a 21-yard score. The Jayhawks drove 86 yards in nine plays, with Daniels completing 3-of-4 passes on the drive, while also rushing twice for 34 yards. The Jayhawks opening drive lasted less than four minutes, as KU took the 7-0 lead with 11:06 to play in the first quarter.&nbsp;Fresno State answered with a seven play, 75-yard touchdown drive, knotting the score at 7-7 with 7:20 to play in the opening quarter. Daniels again led the Jayhawks down the field on KU's next drive, needing eight plays to cover 75 yards.&nbsp;Leshon Williams&nbsp;scored his first touchdown in a Kansas uniform with a 19-yard rush into the north end zone that put KU up 14-7 with 2:10 to play in the quarter.&nbsp;After the first three drives of the game ended in KU touchdowns, the next three ended in punts before the Jayhawks took over with 9:23 to play in the half. Daniels completed three passes to Pickett on a five-play scoring drive, including a 13-yard touchdown, as KU pushed its lead to 21-7 at the midway point of the second quarter. Kansas ended Fresno State's next drive with an interception from Dye, then drove into Fresno State territory and got a 47-yard field goal from&nbsp;Laith Marjan&nbsp;to make it 24-7 at halftime.&nbsp;Fresno State drove into Kansas territory on their first drive of the second half, but Kamara came up with a sack fumble to return possession to the Jayhawks. KU's offense needed just five plays to turn it into points, which came as Daniels found&nbsp;Keaton Kubecka&nbsp;across the middle for a 12-yard touchdown pass, upping the lead to 31-7, the eventual final score, with 7:47 to play in the third quarter. Rawls ended the Bulldogs next drive with an interception - KU's second takeaway of the quarter and third of the game.&nbsp;Kansas returns to action next Friday, Aug. 29, hosting Wagner at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. That game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT and be broadcast on ESPN+.&nbsp;

Jayhawks Defeat Fresno State 31-7 in Return to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium

DETROIT (AP) — Spencer Torkelson homered to help the Detroit Tigers win their fifth straight game, 4-2 over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

The teams entered the game with the best records in the American League in August. Detroit has won nine of its last 10 games.

Chris Paddack (5-11) picked up his second win as a Tiger, allowing one run in five innings.

Michael Wacha (8-10) had his four-start winning streak snapped, giving up three runs on eight hits in six innings.

The Tigers took the lead on Jake Rogers' RBI double in the third, but Vinnie Pasquatino doubled home Bobby Witt Jr. in the fourth.

Torkelson hit his 27th homer to make it 2-1 in the fourth, and Rogers gave Detroit a two-run lead with an RBI single in the fifth.

Witt, though, homered off Tigers reliever Troy Melton in the sixth to pull the Royals to 3-2.

Witt singled with one out in the eighth, took second on Riley Greene's error and moved to third on Pasquatino's grounder back to the mound. A.J. Hinch brought in Will Vest, who struck out Maikel Garcia to end the inning.

Andy Ibáñez made it 4-2 with a pinch-hit homer in the eighth. Vest finished for his 19th save.

The Royals had runners on first and second with one out in the seventh, but Tyler Holton came out of the bullpen and got pinch-hitter Nick Loftin to ground into a 5-4-3 double play.

Pasquatino entered the game with homers in five straight games, matching the franchise record set by Mike Sweeney in 2002 and tied by Salvador Perez in 2024. He went 1 for 4 with the RBI double in the fourth inning.

Royals RHP Seth Lugo (8-6, 3.73 ERA) was set to face RHP Jack Flaherty (7-12., 4.51) on Sunday in the series finale.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756046023791.jpeg" alt="Detroit Tigers' Javier Báez slides safely into home plate during the third inning of a baseball game Kansas City Royals Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Josh Boland )" />
 <figcaption>Detroit Tigers' Javier Báez slides safely into home plate during the third inning of a baseball game Kansas City Royals Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Josh Boland )</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Spencer Torkelson homered to help the Detroit Tigers win their fifth straight game, 4-2 over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.The teams entered the game with the best records in the American League in August. Detroit has won nine of its last 10 games.Chris Paddack (5-11) picked up his second win as a Tiger, allowing one run in five innings.Michael Wacha (8-10) had his four-start winning streak snapped, giving up three runs on eight hits in six innings.The Tigers took the lead on Jake Rogers' RBI double in the third, but Vinnie Pasquatino doubled home Bobby Witt Jr. in the fourth.Torkelson hit his 27th homer to make it 2-1 in the fourth, and Rogers gave Detroit a two-run lead with an RBI single in the fifth.Witt, though, homered off Tigers reliever Troy Melton in the sixth to pull the Royals to 3-2.Witt singled with one out in the eighth, took second on Riley Greene's error and moved to third on Pasquatino's grounder back to the mound. A.J. Hinch brought in Will Vest, who struck out Maikel Garcia to end the inning.Andy Ibáñez made it 4-2 with a pinch-hit homer in the eighth. Vest finished for his 19th save.<h2>Key moment</h2>The Royals had runners on first and second with one out in the seventh, but Tyler Holton came out of the bullpen and got pinch-hitter Nick Loftin to ground into a 5-4-3 double play.<h2>Key stat</h2>Pasquatino entered the game with homers in five straight games, matching the franchise record set by Mike Sweeney in 2002 and tied by Salvador Perez in 2024. He went 1 for 4 with the RBI double in the fourth inning.<h2>Up next</h2>Royals RHP Seth Lugo (8-6, 3.73 ERA) was set to face RHP Jack Flaherty (7-12., 4.51) on Sunday in the series finale.

Spencer Torkelson homers to help the Tigers beat the Royals 4-2 for 5th straight win

DUBLIN (AP) — Rocco Becht passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score, helping No. 22 Iowa State beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in the Aer Lingus Classic on Saturday.

Becht was 14 for 28 for 183 yards. He found Dominic Overby for a 23-yard TD in the first quarter and passed to Brett Eskildsen for a 24-yard score in the third quarter.

With 2:26 to go, Iowa State coach Matt Campbell had his team go for it on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas State 16-yard line. Becht found Carson Hansen for 15 yards and iced the game.

“He called a great play, he gave me two plays and let me decide and I knew we were going to have a chance to get it," Becht said "We’ve worked on it in practice and it’s been working for us and we’re confident with it and I have trust in my guys.”

The Cyclones (1-0, 1-0 Big 12) opened a 24-14 lead in the fourth quarter after a turnover on downs by Kansas State at its own 30-yard line. Becht finished the short drive with a 7-yard touchdown run with 6:38 left.

Avery Johnson passed for 273 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas State (0-1, 0-1). He also had a 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

“I mean that’s the thing, regardless of the outcome we have 11 games to play," Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. "We have our back against the wall, but now we’ve got to reset and regroup and get ready to play.”

Johnson threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley with 6:23 remaining, but the Wildcats never got the ball back.

Both teams struggled to deal with wet conditions in the first half. Kansas State had two turnovers and a turnover on downs while Iowa State committed two turnovers in the first 30 minutes.

“We just made some great adjustments," Campbell said. "We saw some things different in the first game and the opportunity to make some adjustments and to have the ability to do that, to have the staff that’s been together for so long that we have the confidence to make those adjustments.”

The Cyclones grabbed a 14-7 lead when Becht found Eskildsen in the corner of the end zone with 1:07 left in the third quarter.

Johnson responded with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown, tying it at 14 with 14:09 remaining in the game.

Carson Hansen led Iowa State with 71 yards rushing on 16 carries. Joe Jackson had 51 yards on 12 carries for Kansas State.

“I thought that the (offensive line) did a really great job in the second half," Campbell said. “Our tight ends and o-line did a great job of execution and man Carson is a really great player so we’re really proud of him.”

Iowa State has beat Kansas State in five of the past six seasons.

“I think those are great wins, any time you can beat quality opponents that’s awesome," Campbell said. "We got a long way to go, it’s only game one and there’s a lot of football left and we’re going to have to see if we’re tough enough as a program and team to go home and get ready for a good South Dakota team next week.”

The matchup featured the past two champions of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. To celebrate, the Frosted Wild Berry and Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tarts were on the sidelines for the showdown in Ireland.

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards was injured in the first quarter on a punt that he muffed. He didn’t return to the game.

Becht looked like a veteran quarterback in the second half, leading his team with his arm and legs in a crucial opener.

Iowa State hosts South Dakota on Aug. 30, and Kansas State hosts North Dakota the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756045916660.jpeg" alt="Iowa State Rocco Becht celebrates after scoring a touchdown during an NCAA college football game between Iowa State and Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)" />
 <figcaption>Iowa State Rocco Becht celebrates after scoring a touchdown during an NCAA college football game between Iowa State and Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBLIN (AP) — Rocco Becht passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score, helping No. 22 Iowa State beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in the Aer Lingus Classic on Saturday.Becht was 14 for 28 for 183 yards. He found Dominic Overby for a 23-yard TD in the first quarter and passed to Brett Eskildsen for a 24-yard score in the third quarter.With 2:26 to go, Iowa State coach Matt Campbell had his team go for it on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas State 16-yard line. Becht found Carson Hansen for 15 yards and iced the game.“He called a great play, he gave me two plays and let me decide and I knew we were going to have a chance to get it," Becht said "We’ve worked on it in practice and it’s been working for us and we’re confident with it and I have trust in my guys.”The Cyclones (1-0, 1-0 Big 12) opened a 24-14 lead in the fourth quarter after a turnover on downs by Kansas State at its own 30-yard line. Becht finished the short drive with a 7-yard touchdown run with 6:38 left.Avery Johnson passed for 273 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas State (0-1, 0-1). He also had a 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.“I mean that’s the thing, regardless of the outcome we have 11 games to play," Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. "We have our back against the wall, but now we’ve got to reset and regroup and get ready to play.”Johnson threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jerand Bradley with 6:23 remaining, but the Wildcats never got the ball back.Both teams struggled to deal with wet conditions in the first half. Kansas State had two turnovers and a turnover on downs while Iowa State committed two turnovers in the first 30 minutes.“We just made some great adjustments," Campbell said. "We saw some things different in the first game and the opportunity to make some adjustments and to have the ability to do that, to have the staff that’s been together for so long that we have the confidence to make those adjustments.”The Cyclones grabbed a 14-7 lead when Becht found Eskildsen in the corner of the end zone with 1:07 left in the third quarter.Johnson responded with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown, tying it at 14 with 14:09 remaining in the game.Carson Hansen led Iowa State with 71 yards rushing on 16 carries. Joe Jackson had 51 yards on 12 carries for Kansas State.“I thought that the (offensive line) did a really great job in the second half," Campbell said. “Our tight ends and o-line did a great job of execution and man Carson is a really great player so we’re really proud of him.”Iowa State has beat Kansas State in five of the past six seasons.“I think those are great wins, any time you can beat quality opponents that’s awesome," Campbell said. "We got a long way to go, it’s only game one and there’s a lot of football left and we’re going to have to see if we’re tough enough as a program and team to go home and get ready for a good South Dakota team next week.”<h2>Pop-Tarts unite</h2>The matchup featured the past two champions of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. To celebrate, the Frosted Wild Berry and Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tarts were on the sidelines for the showdown in Ireland.<h2>Edwards injured</h2>Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards was injured in the first quarter on a punt that he muffed. He didn’t return to the game.<h2>The takeaway</h2>Becht looked like a veteran quarterback in the second half, leading his team with his arm and legs in a crucial opener.<h2>Up next</h2>Iowa State hosts South Dakota on Aug. 30, and Kansas State hosts North Dakota the same day.

Rocco Becht stars as No. 22 Iowa State beats No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in Ireland

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nestor Cortes had one of the lowest moments of his baseball life last October when he gave up the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history to Freddie Freeman. In a new uniform and a new pennant race Saturday night, Cortes faced his Dodgers demons head-on and came out smiling. The veteran left-hander produced six brilliant innings of one-hit ball while the San Diego Padres surged past Los Angeles into sole possession of first place in the NL West with a 5-1 victory. Cortes took a perfect game into the sixth inning, but he didn’t see his stellar performance as redemption.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler’s season is over. The Phillies say Wheeler has been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and will require additional surgery that’s expected to sideline him for six to eight months. That could threaten his availability for the start of the 2026 season. The 35-year-old right-hander, who leads the National League with 195 strikeouts and was considered a Cy Young candidate, had surgery Monday to remove a blood clot from his upper right arm. While the loss is a blow to Philadelphia’s World Series hopes, team officials remain optimistic about their pitching depth and Wheeler’s eventual return.

DUBLIN (AP) — Rocco Becht passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score, helping No. 22 Iowa State beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in the Aer Lingus Classic. Becht was 14 for 28 for 183 yards. He found Dominic Overby for a 23-yard TD in the first quarter and passed to Brett Eskildsen for a 24-yard score in the third. With 2:26 to go, Iowa State went for it on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas State 16-yard line. Becht found Carson Hansen for 15 yards and iced the game.

ATLANTA (AP) — Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Cantlay share the lead going into what figures to be a thriller of a finish at the Tour Championship. Fleetwood hit into the water for double bogey on the 15th and had to settle for a 67. Cantlay birdied four of his last five holes for a 64. They were two shots ahead of Russell Henley. Scottie Scheffler was four behind. Most intriguing was Keegan Bradley and his 63 to be three back. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain is making it hard on himself as he contemplates picking himself as a playing captain.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ryan Blaney wins a thrilling race at Daytona International Speedway, securing a spot in NASCAR's playoffs and keeping Alex Bowman's championship hopes alive. Blaney was 13th with two laps to go but surged ahead to win by a narrow margin. His victory denies other drivers a chance at the playoffs. The race was intense, with the first 19 cars finishing within half a second of Blaney. This win breaks an 11-race losing streak for Team Penske and Ford. The playoffs begin next Sunday at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Garrett Gallegos homered and pitched five innings to help Nevada beat Connecticut 8-2 in their Little League World Series semifinal, setting up a title game against Taiwan. The Las Vegas team is looking for Nevada’s first title, and Taiwan is going for its first since 1996 and No. 18 overall. It lost the title game last year to Florida. The teams play Sunday for the championship. Taiwan beat Aruba 1-0 in the international semifinal.

NEW YORK (AP) — Garrett Crochet struck out 11 in seven innings, Trevor Story homered and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 12-1. Boston defeated New York for the eighth straight time after losing the first meeting between the rivals on June 6. The Red Sox, second in the NL East to Toronto, moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees in the division. Boston and New York are both in position for wild-card playoff spots. Crochet took over the major league lead in both innings and strikeouts. The left-hander allowed five hits, including Giancarlo Stanton’s 16th homer.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Victoria Ruelas made history at 12 as the first American girl to play in the Little League World Series in 1989. She’s proud of women’s progress in sports but wishes for more opportunities, especially in baseball. The Women's Professional Baseball League is launching next year, with tryouts in Washington D.C. The tryouts are open to all players, giving women like Ruelas a chance to chase their professional dreams. They hope to inspire the next generation of girls to see baseball as a viable career.

HERMOSILLO, Mexico (AP) — A judge in Mexico says Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. will stand trial over alleged cartel ties but can await that trial outside of detention. The boxer’s lawyer, Rubén Fernando Benítez Alvarez, confirmed that the court announced additional measures and granted three months of additional investigation into the case. Chávez, who had been living in the United States for several years, was arrested in early July by federal agents outside his Los Angeles home for overstaying his visa and lying on an application to obtain a green card. He was deported by the U.S. on Aug. 19 to Mexico where he faced an arrest warrant.

Max Dowman was aged 15 years and 235 days when he came on as a substitute for Arsenal against Leeds on Saturday to become the second-youngest player to feature in a Premier League match. His 64th-minute entrance might have generated the biggest cheer of the evening at Emirates Stadium. That’s because Arsenal’s fans know they have a seriously good prospect on their hands in Dowman. He joined Arsenal at the age of 5 in May 2015, made his debut for Arsenal’s under-18s at age 13 and was 14 when he was asked by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to train with the senior team.

INTERLEAGUEFinal Toronto 7 Miami 6Final Chicago Cubs 12 L.A. Angels 1

AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Boston 12 N.Y. Yankees 1Final Detroit 4 Kansas City 2Final Texas 10 Cleveland 0Final Chicago White Sox 7 Minnesota 3Final Houston 9 Baltimore 8Final Athletics 2 Seattle 1

NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Philadelphia 6 Washington 4Final Pittsburgh 5 Colorado 1Final San Francisco 7 Milwaukee 1Final N.Y. Mets 9 Atlanta 2Final Arizona 10 Cincinnati 1Final San Diego 5 L.A. Dodgers 1

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal Baltimore 30 Washington 3Final Cleveland 19 L.A. Rams 17Final Denver 28 New Orleans 19Final Houston 26 Detroit 7Final Indianapolis 41 Cincinnati 14Final Green Bay 20 Seattle 7Final Miami 14 Jacksonville 6Final Buffalo 23 Tampa Bay 19Final San Francisco 30 L.A. Chargers 23Final Arizona 20 Las Vegas 10

TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal (22) Iowa St. 24 (17)Kansas St. 21

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nestor Cortes had one of the lowest moments of his baseball life last October when he gave up the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history to Freddie Freeman. In a new uniform and a new pennant race Saturday night, Cortes faced his Dodgers demons head-on and came out smiling. The veteran left-hander produced six brilliant innings of one-hit ball while the San Diego Padres surged past Los Angeles into sole possession of first place in the NL West with a 5-1 victory. Cortes took a perfect game into the sixth inning, but he didn’t see his stellar performance as redemption.PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler’s season is over. The Phillies say Wheeler has been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and will require additional surgery that’s expected to sideline him for six to eight months. That could threaten his availability for the start of the 2026 season. The 35-year-old right-hander, who leads the National League with 195 strikeouts and was considered a Cy Young candidate, had surgery Monday to remove a blood clot from his upper right arm. While the loss is a blow to Philadelphia’s World Series hopes, team officials remain optimistic about their pitching depth and Wheeler’s eventual return.DUBLIN (AP) — Rocco Becht passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score, helping No. 22 Iowa State beat No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in the Aer Lingus Classic. Becht was 14 for 28 for 183 yards. He found Dominic Overby for a 23-yard TD in the first quarter and passed to Brett Eskildsen for a 24-yard score in the third. With 2:26 to go, Iowa State went for it on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas State 16-yard line. Becht found Carson Hansen for 15 yards and iced the game.ATLANTA (AP) — Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Cantlay share the lead going into what figures to be a thriller of a finish at the Tour Championship. Fleetwood hit into the water for double bogey on the 15th and had to settle for a 67. Cantlay birdied four of his last five holes for a 64. They were two shots ahead of Russell Henley. Scottie Scheffler was four behind. Most intriguing was Keegan Bradley and his 63 to be three back. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain is making it hard on himself as he contemplates picking himself as a playing captain.DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ryan Blaney wins a thrilling race at Daytona International Speedway, securing a spot in NASCAR's playoffs and keeping Alex Bowman's championship hopes alive. Blaney was 13th with two laps to go but surged ahead to win by a narrow margin. His victory denies other drivers a chance at the playoffs. The race was intense, with the first 19 cars finishing within half a second of Blaney. This win breaks an 11-race losing streak for Team Penske and Ford. The playoffs begin next Sunday at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Garrett Gallegos homered and pitched five innings to help Nevada beat Connecticut 8-2 in their Little League World Series semifinal, setting up a title game against Taiwan. The Las Vegas team is looking for Nevada’s first title, and Taiwan is going for its first since 1996 and No. 18 overall. It lost the title game last year to Florida. The teams play Sunday for the championship. Taiwan beat Aruba 1-0 in the international semifinal.NEW YORK (AP) — Garrett Crochet struck out 11 in seven innings, Trevor Story homered and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 12-1. Boston defeated New York for the eighth straight time after losing the first meeting between the rivals on June 6. The Red Sox, second in the NL East to Toronto, moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees in the division. Boston and New York are both in position for wild-card playoff spots. Crochet took over the major league lead in both innings and strikeouts. The left-hander allowed five hits, including Giancarlo Stanton’s 16th homer.WASHINGTON (AP) — Victoria Ruelas made history at 12 as the first American girl to play in the Little League World Series in 1989. She’s proud of women’s progress in sports but wishes for more opportunities, especially in baseball. The Women's Professional Baseball League is launching next year, with tryouts in Washington D.C. The tryouts are open to all players, giving women like Ruelas a chance to chase their professional dreams. They hope to inspire the next generation of girls to see baseball as a viable career.HERMOSILLO, Mexico (AP) — A judge in Mexico says Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. will stand trial over alleged cartel ties but can await that trial outside of detention. The boxer’s lawyer, Rubén Fernando Benítez Alvarez, confirmed that the court announced additional measures and granted three months of additional investigation into the case. Chávez, who had been living in the United States for several years, was arrested in early July by federal agents outside his Los Angeles home for overstaying his visa and lying on an application to obtain a green card. He was deported by the U.S. on Aug. 19 to Mexico where he faced an arrest warrant.Max Dowman was aged 15 years and 235 days when he came on as a substitute for Arsenal against Leeds on Saturday to become the second-youngest player to feature in a Premier League match. His 64th-minute entrance might have generated the biggest cheer of the evening at Emirates Stadium. That’s because Arsenal’s fans know they have a seriously good prospect on their hands in Dowman. He joined Arsenal at the age of 5 in May 2015, made his debut for Arsenal’s under-18s at age 13 and was 14 when he was asked by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to train with the senior team.FinalsINTERLEAGUEFinal Toronto 7 Miami 6Final Chicago Cubs 12 L.A. Angels 1AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Boston 12 N.Y. Yankees 1Final Detroit 4 Kansas City 2Final Texas 10 Cleveland 0Final Chicago White Sox 7 Minnesota 3Final Houston 9 Baltimore 8Final Athletics 2 Seattle 1NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Philadelphia 6 Washington 4Final Pittsburgh 5 Colorado 1Final San Francisco 7 Milwaukee 1Final N.Y. Mets 9 Atlanta 2Final Arizona 10 Cincinnati 1Final San Diego 5 L.A. Dodgers 1NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal Baltimore 30 Washington 3Final Cleveland 19 L.A. Rams 17Final Denver 28 New Orleans 19Final Houston 26 Detroit 7Final Indianapolis 41 Cincinnati 14Final Green Bay 20 Seattle 7Final Miami 14 Jacksonville 6Final Buffalo 23 Tampa Bay 19Final San Francisco 30 L.A. Chargers 23Final Arizona 20 Las Vegas 10TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal (22) Iowa St. 24 (17)Kansas St. 21

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

This week’s release of the 2024-25 NFHS High School Athletic Participation Survey indicated that more than 200,000 additional students were involved in high school sports than the previous year, which continues a remarkable recovery from the pandemic. In the past three years, more than 645,000 additional participants have been a part of the education-based high school sports experience.

The survey, which has been compiled since 1971 by the NFHS through its 51-member state associations, indicated an all-time record of 8,266,244 participants – yes 8.2 million. And thanks to the almost 20,000 high schools in our member associations, opportunities for students to compete continue to climb as the survey recorded participation in 70 different sports, along with 15 Unified sports and 16 Adapted sports.

The sizeable increase in participation the past three years demonstrates the continued relevance of these programs throughout our nation. Although issues like transfers, club sports and NIL seem – at times – to dominate headlines, the real stories in high school sports rest with the 95 percent of student-athletes in these activities who enjoy competing and having fun with their teammates – and learn important lessons along the way that put them on the path to successful careers after school.

Highlights of this year’s survey are plentiful, with the sports of girls flag football, wrestling and volleyball leading the way. Expectations for a significant boost in girls flag football were confirmed with a 60 percent increase from the previous year. A total of 68,847 girls competed in flag football in 2024-25, with almost 1,000 additional schools offering the sport.

In addition, 16 states have sanctioned the sport, with two more scheduled to do so by 2027, and 22 additional states have independent/pilot programs. With this continued growth and with the availability of the NFHS Flag Football Rules Book, participation is certain to climb significantly in the years to come.

Boys wrestling and girls volleyball have been consistent top 10 sports throughout the survey’s history, and both reached all-time highs this past year;  and perhaps due in part to the continued popularity of these sports, girls wrestling and boys volleyball are making waves in recent years and heading for their own top 10 positions.

In the past three years, the number of boys playing volleyball has jumped from 66,487 to 95,972 – and the sport now is No. 11 on the list of top sports. In addition, 25 state associations are now conducting state volleyball championships for boys.

The growth in girls wrestling is even more amazing. Ten years ago, 11,496 girls were involved in high school wrestling – many competing on boys teams. This past year, there were 74,064 participants in girls wrestling at 8,100 schools. Ten years ago, five states had separate girls wrestling championships; today 40 states offer girls wrestling championships! 

Another success story in recent years has been the growth of Unified Sports, a Special Olympics program which supports teams composed of students with and without intellectual disabilities. This past year, a total of 70,006 students participated in the 15 Unified Sports, up from 51,502 the previous year.

Football remained the most popular sport for boys, with similar numbers in 11-player football from the previous year at 1,029,588. With the popularity of the sport enduring each and every year, it continues to be the signature event of communities on Friday nights in the fall.

While this report focuses on many numbers – 8.2 million to be exact – these are high school students who are using sports to help complete a well-rounded education and prepare for the next steps in their lives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643235301160.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By Dr. Karissa Niehoff NFHSThis week’s release of the 2024-25 NFHS High School Athletic Participation Survey indicated that more than 200,000 additional students were involved in high school sports than the previous year, which continues a remarkable recovery from the pandemic. In the past three years, more than 645,000 additional participants have been a part of the education-based high school sports experience.The survey, which has been compiled since 1971 by the NFHS through its 51-member state associations, indicated an all-time record of 8,266,244 participants – yes 8.2 million. And thanks to the almost 20,000 high schools in our member associations, opportunities for students to compete continue to climb as the survey recorded participation in 70 different sports, along with 15 Unified sports and 16 Adapted sports.The sizeable increase in participation the past three years demonstrates the continued relevance of these programs throughout our nation. Although issues like transfers, club sports and NIL seem – at times – to dominate headlines, the real stories in high school sports rest with the 95 percent of student-athletes in these activities who enjoy competing and having fun with their teammates – and learn important lessons along the way that put them on the path to successful careers after school.Highlights of this year’s survey are plentiful, with the sports of girls flag football, wrestling and volleyball leading the way. Expectations for a significant boost in girls flag football were confirmed with a 60 percent increase from the previous year. A total of 68,847 girls competed in flag football in 2024-25, with almost 1,000 additional schools offering the sport.In addition, 16 states have sanctioned the sport, with two more scheduled to do so by 2027, and 22 additional states have independent/pilot programs. With this continued growth and with the availability of the NFHS Flag Football Rules Book, participation is certain to climb significantly in the years to come.Boys wrestling and girls volleyball have been consistent top 10 sports throughout the survey’s history, and both reached all-time highs this past year; and perhaps due in part to the continued popularity of these sports, girls wrestling and boys volleyball are making waves in recent years and heading for their own top 10 positions.In the past three years, the number of boys playing volleyball has jumped from 66,487 to 95,972 – and the sport now is No. 11 on the list of top sports. In addition, 25 state associations are now conducting state volleyball championships for boys.The growth in girls wrestling is even more amazing. Ten years ago, 11,496 girls were involved in high school wrestling – many competing on boys teams. This past year, there were 74,064 participants in girls wrestling at 8,100 schools. Ten years ago, five states had separate girls wrestling championships; today 40 states offer girls wrestling championships! Another success story in recent years has been the growth of Unified Sports, a Special Olympics program which supports teams composed of students with and without intellectual disabilities. This past year, a total of 70,006 students participated in the 15 Unified Sports, up from 51,502 the previous year.Football remained the most popular sport for boys, with similar numbers in 11-player football from the previous year at 1,029,588. With the popularity of the sport enduring each and every year, it continues to be the signature event of communities on Friday nights in the fall.While this report focuses on many numbers – 8.2 million to be exact – these are high school students who are using sports to help complete a well-rounded education and prepare for the next steps in their lives.

Record Participation Numbers Indicate Importance of High School Sports in Students’ Lives

DETROIT (AP) — Zach McKinstry had three hits, including a homer, and scored twice as the Detroit Tigers rallied for a 7-5 win against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

The Tigers have won eight of nine while the Royals lost for just the third time in 11 games.

McKinstry homered in the third inning, tripled in the fifth and singled in the seventh. He flied out in the eighth, finishing a double shy of becoming the first Tigers player to hit for the cycle.

Vinnie Pasquantino homered in the ninth inning, tying the franchise record of five straight games with a home run. Mike Sweeney set the record in 2002 and Salvador Perez matched it in 2021.

The Tigers trailed 3-1 going into the sixth inning, but Riley Greene's 30th homer tied it, and Detroit scored four in the seventh.

McKinstry started the seventh with an infield single off the arm of Royals reliever Bailey Falter (7-7). McKinstry took third on Javier Báez's single and scored when Randal Grichuk's throw bounced away from third baseman Maikel Garcia.

Andy Ibáñez made it 5-3 with an RBI single and scored on Gleyber Torres' double.

Kyle Finnegan (3-4) picked up the win with two scoreless innings of relief.

Bobby Witt Jr. put the Royals ahead 1-0 with an RBI single in the third inning and Perez added a two-run double later in the inning.

McKinstry hit a solo homer in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1.

With two out and a runner on first in the sixth, Royals manager Matt Quartaro brought in Ángel Zerpa. Greene hit a 1-2 slider deep into the right-center field stands for his 30th homer.

After the Tigers tied the score in the sixth, reliever Drew Sommers walked pinch hitters Nick Loftin and Randal Grichuk to start the seventh. A.J. Hinch brought in Finnegan, and he escaped the inning when Witt hit into his second double play of the game and Pasquantino flew out.

Witt grounded into two double plays in the same game for the third time in his career.

Tigers RHP Chris Paddack (4-11, 5.10 ERA) goes against Royals RHP Michael Wacha (8-9, 3.34) on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755966890072.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals pitcher Bailey Falter throws against the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning during a baseball game Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals pitcher Bailey Falter throws against the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning during a baseball game Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Zach McKinstry had three hits, including a homer, and scored twice as the Detroit Tigers rallied for a 7-5 win against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.The Tigers have won eight of nine while the Royals lost for just the third time in 11 games.McKinstry homered in the third inning, tripled in the fifth and singled in the seventh. He flied out in the eighth, finishing a double shy of becoming the first Tigers player to hit for the cycle.Vinnie Pasquantino homered in the ninth inning, tying the franchise record of five straight games with a home run. Mike Sweeney set the record in 2002 and Salvador Perez matched it in 2021.The Tigers trailed 3-1 going into the sixth inning, but Riley Greene's 30th homer tied it, and Detroit scored four in the seventh.McKinstry started the seventh with an infield single off the arm of Royals reliever Bailey Falter (7-7). McKinstry took third on Javier Báez's single and scored when Randal Grichuk's throw bounced away from third baseman Maikel Garcia.Andy Ibáñez made it 5-3 with an RBI single and scored on Gleyber Torres' double.Kyle Finnegan (3-4) picked up the win with two scoreless innings of relief.Bobby Witt Jr. put the Royals ahead 1-0 with an RBI single in the third inning and Perez added a two-run double later in the inning.McKinstry hit a solo homer in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1.With two out and a runner on first in the sixth, Royals manager Matt Quartaro brought in Ángel Zerpa. Greene hit a 1-2 slider deep into the right-center field stands for his 30th homer.<h2>Key moment</h2>After the Tigers tied the score in the sixth, reliever Drew Sommers walked pinch hitters Nick Loftin and Randal Grichuk to start the seventh. A.J. Hinch brought in Finnegan, and he escaped the inning when Witt hit into his second double play of the game and Pasquantino flew out.<h2>Key stat</h2>Witt grounded into two double plays in the same game for the third time in his career.<h2>Up next</h2>Tigers RHP Chris Paddack (4-11, 5.10 ERA) goes against Royals RHP Michael Wacha (8-9, 3.34) on Saturday.

McKinstry homers among 3 hits as Tigers rally to beat Royals 7-5

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the first-team Kansas City Chiefs offense were in midseason form in their preseason finale Friday night, scoring on each of their three opportunities with the ball before the Chicago Bears rallied for a 29-27 victory.

Mahomes was 8 of 13 for 143 yards&nbsp;and a touchdown in just over a quarter of work, and he'd have had another TD pass had running back Kareem Hunt not dropped a wide-open throw in the end zone. Isiah Pacheco had a touchdown run and Rashee Rice a scoring catch as the reigning AFC champs built a 20-3 lead before pulling most of their starters.

Kansas City plays its opener in two weeks against the Chargers in Sao Paulo.

“I was super excited to get out there, especially at Arrowhead (Stadium) and get real reps,” Mahomes said. “We talk about getting here and stuff like that, but to get a feel for the pocket, trust the guys, have a chance to make plays down field — it shows all the hard work that we put in training camp has paid off.

“This is a little step but it’s a step in the right direction. We’ll continue to build as we get ready for the regular season.”

The Chiefs had struggled through&nbsp;preseason losses to Arizona&nbsp;and Seattle, where they were&nbsp;dominated up front&nbsp;on both sides of the ball. But they fared better against the Bears, who had played the Dolphins to a draw before routing Buffalo last week.

“We need to finish the game, obviously, better than what we did,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “but I thought the ones on both sides of the ball did well. Special teams was good throughout the night. It was a good start all the way around.”

While the Bears could seemingly do no wrong in&nbsp;the 38-0 win over the Bills, they had a much tougher time with the Chiefs, who forced Caleb Williams and Co. to punt on their first two possessions. The Bears finally got moving late in the second quarter, and Williams hit Rome Odunze with a touchdown pass to get within 20-10 at halftime.

That was it for Williams, who finished 11 of 15 for 113 yards and the score.

“It was not the start we wanted from our ones, really on offense, defense or special teams. It was disappointing to see how slow we started,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “We couldn't stop them when they got down there in the red zone. That wasn't good on that side. Offensively, the first two possessions was really sloppy football that has plagued us in and out of camp so far.”

It took the second-team offense to get the Bears in gear.

Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who signed&nbsp;a two-year, $10 million deal this week&nbsp;and then went viral when he grew emotional talking about it on video, played well once he took over in the second half. The former undrafted star from Shepherd University, a Division II program in West Virginia, was 20 of 28 for 212 yards and three touchdown passes.

The last of them was the go-ahead score to Jahdae Walker with 3 seconds left in the game.

The Bears have been thin at running back with Roschon Johnson out with an injury, Travis Homer dealing with a calf problem, and Kyle Monangai and Deion Hankins also out. DeAndre Swift wound up carrying seven times for 28 yards.

Bears kicker Cairo Santos banged a 47-yard field-goal try off the upright in the first half. He had a PAT blocked in the second.

Referee Craig Wrolstad called for a virtual measurement when Chicago was stopped shy of a first down with 5:38 left in the third quarter. But the system was down, Wrolstad said, so an old-school chain gang had to measure. The Bears were indeed short.

Bears: DE Austin Booker will be out “a few weeks” with a knee injury, Johnson said. LB Noah Sewell was banged up tackling the Chiefs' Xavier Worthy late in the first quarter but returned to the game.

Chiefs: WR Jaylen Royals (knee), CB Nazeeh Johnson (shoulder) and LB Jack Cochrane (knee) were among those sitting out. WR Marquise Brown also did not play despite returning to practice this week following an ankle injury.

Bears: Host the Vikings in primetime to open the season Sept. 8.

Chiefs: Head to Brazil to face the Chargers on Sept. 5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755966776346.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles as Chicago Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II (47) defends during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles as Chicago Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II (47) defends during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the first-team Kansas City Chiefs offense were in midseason form in their preseason finale Friday night, scoring on each of their three opportunities with the ball before the Chicago Bears rallied for a 29-27 victory.Mahomes was 8 of 13 for 143 yards&nbsp;and a touchdown in just over a quarter of work, and he'd have had another TD pass had running back Kareem Hunt not dropped a wide-open throw in the end zone. Isiah Pacheco had a touchdown run and Rashee Rice a scoring catch as the reigning AFC champs built a 20-3 lead before pulling most of their starters.Kansas City plays its opener in two weeks against the Chargers in Sao Paulo.“I was super excited to get out there, especially at Arrowhead (Stadium) and get real reps,” Mahomes said. “We talk about getting here and stuff like that, but to get a feel for the pocket, trust the guys, have a chance to make plays down field — it shows all the hard work that we put in training camp has paid off.“This is a little step but it’s a step in the right direction. We’ll continue to build as we get ready for the regular season.”The Chiefs had struggled through&nbsp;preseason losses to Arizona&nbsp;and Seattle, where they were&nbsp;dominated up front&nbsp;on both sides of the ball. But they fared better against the Bears, who had played the Dolphins to a draw before routing Buffalo last week.“We need to finish the game, obviously, better than what we did,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “but I thought the ones on both sides of the ball did well. Special teams was good throughout the night. It was a good start all the way around.”While the Bears could seemingly do no wrong in&nbsp;the 38-0 win over the Bills, they had a much tougher time with the Chiefs, who forced Caleb Williams and Co. to punt on their first two possessions. The Bears finally got moving late in the second quarter, and Williams hit Rome Odunze with a touchdown pass to get within 20-10 at halftime.That was it for Williams, who finished 11 of 15 for 113 yards and the score.“It was not the start we wanted from our ones, really on offense, defense or special teams. It was disappointing to see how slow we started,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “We couldn't stop them when they got down there in the red zone. That wasn't good on that side. Offensively, the first two possessions was really sloppy football that has plagued us in and out of camp so far.”It took the second-team offense to get the Bears in gear.Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who signed&nbsp;a two-year, $10 million deal this week&nbsp;and then went viral when he grew emotional talking about it on video, played well once he took over in the second half. The former undrafted star from Shepherd University, a Division II program in West Virginia, was 20 of 28 for 212 yards and three touchdown passes.The last of them was the go-ahead score to Jahdae Walker with 3 seconds left in the game.The Bears have been thin at running back with Roschon Johnson out with an injury, Travis Homer dealing with a calf problem, and Kyle Monangai and Deion Hankins also out. DeAndre Swift wound up carrying seven times for 28 yards.<h2>Kicking woes</h2>Bears kicker Cairo Santos banged a 47-yard field-goal try off the upright in the first half. He had a PAT blocked in the second.<h2>System outage</h2>Referee Craig Wrolstad called for a virtual measurement when Chicago was stopped shy of a first down with 5:38 left in the third quarter. But the system was down, Wrolstad said, so an old-school chain gang had to measure. The Bears were indeed short.<h2>Injuries</h2>Bears: DE Austin Booker will be out “a few weeks” with a knee injury, Johnson said. LB Noah Sewell was banged up tackling the Chiefs' Xavier Worthy late in the first quarter but returned to the game.Chiefs: WR Jaylen Royals (knee), CB Nazeeh Johnson (shoulder) and LB Jack Cochrane (knee) were among those sitting out. WR Marquise Brown also did not play despite returning to practice this week following an ankle injury.<h2>Up next</h2>Bears: Host the Vikings in primetime to open the season Sept. 8.Chiefs: Head to Brazil to face the Chargers on Sept. 5.

Mahomes leads sharp Chiefs offense before Bears rally for 29-27 win in preseason finale

NEW YORK (AP) — Venus Williams is back at the U.S. Open to play a Grand Slam singles match for the first time in two years. There will be those who focus on her age, because at 45, she is the oldest player to compete in singles in New York since 1981. But when the tournament begins Sunday, there are plenty of other entrants and fans who are eager to see Williams return to action because they consider her iconic. She and her younger sister Serena transcended their sport and became important for more than just all of the trophies they won and their time at No. 1 in the rankings.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Yu Darvish combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, and the San Diego Padres pulled even with the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the NL West once again with a 2-1 victory. Manny Machado had an RBI single and scored in the fourth inning for the Padres, who rebounded sharply after getting swept over three games last weekend in Chavez Ravine. The archrivals are even at 73-56 with 33 games left in the regular season. Alex Freeland hit his first major league homer for the defending champion Dodgers, who have lost three of five since last Sunday’s sweep.

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham continued its flying start to the Premier League season under new coach Thomas Frank as Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha secured an impressive 2-0 victory at Manchester City. It was an afternoon to forget for City goalkeeper James Trafford. Spurs scored four without reply at City last season and this time celebrated a 2-0 triumph as on-loan Palhinha capitalized on a mistake by home debutant Trafford shortly after Johnson had opened the scoring. Dango Ouattara scored on his debut to help Brentford to a 1-0 win over Aston Villa. Bournemouth beat 10-man Wolverhampton 1-0 and Burnley defeated fellow promoted team Sunderland 2-0. Leeds played at Arsenal later Saturday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Open tryouts for the Women’s Professional Baseball League have begun at the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. On Friday, players from 10 countries, including Japan, Australia, and Mexico, began showcasing their skills. The event includes baserunning drills, bullpen work, and a live game on Monday. Participants range in age from 17 to 57. Notable attendees include Mo'ne Davis, known for her Little League World Series win as a pitcher. Many players, like Allison Dougherty and Heather Strong, are excited about the opportunity to play professional baseball rather than softball.

ATLANTA (AP) — Tommy Fleetwood is back for more. His year has been defined by close calls and heartache as the Englishman tries to win for the first time on the PGA Tour. He shot 63 at soft East Lake and shares the lead with Russell Henley going into the weekend on a rain-soaked course that is producing low scores. Henley shot 66. They are two ahead of Cameron Young who shot a 62. Young is a strong Ryder Cup candidate. Scottie Scheffler extended his streak to 19 rounds under par by making birdie on the final hole for 69. He's five back.

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Former NBA star Shawn Kemp was sentenced to 30 days of electronic home monitoring for shooting at two men inside a vehicle in a Washington state mall parking lot. The Seattle Times reported Kemp must begin home monitoring within two weeks. He must also serve one year of state Department of Corrections supervision and complete 240 hours of community service. Prosecutors had recommended the six-time NBA All-Star be sentenced to nine months in jail, a year of supervision and pay restitution. But Judge Michael Schwartz of Pierce County Superior Court on Friday found the circumstances surrounding the crime warranted a lesser sentence. Kemp said he acted in self-defense.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will happen on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington. He made the announcement with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office. The U.S. is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico. The event will determine the tournament’s groups and opening round games. Trump has taken over the Kennedy Center, installing himself as chair. Infantino brought the World Cup trophy to the Oval Office, and Trump joked about keeping it, calling it “a beautiful piece of gold.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The NFL joined the WNBA in having a sex toy thrown onto the field when someone tossed one during the Tennessee Titans’ preseason finale. The neon green sex toy landed near the 6-yard line with about five minutes left in the Titans’ win over the Minnesota Vikings on Friday night. The teams were on the field with the Titans on offense near midfield when the object hit the field close to the Tennessee sideline. The Titans say they reported the incident to police. Similar toys have been tossed at several WNBA games, resulting in at least three arrests.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mirra Andreeva, João Fonseca and Vicky Mboko are part of a precocious group of teenagers at the U.S. Open this year. When play begins in New York on Sunday, those three 18-year-olds will be worth keeping an eye on, as will other teens such as Learner Tien and Iva Jovic. They have been rising through the rankings and picking up Grand Slam victories against higher-ranked and more-accomplished opponents. Andreeva already has been a major semifinalist and is the youngest woman since Maria Sharapova to be ranked in the top five. Fonseca was the youngest man since 2011 to reach Wimbledon's third round.

OBERHOFEN, Switzerland (AP) — Two Olympic gold medalists have accepted a three-month ban after a scandal over tampering with ski jump suits for Norway men’s team at this year’s world championships. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) said Saturday that Norwegians Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang were “willing to accept” the sanctions proposed by the federation’s ethics committee. FIS said Lindvik and Forfang, who were provisionally suspended in March, “were not charged with actual knowledge of the manipulations” but said that they should have checked questions about the night-time adjustments. The length of the sanction, with “the&nbsp;period of the provisional suspension already served” to be deducted, opens the way for both men to compete in the Winter Olympics in February.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Venus Williams is back at the U.S. Open to play a Grand Slam singles match for the first time in two years. There will be those who focus on her age, because at 45, she is the oldest player to compete in singles in New York since 1981. But when the tournament begins Sunday, there are plenty of other entrants and fans who are eager to see Williams return to action because they consider her iconic. She and her younger sister Serena transcended their sport and became important for more than just all of the trophies they won and their time at No. 1 in the rankings.SAN DIEGO (AP) — Yu Darvish combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, and the San Diego Padres pulled even with the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the NL West once again with a 2-1 victory. Manny Machado had an RBI single and scored in the fourth inning for the Padres, who rebounded sharply after getting swept over three games last weekend in Chavez Ravine. The archrivals are even at 73-56 with 33 games left in the regular season. Alex Freeland hit his first major league homer for the defending champion Dodgers, who have lost three of five since last Sunday’s sweep.LONDON (AP) — Tottenham continued its flying start to the Premier League season under new coach Thomas Frank as Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha secured an impressive 2-0 victory at Manchester City. It was an afternoon to forget for City goalkeeper James Trafford. Spurs scored four without reply at City last season and this time celebrated a 2-0 triumph as on-loan Palhinha capitalized on a mistake by home debutant Trafford shortly after Johnson had opened the scoring. Dango Ouattara scored on his debut to help Brentford to a 1-0 win over Aston Villa. Bournemouth beat 10-man Wolverhampton 1-0 and Burnley defeated fellow promoted team Sunderland 2-0. Leeds played at Arsenal later Saturday.WASHINGTON (AP) — Open tryouts for the Women’s Professional Baseball League have begun at the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. On Friday, players from 10 countries, including Japan, Australia, and Mexico, began showcasing their skills. The event includes baserunning drills, bullpen work, and a live game on Monday. Participants range in age from 17 to 57. Notable attendees include Mo'ne Davis, known for her Little League World Series win as a pitcher. Many players, like Allison Dougherty and Heather Strong, are excited about the opportunity to play professional baseball rather than softball.ATLANTA (AP) — Tommy Fleetwood is back for more. His year has been defined by close calls and heartache as the Englishman tries to win for the first time on the PGA Tour. He shot 63 at soft East Lake and shares the lead with Russell Henley going into the weekend on a rain-soaked course that is producing low scores. Henley shot 66. They are two ahead of Cameron Young who shot a 62. Young is a strong Ryder Cup candidate. Scottie Scheffler extended his streak to 19 rounds under par by making birdie on the final hole for 69. He's five back.TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Former NBA star Shawn Kemp was sentenced to 30 days of electronic home monitoring for shooting at two men inside a vehicle in a Washington state mall parking lot. The Seattle Times reported Kemp must begin home monitoring within two weeks. He must also serve one year of state Department of Corrections supervision and complete 240 hours of community service. Prosecutors had recommended the six-time NBA All-Star be sentenced to nine months in jail, a year of supervision and pay restitution. But Judge Michael Schwartz of Pierce County Superior Court on Friday found the circumstances surrounding the crime warranted a lesser sentence. Kemp said he acted in self-defense.WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will happen on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington. He made the announcement with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office. The U.S. is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico. The event will determine the tournament’s groups and opening round games. Trump has taken over the Kennedy Center, installing himself as chair. Infantino brought the World Cup trophy to the Oval Office, and Trump joked about keeping it, calling it “a beautiful piece of gold.”NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The NFL joined the WNBA in having a sex toy thrown onto the field when someone tossed one during the Tennessee Titans’ preseason finale. The neon green sex toy landed near the 6-yard line with about five minutes left in the Titans’ win over the Minnesota Vikings on Friday night. The teams were on the field with the Titans on offense near midfield when the object hit the field close to the Tennessee sideline. The Titans say they reported the incident to police. Similar toys have been tossed at several WNBA games, resulting in at least three arrests.NEW YORK (AP) — Mirra Andreeva, João Fonseca and Vicky Mboko are part of a precocious group of teenagers at the U.S. Open this year. When play begins in New York on Sunday, those three 18-year-olds will be worth keeping an eye on, as will other teens such as Learner Tien and Iva Jovic. They have been rising through the rankings and picking up Grand Slam victories against higher-ranked and more-accomplished opponents. Andreeva already has been a major semifinalist and is the youngest woman since Maria Sharapova to be ranked in the top five. Fonseca was the youngest man since 2011 to reach Wimbledon's third round.OBERHOFEN, Switzerland (AP) — Two Olympic gold medalists have accepted a three-month ban after a scandal over tampering with ski jump suits for Norway men’s team at this year’s world championships. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) said Saturday that Norwegians Marius Lindvik and Johann André Forfang were “willing to accept” the sanctions proposed by the federation’s ethics committee. FIS said Lindvik and Forfang, who were provisionally suspended in March, “were not charged with actual knowledge of the manipulations” but said that they should have checked questions about the night-time adjustments. The length of the sanction, with “the&nbsp;period of the provisional suspension already served” to be deducted, opens the way for both men to compete in the Winter Olympics in February.

Saturday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Kansas State is set to battle Iowa State on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland.

Here are 10 things to know before the matchup.

4,140 miles away from Manhattan, Saturday's game will be the first-ever game in Dublin in which both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25. The Wildcats check in at No. 17, while Iowa State is No. 22. The event has seen ranked teams on several occasions, including the most recent game last season with No. 10 Florida State, but both teams have never been ranked until now.

K-State has played on foreign soil just one other time in its program history, when the Wildcats battled Nebraska&nbsp;in Tokyo, Japan, in 1992.

Iowa State has controlled the rivalry as of late, winning four of the last five meetings. The last time these two teams met, Iowa State&nbsp;earned itself a spot in the Big 12 Championship game with a win over K-State in the final game of the regular season. In 2023, the Wildcats were embarrassed on their home field as Iowa State won in a snow-laden game. Chris Klieman &amp; Co. are looking for revenge on Saturday.

The Wildcats, serving as the home team in Ireland, gave up a&nbsp;game in Manhattan&nbsp;for the 2025 season. From the stat workers provided to PA announcer Mitch Fortner behind the mic, the members of K-State Athletics are running the show behind the scenes.

Win or lose, the Wildcats face North Dakota on Aug. 31, just seven days after playing across the pond. Rather than taking a week off, K-State will keep things moving before its first bye week following the trip to Arizona on Friday, Sept. 12.

K-State returns a strong group of star players, but that doesn't mean the Cats didn't lose top-end talent. NFL draft selections DJ Giddens, Jacob Parrish and Marques Sigle are gone, while several notable starters also departed, such as Keenan Garber, Austin Moore, Brendan Mott and Easton Kilty.

K-State was able to boost several position groups this offseason, most notably the wideouts and the offensive line. Jerand Bradley from Boston College and Jaron Tibbs from Purdue have high hopes at the wideout spot, while&nbsp;JB Nelson and&nbsp;Terrence Enos Jr. will start on the offensive line.

Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel&nbsp;were arguably the nation's best wide receiving duo from 2024. With both off to the NFL, quarterback Rocco Becht will have to navigate the game on Saturday without his star wideouts from a season ago.

This will be Matt Wells' first game as the bona fide offensive coordinator for the Cats. Of course, he and Avery Johnson have built strong chemistry from last year, but Wells truly has the keys to the offense in 2025, as Conor Riley is off to the Dallas Cowboys.

Avery Johnson is labeled as one of the Big 12's best quarterbacks in 2025. Don't get it twisted — QB1 had a good year in 2024, but at times, Johnson struggled in his first year as a starter. If K-State wants to make a run for a conference title, it all starts at quarterback. It's reasonable to expect Johnson to take that next step, but he's got to go prove it on the field.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755871596970.jpeg" alt="GoPowercat.com" />
 <figcaption>GoPowercat.com</figcaption>
 </figure>Ryan Gilbert GoPowercat.comKansas State is set to battle Iowa State on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland.Here are 10 things to know before the matchup.<h2>First ranked game in Ireland ever</h2>4,140 miles away from Manhattan, Saturday's game will be the first-ever game in Dublin in which both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25. The Wildcats check in at No. 17, while Iowa State is No. 22. The event has seen ranked teams on several occasions, including the most recent game last season with No. 10 Florida State, but both teams have never been ranked until now.<h2>Playing overseas</h2>K-State has played on foreign soil just one other time in its program history, when the Wildcats battled Nebraska&nbsp;in Tokyo, Japan, in 1992.<h2>Looking for revenge</h2>Iowa State has controlled the rivalry as of late, winning four of the last five meetings. The last time these two teams met, Iowa State&nbsp;earned itself a spot in the Big 12 Championship game with a win over K-State in the final game of the regular season. In 2023, the Wildcats were embarrassed on their home field as Iowa State won in a snow-laden game. Chris Klieman &amp; Co. are looking for revenge on Saturday.<h2>Giving up a home game</h2>The Wildcats, serving as the home team in Ireland, gave up a&nbsp;game in Manhattan&nbsp;for the 2025 season. From the stat workers provided to PA announcer Mitch Fortner behind the mic, the members of K-State Athletics are running the show behind the scenes.<h2>A quick turnaround</h2>Win or lose, the Wildcats face North Dakota on Aug. 31, just seven days after playing across the pond. Rather than taking a week off, K-State will keep things moving before its first bye week following the trip to Arizona on Friday, Sept. 12.<h2>Departures</h2>K-State returns a strong group of star players, but that doesn't mean the Cats didn't lose top-end talent. NFL draft selections DJ Giddens, Jacob Parrish and Marques Sigle are gone, while several notable starters also departed, such as Keenan Garber, Austin Moore, Brendan Mott and Easton Kilty.<h2>Revamping from the portal</h2>K-State was able to boost several position groups this offseason, most notably the wideouts and the offensive line. Jerand Bradley from Boston College and Jaron Tibbs from Purdue have high hopes at the wideout spot, while&nbsp;JB Nelson and&nbsp;Terrence Enos Jr. will start on the offensive line.<h2>Iowa State lost a duo</h2>Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel&nbsp;were arguably the nation's best wide receiving duo from 2024. With both off to the NFL, quarterback Rocco Becht will have to navigate the game on Saturday without his star wideouts from a season ago.<h2>Matt Wells</h2>This will be Matt Wells' first game as the bona fide offensive coordinator for the Cats. Of course, he and Avery Johnson have built strong chemistry from last year, but Wells truly has the keys to the offense in 2025, as Conor Riley is off to the Dallas Cowboys.<h2>Avery Johnson's next step</h2>Avery Johnson is labeled as one of the Big 12's best quarterbacks in 2025. Don't get it twisted — QB1 had a good year in 2024, but at times, Johnson struggled in his first year as a starter. If K-State wants to make a run for a conference title, it all starts at quarterback. It's reasonable to expect Johnson to take that next step, but he's got to go prove it on the field.

10 things to know before Kansas State plays Iowa State

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is moving to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in 2026, ending a yearslong debate and potentially easing a path toward another expansion of the College Football Playoff.

The change was approved by conference presidents and chancellors Thursday. It previously had been recommended by league athletic directors.

“Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “This format protects rivalries, increases competitive balance, and paired with our requirement to play an additional Power opponent, ensures SEC teams are well prepared to compete and succeed in the College Football Playoff.”

The SEC has played eight conference games each season since 1992 when the conference expanded to 12 teams with the addition of Arkansas and South Carolina. The Atlantic Coast Conference still plays eight league games. The Big 12 and the Big Ten already play nine.

Getting to nine should improve strength of schedule arguments for the SEC moving forward, even though the conference has said for years its eight-game slate is more daunting than other leagues' nine games. The change came one day after the CFP selection committee said it will place more emphasis on strength of schedule when determining&nbsp;which teams make the 12-team field.

The committee said the schedule strength metric has been adjusted to apply greater weight to games against strong opponents. An additional metric, record strength, has been added to go beyond a team’s schedule strength to assess how a team performed against that schedule.

— The league will continue with a single-standings, non-divisional structure;

— Each school will play three annual opponents focused on maintaining many traditional rivalries;

— Each team’s remaining six games will rotate among the remaining conference schools; and

— Each team will face every other SEC program at least once every two years and every opponent home and away in four years.

SEC teams are required to schedule at least one additional non-conference game against a team from the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten or Big 12 conferences — or Notre Dame.

“The SEC has established itself as the leader in delivering the most compelling football schedule in college athletics,” Sankey said. “Fans will see traditional rivalries preserved, new matchups more frequently, and a level of competition unmatched across the nation.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752592648715.jpeg" alt="SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey discusses the annual conference highlights with Chief Public Relations Officer for the University of Arkansas Kevin Trainor, sitting right, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Monday, July 14, 2025. (Hunter Dawkins/The Gazebo Gazette via AP)" />
 <figcaption>SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey discusses the annual conference highlights with Chief Public Relations Officer for the University of Arkansas Kevin Trainor, sitting right, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Monday, July 14, 2025. (Hunter Dawkins/The Gazebo Gazette via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is moving to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in 2026, ending a yearslong debate and potentially easing a path toward another expansion of the College Football Playoff.The change was approved by conference presidents and chancellors Thursday. It previously had been recommended by league athletic directors.“Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “This format protects rivalries, increases competitive balance, and paired with our requirement to play an additional Power opponent, ensures SEC teams are well prepared to compete and succeed in the College Football Playoff.”The SEC has played eight conference games each season since 1992 when the conference expanded to 12 teams with the addition of Arkansas and South Carolina. The Atlantic Coast Conference still plays eight league games. The Big 12 and the Big Ten already play nine.Getting to nine should improve strength of schedule arguments for the SEC moving forward, even though the conference has said for years its eight-game slate is more daunting than other leagues' nine games. The change came one day after the CFP selection committee said it will place more emphasis on strength of schedule when determining&nbsp;which teams make the 12-team field.The committee said the schedule strength metric has been adjusted to apply greater weight to games against strong opponents. An additional metric, record strength, has been added to go beyond a team’s schedule strength to assess how a team performed against that schedule.Under the SEC's new format:— The league will continue with a single-standings, non-divisional structure;— Each school will play three annual opponents focused on maintaining many traditional rivalries;— Each team’s remaining six games will rotate among the remaining conference schools; and— Each team will face every other SEC program at least once every two years and every opponent home and away in four years.SEC teams are required to schedule at least one additional non-conference game against a team from the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten or Big 12 conferences — or Notre Dame.“The SEC has established itself as the leader in delivering the most compelling football schedule in college athletics,” Sankey said. “Fans will see traditional rivalries preserved, new matchups more frequently, and a level of competition unmatched across the nation.”

SEC approves 9-game conference schedule beginning in 2026, joining Big Ten and Big 12

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino homered for the fourth straight game, this time a go-ahead shot leading off the sixth inning, and the Kansas City Royals went on to beat the Texas Rangers 6-4 on Thursday for their sixth win in their last seven games.

Nick Loftin also homered for the Royals, who boosted their playoff hopes by going 8-2 on a season-high 10-game homestand.

Michael Lorenzen failed to make it through five innings for Kansas City, but Angel Zerpa (5-1), Daniel Lynch IV, John Schreiber and Taylor Clarke were able to shut down the Rangers. Carlos Estévez handled the ninth for his AL-leading 33rd save.

Corey Seager had three hits and Josh Smith drove in a pair of runs for Texas. Jacob Webb (4-4) served up Pasquantino's homer.

The Royals pulled ahead 2-1 in the third, when Bobby Witt Jr. sent a fly ball to left-center that Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford lost in the sun. The ball bounced off the warning track, then off the top of the wall, and that gave the speedy Witt enough time to round the bases for what appeared to be an inside-the-park homer.

The umpires huddled and decided to call it a ground-rule double, because a fan appeared to have touched the ball. The Royals challenged the call and it was upheld, only for Salvador Perez to drive in Witt with a single moments later.

Kansas City added two more in the fourth before the Rangers tied the game with three runs in the fifth.

That set the stage for Pasquantino, whose four-game homer streak is one shy of the Royals club record.

Pasquantino greeted Webb's 2-1 pitch by sending it 407 feet to right field.

The Rangers' Patrick Corbin allowed four runs in 3 2/3 innings. He has allowed 17 over 13 innings covering his last four starts.

Texas returns home to face Cleveland on Friday night with RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-3, 1.76 ERA) up first.

The Royals begin a three-game set Friday night in Detroit with RHP Ryan Bergert (1-1, 2.75) on the mound.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755871262910.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. celebrates in the dugout after scoring on an RBI single hit by Salvador Perez during the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. celebrates in the dugout after scoring on an RBI single hit by Salvador Perez during the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino homered for the fourth straight game, this time a go-ahead shot leading off the sixth inning, and the Kansas City Royals went on to beat the Texas Rangers 6-4 on Thursday for their sixth win in their last seven games.Nick Loftin also homered for the Royals, who boosted their playoff hopes by going 8-2 on a season-high 10-game homestand.Michael Lorenzen failed to make it through five innings for Kansas City, but Angel Zerpa (5-1), Daniel Lynch IV, John Schreiber and Taylor Clarke were able to shut down the Rangers. Carlos Estévez handled the ninth for his AL-leading 33rd save.Corey Seager had three hits and Josh Smith drove in a pair of runs for Texas. Jacob Webb (4-4) served up Pasquantino's homer.The Royals pulled ahead 2-1 in the third, when Bobby Witt Jr. sent a fly ball to left-center that Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford lost in the sun. The ball bounced off the warning track, then off the top of the wall, and that gave the speedy Witt enough time to round the bases for what appeared to be an inside-the-park homer.The umpires huddled and decided to call it a ground-rule double, because a fan appeared to have touched the ball. The Royals challenged the call and it was upheld, only for Salvador Perez to drive in Witt with a single moments later.Kansas City added two more in the fourth before the Rangers tied the game with three runs in the fifth.That set the stage for Pasquantino, whose four-game homer streak is one shy of the Royals club record.<h2>Key moment</h2>Pasquantino greeted Webb's 2-1 pitch by sending it 407 feet to right field.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Rangers' Patrick Corbin allowed four runs in 3 2/3 innings. He has allowed 17 over 13 innings covering his last four starts.<h2>Up next</h2>Texas returns home to face Cleveland on Friday night with RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-3, 1.76 ERA) up first.The Royals begin a three-game set Friday night in Detroit with RHP Ryan Bergert (1-1, 2.75) on the mound.

Vinnie Pasquantino's homer in 4th straight game helps lift Royals over Rangers 6-4

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is moving to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in 2026. The decision ends years of debate and potentially eases a path toward another expansion of the College Football Playoff. The change was approved by conference presidents and chancellors. It previously had been recommended by league athletic directors. The SEC has played eight conference games each season since 1992 when the conference expanded to 12 teams with the addition of Arkansas and South Carolina. The Atlantic Coast Conference still plays eight league games. The Big 12 and the Big Ten already play nine.

ATLANTA (AP) — Russell Henley couldn't miss with the putter in soft conditions at East Lake. The result was a 61 to build a two-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler after one round of the Tour Championship. Henley made over 200 feet of putts and one-putted six of his last seven greens. Scheffler missed only one fairway and had to scramble for par. He shot 63. That's his best score by two shots in six appearances at East Lake. Everyone started from scratch this year. And in soft conditions, everyone took aim. Only two players from the 30-man field shot over par.

NEW YORK (AP) — If there’s such a thing as momentum from tournament to tournament in tennis, the American men have some right now. Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul certainly are getting within reach of ending the country’s unprecedented Grand Slam men’s title drought. Maybe they’re finally ready to win one of those trophies at the U.S. Open, which gets going Sunday. Fritz was the runner-up at Flushing Meadows a year ago, and he, Shelton and Tiafoe each has participated in two Grand Slam semifinals, while Paul has played in one. Andy Roddick in 2003 was the last U.S. man to win a major.

The NFL has increased security at its offices following a shooting last month at a Manhattan building by a gunman authorities say was targeting league headquarters. The league previously recommended enhanced security measures at team and league facilities. They will be reviewed at a special league meeting on Aug. 26. NFL employees are back in their offices after working remotely in the weeks following the shooting that killed four people and injured a league employee.

ESPN is nearing a deal with Major League Baseball to distribute out-of-market games. This comes after ESPN opted out of its previous contract with MLB in February. ESPN aims to secure a reworked package at a lower cost. Meanwhile, NBC, Netflix, and Apple TV are in talks for regular-season packages, the Wild Card round, and the Home Run Derby. Negotiations are expected to conclude by the end of the regular season next month. MLB is also trying to appease its other rights holders, Fox and Turner Sports, as it navigates these new deals.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cam Skattebo saw his first game action for the New York Giants and Jaxson Dart had an eventful preseason finale by throwing a touchdown pass and clearing concussion protocol following a big hit, with reserves playing much of a 42-10 rout of the New England Patriots. Skattebo had three carries for 12 yards. Dart was 6 of 12 for 81 yards and a touchdown before fumbling when he was tackled at the end of a long run. The Giants finished exhibition play unbeaten for the first time since 2019. The Patriots rested almost all of their starters.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick Derrick Harmon sprained a knee in the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers and had to be carted to the locker room. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said after the 19-10 victory that the defensive end had a “knee sprain of some description” and called it one of two “significant” injuries for the team. Tomlin said Harmon and wide receiver Brandon Johnson (foot) will be evaluated more in the coming days. Tomlin did not give a timetable for their return. When asked if the team is worried that Harmon might have suffered serious ligament damage, Tomlin said “like I said, it is a knee sprain.”

BOSTON (AP) — The father of Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with attempted murder after reportedly stabbing another man in a parking lot. According to TMZ, Quenton M. Brown admitted dinging the victim’s car with his door when he got out of his Lincoln Navigator. An argument ensued and Brown stabbed the victim in the back and stomach, the website reported. Court documents listed Brown as an inmate in the Clark County Detention Center on attempted murder charges. A person with knowledge of the incident, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it, confirmed that the man arrested is Jaylen Brown’s father.

LONDON, Ontario (AP) — A lawyer for one of five former world junior hockey players acquitted of sexual assault charges last month says the Canadian government will not appeal the judge's ruling. Daniel Brown, who represents Alex Formenton, said he had been informed of that decision. Formenton, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote were all acquitted of sexual assault. McLeod was also acquitted of a separate charge of being a party to the offense of sexual assault. The NHL has said the players remained ineligible, while the union disagreed, citing the collective bargaining agreement.

NEW YORK (AP) — An Ohio man has been arrested for the throwing of a sex toy at a WNBA game in New York. It’s the latest development in a string of disturbances where similar toys were tossed at WNBA games across the country, resulting in at least three arrests. New York police told The Associated Press that Charles Burgess from Dayton, Ohio, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly throwing an object at the Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty game on Aug. 5. The object hit a 12-year-old girl and Burgess was charged with two counts of assault. Burgess' lawyer said his client surrendered himself and pleaded not guilty.

INTERLEAGUE Final St. Louis 7 Tampa Bay 4

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Athletics 8 Minnesota 3 Final Kansas City 6 Texas 4 Final Houston 7 Baltimore 2 Final Boston 6 N.Y. Yankees 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Milwaukee 4 Chicago Cubs 1 Final L.A. Dodgers 9 Colorado 5 Final Washington 9 N.Y. Mets 3 Final San Diego 8 San Francisco 4

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON Final Pittsburgh 19 Carolina 10 Final N-Y Giants 42 New England 10

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is moving to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in 2026. The decision ends years of debate and potentially eases a path toward another expansion of the College Football Playoff. The change was approved by conference presidents and chancellors. It previously had been recommended by league athletic directors. The SEC has played eight conference games each season since 1992 when the conference expanded to 12 teams with the addition of Arkansas and South Carolina. The Atlantic Coast Conference still plays eight league games. The Big 12 and the Big Ten already play nine.ATLANTA (AP) — Russell Henley couldn't miss with the putter in soft conditions at East Lake. The result was a 61 to build a two-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler after one round of the Tour Championship. Henley made over 200 feet of putts and one-putted six of his last seven greens. Scheffler missed only one fairway and had to scramble for par. He shot 63. That's his best score by two shots in six appearances at East Lake. Everyone started from scratch this year. And in soft conditions, everyone took aim. Only two players from the 30-man field shot over par.NEW YORK (AP) — If there’s such a thing as momentum from tournament to tournament in tennis, the American men have some right now. Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul certainly are getting within reach of ending the country’s unprecedented Grand Slam men’s title drought. Maybe they’re finally ready to win one of those trophies at the U.S. Open, which gets going Sunday. Fritz was the runner-up at Flushing Meadows a year ago, and he, Shelton and Tiafoe each has participated in two Grand Slam semifinals, while Paul has played in one. Andy Roddick in 2003 was the last U.S. man to win a major.The NFL has increased security at its offices following a shooting last month at a Manhattan building by a gunman authorities say was targeting league headquarters. The league previously recommended enhanced security measures at team and league facilities. They will be reviewed at a special league meeting on Aug. 26. NFL employees are back in their offices after working remotely in the weeks following the shooting that killed four people and injured a league employee.ESPN is nearing a deal with Major League Baseball to distribute out-of-market games. This comes after ESPN opted out of its previous contract with MLB in February. ESPN aims to secure a reworked package at a lower cost. Meanwhile, NBC, Netflix, and Apple TV are in talks for regular-season packages, the Wild Card round, and the Home Run Derby. Negotiations are expected to conclude by the end of the regular season next month. MLB is also trying to appease its other rights holders, Fox and Turner Sports, as it navigates these new deals.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cam Skattebo saw his first game action for the New York Giants and Jaxson Dart had an eventful preseason finale by throwing a touchdown pass and clearing concussion protocol following a big hit, with reserves playing much of a 42-10 rout of the New England Patriots. Skattebo had three carries for 12 yards. Dart was 6 of 12 for 81 yards and a touchdown before fumbling when he was tackled at the end of a long run. The Giants finished exhibition play unbeaten for the first time since 2019. The Patriots rested almost all of their starters.CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick Derrick Harmon sprained a knee in the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers and had to be carted to the locker room. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said after the 19-10 victory that the defensive end had a “knee sprain of some description” and called it one of two “significant” injuries for the team. Tomlin said Harmon and wide receiver Brandon Johnson (foot) will be evaluated more in the coming days. Tomlin did not give a timetable for their return. When asked if the team is worried that Harmon might have suffered serious ligament damage, Tomlin said “like I said, it is a knee sprain.”BOSTON (AP) — The father of Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with attempted murder after reportedly stabbing another man in a parking lot. According to TMZ, Quenton M. Brown admitted dinging the victim’s car with his door when he got out of his Lincoln Navigator. An argument ensued and Brown stabbed the victim in the back and stomach, the website reported. Court documents listed Brown as an inmate in the Clark County Detention Center on attempted murder charges. A person with knowledge of the incident, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it, confirmed that the man arrested is Jaylen Brown’s father.LONDON, Ontario (AP) — A lawyer for one of five former world junior hockey players acquitted of sexual assault charges last month says the Canadian government will not appeal the judge's ruling. Daniel Brown, who represents Alex Formenton, said he had been informed of that decision. Formenton, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote were all acquitted of sexual assault. McLeod was also acquitted of a separate charge of being a party to the offense of sexual assault. The NHL has said the players remained ineligible, while the union disagreed, citing the collective bargaining agreement.NEW YORK (AP) — An Ohio man has been arrested for the throwing of a sex toy at a WNBA game in New York. It’s the latest development in a string of disturbances where similar toys were tossed at WNBA games across the country, resulting in at least three arrests. New York police told The Associated Press that Charles Burgess from Dayton, Ohio, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly throwing an object at the Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty game on Aug. 5. The object hit a 12-year-old girl and Burgess was charged with two counts of assault. Burgess' lawyer said his client surrendered himself and pleaded not guilty.FinalsINTERLEAGUE Final St. Louis 7 Tampa Bay 4AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Athletics 8 Minnesota 3 Final Kansas City 6 Texas 4 Final Houston 7 Baltimore 2 Final Boston 6 N.Y. Yankees 3NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Milwaukee 4 Chicago Cubs 1 Final L.A. Dodgers 9 Colorado 5 Final Washington 9 N.Y. Mets 3 Final San Diego 8 San Francisco 4NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON Final Pittsburgh 19 Carolina 10 Final N-Y Giants 42 New England 10

Friday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Robert Falkoff MLB.com KANSAS CITY -- Just call it the home run homestand featuring&nbsp;Vinnie Pasquantino.

Continuing a trend that has marked their 7-2 homestand, the Royals pounced on the Rangers Wednesday with a recently familiar weapon. After singles by Mike Yastrzemski and Bobby Witt Jr. in the first inning, Pasquantino promptly drilled a three-run homer to right-center off Caleb Boushley, who was making his first Major League start.

That cushion didn’t hold up as Texas roared back for a&nbsp;6-3 victory. But with 17 homers on the homestand -- including five by Pasquantino -- the Royals are brimming with confidence about what the new-found power game can mean for them down the stretch as they make their playoff push.

The Royals have homered in 10 straight games since Aug. 10 to mark the longest active streak in the Majors. They now have seven homers through the opening three games of the Texas series and Pasquantino has homered in each game.

“Extremely encouraging,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of the recent homer binge. “You get three runs on one swing of the bat, it’s tremendous. Vinnie has been swinging the bat exceptionally well for a long period of time now, but the power is an added bonus.”

The Rangers started Boushley because veteran right-hander Jacob deGrom was skipped in his normal rotation spot for load management.

“Leading off the game with two hits like Yaz and Bob did just helps me see a lot of pitches,” Pasquantino said. “Just grinding the guy down. We did a nice job of that. We knew he had like 60 to 65 [pitches]. At least, that’s what he had done previously.”

Boushley wound up throwing 37 pitches in the first, but the Royals missed some opportunities and didn’t score after Pasquantino started the night with a bang. In the end, it was Pasquantino’s error in the ninth that helped set the table for Kyle Higashioka’s game-winning three-run double off Sam Long.

Long had two outs and nobody on when Wyatt Langford walked. Corey Seager hit a roller to first that bounced off Pasquantino’s glove for an error. Marcus Semien followed with an infield hit to load the bases before Higashioka came through by ripping his double into the left-field corner to clear the bases.

“Just not good enough,” Pasquantino said. “The play has to get made. Nothing happened other than me not catching it. Lost this game. I mean, pretty simple. Make that play, you’ve got a chance to head into the bottom of the ninth there [tied]. Direct cause and effect was me not catching that ball.”

Royals starter Noah Cameron gave up only two runs but lasted just 4 2/3 innings on a night when his command wasn’t up to par. Cameron wound up throwing 89 pitches and had three walks.

“Not super happy with the efficiency,” Cameron said. “Long at-bats, three walks. The kryptonite for a pitcher is long counts.”

Despite having a five-game winning streak snapped, the Royals suddenly find themselves smack in the middle of an intriguing&nbsp;American League Wild Card&nbsp;picture. Kansas City ended the night 2 1/2 games back of Seattle for the final Wild Card spot.

If the Royals can win the series finale on Thursday afternoon and take three of four from the Rangers, they’ll hit the road for Detroit this weekend feeling good about a homer-happy homestand that has enabled them to pass both Cleveland and Texas in the Wild Card pecking order.

“Quick turnaround,” Pasquantino said. “We just have to attack what’s in front of us.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755695351237.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>Robert Falkoff MLB.com KANSAS CITY -- Just call it the home run homestand featuring&nbsp;Vinnie Pasquantino.Continuing a trend that has marked their 7-2 homestand, the Royals pounced on the Rangers Wednesday with a recently familiar weapon. After singles by Mike Yastrzemski and Bobby Witt Jr. in the first inning, Pasquantino promptly drilled a three-run homer to right-center off Caleb Boushley, who was making his first Major League start.That cushion didn’t hold up as Texas roared back for a&nbsp;6-3 victory. But with 17 homers on the homestand -- including five by Pasquantino -- the Royals are brimming with confidence about what the new-found power game can mean for them down the stretch as they make their playoff push.The Royals have homered in 10 straight games since Aug. 10 to mark the longest active streak in the Majors. They now have seven homers through the opening three games of the Texas series and Pasquantino has homered in each game.“Extremely encouraging,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of the recent homer binge. “You get three runs on one swing of the bat, it’s tremendous. Vinnie has been swinging the bat exceptionally well for a long period of time now, but the power is an added bonus.”The Rangers started Boushley because veteran right-hander Jacob deGrom was skipped in his normal rotation spot for load management.“Leading off the game with two hits like Yaz and Bob did just helps me see a lot of pitches,” Pasquantino said. “Just grinding the guy down. We did a nice job of that. We knew he had like 60 to 65 [pitches]. At least, that’s what he had done previously.”Boushley wound up throwing 37 pitches in the first, but the Royals missed some opportunities and didn’t score after Pasquantino started the night with a bang. In the end, it was Pasquantino’s error in the ninth that helped set the table for Kyle Higashioka’s game-winning three-run double off Sam Long.Long had two outs and nobody on when Wyatt Langford walked. Corey Seager hit a roller to first that bounced off Pasquantino’s glove for an error. Marcus Semien followed with an infield hit to load the bases before Higashioka came through by ripping his double into the left-field corner to clear the bases.“Just not good enough,” Pasquantino said. “The play has to get made. Nothing happened other than me not catching it. Lost this game. I mean, pretty simple. Make that play, you’ve got a chance to head into the bottom of the ninth there [tied]. Direct cause and effect was me not catching that ball.”Royals starter Noah Cameron gave up only two runs but lasted just 4 2/3 innings on a night when his command wasn’t up to par. Cameron wound up throwing 89 pitches and had three walks.“Not super happy with the efficiency,” Cameron said. “Long at-bats, three walks. The kryptonite for a pitcher is long counts.”Despite having a five-game winning streak snapped, the Royals suddenly find themselves smack in the middle of an intriguing&nbsp;American League Wild Card&nbsp;picture. Kansas City ended the night 2 1/2 games back of Seattle for the final Wild Card spot.If the Royals can win the series finale on Thursday afternoon and take three of four from the Rangers, they’ll hit the road for Detroit this weekend feeling good about a homer-happy homestand that has enabled them to pass both Cleveland and Texas in the Wild Card pecking order.“Quick turnaround,” Pasquantino said. “We just have to attack what’s in front of us.”