Even amid the backdrop of college basketball’s chaotic postseason, what happened to South Alabama was “avoidable” and “unfortunate,” the school’s athletic director said Monday. The Jaguars received an invitation to the NCAA-affiliated National Invitation Tournament following the reveal of the NCAA Tournament bracket Sunday and immediately accepted. An hour later, the NIT called back and rescinded the offer because it had overbooked the bracket.
Queensland scored enough batting bonus points to move in to pole position for a spot in the Sheffield Shield final
Queensland batted its way to every possible bonus point in their bid for a stunning berth in the Sheffield Shield final, all but ending Victoria’s chances to meet South Australia despite moving in to a winning position against WA, who could yet reach a fourth-straight decider.
Twins’ Royce Lewis will miss start of season after hurting his hamstring
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis will miss the start of the season due to a strained left hamstring.
An MRI revealed a moderate sprain after Lewis hurt himself running out a grounder in the Twins’ Grapefruit League game Sunday against the Boston Red Sox.
Lewis, 25, has a history of injuries. He played in 82 games last season due to quadriceps and adductor issues. That followed a 2023 season in which he played 58 games while working through injuries to his oblique and his hamstring.
He batted .233 with a .295 on-base percentage, 16 homers and 47 RBIs last season. He hit .309 with a .372 on-base percentage, 15 homers, 52 RBIs and six steals.
Former Sabres Star Having Strong Start With New Team
Before the 2025 NHL trade deadline, the Colorado Avalanche traded former Buffalo Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt to the Boston Bruins. This was just one year after the Sabres dealt Mittelstadt to the Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram.
Mittelstadt had trouble fitting into the Avalanche's system and had been the subject of trade rumors throughout this season. Thus, it was not necessarily surprising that the 26-year-old found a new home by the deadline. Early on, the change of scenery has benefitted Mittelstadt.
Mittelstadt has been off to a strong offensive start with the Bruins. In four games with the Original Six club since the trade, the 2017 first-round pick has one goal and two assists.
When playing at his best, Mittelstadt has the ability to be an impactful offensive contributor. He undoubtedly demonstrated this during his time with the Sabres, as he had 62 goals and 186 points in 339 games with Buffalo. This included a 59-point season in 2022-23 and Mittelstadt posting 47 points in 62 games with Buffalo before being dealt to Colorado last season.
The Sabres will now look to slow down Mittelstadt when they face off against the Bruins at TD Garden on March 17. It will be interesting to see if they can do just that from here.
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Milutin Osmajic charged by FA over alleged racial abuse of Hannibal Mejbri
- Preston forward has to provide response by 25 March
- Osmajic clashed with Burnley player in February game
The Preston forward Milutin Osmajic has been charged by the Football Association after an allegation of racist abuse.
The incident took place during Preston’s Championship match against Burnley on 15 February, where Osmajic was alleged to have made a racist comment towards the Clarets midfielder Hannibal Mejbri.
Continue reading...Mets' Ryan Clifford named to All-Spring Breakout First Team
Ryan Clifford’s mammoth home run on Sunday has earned him a spot on MLB.com’s All-Spring Breakout First Team.
Clifford, who is Joe DeMayo’s No. 4 prospect in the Mets' system, made quite the impression against the Washington Nationals’ top prospects by making quite the impression on the batter’s eye in dead center.
Measured at 449 feet and 106 MPH off the bat, Clifford’s two-run home run to dead center off of lefty Jackson Kent gave the Mets a 4-0 lead.
Ryan Clifford LAUNCHES a home run to dead center 💣 pic.twitter.com/rNt2MdBngs
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 16, 2025
Clifford, who has the ability to play both first base and in the outfield, split his time last year between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. In 31 games at Brooklyn, he hit just one home run, as the notorious winds coming off the ocean beyond right field drastically cut into his power numbers. As evidence, in his 98 games with the Rumble Ponies, he hit 18 home runs.
Clifford may still be a season or two away from his MLB debut, but it’s clear that his raw power makes him one of the most exciting prospects in the Mets system.
Llandovery and Ebbw Vale set for SRC Cup final showdown
Jason Strange believes the lessons learned in Ebbw Vale’s two semi-finals defeats last season could allow them to finally get across the line and win the Super Rygbi Cymru Cup at Llandovery on Thursday night. The Steelmen were forced to come from behind at Swansea to maintain their unbeaten run in Pool B and join […]
The post Llandovery and Ebbw Vale set for SRC Cup final showdown appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Tom Izzo on MSU-Michigan rivalry: ‘Do you like your wife’s ex-boyfriend? It’s illegal’
Tom Izzo had a line for all time Monday on the Pat McAfee show ahead of March Madness, when discussing the Michigan State Michigan basketball rivalry.
NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-17 20:35:02
Brett Baty, at possible career crossroads, focused on capitalizing on second base chance
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Some may think Brett Baty is sitting at a career crossroads of sorts this spring. He’s been to the big leagues before, but he hasn’t stuck, and now he’s got another chance, either as a fill-in for the injured Jeff McNeil at second base, at least for a while, or as a utility man who roams around the diamond for the Mets.
But Baty isn’t viewing this as some kind of make-or-break and maybe that’s how he can take advantage of this opportunity.
“It’s just taking a step back and really taking it all in, appreciating where you are and just trying to get better every single day,” the 25-year-old said.
“Just be where your feet are.”
Baty’s feet are, much of the time, at second base, where he started Monday’s game against the Rays at Clover Park. He is trying to learn the complexities of a position that has a lot more responsibilities than third base, where he’s played for most of his career.
There’s more communication before every pitch. He must learn the nuances of turning a double play and the ways to protect himself while doing it. He’s got to know who’s covering the second-base bag on, say, a comebacker to the pitcher with a man on first. There’s a different set of cutoffs and relays than at third base. He’s got to get familiar with the first baseman and know what situations he might have to dart over to cover that base. And more.
Third base, as Mets manager Carlos Mendoza put it, “is more angles and throwing across the diamond."
“He’s going to be involved in a lot more plays every pitch,” Mendoza added. “There’s only so much that you can replicate just by hitting him ground balls. He needs game action and that’s some of the things that we’re going to be looking at and we’ll use those opportunities for teaching moments.”
So far, so good, at least according to Francisco Lindor, who has been playing with Baty recently, including on Monday. In the fifth inning, Baty started a double play, flipping to Lindor for the relay to first, and the pairing was smooth. Baty also made two solid plays going to his left, including one in the eighth inning where he had to throw to José Butto on the move while the pitcher covered first.
“He looks good,” Lindor said. “He looks like he’s starting to feel comfortable and he looks like he’s embracing the challenge. That’s all you can ask for. He is ready for whatever comes his way.”
Asked to name some folks who’ve helped him, Baty mentioned several, including Yolmer Sánchez, the 2019 AL Gold Glove winner at second base for the White Sox, who was Baty’s teammate at Triple-A Syracuse last year. Others included third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh and Lindor.
“We've been doing early work pretty much every day, just trying to get the footwork and stuff down on some double play turns,” Baty said.
However his role shakes out, Baty’s bat will be a big factor. He’s been having a terrific spring, though he was 0-for-4 Monday in the Mets’ 2-0 loss to the Rays. That dropped Baty’s average to .308 and his OPS to .910 and he also has three doubles and two home runs.
He’s said he’s tried to concentrate on swinging at strikes, though, in the same sentence, he lightly chastised himself for not doing that on Sunday during an 0-for-3.
“I swung at a lot of balls, that’s why I got out a lot,” Baty noted.
The other day, Mendoza was asked about offense and how much that would factor into the roles Baty is vying for with, among others, Luisangel Acuña, who gave the Mets a serious jolt late last year when he subbed for an injured Lindor and batted .308 with a .966 OPS.
“You’re losing your everyday guy, Jeff McNeil, who won a batting title not too long ago, and you can replace him with a guy that is going to provide offense, I think that’s huge, especially down in the bottom of the lineup,” Mendoza said. “It’s important. We know the potential is there.
Acuña has all of 40 plate appearances in the bigs. And Baty does not have a huge track record of offensive success in the Majors In 169 career games, the 12th overall pick in the 2019 draft has a .215 average, a .607 OPS and 15 home runs.
Baty could dwell on that. He’d rather heed what former Met Tomás Nido told a Triple-A hitting group a few years ago when Nido was still with the Mets.
“He said, ‘When you get up there [the Majors], don’t take anything for granted, because it’s not a given. It’s not a right,’” Baty recalled.
“People earn it, like Lindor,” Baty added. “He’s earned what he’s gotten. [Juan] Soto, same thing. You’re not entitled to anything. So that’s what I’m thinking. If I’m in the major leagues, I’m going to be super appreciative and grateful. But it’s also a job. You’ve got to compete.
“I'm happy to embrace any role that they want me to. I just want to be in the major leagues, helping a team win, whether that's playing second base, or whether that's rotating around the infield, maybe the outfield, giving guys days off here and there. Whatever my role is, I'm fine with.
“I love a challenge.”
Trent Grisham, Ben Rice homer again as Yankees fall to Blue Jays
The Yankees fell to the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 6-5 on Monday afternoon.
Here are the takeaways…
-Paul Goldschmidt left the game in the bottom of the third inning after two at-bats. Later, he told reporters he exited because of a sore back, which he's been dealing with for a few days. Fortunately for the Yankees, Goldschmidt said he has no concern about this holding him out come Opening Day.
-Clarke Schmidt was originally scheduled to start this game, but out of an abundance of caution the Yanks had him throw a bullpen session instead, which went well by all accounts. Left-hander Brent Headrick got the start in Schmidt’s place, but things didn’t go well for him as he allowed three earned runs on three hits with a pair of walks in just one inning.
After a couple of scoreless outings to start his spring, Headrick has been hit hard in his last three appearances.
-Trent Grisham hit just .190 with nine homers in 179 at-bats with New York last season. On Monday, he slammed his fourth homer of the spring, with this one just clearing the top of the fence in left center.
Grisham will likely be the fourth outfielder and a defensive presence in 2025, but his power numbers this spring have been eye-opening.
-The Yankees had Ben Rice catching and hitting out of the leadoff spot on Monday. Rice put the Yanks on the scoreboard in the top of the third, roping a single off the base of the wall in right-center, scoring Ismael Munguia from second base.
Later, Rice deposited the first pitch of the seventh inning over the wall in left-center for his fourth homer of the spring.
It's hard to imagine a scenario where Rice isn't with the major league team coming out of spring training
-J.C. Escarra, serving as the Yanks' DH on Monday, registered two more hits as he continues to push for a spot on the Opening Day roster as a catcher/DH option. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitter is batting .368 this spring with a 1.032 OPS.
-The Yankees took their first lead of the day in the top of the eighth inning, when 22-year-old Brenny Escanio hit a solo homer to left. Escanio played in Low and High-A ball last season. But Toronto tied the game and then walked it off with home runs in the eighth and ninth.
Who was the game MVP?
Rice, who homered and hit another ball off the wall.
Highlights
Another home run for Trent Grisham!
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 17, 2025
(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/GkIfRf3LjW
Ben Rice ties the game with his fourth home run of the spring 💣
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 17, 2025
(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/GwUO5Vgxq5
Yanks take the lead on a go-ahead bomb in the eighth! pic.twitter.com/Ssxc6FEI5S
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 17, 2025
What's next
The Yankees host the Boston Red Sox in Tampa on Tuesday at 1:05 p.m.
Is The Golden Knights' Road Record A Cause For Concern?
The Vegas Golden Knights wrapped up a road trip, losing three of the four games and, on the season, are posting just a 15-13-5 record away from T-Mobile Arena.
The Golden Knights have been a dominant team in their home arena since their inaugural season and are doing so once again this year, posting a 24-7-3 record. Similar to the 2023-24 campaign, the Golden Knights have struggled to consistently pick up wins on the road.
The season they won the Stanley Cup was their best road season, recording 26 wins, and just seven regulation losses and eight overtime losses.
The Golden Knights recently concluded a four-game road trip, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets but losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime, the Buffalo Sabres in a shootout and were shut out by the Detroit Red Wings.
The Golden Knights were outplayed by the Sabres and Red Wings, outshot 37-19 and 27-18. A common theme this season has been a lack of offence on the road. The Golden Knights lost the first five of their six-game road games to start the season, scoring three or fewer goals in each of them.
Their current road struggles signify the importance of winning the Pacific Division and ensuring they have home-ice advantage in the first two rounds. Chasing down the Winnipeg Jets for first in the Western Conference is becoming nearly impossible, trailing by 12 points with 15 games remaining. At the moment the Golden Knights sit in third place in the conference, trailing the Dallas Stars by a point.
With eight road games on the schedule, the Golden Knights have limited time to fix their struggles, but finding a solution will go a long way when the playoffs begin.
Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
The Wraparound: What's Most Concerning About The Maple Leafs Right Now?
Kick off a new week with rapid-fire NHL and hockey discussions on The Hockey News Wraparound Show.
What's Most Concerning About The Maple Leafs Right Now? by The WraparoundundefinedHere's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:
0:00 What to make of Connor Bedard’s 10-minute misconducts in back-to-back games
3:41: Is Sam Bennett more likely to stay with the Florida Panthers or hit free agency?
5:41: Will the Panthers keep Brad Marchand or Aaron Ekblad this off-season?
7:42: What has been the most concerning part of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ recent slump?
10:10: Which goaltender in the 2025 free agent class will be the most sought-after?
12:48: What are the biggest changes NHL GMs will advocate for at the GM meetings?
15:41: Which NHL prospect traded at the deadline will fit best with their new organization?
18:12: How much money could Nikolaj Ehlers get on the open market this summer?
20:33: Even without Mikko Rantanen or Martin Necas, should the Carolina Hurricanes still be considered a Stanley Cup contender?
23:24: Could Jonathan Huberdeau’s resurgence signify great things to come for the Calgary Flames?
See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.
Jesse Winker leaves Monday's game early with cramps, 'should be okay'
Mets designated hitter/outfielderJesse Winkerexited Monday's split squad game against the Rays in the bottom of the third inning after his first at-bat.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game that Winker was removed for precautionary reasons due to cramping, adding that Winker is doing "fine."
"Felt something in the calf, he's like, 'It's just a cramp,'" Mendoza said after the Mets' 2-0 loss to Miami. "But, you know, at this point in camp we don't want to take any chances."
Winker, who stayed in the dugout for a bit before heading to the clubhouse, was replaced at DH by prospect Ryan Clifford.
"He went in, trainers took a look at him and confirmed it was just a cramp," the skipper continued. "So, I just talked to him now and he should be okay."
After getting treatment on the calf, Winker said he "feels better" and is "not really too concerned about it."
"It just cramped up," he continued. "[Athletic trainer Bryan] Baca and Mendy, they were just like, 'let's go get treatment, let's just play it smart.' It was the right move."
With the Mets having Tuesday off, the DH expects to be able to return to the lineup later this week.
The expectation is that Winker will be the Mets' regular designated hitter when the regular season begins.
Paul Blackburn solid, Luisangel Acuña has up-and-down day as Mets beat Marlins
The Mets beat the Marlins, 6-5, on Monday afternoon as their spring training slate continued.
Here are the takeaways...
- Paul Blackburn spun a perfect first inning, with a pair of strikeouts.
Overall, Blackburn allowed two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out six in 4.0 innings.
The only damage off Blackburn was a wind-blown two-run homer to right field by Dane Myers in the third inning.
Blackburn is battling with Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill for the final two spots in the starting rotation, but the expectation is that all three pitchers will make the 26-man Opening Day roster -- with two on the starting staff and one in the bullpen.
- Luisangel Acuña stroked a single to right field his first time up, but he was caught leaning and got picked off first base a few pitches later. Acuña added another single to right field in the fifth inning, but was picked off first base a second time.
He finished 2-for-3 with a walk.
In the field, Acuña made a throwing error at shortstop in the sixth inning, short-hopping a throw to first base.
- Juan Soto went 0-for-2 with a walk. He has a 1.295 OPS this spring.
- Starling Marte got the start at designated hitter and went 0-for-3 with a run scored.
- Pete Alonso delivered a sacrifice fly in the first inning and walked in the eighth.
- The Mets plated three runs in the eighth inning and two runs in the ninth, including a two-run homer off the bat of outfielder Alexander Canario.
Highlights
Bad fundies by the Marlins allows the Mets to take the lead!
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 17, 2025
(via @FanDuelSN_FL) pic.twitter.com/iQ3mVhr3nA
Alexander Canario with an opposite field home run
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 17, 2025
He's 1-for-1 with three walks and now a two-run homer on the day
(via @FanDuelSN_FL) pic.twitter.com/l9ig8FjpTx
Upcoming schedule
The Mets are off on Tuesday.
They travel to face the Astros on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m.