MLB player Tucupita Marcano faces possible lifetime ban for alleged baseball bets, AP source says

NEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is under investigation by Major League Baseball for allegedly betting on baseball and could be subject to a lifetime ban, according to a person familiar with the probe. MLB is looking into allegations Marcano bet on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates while on the team's injured list last season, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Marcano, 24, has not played since tearing his right ACL last July 24. He was claimed by the Padres off waivers on Nov. 2 and placed on the 10-day injured list March 19.

Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, expected to enter guilty plea

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The ex-interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case. Ippei Mizuhara is expected to admit to stealing nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player. Tuesday's change-of-plea hearing in federal court in Santa Ana, California, occurs as the Dodgers begin a three-game series in Pittsburgh. The gambling scandal shocked baseball fans from Japan to the U.S. and ratcheted up a media frenzy that's ever-present around Ohtani. Authorities say there was no evidence Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara's gambling, and the player cooperated with investigators.

Celtics favored to win Game 1 and NBA Finals series, but money is rolling in on the Mavericks

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Celtics are prohibitive favorites to win Thursday's Game 1 of the NBA Finals and odds are on Boston to hoist what would be its record 18th championship banner. But the money is pouring in on the Dallas Mavericks at BetMGM Sportsbook. Senior trader Havlor Egeland said Monday that 80% of the bets were coming on the Mavs to win their second NBA title. Boston is a -225 favorite to win it all. The Celtics are 6 1/2-point favorites in the series opener.

Jason Kidd passes on vindication as he leads Mavs to NBA Finals a year after chaotic finish

DALLAS (AP) — Jason Kidd has the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals as a coach 13 years after helping the franchise win its only title as a point guard. The 51-year-old Naismith Hall of Fame player doesn't feel the need for vindication a year after many questions swirled around Kidd and a team that missed the playoffs. He has said Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving needed time to develop after the blockbuster trade for Irving. This season's postseason run has proved him right. The Mavs didn't win a playoff series in the 10 seasons from their title to Kidd's arrival as coach. He has Dallas to five series victories in three seasons.

Coming up Aces: Evansville wins regional and advances with N. Carolina, UConn, Florida, Oregon St.

Those pesky Purple Aces of Evansville earned their first NCAA regional title, and their reward is a weekend trip to No. 1 national seed Tennessee for the next round. They weren't concerned about what's next. They were too busy celebrating the biggest win in the program's 100-year history. Evansville became only the ninth No. 4 regional seed since 1999 to reach a super regional when it bounced back from a 13-run loss to East Carolina on Sunday to beat the Pirates 6-5 in Greenville, North Carolina. North Carolina, UConn, Florida and Oregon State also locked up regionals.

Novak Djokovic wins his record 370th Slam match but isn't sure he can continue at the French Open

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic played through a painful right knee with the help of medicine and come back to beat No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the French Open's fourth round for his record 370th win in a Grand Slam match. Djokovic said after Monday's victory that he is not sure if he can play in the quarterfinals because of his knee. He is the defending champion at Roland Garros. He broke a tie with Roger Federer for the most match wins at major tournaments — and also for the most Slam quarterfinals for a man by reaching the 59th of his career.

Kylian Mbappé finally joins Real Madrid in a union of soccer's top player and club

MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé is finally a Real Madrid player. Real Madrid says it reached a deal with the France star for the next five seasons to bring together one of soccer's top talents and its most successful club. The announcement comes after years of flirtation by Madrid with the player who inherited the status of the best in the game from Lionel Messi. The 25-year-old forward joins a Madrid team that is already loaded with talent and still celebrating its record-extending 15th European Cup title.

Penn State found 'friction' between coach James Franklin, team doctor; could not determine violation

An internal review by Penn State in 2019 found evidence of "friction" between football coach James Franklin and a now-former team doctor. However, it could not determine whether Franklin violated NCAA rules or Big Ten standards by interfering with medical decisions. The 15-page document from Penn State's office of ethics and compliance was obtained by The Associated Press. Last week, a Pennsylvania jury awarded $5.25 million to Dr. Scott Lynch after he won a lawsuit against the hospital that employs him. The report left undetermined if actions by Franklin or anyone else at Penn State broke rules. It recommended further inquiry.

Celtics have followed 'craziness' of Joe Mazzulla's coaching style straight to the NBA Finals

BOSTON (AP) — Joe Mazzulla was thrust into a job he didn't expect to have following former Celtics coach Ime Udoka's suspension just days before the start of training camp last season. Mazzulla stepped up and guided Boston through that franchise-shaking crisis and to the cusp of an NBA Finals berth. Now armed with a coaching staff of his choosing and a style built around 3-pointers and defense, he's followed that up by leading Boston to its first 60-win regular season since it won it all in 2007-08. Not bad for a 35-year-old who is the youngest head coach to reach the Finals since Bill Russell in 1969.

Austin Cindric gives Team Penske its first NASCAR win and some much-needed momentum

Austin Cindric gave Team Penske its first NASCAR win of the season along with some much-needed momentum after a whole lot of struggles. But even the victory on Sunday just outside St. Louis came with a bit of heartbreak. Ryan Blaney was leading with a lap to go when he ran out of fuel, allowing Cindric to win for the first time since the Daytona 500 in 2022. Still, the win along with Joey Logano's top-five run should give Team Penske some positive momentum. It also should be a boost to Ford, which had not won all year until Brad Keselowski last week at Darlington, and now has reached victory lane again.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Tuesday, June 4th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Tuesday, June 4th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Report for June 4th, 2024:<div><iframe title="AP Sports Report for June 4th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=jhvex-16309ea-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>MLB player Tucupita Marcano faces possible lifetime ban for alleged baseball bets, AP source saysNEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is under investigation by Major League Baseball for allegedly betting on baseball and could be subject to a lifetime ban, according to a person familiar with the probe. MLB is looking into allegations Marcano bet on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates while on the team's injured list last season, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Marcano, 24, has not played since tearing his right ACL last July 24. He was claimed by the Padres off waivers on Nov. 2 and placed on the 10-day injured list March 19.Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, expected to enter guilty pleaSANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The ex-interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case. Ippei Mizuhara is expected to admit to stealing nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player. Tuesday's change-of-plea hearing in federal court in Santa Ana, California, occurs as the Dodgers begin a three-game series in Pittsburgh. The gambling scandal shocked baseball fans from Japan to the U.S. and ratcheted up a media frenzy that's ever-present around Ohtani. Authorities say there was no evidence Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara's gambling, and the player cooperated with investigators.Celtics favored to win Game 1 and NBA Finals series, but money is rolling in on the MavericksLAS VEGAS (AP) — The Celtics are prohibitive favorites to win Thursday's Game 1 of the NBA Finals and odds are on Boston to hoist what would be its record 18th championship banner. But the money is pouring in on the Dallas Mavericks at BetMGM Sportsbook. Senior trader Havlor Egeland said Monday that 80% of the bets were coming on the Mavs to win their second NBA title. Boston is a -225 favorite to win it all. The Celtics are 6 1/2-point favorites in the series opener.Jason Kidd passes on vindication as he leads Mavs to NBA Finals a year after chaotic finishDALLAS (AP) — Jason Kidd has the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals as a coach 13 years after helping the franchise win its only title as a point guard. The 51-year-old Naismith Hall of Fame player doesn't feel the need for vindication a year after many questions swirled around Kidd and a team that missed the playoffs. He has said Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving needed time to develop after the blockbuster trade for Irving. This season's postseason run has proved him right. The Mavs didn't win a playoff series in the 10 seasons from their title to Kidd's arrival as coach. He has Dallas to five series victories in three seasons.Coming up Aces: Evansville wins regional and advances with N. Carolina, UConn, Florida, Oregon St.Those pesky Purple Aces of Evansville earned their first NCAA regional title, and their reward is a weekend trip to No. 1 national seed Tennessee for the next round. They weren't concerned about what's next. They were too busy celebrating the biggest win in the program's 100-year history. Evansville became only the ninth No. 4 regional seed since 1999 to reach a super regional when it bounced back from a 13-run loss to East Carolina on Sunday to beat the Pirates 6-5 in Greenville, North Carolina. North Carolina, UConn, Florida and Oregon State also locked up regionals.Novak Djokovic wins his record 370th Slam match but isn't sure he can continue at the French OpenPARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic played through a painful right knee with the help of medicine and come back to beat No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the French Open's fourth round for his record 370th win in a Grand Slam match. Djokovic said after Monday's victory that he is not sure if he can play in the quarterfinals because of his knee. He is the defending champion at Roland Garros. He broke a tie with Roger Federer for the most match wins at major tournaments — and also for the most Slam quarterfinals for a man by reaching the 59th of his career.Kylian Mbappé finally joins Real Madrid in a union of soccer's top player and clubMADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé is finally a Real Madrid player. Real Madrid says it reached a deal with the France star for the next five seasons to bring together one of soccer's top talents and its most successful club. The announcement comes after years of flirtation by Madrid with the player who inherited the status of the best in the game from Lionel Messi. The 25-year-old forward joins a Madrid team that is already loaded with talent and still celebrating its record-extending 15th European Cup title.Penn State found 'friction' between coach James Franklin, team doctor; could not determine violationAn internal review by Penn State in 2019 found evidence of "friction" between football coach James Franklin and a now-former team doctor. However, it could not determine whether Franklin violated NCAA rules or Big Ten standards by interfering with medical decisions. The 15-page document from Penn State's office of ethics and compliance was obtained by The Associated Press. Last week, a Pennsylvania jury awarded $5.25 million to Dr. Scott Lynch after he won a lawsuit against the hospital that employs him. The report left undetermined if actions by Franklin or anyone else at Penn State broke rules. It recommended further inquiry.Celtics have followed 'craziness' of Joe Mazzulla's coaching style straight to the NBA FinalsBOSTON (AP) — Joe Mazzulla was thrust into a job he didn't expect to have following former Celtics coach Ime Udoka's suspension just days before the start of training camp last season. Mazzulla stepped up and guided Boston through that franchise-shaking crisis and to the cusp of an NBA Finals berth. Now armed with a coaching staff of his choosing and a style built around 3-pointers and defense, he's followed that up by leading Boston to its first 60-win regular season since it won it all in 2007-08. Not bad for a 35-year-old who is the youngest head coach to reach the Finals since Bill Russell in 1969.Austin Cindric gives Team Penske its first NASCAR win and some much-needed momentumAustin Cindric gave Team Penske its first NASCAR win of the season along with some much-needed momentum after a whole lot of struggles. But even the victory on Sunday just outside St. Louis came with a bit of heartbreak. Ryan Blaney was leading with a lap to go when he ran out of fuel, allowing Cindric to win for the first time since the Daytona 500 in 2022. Still, the win along with Joey Logano's top-five run should give Team Penske some positive momentum. It also should be a boost to Ford, which had not won all year until Brad Keselowski last week at Darlington, and now has reached victory lane again.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Houston	7	St. Louis	4	Final	L.A. Angels	2	San Diego	1	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Baltimore	7	Toronto	2	Final	Detroit	2	Texas	1	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Philadelphia	3	Milwaukee	1	Final	N.Y. Mets	8	Washington	7	Final	Cincinnati	13	Colorado	3	Final	Arizona	4	San Francisco	2	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		Tampa Bay	at	Miami	6:40 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Boston	7:10 p.m.			Chi White Sox	at	Chi Cubs	8:05 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Houston	8:10 p.m.			San Diego	at	L-A Angels	9:38 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Kansas City	at	Cleveland	6:40 p.m.			Minnesota	at	N-Y Yankees	7:05 p.m.			Baltimore	at	Toronto	7:07 p.m.			Detroit	at	Texas	8:05 p.m.			Seattle	at	Oakland	9:40 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		L-A Dodgers	at	Pittsburgh	6:40 p.m.			Milwaukee	at	Philadelphia	6:40 p.m.			N-Y Mets	at	Washington	6:45 p.m.			Cincinnati	at	Colorado	8:40 p.m.			San Francisco	at	Arizona	9:40 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Washington	at	Connecticut	7 p.m.			New York	at	Chicago	8 p.m.			Phoenix	at	Seattle	10 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Tuesday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — &nbsp;The defending NBC World Series champion Hutchinson Monarchs will have its home opener on Monday Hobart-Detter Field. The Monarchs host the Wichita Dirt Bags with first pitch at 7 p.m.

The Monarchs are back for their 16th season of play in Hutchinson.&nbsp;

The Monarchs are slated for 20 home games with all 20 games set to be video streamed on <a href="http://hutchpost.com">hutchpost.com</a> as well as on the <a href="http://www.monarchslive.tv">monarchslive.tv</a> channel. Glen Grunwald will have the play-by-play duties.&nbsp;

Casey Lippoldt is back for his second season as Monarchs manager after leading the Monarchs to their first-ever NBC World Series title.&nbsp;

This seasons roster includes five players that are from the Hutchinson area, including Buhler High and HutchCC alum Reed Scott, who closed out the Monarchs’ championship win with a huge strikeout over Santa Barbara Foresters. 

Another huge fan favorite is&nbsp; former Buhler standout pitcher Bradley Neill, who just wrapped up a great career at HutchCC. Other area players are pitcher Camden Cornelius from Nickerson, pitcher Derick Johnson from Inman, and Drew Bugner from Andale.&nbsp;

Other HutchCC players with the Monarchs are pitcher Cole Toureau, utility Blake Bradford, and catcher Colin Cymbalista.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717333274400.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — &nbsp;The defending NBC World Series champion Hutchinson Monarchs will have its home opener on Monday Hobart-Detter Field. The Monarchs host the Wichita Dirt Bags with first pitch at 7 p.m.The Monarchs are back for their 16th season of play in Hutchinson.&nbsp;The Monarchs are slated for 20 home games with all 20 games set to be video streamed on <a href="http://hutchpost.com">hutchpost.com</a> as well as on the <a href="http://www.monarchslive.tv">monarchslive.tv</a> channel. Glen Grunwald will have the play-by-play duties.&nbsp;Casey Lippoldt is back for his second season as Monarchs manager after leading the Monarchs to their first-ever NBC World Series title.&nbsp;This seasons roster includes five players that are from the Hutchinson area, including Buhler High and HutchCC alum Reed Scott, who closed out the Monarchs’ championship win with a huge strikeout over Santa Barbara Foresters. Another huge fan favorite is&nbsp; former Buhler standout pitcher Bradley Neill, who just wrapped up a great career at HutchCC. Other area players are pitcher Camden Cornelius from Nickerson, pitcher Derick Johnson from Inman, and Drew Bugner from Andale.&nbsp;Other HutchCC players with the Monarchs are pitcher Cole Toureau, utility Blake Bradford, and catcher Colin Cymbalista.<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/1095317?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>

⚾ Monarchs open home schedule Monday 

Charlotte, NC - The <a href="https://njcaafoundation.com/landing/index" target="_blank">NJCAA Foundation</a> has announced the 2024 Champion Award recipient will be Barton Community College men's basketball player, Myles Thompson. This prestigious award will be presented during the NJCAA Foundation Awards event held on Thursday, June 6 at the Hilton Charlotte University Place at 6:30 PM ET. The event will recognize the NJCAA Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year, the Lea Plarski Award winner, the Champion Award winners, and the Difference Maker Award winner, in addition to the 2024 class of the NJCAA Hall of Fame.&nbsp;

The Champion Award was established to honor a member or former member of the NJCAA community who exemplifies resilience, excellence, and passion.  &nbsp;

Myles Thompson began his collegiate career at Barton Community College (KS) where, as a freshman, averaged 7.1 points and 5.5 rebounds. Entering his sophomore season, he thought it would be like any&nbsp;

other year. Thompson, a 6-foot-7 Hutchinson native, played basketball his whole life and was never once worried or concerned about injury or illness. However, things took a turn six weeks before the start of his sophomore season when he fell ill. Receiving medication for a cough and fever, Thompson thought he was back on his way to Barton for a second season, but a week later, he was sick again with all symptoms returning and pain in his right ankle. After experiencing severe rigors and shaking chills, Thompson was hospitalized for 20 days, during which doctors continuously tried to figure out what was going on, and his future in basketball was in question. It was found that Thompson had a blood infection and required surgery on his leg. The surgery was a success and Thompson was headed towards recovery but the question of if and when he'd ever be able to return to basketball was still looming.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After surgery, he returned home to Hutchinson and required daily antibiotics for six weeks. Thompson attempted to return to school but due to his compromised immune system,contracted clostridium difficile and was bedridden for an additional three weeks. Thompson struggled during this time,losing 20 pounds along the way and still being unsure of his athletic future. Through countless physical therapy sessions and a daily regimen of four different antibiotics, Thompson recovered and returned to practice in February 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rededicating his time and efforts to basketball, Thompson began to work&nbsp;out and train with his former high school coach, Bryan Miller. He would wake up earlyto work out&nbsp;with the high school players in the morning and then lift weights and practice his shots in the evening. Thompson's constant efforts and determination&nbsp;allowed him to step back onto the court&nbsp;at&nbsp;Barton&nbsp;for the 2023-24 season. Through his resilience,&nbsp;character, and faith, Thompson was able to help lead the Cougars to the 2024 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship title.&nbsp;This past season, Thompson started in all 37 games for the&nbsp;Cougars,&nbsp;averaging 14.0points per game with 6.7&nbsp;rebounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717446881309.png" alt="Photo courtesy NJCAA" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy NJCAA</figcaption>
 </figure>NJCAACharlotte, NC - The <a href="https://njcaafoundation.com/landing/index" target="_blank">NJCAA Foundation</a> has announced the 2024 Champion Award recipient will be Barton Community College men's basketball player, Myles Thompson. This prestigious award will be presented during the NJCAA Foundation Awards event held on Thursday, June 6 at the Hilton Charlotte University Place at 6:30 PM ET. The event will recognize the NJCAA Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year, the Lea Plarski Award winner, the Champion Award winners, and the Difference Maker Award winner, in addition to the 2024 class of the NJCAA Hall of Fame.&nbsp;The Champion Award was established to honor a member or former member of the NJCAA community who exemplifies resilience, excellence, and passion.  &nbsp; Myles Thompson began his collegiate career at Barton Community College (KS) where, as a freshman, averaged 7.1 points and 5.5 rebounds. Entering his sophomore season, he thought it would be like any&nbsp; other year. Thompson, a 6-foot-7 Hutchinson native, played basketball his whole life and was never once worried or concerned about injury or illness. However, things took a turn six weeks before the start of his sophomore season when he fell ill. Receiving medication for a cough and fever, Thompson thought he was back on his way to Barton for a second season, but a week later, he was sick again with all symptoms returning and pain in his right ankle. After experiencing severe rigors and shaking chills, Thompson was hospitalized for 20 days, during which doctors continuously tried to figure out what was going on, and his future in basketball was in question. It was found that Thompson had a blood infection and required surgery on his leg. The surgery was a success and Thompson was headed towards recovery but the question of if and when he'd ever be able to return to basketball was still looming.&nbsp;&nbsp;After surgery, he returned home to Hutchinson and required daily antibiotics for six weeks. Thompson attempted to return to school but due to his compromised immune system,contracted clostridium difficile and was bedridden for an additional three weeks. Thompson struggled during this time,losing 20 pounds along the way and still being unsure of his athletic future. Through countless physical therapy sessions and a daily regimen of four different antibiotics, Thompson recovered and returned to practice in February 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rededicating his time and efforts to basketball, Thompson began to work&nbsp;out and train with his former high school coach, Bryan Miller. He would wake up earlyto work out&nbsp;with the high school players in the morning and then lift weights and practice his shots in the evening. Thompson's constant efforts and determination&nbsp;allowed him to step back onto the court&nbsp;at&nbsp;Barton&nbsp;for the 2023-24 season. Through his resilience,&nbsp;character, and faith, Thompson was able to help lead the Cougars to the 2024 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship title.&nbsp;This past season, Thompson started in all 37 games for the&nbsp;Cougars,&nbsp;averaging 14.0points per game with 6.7&nbsp;rebounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 MBB: Hutch High grad named NJCAA Foundation Champion Award winner

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Monday, June 3rd, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Monday, June 3rd, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="June 3rd, 2024 Early Morning Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ibdd2-162ef52-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: ⚾ Royals win; ⚾ K-State rolls to Super Regionals; ⚾ Wind Surge lose to Springfield 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Brendan Jones batted 3 for 5 and drove in three runs, David Bishop added two RBIs and Kansas State beat Southeast Missouri State 7-2 on Sunday night in the Fayetteville Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament.

Kansas State will head to Charlottesville, Virginia, to face Virginia in a best-of-three super regional series next weekend.

It's Kansas State's first trip to the super regionals in 11 years. The No. 3-seed Wildcats (35-24) went undefeated in three games at Fayetteville. Kansas State outscored opponents 33-12, the bulk coming in a 19-4 win over Louisiana Tech in a Friday night, Saturday morning game that was interrupted by weather conditions.

The Wildcats scored four in the bottom of the second and three in the third against the Redhawks.

Bishop and Danniel Rivera each singled in a run, Raphael Pelletier grounded out to force in the third and Jones singled through the right side of the infield to score Rivera for a 4-0 lead.

Kansas State used four pitchers — Cole Wisenbaker (4-0) got the win with three innings of work following starter Ty Ruhl. They scattered seven hits.

Bryce Cannon's two-run home run in the top of the eighth was all the offense produced by Southeast Missouri State (36-27).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717413129653.png" alt="K-State Baseball headed to Super Regionals" />
 <figcaption>K-State Baseball headed to Super Regionals</figcaption>
 </figure>FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Brendan Jones batted 3 for 5 and drove in three runs, David Bishop added two RBIs and Kansas State beat Southeast Missouri State 7-2 on Sunday night in the Fayetteville Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament.Kansas State will head to Charlottesville, Virginia, to face Virginia in a best-of-three super regional series next weekend.It's Kansas State's first trip to the super regionals in 11 years. The No. 3-seed Wildcats (35-24) went undefeated in three games at Fayetteville. Kansas State outscored opponents 33-12, the bulk coming in a 19-4 win over Louisiana Tech in a Friday night, Saturday morning game that was interrupted by weather conditions.The Wildcats scored four in the bottom of the second and three in the third against the Redhawks.Bishop and Danniel Rivera each singled in a run, Raphael Pelletier grounded out to force in the third and Jones singled through the right side of the infield to score Rivera for a 4-0 lead.Kansas State used four pitchers — Cole Wisenbaker (4-0) got the win with three innings of work following starter Ty Ruhl. They scattered seven hits.Bryce Cannon's two-run home run in the top of the eighth was all the offense produced by Southeast Missouri State (36-27).

⚾ K-State heads to super regional claiming Fayetteville Regional beating Southeast Missouri St.

Oilers top Stars 2-1 for West title, will play Florida in the Stanley Cup Final

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist in the opening period to get Edmonton going, Stuart Skinner stopped 34 shots for his hometown team and the Oilers capped an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final by beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Sunday night. Zach Hyman also scored — like McDavid, on a first-period power play — and Evan Bouchard had two assists for the Oilers, who won the Western Conference final in six games and will play for the Cup for the first time since 2006. They'll be heading to Florida for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, that series set to open on Saturday night. Mason Marchment scored midway through the third period for Dallas, which wasted a 2-1 series lead.

Yuka Saso wins another US Women's Open. This one was for Japan

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — Yuka Saso is the U.S. Women's Open champion while playing under a different flag. She won in 2021 as a Filipina. Saso switched citizenship and delivered Japan its first Women's Open title. She started three shots behind and shot 68 as everyone collapsed around her at Lancaster Country Club. Saso wound up winning by three shots. The turning point came on the back nine when Saso made four birdies in a five-hole stretch to pull away. Saso has a Filipina mother and a Japanese father. She had to make her decision before turning 21.

No marathons as Swiatek and Gauff sprint into the French Open quarterfinals. Sinner and Alcaraz win

PARIS (AP) — Defending champion Iga Swiatek swept into the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in just 40 minutes with a 6-0, 6-0 win against Anastasia Potapova. U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff took only 60 minutes eliminate unseeded Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday. Swiatek's match started at around 11 a.m., just eight hours after men's defending champion Novak Djokovic finished his 4 1/2-hour marathon against Lorenzo Musetti at just after 3 a.m. in the latest finish in tournament history. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov reached the men's quarterfinals.

No one at the French Open loves it when matches go past 3 a.m. And no one can agree on a solution

PARIS (AP) — Catching the right amount of sleep is no easy task in Grand Slam tennis these days — for the athletes or those watching them compete. People in the sport tend to agree that it's hardly ideal to carry on into the wee hours of the morning. The latest example is Novak Djokovic's five-set victory at the French Open against Lorenzo Musetti. Their third-round match began after 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and didn't wrap up until after 3 a.m. on Sunday. That's not great for anyone involved. The biggest problem is that no one can get on the same page when it comes to finding a fix.

Simone Biles cruises to 9th national title and gives Olympic champ Sunisa Lee a boost along the way

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Gymnastics star Simone Biles cruised to a record ninth U.S. Championship, giving good friend Sunisa Lee a boost along the way. Lee, the 2020 Olympic champion, fell on vault early in the competition and appeared shaken. Biles, who fell on vault at the 2020 Olympics and pulled out of several events, went to Lee to lend an ear and provide a confidence boost. Lee returned and eventually finished fourth behind Biles' winning total of 172.500. Skye Blakely was second and Kayla DiCello was third. The Olympic trials are up next in Minneapolis in late June.

Caitlin Clark held to just three points as Laney-Hamilton and Jones help Liberty rout Fever 104-68

NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark had just one basket and three points in the worst game of her young pro career, and the New York Liberty routed the Indiana Fever 104-68 on Sunday night. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton scored 20 points and Jonquel Jones added 18 for the Liberty, who were nearing the end of the easy win when Clark left the game and Aliyah Boston departed a few minutes later after an awkward fall. Clark shot 1 for 10 and had five assists. The No. 1 pick in the draft played the first few minutes of the fourth quarter before exiting, holding her ear for a little bit as she left the court.

Scottish left-hander Robert MacIntyre wins RBC Canadian Open for his first PGA Tour title

HAMILTON, Ontario (AP) — Robert MacIntyre, with father Dougie at his side as his caddie, held on to win the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title. Four strokes ahead entering the final round at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, MacIntyre shot a 2-under 68 to beat playing partner Ben Griffin by a stroke. On the par-4 18th, the 27-year-old Scottish left-hander two-putted for par from 12 feet, holing out from 1 1/2 feet. MacIntyre finished at 16-under 264 for the breakthrough victory in his 45th career PGA Tour start. The former McNeese State player was a member of Europe's winning 2023 Ryder Cup team and has two European tour victories. Griffin had a 65. He parred the 18th after birdieing the previous three holes.

The Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final after losing in the title round last year

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — It's not exactly uncommon for a team that gets a championship shot and falls short one year to say that it'll be back the next. But the Florida Panthers actually delivered on that promise and that's a rarity in hockey. Florida is back in the Stanley Cup Final, becoming just the second team in the last 40 years to lose in hockey's title round one season and return the following season.

Injured Kristaps Porzingis on track for return as Celtics prepare for NBA Finals against Mavericks

BOSTON (AP) — The Celtics traded for 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis this past offseason hoping he might be the missing piece to help them hoist their 18th title. But he has been a spectator for most of Boston's run to the NBA Finals after suffering a strained right calf in Game 4 of its first-round series against Miami. His team has adjusted without him, going 9-1. The short series have given Porzingis time to recover. He recently went through light 5-on-5 workouts with his teammates for the first time since the injury, the most significant signs that he is on track for a return sometime early in the matchup against his former Dallas Mavericks team.

Germany coach blasts public broadcaster for asking if there should be more white players in his team

HERZOGENAURACH, Germany (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says he is shocked that a public broadcaster asked participants in a survey if they would prefer more white players in the national soccer team. Nagelsmann agrees with midfielder Joshua Kimmich that the survey for German state broadcaster ARD is "absolutely racist" and says it's "madness for a public broadcaster to ask such a question." The survey of 1,304 randomly selected participants found that one in five would prefer it if more players with white skin were playing for Germany. Nagelsmann says, "We're playing a European Championship for everyone in the country. And anyone who can play top football is invited to be a national player and give their all for their country."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Monday, June 3rd, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Monday, June 3rd, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Report for June 3rd, 2024:<div><iframe title="AP Sports Report for June 3rd, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=gb6yg-162ee32-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Oilers top Stars 2-1 for West title, will play Florida in the Stanley Cup FinalEDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist in the opening period to get Edmonton going, Stuart Skinner stopped 34 shots for his hometown team and the Oilers capped an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final by beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Sunday night. Zach Hyman also scored — like McDavid, on a first-period power play — and Evan Bouchard had two assists for the Oilers, who won the Western Conference final in six games and will play for the Cup for the first time since 2006. They'll be heading to Florida for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, that series set to open on Saturday night. Mason Marchment scored midway through the third period for Dallas, which wasted a 2-1 series lead.Yuka Saso wins another US Women's Open. This one was for JapanLANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — Yuka Saso is the U.S. Women's Open champion while playing under a different flag. She won in 2021 as a Filipina. Saso switched citizenship and delivered Japan its first Women's Open title. She started three shots behind and shot 68 as everyone collapsed around her at Lancaster Country Club. Saso wound up winning by three shots. The turning point came on the back nine when Saso made four birdies in a five-hole stretch to pull away. Saso has a Filipina mother and a Japanese father. She had to make her decision before turning 21.No marathons as Swiatek and Gauff sprint into the French Open quarterfinals. Sinner and Alcaraz winPARIS (AP) — Defending champion Iga Swiatek swept into the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in just 40 minutes with a 6-0, 6-0 win against Anastasia Potapova. U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff took only 60 minutes eliminate unseeded Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday. Swiatek's match started at around 11 a.m., just eight hours after men's defending champion Novak Djokovic finished his 4 1/2-hour marathon against Lorenzo Musetti at just after 3 a.m. in the latest finish in tournament history. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov reached the men's quarterfinals.No one at the French Open loves it when matches go past 3 a.m. And no one can agree on a solutionPARIS (AP) — Catching the right amount of sleep is no easy task in Grand Slam tennis these days — for the athletes or those watching them compete. People in the sport tend to agree that it's hardly ideal to carry on into the wee hours of the morning. The latest example is Novak Djokovic's five-set victory at the French Open against Lorenzo Musetti. Their third-round match began after 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and didn't wrap up until after 3 a.m. on Sunday. That's not great for anyone involved. The biggest problem is that no one can get on the same page when it comes to finding a fix.Simone Biles cruises to 9th national title and gives Olympic champ Sunisa Lee a boost along the wayFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Gymnastics star Simone Biles cruised to a record ninth U.S. Championship, giving good friend Sunisa Lee a boost along the way. Lee, the 2020 Olympic champion, fell on vault early in the competition and appeared shaken. Biles, who fell on vault at the 2020 Olympics and pulled out of several events, went to Lee to lend an ear and provide a confidence boost. Lee returned and eventually finished fourth behind Biles' winning total of 172.500. Skye Blakely was second and Kayla DiCello was third. The Olympic trials are up next in Minneapolis in late June.Caitlin Clark held to just three points as Laney-Hamilton and Jones help Liberty rout Fever 104-68NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark had just one basket and three points in the worst game of her young pro career, and the New York Liberty routed the Indiana Fever 104-68 on Sunday night. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton scored 20 points and Jonquel Jones added 18 for the Liberty, who were nearing the end of the easy win when Clark left the game and Aliyah Boston departed a few minutes later after an awkward fall. Clark shot 1 for 10 and had five assists. The No. 1 pick in the draft played the first few minutes of the fourth quarter before exiting, holding her ear for a little bit as she left the court.Scottish left-hander Robert MacIntyre wins RBC Canadian Open for his first PGA Tour titleHAMILTON, Ontario (AP) — Robert MacIntyre, with father Dougie at his side as his caddie, held on to win the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title. Four strokes ahead entering the final round at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, MacIntyre shot a 2-under 68 to beat playing partner Ben Griffin by a stroke. On the par-4 18th, the 27-year-old Scottish left-hander two-putted for par from 12 feet, holing out from 1 1/2 feet. MacIntyre finished at 16-under 264 for the breakthrough victory in his 45th career PGA Tour start. The former McNeese State player was a member of Europe's winning 2023 Ryder Cup team and has two European tour victories. Griffin had a 65. He parred the 18th after birdieing the previous three holes.The Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final after losing in the title round last yearSUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — It's not exactly uncommon for a team that gets a championship shot and falls short one year to say that it'll be back the next. But the Florida Panthers actually delivered on that promise and that's a rarity in hockey. Florida is back in the Stanley Cup Final, becoming just the second team in the last 40 years to lose in hockey's title round one season and return the following season.Injured Kristaps Porzingis on track for return as Celtics prepare for NBA Finals against MavericksBOSTON (AP) — The Celtics traded for 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis this past offseason hoping he might be the missing piece to help them hoist their 18th title. But he has been a spectator for most of Boston's run to the NBA Finals after suffering a strained right calf in Game 4 of its first-round series against Miami. His team has adjusted without him, going 9-1. The short series have given Porzingis time to recover. He recently went through light 5-on-5 workouts with his teammates for the first time since the injury, the most significant signs that he is on track for a return sometime early in the matchup against his former Dallas Mavericks team.Germany coach blasts public broadcaster for asking if there should be more white players in his teamHERZOGENAURACH, Germany (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says he is shocked that a public broadcaster asked participants in a survey if they would prefer more white players in the national soccer team. Nagelsmann agrees with midfielder Joshua Kimmich that the survey for German state broadcaster ARD is "absolutely racist" and says it's "madness for a public broadcaster to ask such a question." The survey of 1,304 randomly selected participants found that one in five would prefer it if more players with white skin were playing for Germany. Nagelsmann says, "We're playing a European Championship for everyone in the country. And anyone who can play top football is invited to be a national player and give their all for their country."AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Washington	5	Cleveland	2	Final	Atlanta	3	Oakland	1	Final	Texas	6	Miami	0	Final	Toronto	5	Pittsburgh	4	Final	Milwaukee	6	Chicago White Sox	3	Final	Kansas City	4	San Diego	3	Final	N.Y. Yankees	7	San Francisco	5	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Minnesota	4	Houston	3	Final	Tampa Bay	4	Baltimore	3	Final	Detroit	8	Boston	4	Final	Seattle	5	L.A. Angels	1	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Arizona	5	N.Y. Mets	4	Final	Cincinnati	5	Chicago Cubs	2	Final	L.A. Dodgers	4	Colorado	0	Final	St. Louis	5	Philadelphia	4	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal	Edmonton	2	Dallas	1	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Connecticut	69	Atlanta	50	Final	Phoenix	87	Los Angeles	68	Final	New York	104	Indiana	68	Final	Minnesota	87	Dallas	76	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERFinal	Charlotte FC	3	Atlanta	2	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		St. Louis	at	Houston	8:10 p.m.			San Diego	at	L-A Angels	9:38 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Baltimore	at	Toronto	7:07 p.m.			Detroit	at	Texas	8:05 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		Milwaukee	at	Philadelphia	6:40 p.m.			N-Y Mets	at	Washington	6:45 p.m.			Cincinnati	at	Colorado	8:40 p.m.			San Francisco	at	Arizona	9:40 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Monday

WICHITA, Kan.—The Wichita Wind Surge wrapped their 12-game homestand in a 6-2 defeat against the Springfield Cardinals at Riverfront Stadium. The Wind Surge finished 3-9 over the last two weeks and are 1-11 against Springfield in 2024, including 0-2 in the Turbo Tubs uniforms.

Jacob Buchberger singled home Noah Mendlinger to push Springfield ahead in the top of the second. The latter four games of this series had the Cardinals scoring first, forcing Wichita to come from behind out of the gate.

Kala’i Rosario&nbsp;tied the game at 1-1 on a solo home run over the Wind Surge bullpen to left-center field in the bottom of the fourth inning. Rosario has five home runs this season, putting him in a tie for second place on the team.

Kyler Fedko&nbsp;smacked an RBI single to left field two innings later, bringing around&nbsp;Aaron Sabato&nbsp;from second base. RJ Yeager did the same in the top of the eighth to tie the game at two apiece.

Springfield strung four more runs in the ninth inning to open the floodgates and wash out the Wind Surge on a Bryan Torres bases-clearing double and a run-scoring single from Matt Lloyd.

Miguel Rodriguez&nbsp;is now 1-4 on the season after receiving the loss after pitching the ninth inning. Four runs (three earned) came across in his appearance on four hits and a walk against two strikeouts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717412132795.jpeg" alt="Wind Surge Keep Things Close Before Cardinals Runaway Rally" />
 <figcaption>Wind Surge Keep Things Close Before Cardinals Runaway Rally</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.—The Wichita Wind Surge wrapped their 12-game homestand in a 6-2 defeat against the Springfield Cardinals at Riverfront Stadium. The Wind Surge finished 3-9 over the last two weeks and are 1-11 against Springfield in 2024, including 0-2 in the Turbo Tubs uniforms.Jacob Buchberger singled home Noah Mendlinger to push Springfield ahead in the top of the second. The latter four games of this series had the Cardinals scoring first, forcing Wichita to come from behind out of the gate.Kala’i Rosario&nbsp;tied the game at 1-1 on a solo home run over the Wind Surge bullpen to left-center field in the bottom of the fourth inning. Rosario has five home runs this season, putting him in a tie for second place on the team.Kyler Fedko&nbsp;smacked an RBI single to left field two innings later, bringing around&nbsp;Aaron Sabato&nbsp;from second base. RJ Yeager did the same in the top of the eighth to tie the game at two apiece.Springfield strung four more runs in the ninth inning to open the floodgates and wash out the Wind Surge on a Bryan Torres bases-clearing double and a run-scoring single from Matt Lloyd.Miguel Rodriguez&nbsp;is now 1-4 on the season after receiving the loss after pitching the ninth inning. Four runs (three earned) came across in his appearance on four hits and a walk against two strikeouts.

⚾ Springfield Cardinals rally to beat Wind Surge

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Loftin hit a walk-off sacrifice fly, Nelson Velázquez hit two RBIs and the Kansas City Royals defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Sunday.

Loftin's sacrifice fly came after Velázquez pinch-hit a game-tying, two-run triple with no outs in the ninth. Velázquez finished the series with four RBIs.

“It is a huge win; we had to battle all weekend against a good team,” Loftin said. “It is big to get this win before we go into a big series this week. In that last at-bat, I just wanted to get a pitch up, something I could handle. I got to pitch up, and I was able to do enough.”

The Padres won the series, but Kansas City avoided the sweep. The Royals have not been swept this season and ended a three-game skid.

Cole Ragans allowed one run on five hits in six innings with six strikeouts and two walks. It was the ninth time this season Ragans had six or more strikeouts in an outing this season. Will Klein (1-0) earned his first-career win with a scoreless ninth inning.

“It felt great. I thought I commanded my stuff today," Ragans said. “I don’t think I changed anything. Just sticking to the process and going out there and executing that is the biggest thing. In late innings, we put together good bats. These guys are relentless. It is so fun to watch and be a part of.”

Vinnie Pasquantino hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead. It was his fifth RBI of the series.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit an RBI single in the eighth to give the Padres a 2-1 lead. Manny Machado followed up with an RBI single. This season, San Diego has scored 121 runs in the eighth inning, more than any other inning. Luis Arraez tied the game with an RBI single in the fifth.

Michael King pitched seven innings of one-run ball on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. It was the fourth time this year that King had pitched seven or more innings. Reliever Enyel De Los Santos tossed a scoreless eighth. Yuki Matsui (3-1) was tabbed with the loss.

“That’s a good team, let’s not kid ourselves," San Diego manager Mike Shildt said. “They do a heck of a job, and it was a good series, and credit to them for Friday night’s comeback because they compromised their bullpen. They got us at the end today.”

The series featured the hit leaders in the National and American leagues. Arraez recorded six hits in the series, extending an eight-game hitting streak. Bobby Witt Jr. had five hits in the series. Arraez leads the majors in the category.

Royals: RHP Michael Wacha (left foot fracture) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 1. Wacha was struck by a comebacker on the fourth pitch of his start on Friday night.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/padres-royals-score-0a330acde8416b9e8accdb9c1dcb026d">He stayed in the game</a>&nbsp;and pitched 5 1/3 innings. Daniel Lynch IV was recalled from Triple-A Omaha in the corresponding move.

Royals: Kyle Isbel (nonconcussive head and neck injury) left the game in the fifth inning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/746301/video/cole-ragans-in-play-no-out-to-jose-azocar">after a collision with Witt</a>&nbsp;in centerfield. Isbel had to exit in the seventh inning on May 24 after fouling a ball off his face.

Padres:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/746301/video/cole-ragans-in-play-run-s-to-luis-arraez">Arraez exited the game</a>&nbsp;in the sixth inning after getting called out after a headfirst slide into second on an RBI single to end the inning. He was looked at by trainers in the middle of the inning but stayed in before being replaced in the next inning. After the game, Shildt said the substitution was just a precaution.

“He jammed his shoulder on that play at second base and a little bit of his neck," Shildt said. "Nothing looks overly serious, just a precaution to take him out. Things are as positive as they can be right after the game.”

The Padres will head to Anaheim for another interleague series with the Angles starting Monday. Matt Waldron (3-5, 4.26 ERA) will take the mound for San Diego. Kansas City travels to Cleveland for a three-game road trip. Seth Lugo (9-1, 1.72) will open the series for the Royals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717375115223.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a sacrifice fly hit by Vinnie Pasquantino during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a sacrifice fly hit by Vinnie Pasquantino during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>CODY FRIESEN Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Loftin hit a walk-off sacrifice fly, Nelson Velázquez hit two RBIs and the Kansas City Royals defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Sunday.Loftin's sacrifice fly came after Velázquez pinch-hit a game-tying, two-run triple with no outs in the ninth. Velázquez finished the series with four RBIs.“It is a huge win; we had to battle all weekend against a good team,” Loftin said. “It is big to get this win before we go into a big series this week. In that last at-bat, I just wanted to get a pitch up, something I could handle. I got to pitch up, and I was able to do enough.”The Padres won the series, but Kansas City avoided the sweep. The Royals have not been swept this season and ended a three-game skid.Cole Ragans allowed one run on five hits in six innings with six strikeouts and two walks. It was the ninth time this season Ragans had six or more strikeouts in an outing this season. Will Klein (1-0) earned his first-career win with a scoreless ninth inning.“It felt great. I thought I commanded my stuff today," Ragans said. “I don’t think I changed anything. Just sticking to the process and going out there and executing that is the biggest thing. In late innings, we put together good bats. These guys are relentless. It is so fun to watch and be a part of.”Vinnie Pasquantino hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead. It was his fifth RBI of the series.Fernando Tatis Jr. hit an RBI single in the eighth to give the Padres a 2-1 lead. Manny Machado followed up with an RBI single. This season, San Diego has scored 121 runs in the eighth inning, more than any other inning. Luis Arraez tied the game with an RBI single in the fifth.Michael King pitched seven innings of one-run ball on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. It was the fourth time this year that King had pitched seven or more innings. Reliever Enyel De Los Santos tossed a scoreless eighth. Yuki Matsui (3-1) was tabbed with the loss.“That’s a good team, let’s not kid ourselves," San Diego manager Mike Shildt said. “They do a heck of a job, and it was a good series, and credit to them for Friday night’s comeback because they compromised their bullpen. They got us at the end today.”HITS, HITS, HITSThe series featured the hit leaders in the National and American leagues. Arraez recorded six hits in the series, extending an eight-game hitting streak. Bobby Witt Jr. had five hits in the series. Arraez leads the majors in the category.ROSTER MOVESRoyals: RHP Michael Wacha (left foot fracture) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 1. Wacha was struck by a comebacker on the fourth pitch of his start on Friday night.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/padres-royals-score-0a330acde8416b9e8accdb9c1dcb026d">He stayed in the game</a>&nbsp;and pitched 5 1/3 innings. Daniel Lynch IV was recalled from Triple-A Omaha in the corresponding move.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: Kyle Isbel (nonconcussive head and neck injury) left the game in the fifth inning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/746301/video/cole-ragans-in-play-no-out-to-jose-azocar">after a collision with Witt</a>&nbsp;in centerfield. Isbel had to exit in the seventh inning on May 24 after fouling a ball off his face.Padres:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/746301/video/cole-ragans-in-play-run-s-to-luis-arraez">Arraez exited the game</a>&nbsp;in the sixth inning after getting called out after a headfirst slide into second on an RBI single to end the inning. He was looked at by trainers in the middle of the inning but stayed in before being replaced in the next inning. After the game, Shildt said the substitution was just a precaution.“He jammed his shoulder on that play at second base and a little bit of his neck," Shildt said. "Nothing looks overly serious, just a precaution to take him out. Things are as positive as they can be right after the game.”UP NEXTThe Padres will head to Anaheim for another interleague series with the Angles starting Monday. Matt Waldron (3-5, 4.26 ERA) will take the mound for San Diego. Kansas City travels to Cleveland for a three-game road trip. Seth Lugo (9-1, 1.72) will open the series for the Royals.

⚾ Nick Loftin lifts Royals over Padres

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that infielder Bobby Witt Jr. and right-handed pitcher Seth Lugo have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for May.  

The awards are determined by a local media vote.

Witt Jr. ranked among Major League leaders in several offensive categories last month, including 2nd in runs scored (26), 3rd in RBI (25), tied for 5th in hits (35) and 6th in total bases (61). He matched Michael Massey for the team lead with 5 home runs and batted .315 (35-for-111) with multiple hits in 13 of his 28 games, as he currently leads the Majors with 25 multi-hit games this season. He put together a season-best 10-game hit streak from May 17-27, and on May 28, Major League Baseball announced that Witt Jr. was named American League Player of the Week for May 20-26, his first career weekly honor. He was the first Royal to win the award since Vinnie Pasquantino earned the honors for the week of Aug. 8-14, 2022, and he became the fourth Royals shortstop to ever win the award. Over that week, he landed among AL leaders in home runs (4, T-2nd), extra-base hits (6, T-2nd), hits (10, T-4th), slugging pct. (.923, T-4th) and OPS (1.356, 6th). He had a career day on May 21 vs. Detroit, becoming the third player in Royals history with a 2-homer, 6-RBI, 1-steal game, following Bo Jackson on April 14, 1987 and Carlos Beltrán on May 21, 2003. That also made him the third shortstop in Major League history with such a game, following Cal Ripken Jr. on Sept. 2, 1985 and Barry Larkin on June 28, 1991. This marks Witt Jr.’s fifth career monthly honor and first since winning the award in three consecutive months from last June through August. His five awards in three seasons are already tied for the 8th most by a Royals position player since the title was established in 1995.

Lugo went a perfect 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA (8 ER in 40.1 IP) over his 6 starts in the month of May. His 40.1 innings pitched led the Majors, while his 5 wins trailed only Luis Gil (6) for the Major League lead and his 1.79 ERA ranked 4th (min. 30.0 IP). Opponents batted just .188 (28-for-149) off him, which marked the 8th-lowest opponents’ average by any pitcher in the Majors. Lugo also recorded 43 strikeouts spanning his 6 starts—which was in stark contrast to his 23 strikeouts over 6 starts in March/April—and he trailed only Dylan Cease (47), Chris Sale (45) and Gil (44) for the most in the Majors. He limited opponents to just 2 runs or fewer in 5 of his 6 starts, and covered at least 6.0 innings in each of his outings. On May 12 vs. the Angels in Anaheim, he yielded just 1 run in 8.0 innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts and no walks, becoming the second Royal to ever toss at least 8.0 innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks, following Zack Greinke on June 13, 2010. 

In 12 overall starts this season, he’s tied for the Majors lead with 9 wins and 10 quality starts, and ranks 2nd in the Majors with a 1.72 ERA and 78.1 innings pitched. Lugo is one of just four pitchers in Royals history to win at least 9 of his 1st 12 starts in a season, and he’s the first to turn the trick since Royals Hall of Famer Kevin Appier went 9-2 through 12 starts in 1995. He’s the only pitcher in Royals history to win 9 of his 1st 12 starts with the franchise, besting the previous mark of 8 wins, which was done twice. The nine-year veteran has earned Royals Pitcher of the Month honors in back-to-back months to begin the season, after signing a two-year free agent contract with Kansas City last Dec. 14.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717239729221.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that infielder Bobby Witt Jr. and right-handed pitcher Seth Lugo have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for May. The awards are determined by a local media vote.Witt Jr. ranked among Major League leaders in several offensive categories last month, including 2nd in runs scored (26), 3rd in RBI (25), tied for 5th in hits (35) and 6th in total bases (61). He matched Michael Massey for the team lead with 5 home runs and batted .315 (35-for-111) with multiple hits in 13 of his 28 games, as he currently leads the Majors with 25 multi-hit games this season. He put together a season-best 10-game hit streak from May 17-27, and on May 28, Major League Baseball announced that Witt Jr. was named American League Player of the Week for May 20-26, his first career weekly honor. He was the first Royal to win the award since Vinnie Pasquantino earned the honors for the week of Aug. 8-14, 2022, and he became the fourth Royals shortstop to ever win the award. Over that week, he landed among AL leaders in home runs (4, T-2nd), extra-base hits (6, T-2nd), hits (10, T-4th), slugging pct. (.923, T-4th) and OPS (1.356, 6th). He had a career day on May 21 vs. Detroit, becoming the third player in Royals history with a 2-homer, 6-RBI, 1-steal game, following Bo Jackson on April 14, 1987 and Carlos Beltrán on May 21, 2003. That also made him the third shortstop in Major League history with such a game, following Cal Ripken Jr. on Sept. 2, 1985 and Barry Larkin on June 28, 1991. This marks Witt Jr.’s fifth career monthly honor and first since winning the award in three consecutive months from last June through August. His five awards in three seasons are already tied for the 8th most by a Royals position player since the title was established in 1995.Lugo went a perfect 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA (8 ER in 40.1 IP) over his 6 starts in the month of May. His 40.1 innings pitched led the Majors, while his 5 wins trailed only Luis Gil (6) for the Major League lead and his 1.79 ERA ranked 4th (min. 30.0 IP). Opponents batted just .188 (28-for-149) off him, which marked the 8th-lowest opponents’ average by any pitcher in the Majors. Lugo also recorded 43 strikeouts spanning his 6 starts—which was in stark contrast to his 23 strikeouts over 6 starts in March/April—and he trailed only Dylan Cease (47), Chris Sale (45) and Gil (44) for the most in the Majors. He limited opponents to just 2 runs or fewer in 5 of his 6 starts, and covered at least 6.0 innings in each of his outings. On May 12 vs. the Angels in Anaheim, he yielded just 1 run in 8.0 innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts and no walks, becoming the second Royal to ever toss at least 8.0 innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks, following Zack Greinke on June 13, 2010. In 12 overall starts this season, he’s tied for the Majors lead with 9 wins and 10 quality starts, and ranks 2nd in the Majors with a 1.72 ERA and 78.1 innings pitched. Lugo is one of just four pitchers in Royals history to win at least 9 of his 1st 12 starts in a season, and he’s the first to turn the trick since Royals Hall of Famer Kevin Appier went 9-2 through 12 starts in 1995. He’s the only pitcher in Royals history to win 9 of his 1st 12 starts with the franchise, besting the previous mark of 8 wins, which was done twice. The nine-year veteran has earned Royals Pitcher of the Month honors in back-to-back months to begin the season, after signing a two-year free agent contract with Kansas City last Dec. 14.

⚾ Witt Jr., Lugo are monthly award winners

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp; FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In front of a crowd of over 11,000 fans, K-State fended off the fifth-ranked and top-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday night, as the Wildcats won 7-6 in the winner's bracket to advance to the 2024 NCAA Fayetteville Regional final at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Trailing 2-0, the Wildcats (34-24) evened the score before taking a one-run lead with a sacrifice bunt from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/jaden-parsons/11530">Jaden Parsons</a>&nbsp;until&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/kaelen-culpepper/11460">Kaelen Culpepper</a>&nbsp;delivered a three-run homer to dead center to cap a six-run fifth inning off of All-American and Team USA pitcher Hagen Smith, who is second in the nation in total strikeouts (161). True freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/nick-english/11522">Nick English</a>&nbsp;scored the game-deciding run in the eighth with his third blast of the season. “What an unbelievable environment just to be a part of it, I know it's difficult for the opponent to come in here and play, that's for sure," head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/pete-hughes/2461">Pete Hughes</a>&nbsp;said following the Cats' first Top 5 win since 2021. "I can't imagine there's a better atmosphere in college baseball and it's been like that for a long time around here.”

"Throw in the fact that one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball today was pitching against us, in a rabid atmosphere, rabid environment. You just kind of pick your spots, if you even get one versus [Smith] then hopefully you execute. We had some of things go our way, but we took advantage of the big inning and the only opportunity we had to score against him. Fortunate to have kids execute and slow down the moment on the big stage," Hughes added. Smith, the Arkansas single-season strikeouts leader, received just his second loss of the season after surrendering a season-high six runs (six earned) on four hits (9-2). The left-hander punched out seven batters in the nightcap before he was relieved in the sixth. Prior to Saturday's contest, Smith had only allowed 13 earned runs over 79 innings. <a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/jackson-wentworth/11477">Jackson Wentworth</a>&nbsp;earned his fifth win of the season, after holding the Razorbacks to two earned runs on seven hits in his 5 2/3 innings of work (5-5). With three strikeouts in the victory, the right-hander now totals 110 strikeouts on the year, which is eight shy of matching current Major Leaguer's Jordan Wicks' single-season record. "We asked some of our athletes to get out of their comfort zone a little bit like asking [<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyson-neighbors/11470">Tyson Neighbors</a>] to get 10 outs for us. It's that time of year when people go above and beyond, and you get to see what kind of competitors you have and know that you have in your dugout."

Neighbors was credited with his ninth save of the season – 20th of his career – after logging 3 1/3 innings in relief of Wentworth. The Royse City, Texas product surrendered four runs (four earned) on six hits with five strikeouts. "I just love seeing them have success because they've paid the price for the moment they had tonight, and they know that it's not over. We're still greedy. We have a lot of work to do, but they should enjoy the moment for the time being."

K-State the No. 3 seed in the regional, advanced to the regional championship round for the third time in program history and will face the winner of Sunday's afternoon contest between Arkansas (44-15) and No. 4 seed SEMO (35-26) at 6 p.m. Louisiana Tech (45-19) was eliminated from the tournament. THE RUNDOWN Neither team allowed a runner to reach scoring position until Arkansas' Wehiwa Aloy and Kendall Diggs each singled into center in the fourth but were left stranded with a popup to first that ended the threat. In the home half of the inning, Day broke up Smith's no-hit bid with a single into the center. After four scoreless innings, the Razorbacks capitalized on a wild pitch and throwing error to plate the opening run. A single out to center helped Arkansas to a 2-0 lead in the next at-bat. Smith issued back-to-back walks to put the Cats' first runner in scoring position and build momentum in the Wildcats dugout leading to a six-run fifth inning.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/raphael-pelletier/11471">Raphael Pelletier's</a>&nbsp;sacrifice bunt moved runners to first and third before&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/chuck-ingram/11526">Chuck Ingram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/brendan-jones/11466">Brendan Jones</a>&nbsp;strung together a pair of hits to even the score. K-State took the lead in the next at-bat, as Parsons laid down the squeeze bunt to bring home Ingram, who slid past the tag at home. With runners on first and second, Culpepper blasted his second home run of the day 365-feet out to dead center to expand the Cats' lead, 6-2. Neighbors relieved Wentworth in the sixth and inherited runners on first and second. The junior righty forced a grounder to short to preserve the lead. Arkansas scored runs in the seventh and eighth to bring the game back within two, until English launched a one-out, solo homer into the left field bullpen for the insurance run. A two-run homer for left fielder Peyton Holt made it a one-run ball game, but Neighbors locked in a struck out two to hold off the Razorbacks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717330018738.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp; FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In front of a crowd of over 11,000 fans, K-State fended off the fifth-ranked and top-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday night, as the Wildcats won 7-6 in the winner's bracket to advance to the 2024 NCAA Fayetteville Regional final at Baum-Walker Stadium. Trailing 2-0, the Wildcats (34-24) evened the score before taking a one-run lead with a sacrifice bunt from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/jaden-parsons/11530">Jaden Parsons</a>&nbsp;until&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/kaelen-culpepper/11460">Kaelen Culpepper</a>&nbsp;delivered a three-run homer to dead center to cap a six-run fifth inning off of All-American and Team USA pitcher Hagen Smith, who is second in the nation in total strikeouts (161). True freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/nick-english/11522">Nick English</a>&nbsp;scored the game-deciding run in the eighth with his third blast of the season. “What an unbelievable environment just to be a part of it, I know it's difficult for the opponent to come in here and play, that's for sure," head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/pete-hughes/2461">Pete Hughes</a>&nbsp;said following the Cats' first Top 5 win since 2021. "I can't imagine there's a better atmosphere in college baseball and it's been like that for a long time around here.”"Throw in the fact that one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball today was pitching against us, in a rabid atmosphere, rabid environment. You just kind of pick your spots, if you even get one versus [Smith] then hopefully you execute. We had some of things go our way, but we took advantage of the big inning and the only opportunity we had to score against him. Fortunate to have kids execute and slow down the moment on the big stage," Hughes added. Smith, the Arkansas single-season strikeouts leader, received just his second loss of the season after surrendering a season-high six runs (six earned) on four hits (9-2). The left-hander punched out seven batters in the nightcap before he was relieved in the sixth. Prior to Saturday's contest, Smith had only allowed 13 earned runs over 79 innings. <a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/jackson-wentworth/11477">Jackson Wentworth</a>&nbsp;earned his fifth win of the season, after holding the Razorbacks to two earned runs on seven hits in his 5 2/3 innings of work (5-5). With three strikeouts in the victory, the right-hander now totals 110 strikeouts on the year, which is eight shy of matching current Major Leaguer's Jordan Wicks' single-season record. "We asked some of our athletes to get out of their comfort zone a little bit like asking [<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/tyson-neighbors/11470">Tyson Neighbors</a>] to get 10 outs for us. It's that time of year when people go above and beyond, and you get to see what kind of competitors you have and know that you have in your dugout."Neighbors was credited with his ninth save of the season – 20th of his career – after logging 3 1/3 innings in relief of Wentworth. The Royse City, Texas product surrendered four runs (four earned) on six hits with five strikeouts. "I just love seeing them have success because they've paid the price for the moment they had tonight, and they know that it's not over. We're still greedy. We have a lot of work to do, but they should enjoy the moment for the time being."K-State the No. 3 seed in the regional, advanced to the regional championship round for the third time in program history and will face the winner of Sunday's afternoon contest between Arkansas (44-15) and No. 4 seed SEMO (35-26) at 6 p.m. Louisiana Tech (45-19) was eliminated from the tournament. THE RUNDOWN Neither team allowed a runner to reach scoring position until Arkansas' Wehiwa Aloy and Kendall Diggs each singled into center in the fourth but were left stranded with a popup to first that ended the threat. In the home half of the inning, Day broke up Smith's no-hit bid with a single into the center. After four scoreless innings, the Razorbacks capitalized on a wild pitch and throwing error to plate the opening run. A single out to center helped Arkansas to a 2-0 lead in the next at-bat. Smith issued back-to-back walks to put the Cats' first runner in scoring position and build momentum in the Wildcats dugout leading to a six-run fifth inning.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/raphael-pelletier/11471">Raphael Pelletier's</a>&nbsp;sacrifice bunt moved runners to first and third before&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/chuck-ingram/11526">Chuck Ingram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/brendan-jones/11466">Brendan Jones</a>&nbsp;strung together a pair of hits to even the score. K-State took the lead in the next at-bat, as Parsons laid down the squeeze bunt to bring home Ingram, who slid past the tag at home. With runners on first and second, Culpepper blasted his second home run of the day 365-feet out to dead center to expand the Cats' lead, 6-2. Neighbors relieved Wentworth in the sixth and inherited runners on first and second. The junior righty forced a grounder to short to preserve the lead. Arkansas scored runs in the seventh and eighth to bring the game back within two, until English launched a one-out, solo homer into the left field bullpen for the insurance run. A two-run homer for left fielder Peyton Holt made it a one-run ball game, but Neighbors locked in a struck out two to hold off the Razorbacks.

⚾️ Cats hold off rally, advance to regional final 

HAYSVILLE, Kan. &nbsp;— The Hutchinson Monarchs opened the 2024 season dropping a pair of games to the Haysville Aviators Saturday, &nbsp;4-2, and 7-6.&nbsp;

Haysville held the Monarchs to only 2 unearned runs on 2 hits in the opener which was the postponed game from Friday night.

Hutch jumped on top in the nightcap scoring 3 runs to open the first inning, but the Aviators took control of the game in the bottom half of the 3rd inning 7-5.

The Monarchs were able to score a run in the 5th but fell short losing to the Aviators 7-6.

Haysville pounded out 9 hits while the Monarchs had 5 hits for the night.

Hutchinson (0-2) returns home to Hobart-Detter for their home opener on Monday Night, June 3rd at 7pm.

Catch all the home games for the 2024 season on hutchpost.com.

You can also go to the Monarchs home video stream site at www.monarchslive.tv sponsored by Midway Motors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650647647161.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>HAYSVILLE, Kan. &nbsp;— The Hutchinson Monarchs opened the 2024 season dropping a pair of games to the Haysville Aviators Saturday, &nbsp;4-2, and 7-6.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717322575991.png" alt="Game 1 Aviators vs Monarchs - June 1st, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Game 1 Aviators vs Monarchs - June 1st, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>Haysville held the Monarchs to only 2 unearned runs on 2 hits in the opener which was the postponed game from Friday night.Hutch jumped on top in the nightcap scoring 3 runs to open the first inning, but the Aviators took control of the game in the bottom half of the 3rd inning 7-5.The Monarchs were able to score a run in the 5th but fell short losing to the Aviators 7-6.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717322626420.png" alt="Game 2 Aviators vs Monarchs - June 2nd, 2024&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Game 2 Aviators vs Monarchs - June 2nd, 2024&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Haysville pounded out 9 hits while the Monarchs had 5 hits for the night.Hutchinson (0-2) returns home to Hobart-Detter for their home opener on Monday Night, June 3rd at 7pm.Catch all the home games for the 2024 season on hutchpost.com.You can also go to the Monarchs home video stream site at www.monarchslive.tv sponsored by Midway Motors.

⚾ Haysville top Monarchs in season opener double-header

Champions League final: Real Madrid seals 15th European Cup after 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund

LONDON (AP) — Vinicius Junior has sealed a record-extending 15th European Cup for Real Madrid after a 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the final in London. The Brazil forward doubled Madrid's lead in the 83rd minute at Wembley Stadium after Dani Carvajal headed the Spanish giant in front nine minutes earlier. Victory sealed a record-extending fifth Champions League title for coach Carlo Ancelotti. It was his third with Madrid. Dortmund paid the price for not making the most of its first half dominance when Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois pulled off a series of saves and Niclas Fullkrug hit the post.

Panthers going back to Stanley Cup Final, top Rangers 2-1 to win East title in 6 games

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots, Sam Bennett and Vladimir Tarasenko scored, and the Florida Panthers are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive year after beating the New York Rangers 2-1 on Saturday night. The Panthers — who lost the final to Vegas last year — won the Eastern Conference Final in six games. Florida will face either Edmonton or Dallas for the Cup, the title series set to start on June 8. Artemi Panarin scored with 1:40 left and Igor Shesterkin stopped 32 shots for the Rangers, who had a 2-1 lead in the series — then lost three straight, costing them their season.

Novak Djokovic keeps his French Open title defense going by getting past Lorenzo Musetti in 5 sets

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic's French Open title defense and his hold on No. 1 in the rankings are still alive thanks to a 7-5, 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over 22-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti in a third-round match. It is Djokovic's 369th win at a Grand Slam tournament. That ties Roger Federer for the most in tennis history. Djokovic and Musetti did not step on court until 10:30 p.m. Saturday and did not finish until Sunday after 3 a.m. It is the latest finish in tournament history. Djokovic earned the right to continue his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title and fourth at Roland Garros.

Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever edge Angel Reese and Chicago Sky for first home win, 71-70

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell scored 18 points, NaLyssa Smith added 17 and Caitlin Clark had 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists to help the Indiana Fever win their first home game of the season, 71-70, over the Chicago Sky. Indiana snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 1-4 at home. The Fever closed it out with Erica Wheeler running down the final 6.6 seconds on the clock before passing to Clark, who tossed the ball high into the air. Marina Mabrey had a chance to force overtime but missed the first of two free throws. Chicago never got the ball back and finished the game on a 12-3 run. Chennedy Carter had 19 points and six assists to lead the Sky.

Minjee Lee with 66 forges a 3-way tie in the US Women's Open

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — There's a three-way tie for the lead going into the final round of the U.S. Women's Open. Two-time major champion Minjee Lee had a 66 at Lancaster Country Club and was the first to reach 5-udner 205. She was joined by Andrea Lee and 31-year-old Thai player Wichanee Meechai. Only two other players are under par. Former Women's British Open champion Hinako Shibuno also had a 66 and is two shots behind. Yuka Saso is another major champion. She dropped a few shots coming in for a 69 and was three shots back. At stake is a $2.4 million payoff.

Paris is aiming for the most sustainable Olympics yet. Organizers acknowledge the plan isn't perfect

PARIS (AP) — Organizers of the Paris Olympics have set ambitious goals for environmental sustainability. They aim to reduce the Olympics' overall carbon footprint by half compared with the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games. Organizers say they'll slash carbon emissions by building as little as possible, instead using existing or temporary venues for most sports. They're favoring local and meat-free foods. And they're using 100% renewable energy. They say they took sustainability into account early in their planning. Some experts say they're planning well, as businesses would for emissions. But the plans also face questions about some carbon-intensive sponsors and doubts about their long-term future in a warming world facing a growing climate crisis.

As Mets retire his No. 18, Strawberry tells fans 'I'm so sorry for ever leaving'

NEW YORK (AP) — Darryl Strawberry told New York Mets fans it was a mistake to leave for the Los Angeles Dodgers 34 years ago. Strawberry spoke for 16 minutes as his No. 18 was retired before a game against Arizona. He says: "I'm truly, deeply sorry that I ever left you guys. I never played baseball in front of fans greater than you guys." The eight-time All-Star had a heart attack on March 11, a day before his 62nd birthday, and said a full recovery will take about a year.

Sabalenka and Rybakina reach French Open fourth round while Medvedev and Zverev also advance

PARIS (AP) — Grand Slam winners Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka have reached the fourth round of the French Open in straight sets. Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina beat Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-4, 6-2. Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka followed her on Court Philippe Chatrier and won against her best friend on tour, Paula Badosa. After trailing 5-3 in the first set Sabalenka won eight straight games to take complete control. In men's third-round play, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and Felix Auger-Aliassime all advanced. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic was in action later.

On a wing and a prayer, a pigeon is rescued by a French Open chair umpire during a match

PARIS (AP) — A pigeon landed on the court during a French Open match, leading the chair umpire to use a towel to rescue the fallen fowl. The pigeon dropped to the red clay at Court Suzanne Lenglen and remained there during a changeover in the fourth set of 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev's third-round victory over Tomas Machac on Saturday. Chair umpire Damien Dumusois climbed down from his perch and grabbed a white towel. He approached the bird, which appeared injured and tried hopping away. Dumusois gave chase and eventually used the towel to grab the pigeon with both hands, earning cheers from spectators.

Kyrie Irving said late in the season that the Mavs were just getting started. He was right

Kyrie Irving was not making a threat, nor was he boasting, nor was he saying anything that would be considered outlandish. It was the final week of the regular season. He and the Dallas Mavericks had just clinched a division title and Irving was asked to talk about what that means. He didn't look back. He looked ahead and said the Mavs were just getting started. Turns out, he was right. The Mavericks spent most of February and March looking destined for the play-in tournament. But they figured things out just in time, and a trip to the NBA Finals is their reward.

Final	Minnesota	3	Sporting Kansas City	1	

		N-Y Yankees	at	San Francisco	4:05 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Sunday, June 2nd, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Sunday, June 2nd, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Report for June 2nd, 2024:<div><iframe title="AP Sports Report for June 2nd, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=csbvq-162cc08-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Champions League final: Real Madrid seals 15th European Cup after 2-0 win over Borussia DortmundLONDON (AP) — Vinicius Junior has sealed a record-extending 15th European Cup for Real Madrid after a 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the final in London. The Brazil forward doubled Madrid's lead in the 83rd minute at Wembley Stadium after Dani Carvajal headed the Spanish giant in front nine minutes earlier. Victory sealed a record-extending fifth Champions League title for coach Carlo Ancelotti. It was his third with Madrid. Dortmund paid the price for not making the most of its first half dominance when Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois pulled off a series of saves and Niclas Fullkrug hit the post.Panthers going back to Stanley Cup Final, top Rangers 2-1 to win East title in 6 gamesSUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots, Sam Bennett and Vladimir Tarasenko scored, and the Florida Panthers are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive year after beating the New York Rangers 2-1 on Saturday night. The Panthers — who lost the final to Vegas last year — won the Eastern Conference Final in six games. Florida will face either Edmonton or Dallas for the Cup, the title series set to start on June 8. Artemi Panarin scored with 1:40 left and Igor Shesterkin stopped 32 shots for the Rangers, who had a 2-1 lead in the series — then lost three straight, costing them their season.Novak Djokovic keeps his French Open title defense going by getting past Lorenzo Musetti in 5 setsPARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic's French Open title defense and his hold on No. 1 in the rankings are still alive thanks to a 7-5, 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over 22-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti in a third-round match. It is Djokovic's 369th win at a Grand Slam tournament. That ties Roger Federer for the most in tennis history. Djokovic and Musetti did not step on court until 10:30 p.m. Saturday and did not finish until Sunday after 3 a.m. It is the latest finish in tournament history. Djokovic earned the right to continue his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title and fourth at Roland Garros.Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever edge Angel Reese and Chicago Sky for first home win, 71-70INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell scored 18 points, NaLyssa Smith added 17 and Caitlin Clark had 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists to help the Indiana Fever win their first home game of the season, 71-70, over the Chicago Sky. Indiana snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 1-4 at home. The Fever closed it out with Erica Wheeler running down the final 6.6 seconds on the clock before passing to Clark, who tossed the ball high into the air. Marina Mabrey had a chance to force overtime but missed the first of two free throws. Chicago never got the ball back and finished the game on a 12-3 run. Chennedy Carter had 19 points and six assists to lead the Sky.Minjee Lee with 66 forges a 3-way tie in the US Women's OpenLANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — There's a three-way tie for the lead going into the final round of the U.S. Women's Open. Two-time major champion Minjee Lee had a 66 at Lancaster Country Club and was the first to reach 5-udner 205. She was joined by Andrea Lee and 31-year-old Thai player Wichanee Meechai. Only two other players are under par. Former Women's British Open champion Hinako Shibuno also had a 66 and is two shots behind. Yuka Saso is another major champion. She dropped a few shots coming in for a 69 and was three shots back. At stake is a $2.4 million payoff.Paris is aiming for the most sustainable Olympics yet. Organizers acknowledge the plan isn't perfectPARIS (AP) — Organizers of the Paris Olympics have set ambitious goals for environmental sustainability. They aim to reduce the Olympics' overall carbon footprint by half compared with the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games. Organizers say they'll slash carbon emissions by building as little as possible, instead using existing or temporary venues for most sports. They're favoring local and meat-free foods. And they're using 100% renewable energy. They say they took sustainability into account early in their planning. Some experts say they're planning well, as businesses would for emissions. But the plans also face questions about some carbon-intensive sponsors and doubts about their long-term future in a warming world facing a growing climate crisis.As Mets retire his No. 18, Strawberry tells fans 'I'm so sorry for ever leaving'NEW YORK (AP) — Darryl Strawberry told New York Mets fans it was a mistake to leave for the Los Angeles Dodgers 34 years ago. Strawberry spoke for 16 minutes as his No. 18 was retired before a game against Arizona. He says: "I'm truly, deeply sorry that I ever left you guys. I never played baseball in front of fans greater than you guys." The eight-time All-Star had a heart attack on March 11, a day before his 62nd birthday, and said a full recovery will take about a year.Sabalenka and Rybakina reach French Open fourth round while Medvedev and Zverev also advancePARIS (AP) — Grand Slam winners Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka have reached the fourth round of the French Open in straight sets. Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina beat Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-4, 6-2. Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka followed her on Court Philippe Chatrier and won against her best friend on tour, Paula Badosa. After trailing 5-3 in the first set Sabalenka won eight straight games to take complete control. In men's third-round play, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and Felix Auger-Aliassime all advanced. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic was in action later.On a wing and a prayer, a pigeon is rescued by a French Open chair umpire during a matchPARIS (AP) — A pigeon landed on the court during a French Open match, leading the chair umpire to use a towel to rescue the fallen fowl. The pigeon dropped to the red clay at Court Suzanne Lenglen and remained there during a changeover in the fourth set of 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev's third-round victory over Tomas Machac on Saturday. Chair umpire Damien Dumusois climbed down from his perch and grabbed a white towel. He approached the bird, which appeared injured and tried hopping away. Dumusois gave chase and eventually used the towel to grab the pigeon with both hands, earning cheers from spectators.Kyrie Irving said late in the season that the Mavs were just getting started. He was rightKyrie Irving was not making a threat, nor was he boasting, nor was he saying anything that would be considered outlandish. It was the final week of the regular season. He and the Dallas Mavericks had just clinched a division title and Irving was asked to talk about what that means. He didn't look back. He looked ahead and said the Mavs were just getting started. Turns out, he was right. The Mavericks spent most of February and March looking destined for the play-in tournament. But they figured things out just in time, and a trip to the NBA Finals is their reward.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Pittsburgh	8	Toronto	1	Final	Cleveland	3	Washington	2	Final	San Diego	7	Kansas City	3	Final	Texas	7	Miami	0	Final	Milwaukee	4	Chicago White Sox	3	Final	Oakland	11	Atlanta	9	Final	N.Y. Yankees	7	San Francisco	3	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Houston	5	Minnesota	2	Final	Boston	6	Detroit	3	Final	Baltimore	9	Tampa Bay	5	Final	Seattle	9	L.A. Angels	0	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Arizona	10	N.Y. Mets	5	Final	Philadelphia	6	St. Louis	1	Final	Chicago Cubs	7	Cincinnati	5	Final	L.A. Dodgers	4	Colorado	1	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal	Florida	2	N-Y Rangers	1	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Indiana	71	Chicago	70	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERFinal	Seattle	0	Columbus	0	Final tie	Toronto FC	2	D.C. United	2	Final tie	St Louis City	3	Miami	3	Final	New York	1	Orlando City	0	Final tie	CF Montréal	2	Philadelphia	2	Final	Chicago	2	LA Galaxy	1	Final	Minnesota	3	Sporting Kansas City	1	Final	New England	2	Nashville	1	Final	Real Salt Lake	5	Austin FC	1	Final	Vancouver	2	Colorado	1	Final	Los Angeles FC	1	FC Dallas	0	Final tie	Houston	2	Portland	2	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		Oakland	at	Atlanta	1:35 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	Toronto	1:37 p.m.			Texas	at	Miami	1:40 p.m.			Washington	at	Cleveland	1:40 p.m.			Chi White Sox	at	Milwaukee	2:10 p.m.			San Diego	at	Kansas City	2:10 p.m.			N-Y Yankees	at	San Francisco	4:05 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Minnesota	at	Houston	1:05 p.m.			Detroit	at	Boston	1:35 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	Baltimore	1:35 p.m.			L-A Angels	at	Seattle	4:10 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		Arizona	at	N-Y Mets	1:40 p.m.			Cincinnati	at	Chi Cubs	2:20 p.m.			Colorado	at	L-A Dodgers	4:10 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Philadelphia	7:10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS		Dallas	at	Edmonton	8 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Connecticut	at	Atlanta	3 p.m.			Los Angeles	at	Phoenix	6 p.m.			Dallas	at	Minnesota	7 p.m.			Indiana	at	New York	7 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER		Charlotte FC	at	Atlanta	4:45 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Sunday

WICHITA, Kan.—The Wichita Wind Surge were outmatched 8-2 by the Springfield Cardinals on the first Turbo Tubs night of the season. Wichita drops to 1-10 against the Cardinals in 2024 and officially loses the series with this loss.

Both teams traded RBI singles in their respective halves of the second inning. Jimmy Crooks found center for the Cardinals while&nbsp;Aaron Sabato&nbsp;slugged one through the five-six hole to left to score Tanner Schobel.

Three more runs came on a Wind Surge infield error and back-to-back Springfield doubles from Matt Lloyd and Crooks in the top half of the third inning. Three innings later, two more run-scoring knocks courtesy of RJ Yeager and Noah Mendlinger would give the Cardinals five unanswered runs heading into the seventh-inning stretch.

Sabato still had contact on his mind and laced a solo home run to the berm in left field in the bottom of the seventh. The round-tripper is Sabato’s second of the season here in Wichita, both coming at Riverfront Stadium.

Yeager smacked a sacrifice fly to Tanner Schobel in the top of the eighth inning. Chandler Redmond followed with a run-scoring single to center and capped off a 13-hit night for the Cardinals. After&nbsp;Noah Cardenas&nbsp;reached on a walk, the next two Wichita batters were retired to end the night.

Pierson Ohl&nbsp;fell to 3-3 on the season after the loss, giving up six earned runs on nine hits and a walk against one strikeout over six innings. The earned runs and the hits are the most he’s given up this season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717318423326.jpeg" alt="Wichita Outshined By Cardinals Offense On Turbo Tubs Night" />
 <figcaption>Wichita Outshined By Cardinals Offense On Turbo Tubs Night</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.—The Wichita Wind Surge were outmatched 8-2 by the Springfield Cardinals on the first Turbo Tubs night of the season. Wichita drops to 1-10 against the Cardinals in 2024 and officially loses the series with this loss.Both teams traded RBI singles in their respective halves of the second inning. Jimmy Crooks found center for the Cardinals while&nbsp;Aaron Sabato&nbsp;slugged one through the five-six hole to left to score Tanner Schobel.Three more runs came on a Wind Surge infield error and back-to-back Springfield doubles from Matt Lloyd and Crooks in the top half of the third inning. Three innings later, two more run-scoring knocks courtesy of RJ Yeager and Noah Mendlinger would give the Cardinals five unanswered runs heading into the seventh-inning stretch.Sabato still had contact on his mind and laced a solo home run to the berm in left field in the bottom of the seventh. The round-tripper is Sabato’s second of the season here in Wichita, both coming at Riverfront Stadium.Yeager smacked a sacrifice fly to Tanner Schobel in the top of the eighth inning. Chandler Redmond followed with a run-scoring single to center and capped off a 13-hit night for the Cardinals. After&nbsp;Noah Cardenas&nbsp;reached on a walk, the next two Wichita batters were retired to end the night.Pierson Ohl&nbsp;fell to 3-3 on the season after the loss, giving up six earned runs on nine hits and a walk against one strikeout over six innings. The earned runs and the hits are the most he’s given up this season.

⚾ Wichita Wind Surge outmatched by Springfield

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ha-Seong Kim hit a go-ahead three-run double, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Kyle Higashioka homered and the San Diego Padres beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Saturday.

Randy Vásquez (1-3) started after Joe Musgrove was scratched hours before the first pitch with right elbow inflammation and went five innings, allowing three runs and four hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

“I'm very happy and grateful to the organization that I get this opportunity to help out,” said Vásquez, who was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to make the start. “Everything worked out good for us. I do feel a lot more in the loop with my arsenal and grateful for these good results.”

With the Padres trailing 3-2 in the fourth inning, Kim cleared cleared the bases with a double to left field off Royals starter Alec Marsh (4-3).

“It's true that I didn't have the greatest start that I liked, but I felt like I've been hitting the ball really hard but unfortunately a lot of them have been outs lately,” said Kim, who also had a triple. “I did feel myself getting better and now is just the beginning of the summer and I have good memories of the summer, so hopefully I can carry this momentum forward.”

Marsh gave up five earned runs and seven hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three.

Tatis Jr. hit a solo homer in the top of the first to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. But Vinnie Pasquantino, who went 3 for 4 with three RBI, hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning to put the Royals ahead.

Pasquantino had another chance to get Kansas City closer in the seventh when he came up with two outs and the bases loaded, but Jeremiah Estrada struck him out.

“There are always opportunities,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Any time you have the bat in your hand, you have an opportunity. I thought we competed well at the plate we just weren’t able to extend the lead when we had it and weren’t able to come back when we were behind.”

Higashioka homered in the top of the ninth for his second of the season.

“That was a great team win,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “We had contributions from a lot of people and that typically starts on the mound and our man Randy battled through five. He did his part and the bullpen did a really good job.”

The Padres will look for their first sweep of the season Sunday, while the Royals will try to avoid being swept for the first time this year.

Padres: Placed RHPs Musgrove and Yu Darvish (left groin strain) on the 15-day injured list and recalled Vásquez and RHP Logan Gillaspie from Triple-A El Paso.

The Padres will send RHP Michael King (4-4, 4.09 ERA) to the mound against LHP Cole Ragans (4-4, 3.36) for the Royals on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717239521858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ha-Seong Kim hit a go-ahead three-run double, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Kyle Higashioka homered and the San Diego Padres beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Saturday.Randy Vásquez (1-3) started after Joe Musgrove was scratched hours before the first pitch with right elbow inflammation and went five innings, allowing three runs and four hits with five strikeouts and one walk.“I'm very happy and grateful to the organization that I get this opportunity to help out,” said Vásquez, who was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to make the start. “Everything worked out good for us. I do feel a lot more in the loop with my arsenal and grateful for these good results.”With the Padres trailing 3-2 in the fourth inning, Kim cleared cleared the bases with a double to left field off Royals starter Alec Marsh (4-3).“It's true that I didn't have the greatest start that I liked, but I felt like I've been hitting the ball really hard but unfortunately a lot of them have been outs lately,” said Kim, who also had a triple. “I did feel myself getting better and now is just the beginning of the summer and I have good memories of the summer, so hopefully I can carry this momentum forward.”Marsh gave up five earned runs and seven hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three.Tatis Jr. hit a solo homer in the top of the first to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. But Vinnie Pasquantino, who went 3 for 4 with three RBI, hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning to put the Royals ahead.Pasquantino had another chance to get Kansas City closer in the seventh when he came up with two outs and the bases loaded, but Jeremiah Estrada struck him out.“There are always opportunities,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Any time you have the bat in your hand, you have an opportunity. I thought we competed well at the plate we just weren’t able to extend the lead when we had it and weren’t able to come back when we were behind.”Higashioka homered in the top of the ninth for his second of the season.“That was a great team win,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “We had contributions from a lot of people and that typically starts on the mound and our man Randy battled through five. He did his part and the bullpen did a really good job.”The Padres will look for their first sweep of the season Sunday, while the Royals will try to avoid being swept for the first time this year.ROSTER MOVESPadres: Placed RHPs Musgrove and Yu Darvish (left groin strain) on the 15-day injured list and recalled Vásquez and RHP Logan Gillaspie from Triple-A El Paso.UP NEXTThe Padres will send RHP Michael King (4-4, 4.09 ERA) to the mound against LHP Cole Ragans (4-4, 3.36) for the Royals on Sunday.

⚾ Kim's 3-run double helps lead Padres past Royals

SALINA - Hollywood’s best directors and producers nearly couldn’t have written a better script for Kansas’ high school baseball’s version of Hoosiers or Little Giants.

“We showed that no matter what seed you are, you can beat any team that stands in front of you,” Salina Central senior Brody Farthing said.

Central’s Mustangs entered Class 5A regionals two weeks ago with a 7-18 record and the 16th seed in 5A’s West bracket.&nbsp;

They had the indubitable distinction of facing #1 seed Maize South in the first round of regional play. Few, if any, gave Central a chance to win.&nbsp;

Except those clad in the Mustang Maroon uniforms.

“After finally qualifying to be in the playoffs and being ranked 16th in the west, I think the players relaxed and played that way,” coach Dee Kolzow said. “We talked from day one if we could put everything together we could play with anyone. When we went to regionals we started out really well against Maize South who was ranked number 1 in the west. I think those first two innings gave us the confidence we needed.”

The Mustangs, behind solid pitching and a pitcher’s best friend of sound defense and timely hitting, went on to upset Maize South 12-8.

“Definitely the win against Maize South. The confidence for the team was pretty low, but our pitchers executed and we batted good and from then on we thought we could beat anyone and that momentum carried on into state,” sophomore Grayton Gross said.

“Once we won against them it gave us a new confidence going into the regional final versus Hutch,” senior Gunnar Gross said. “They (Hutch) threw a pitcher against us that had shut us out earlier in the season, but we were able to get a couple hits and get some runs and win 3-2.”

Farthing pitched a complete game for the Mustangs in their revenge game against Hutchinson.&nbsp;

“My fastball was working really good that game with also my slider working really good when I was ahead in the count,” Farthing said.

Grayton Gross went yard for Central against Hutch.&nbsp;

“I was seeing the ball well that day and he gave me a good pitch to hit,” he said. “I ended up catching all of it and it went over.”

Central’s next test came against the state tournament’s #1 seed, 22-5 Bishop Carroll.

“Going into the state tournament with a 9-18 record, we knew that we had nothing to lose,” sophomore Keaton Smith said. “Not only did we play for each other, we played for coach Kolzow knowing that this was his last ride.”

“Our players went in with confidence, got good pitching, really solid defense and timely hitting,” Kolzow said of the 7-2 victory that propelled the Mustangs to the state semifinals.&nbsp;

“We all knew we were the underdogs going into this weekend and nobody was expecting us to win,” sophomore Chance Hogan said. “We were riding on our momentum and had all the confidence in each other.”

Central lost to Spring Hill to set up a rematch against rival Salina South for third place.

“After losing our energy was down. But when we found out we would get a chance to play Salina South who had swept us earlier in the season it brought the energy and focus right back to our team,” Gunnar Gross said. “We were able to go out and shut them out to beat them with Chance Hogan on the mound, who did not start a single game at pitcher all year.”

The Mustangs played clean baseball and didn't make errors, Gunnar noted.&nbsp;

“Seth Rogers had an amazing diving play on a pop up in-between first base and right field that saved the shutout and helped us close the deal to win 2-0 against them,” Gunnar continued. “It was a great moment to be able to beat them and finish on top of them in the rankings after hearing trash talk from their side of town for the past month.”

“I’d say what we accomplished was what I knew our team was cabable of from the start,” Grayton Gross said. “We had tons of talent, but we didn’t play great to start off the season as a team. At the end of the season we started playing as a team.”

“It was one for the books and we came together as a team to put together a few upsets,” junior Jack Gordon said.

On April 12 after losing 12-0 to Andover Central, the Mustangs were 1-8 and losers of eight straight. But they never gave up hope in each other.

“At the beginning of the season things weren't going our way, but once it came to regionals we all came together,” Smith said. “After beating Maize South we realized what we were capable of and that changed our mentality as a team. Although we came up short we now know what we are capable of. With a young team we have a lot of potential and look forward to continuing our success next season.”

A bulk of their roster returns with just three seniors in Gross, Farthing and Kyler Brecheisen.

“Gunnar had a great year and is just a leader,” Kolzow said of Gross, who broke his ankle in the football season opener in several places that required surgery. “I was surprised after his football injury to even have him back and to play the way he did both on offense and defense was remarkable. He was so valuable to the team not only hitting around .400 all year but also the way he handled pitchers.”

“As soon as I knew that I wouldn't be able to be back for any of the football season, my focus immediately shifted to being back and ready for baseball,” Gross said. “The timeline the doctors gave me said that I wouldn't be able to run/jog until the end of February (start of baseball season), but when my doctor saw how my recovery was going at the post-surgery exams he cleared me to start running and doing everything six weeks ahead of schedule. I was able to be back for the whole baseball season and did not miss a game.”

“He is just a tough kid that spent many hours working to be able to get back for baseball,” Kolzow, who announced after the regular season he was retiring as coach, said. “I know it (ankle) bothered him early especially running the bases making the turns but never would say anything. We didn’t let him run too often.”

Gross attended a tryout this past week at a football camp at Kansas State.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717254516564.jpeg" alt="Salina Central places 3rd at State. (Photo courtesy of Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Salina Central places 3rd at State. (Photo courtesy of Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Gary Van Cleave&nbsp;Special to hutchpost.comSALINA - Hollywood’s best directors and producers nearly couldn’t have written a better script for Kansas’ high school baseball’s version of Hoosiers or Little Giants.“We showed that no matter what seed you are, you can beat any team that stands in front of you,” Salina Central senior Brody Farthing said.Central’s Mustangs entered Class 5A regionals two weeks ago with a 7-18 record and the 16th seed in 5A’s West bracket.&nbsp;They had the indubitable distinction of facing #1 seed Maize South in the first round of regional play. Few, if any, gave Central a chance to win.&nbsp;Except those clad in the Mustang Maroon uniforms.“After finally qualifying to be in the playoffs and being ranked 16th in the west, I think the players relaxed and played that way,” coach Dee Kolzow said. “We talked from day one if we could put everything together we could play with anyone. When we went to regionals we started out really well against Maize South who was ranked number 1 in the west. I think those first two innings gave us the confidence we needed.”The Mustangs, behind solid pitching and a pitcher’s best friend of sound defense and timely hitting, went on to upset Maize South 12-8.“Definitely the win against Maize South. The confidence for the team was pretty low, but our pitchers executed and we batted good and from then on we thought we could beat anyone and that momentum carried on into state,” sophomore Grayton Gross said.“Once we won against them it gave us a new confidence going into the regional final versus Hutch,” senior Gunnar Gross said. “They (Hutch) threw a pitcher against us that had shut us out earlier in the season, but we were able to get a couple hits and get some runs and win 3-2.”Farthing pitched a complete game for the Mustangs in their revenge game against Hutchinson.&nbsp;“My fastball was working really good that game with also my slider working really good when I was ahead in the count,” Farthing said.Grayton Gross went yard for Central against Hutch.&nbsp;“I was seeing the ball well that day and he gave me a good pitch to hit,” he said. “I ended up catching all of it and it went over.”Central’s next test came against the state tournament’s #1 seed, 22-5 Bishop Carroll.“Going into the state tournament with a 9-18 record, we knew that we had nothing to lose,” sophomore Keaton Smith said. “Not only did we play for each other, we played for coach Kolzow knowing that this was his last ride.”“Our players went in with confidence, got good pitching, really solid defense and timely hitting,” Kolzow said of the 7-2 victory that propelled the Mustangs to the state semifinals.&nbsp;“We all knew we were the underdogs going into this weekend and nobody was expecting us to win,” sophomore Chance Hogan said. “We were riding on our momentum and had all the confidence in each other.”Central lost to Spring Hill to set up a rematch against rival Salina South for third place.“After losing our energy was down. But when we found out we would get a chance to play Salina South who had swept us earlier in the season it brought the energy and focus right back to our team,” Gunnar Gross said. “We were able to go out and shut them out to beat them with Chance Hogan on the mound, who did not start a single game at pitcher all year.”The Mustangs played clean baseball and didn't make errors, Gunnar noted.&nbsp;“Seth Rogers had an amazing diving play on a pop up in-between first base and right field that saved the shutout and helped us close the deal to win 2-0 against them,” Gunnar continued. “It was a great moment to be able to beat them and finish on top of them in the rankings after hearing trash talk from their side of town for the past month.”“I’d say what we accomplished was what I knew our team was cabable of from the start,” Grayton Gross said. “We had tons of talent, but we didn’t play great to start off the season as a team. At the end of the season we started playing as a team.”“It was one for the books and we came together as a team to put together a few upsets,” junior Jack Gordon said.On April 12 after losing 12-0 to Andover Central, the Mustangs were 1-8 and losers of eight straight. But they never gave up hope in each other.“At the beginning of the season things weren't going our way, but once it came to regionals we all came together,” Smith said. “After beating Maize South we realized what we were capable of and that changed our mentality as a team. Although we came up short we now know what we are capable of. With a young team we have a lot of potential and look forward to continuing our success next season.”A bulk of their roster returns with just three seniors in Gross, Farthing and Kyler Brecheisen.“Gunnar had a great year and is just a leader,” Kolzow said of Gross, who broke his ankle in the football season opener in several places that required surgery. “I was surprised after his football injury to even have him back and to play the way he did both on offense and defense was remarkable. He was so valuable to the team not only hitting around .400 all year but also the way he handled pitchers.”“As soon as I knew that I wouldn't be able to be back for any of the football season, my focus immediately shifted to being back and ready for baseball,” Gross said. “The timeline the doctors gave me said that I wouldn't be able to run/jog until the end of February (start of baseball season), but when my doctor saw how my recovery was going at the post-surgery exams he cleared me to start running and doing everything six weeks ahead of schedule. I was able to be back for the whole baseball season and did not miss a game.”“He is just a tough kid that spent many hours working to be able to get back for baseball,” Kolzow, who announced after the regular season he was retiring as coach, said. “I know it (ankle) bothered him early especially running the bases making the turns but never would say anything. We didn’t let him run too often.”Gross attended a tryout this past week at a football camp at Kansas State.&nbsp;“I wasn't able to play more than seven snaps before getting hurt this year,” the Central quarterback said. “I am trying out at quarterback but I would be open to any position change. I hope to earn a spot by showing out at the camp, but if I do not then I will attend K-State as just a student in the fall.”