CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651156028140.jpeg" alt="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eagle MEDIA Sports 2022" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eagle MEDIA Sports 2022</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Eagle Media Sports for July 6th, 2022" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=7wmms-1268721-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Wednesday Morning

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Hutch CC standout wide receiver Malik Benson is headed to Alabama.

The Kansas native announced his decision Tuesday on Instagram, saying he is "100 percent committed."

Benson is considered the No. 1 JUCO recruit in the 2023 class after a dominant year at Hutchinson Community College, per 247Sports. He finished last season with 43 catches for 1,229 yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games.

After he was unrated as a high school player, Benson received over two dozen scholarship offers after one year in JUCO. He was recently named the 2022 Greater Wichita Sports Commission Junior College Male Athlete of the Year.

The 6'1", 185-pound player eventually chose Alabama over Georgia, LSU, Oregon and Tennessee.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ROB DREHER Hutch PostHUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Hutch CC standout wide receiver Malik Benson is headed to Alabama. The Kansas native announced his decision Tuesday on Instagram, saying he is "100 percent committed." Benson is considered the No. 1 JUCO recruit in the 2023 class after a dominant year at Hutchinson Community College, per 247Sports. He finished last season with 43 catches for 1,229 yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games. After he was unrated as a high school player, Benson received over two dozen scholarship offers after one year in JUCO. He was recently named the 2022 Greater Wichita Sports Commission Junior College Male Athlete of the Year. The 6'1", 185-pound player eventually chose Alabama over Georgia, LSU, Oregon and Tennessee.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Benson headed to Bama

HOUSTON (AP) —  Long established as a star at the plate, Yordan Alvarez has been showing flashes of brilliance on defense this season, too.

Alvarez threw out Hunter Dozier at the plate from just short of the warning track in left field to preserve a two-run, eighth-inning lead, then hit his 25th homer as the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 9-7 on Tuesday night.

The Astros also got homers from Jeremy Peña, Alex Bregman and Aledmys Díaz as they extended their winning streak to a major league-best eight games.

Houston trailed 4-3 entering the fifth inning before Peña homered off Zack Greinke (2-5) to tie it. Bregman’s two-run shot later in the fifth put the Astros ahead 6-4.

Alvarez's 25 homers are tied with Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber for second in the majors, four behind the Yankees' Aaron Judge.

Luis Garcia (7-5) allowed eight hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings for his fourth straight win. Rafael Montero allowed a run on a groundout in the ninth before striking out the next two batters for his sixth save.

Greinke tied a season high by allowing 10 hits with six runs in five innings in his first start against Houston since signing with the Royals in the offseason. The veteran spent 2 1/2 seasons with the Astros, going to the World Series in 2019 and last year.

MJ Melendez hit a solo homer off Garcia in the second and Bobby Witt Jr. connected off him for a two-run shot in the third. It was the third home run of the series for Melendez, who went deep twice in the series opener on Monday.

Díaz hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Kowar.

HOUSTON (AP) — Long established as a star at the plate, Yordan Alvarez has been showing flashes of brilliance on defense this season, too.Alvarez threw out Hunter Dozier at the plate from just short of the warning track in left field to preserve a two-run, eighth-inning lead, then hit his 25th homer as the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 9-7 on Tuesday night.The Astros also got homers from Jeremy Peña, Alex Bregman and Aledmys Díaz as they extended their winning streak to a major league-best eight games.Houston trailed 4-3 entering the fifth inning before Peña homered off Zack Greinke (2-5) to tie it. Bregman’s two-run shot later in the fifth put the Astros ahead 6-4.Alvarez's 25 homers are tied with Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber for second in the majors, four behind the Yankees' Aaron Judge.Luis Garcia (7-5) allowed eight hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings for his fourth straight win. Rafael Montero allowed a run on a groundout in the ninth before striking out the next two batters for his sixth save.Greinke tied a season high by allowing 10 hits with six runs in five innings in his first start against Houston since signing with the Royals in the offseason. The veteran spent 2 1/2 seasons with the Astros, going to the World Series in 2019 and last year.MJ Melendez hit a solo homer off Garcia in the second and Bobby Witt Jr. connected off him for a two-run shot in the third. It was the third home run of the series for Melendez, who went deep twice in the series opener on Monday.Díaz hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Kowar.

Astros win Tuesday over Royals

MAIZE, Kan.—Maize High School QB senior Avery Johnson committed to K-State Tuesday afternoon at a press conference held at Maize High.

Johnson just attended an elite camp in California this past weekend.&nbsp; His final three teams were Oregon, Washington and K-State.&nbsp; Johnson is the 12 ranked quarterback in the country. He will be part of the 2023 recruiting class.&nbsp; Johnson will join another AVCTL player, running back Dylan Edwards from Derby, who committed to K-State last week.

MAIZE, Kan.—Maize High School QB senior Avery Johnson committed to K-State Tuesday afternoon at a press conference held at Maize High.Johnson just attended an elite camp in California this past weekend.&nbsp; His final three teams were Oregon, Washington and K-State.&nbsp; Johnson is the 12 ranked quarterback in the country. He will be part of the 2023 recruiting class.&nbsp; Johnson will join another AVCTL player, running back Dylan Edwards from Derby, who committed to K-State last week.

Maize High QB Avery Johnson commits to K-State

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651156028140.jpeg" alt="&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eagle MEDIA Sports 2022" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eagle MEDIA Sports 2022</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Eagle Media Sports for Monday Morning, July 5th, 2022" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=8ycus-1267225-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Tuesday Morning

<a href="https://www.milb.com/wichita/news/wallner-leads-wichita-to-win">Via WindSurge.com</a>

Wichita, KS- The Wind Surge defeated the Amarillo Sod Poodles 5-3 on Monday night behind eleven hits and two homers from Matt Wallner as the Surge took the series opener in front of 6,129 fans in Wichita.

The Surge got on the board early as Matt Wallner hit a leadoff homer to tie the game 1-1. Chris Williams followed with a two-run home run that gave Wichita a 3-1 lead in the first inning. Wallner finished the night two for four with three RBIs.

Wichita scored two more runs behind a Matt Wallner two-run blast for his second homer of the night that gave the Surge a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth.

Daniel Gossett got the start on the mound for the fourth time for Wichita and pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and tallied seven strikeouts to earn his first win of the season with the Surge.

Wallner hit his fourth multi-home run game for the Wind Surge.

The Wind Surge will resume play against the Amarillo Sod Poodles Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.

<a href="https://www.milb.com/wichita/news/wallner-leads-wichita-to-win">Via WindSurge.com</a>Wichita, KS- The Wind Surge defeated the Amarillo Sod Poodles 5-3 on Monday night behind eleven hits and two homers from Matt Wallner as the Surge took the series opener in front of 6,129 fans in Wichita.The Surge got on the board early as Matt Wallner hit a leadoff homer to tie the game 1-1. Chris Williams followed with a two-run home run that gave Wichita a 3-1 lead in the first inning. Wallner finished the night two for four with three RBIs.Wichita scored two more runs behind a Matt Wallner two-run blast for his second homer of the night that gave the Surge a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth.Daniel Gossett got the start on the mound for the fourth time for Wichita and pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and tallied seven strikeouts to earn his first win of the season with the Surge.Wallner hit his fourth multi-home run game for the Wind Surge.The Wind Surge will resume play against the Amarillo Sod Poodles Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.

Wind Surge win Monday over Amarillo

HOUSTON (AP) —&nbsp;After falling behind early on, Houston chipped away at Kansas City's lead before one mighty swing by Yordan Alvarez completed the Astros' biggest comeback win of the season.

Alvarez homered with two outs in the ninth inning, and Houston beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 on Monday for its seventh straight victory.

Led by Kyle Tucker and Alvarez, AL West-leading Houston erased a five-run deficit on the way to its 15th victory in its last 18 games. Tucker sparked the Astros' three-run eighth with a two-run single, and Alvarez hit a drive to left-center against Scott Barlow (2-2) for his 24th homer.

Ryne Stanek (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.

Andrew Benintendi had three hits and two RBI for Kansas City, which had won three of four. MJ Melendez hit two solo homers.

HOUSTON (AP) —&nbsp;After falling behind early on, Houston chipped away at Kansas City's lead before one mighty swing by Yordan Alvarez completed the Astros' biggest comeback win of the season.Alvarez homered with two outs in the ninth inning, and Houston beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 on Monday for its seventh straight victory.Led by Kyle Tucker and Alvarez, AL West-leading Houston erased a five-run deficit on the way to its 15th victory in its last 18 games. Tucker sparked the Astros' three-run eighth with a two-run single, and Alvarez hit a drive to left-center against Scott Barlow (2-2) for his 24th homer.Ryne Stanek (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.Andrew Benintendi had three hits and two RBI for Kansas City, which had won three of four. MJ Melendez hit two solo homers.

Astros win over Royals on Monday

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The Sunflower Collegiate League Home Run Derby and All-Star Game will take place tonight at Hobart-Detter Field in Hutchinson's Carey Park.

The Home Run Derby will begin at 6pm with the All-Star Game to follow at 7pm.&nbsp; Ticket prices will be the same as the usual Monarch home game prices.&nbsp; Kids 12 and under are admitted free, Adults $5 and seniors $2.

If you can't make it out to Hobart-Detter, join Glen Grunwald, Matt Peterson and Mark McClure for all the action on Hutchpost.com beginning at 5:50pm.

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The Sunflower Collegiate League Home Run Derby and All-Star Game will take place tonight at Hobart-Detter Field in Hutchinson's Carey Park.The Home Run Derby will begin at 6pm with the All-Star Game to follow at 7pm.&nbsp; Ticket prices will be the same as the usual Monarch home game prices.&nbsp; Kids 12 and under are admitted free, Adults $5 and seniors $2.If you can't make it out to Hobart-Detter, join Glen Grunwald, Matt Peterson and Mark McClure for all the action on Hutchpost.com beginning at 5:50pm.<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/398816?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>

⚾️ 🎥 Sunflower Collegiate League Home Run Derby and All-Star Game tonight

Nickerson High School's Ava Jones committed to the University of Iowa. She announced that commitment over the weekend on Twitter.

Nickerson High School's Ava Jones committed to the University of Iowa. She announced that commitment over the weekend on Twitter.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">GO HAWKS💛🖤 <a href="https://t.co/L3zBktDJIx">pic.twitter.com/L3zBktDJIx</a>&mdash; Ava Jones (@avajones_35) <a href="https://twitter.com/avajones_35/status/1543630144593616904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Ava Jones commits to University of Iowa

<a href="https://www.milb.com/wichita/news/surge-win-in-extras">Via WindSurge.com</a>

Springfield, MO- The Wind Surge defeated the Springfield Cardinals 10-9 in extra innings on Sunday evening after a two-hour rain delay as the Surge split the series with the Cardinals to kick off the second half of the season.

Kyle Schmidt hit the go-ahead two run homer to give the Surge a 10-8 lead in the eighth inning for his first Double-A homer. Schmidt finished the ballgame two for four with three RBIs.

Wichita struck first as they scored three runs in the second inning behind a two-run homer from Anthony Prato. The Surge went back-to-back as Kevin Merrell followed with a solo shot to give Wichita an early 3-0 lead. Prato went three for four with two RBIs in the ballgame.

Springfield trailed 8-6 in the sixth inning and scored two runs to tie the game up behind a two-run RBI single from Mike Antico to make it an 8-8 ballgame. Antico finished the night one for five with two RBIs.

The Wind Surge will head back to Wichita for a six-game series against the Amarillo Sod Poodles starting Monday, July 4th. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m.

<a href="https://www.milb.com/wichita/news/surge-win-in-extras">Via WindSurge.com</a>Springfield, MO- The Wind Surge defeated the Springfield Cardinals 10-9 in extra innings on Sunday evening after a two-hour rain delay as the Surge split the series with the Cardinals to kick off the second half of the season.Kyle Schmidt hit the go-ahead two run homer to give the Surge a 10-8 lead in the eighth inning for his first Double-A homer. Schmidt finished the ballgame two for four with three RBIs.Wichita struck first as they scored three runs in the second inning behind a two-run homer from Anthony Prato. The Surge went back-to-back as Kevin Merrell followed with a solo shot to give Wichita an early 3-0 lead. Prato went three for four with two RBIs in the ballgame.Springfield trailed 8-6 in the sixth inning and scored two runs to tie the game up behind a two-run RBI single from Mike Antico to make it an 8-8 ballgame. Antico finished the night one for five with two RBIs.The Wind Surge will head back to Wichita for a six-game series against the Amarillo Sod Poodles starting Monday, July 4th. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m.

Surge win Sunday in Springfield

DETROIT&nbsp; (AP) — Edward Olivares and Emmanuel Rivera homered in a three-run second inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat Detroit 7-4 on Sunday to take two of three from the Tigers.

Tarik Skubal (5-7) lost his fifth straight start, allowing five runs, five hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. He has a 9.00 ERA during the skid, raising his season ERA to 4.06.

Detroit pitchers tied a season high with eight walks, including two with the bases loaded.

José Cuas (2-0) relieved Brady Singer with the bases loaded and a 5-2 lead with two outs in the fifth and retired Javier Báez on a lineout that right fielder Whit Merrifield got with a sliding catch.

Scott Barlow pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances.

DETROIT&nbsp; (AP) — Edward Olivares and Emmanuel Rivera homered in a three-run second inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat Detroit 7-4 on Sunday to take two of three from the Tigers.Tarik Skubal (5-7) lost his fifth straight start, allowing five runs, five hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. He has a 9.00 ERA during the skid, raising his season ERA to 4.06.Detroit pitchers tied a season high with eight walks, including two with the bases loaded.José Cuas (2-0) relieved Brady Singer with the bases loaded and a 5-2 lead with two outs in the fifth and retired Javier Báez on a lineout that right fielder Whit Merrifield got with a sliding catch.Scott Barlow pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances.

Royals win Sunday

HAYSVILLE, Kan.—The Hutchinson Monarchs had no trouble on offense Sunday, winning big over Haysville Aviators 13-5.

Hutchinson opened up scoring in the second inning, when Karson Coffee homered on a 1-2 count, scoring two runs.

Brett Herrmann took the win for Hutchinson Monarchs. The pitcher allowed three hits and two runs over four innings, striking out three and walking zero.  Kaden Wickersham, Reed Scott, and Noah Kelley all put in work in relief out of the bullpen, steering their team towards the victory.

The&nbsp; Monarchs tallied three home runs on the day. Cade Clemens went deep in the eighth inning. Coffee went for the long ball in the second inning. Sawyer Thornhill had a long ball in the fifth inning.

Hutchinson&nbsp; racked up 17 hits on the day.  Brannan, Bryce Logan, Clemens, Coffee, Jenner Steele, and Alex Birge each managed multiple hits for Hutchinson Monarchs.  Logan and Brannan all had three hits to lead Hutchinson Monarchs.

Several Monarchs will participate in the Sunflower Collegiate League All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Hobart-Detter Field in Carey Park with the first pitch at 7pm.&nbsp; If you can not make it to the game, catch all the action on Hutchpost.com beginning at 6:50pm with the pregame.

The Monarchs will resume play on Thursday, July 7th vs the Kingman Islanders in Kingman at Riverside Park.

HAYSVILLE, Kan.—The Hutchinson Monarchs had no trouble on offense Sunday, winning big over Haysville Aviators 13-5.Hutchinson opened up scoring in the second inning, when Karson Coffee homered on a 1-2 count, scoring two runs.Brett Herrmann took the win for Hutchinson Monarchs. The pitcher allowed three hits and two runs over four innings, striking out three and walking zero. Kaden Wickersham, Reed Scott, and Noah Kelley all put in work in relief out of the bullpen, steering their team towards the victory.The&nbsp; Monarchs tallied three home runs on the day. Cade Clemens went deep in the eighth inning. Coffee went for the long ball in the second inning. Sawyer Thornhill had a long ball in the fifth inning.Hutchinson&nbsp; racked up 17 hits on the day. Brannan, Bryce Logan, Clemens, Coffee, Jenner Steele, and Alex Birge each managed multiple hits for Hutchinson Monarchs. Logan and Brannan all had three hits to lead Hutchinson Monarchs.Several Monarchs will participate in the Sunflower Collegiate League All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Hobart-Detter Field in Carey Park with the first pitch at 7pm.&nbsp; If you can not make it to the game, catch all the action on Hutchpost.com beginning at 6:50pm with the pregame.The Monarchs will resume play on Thursday, July 7th vs the Kingman Islanders in Kingman at Riverside Park.

Hutchinson Monarchs get blow-out victory over Haysville Aviators

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Haysville Aviators rode the arm of Pitt State's Tanner Leslie to a 4-2 win over the Hutchinson Monarchs Saturday night at Hobart-Detter Field.

Leslie held Hutchinson to just two runs and six hits in his complete game win. No Monarch had more than one hit.

The Monarchs, now 17-6, travel to Haysville for a 6 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Haysville Aviators rode the arm of Pitt State's Tanner Leslie to a 4-2 win over the Hutchinson Monarchs Saturday night at Hobart-Detter Field.Leslie held Hutchinson to just two runs and six hits in his complete game win. No Monarch had more than one hit.The Monarchs, now 17-6, travel to Haysville for a 6 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.

Aviators win over Monarchs Saturday

Springfield, MO- The Springfield Cardinals defeated the Wind Surge 5-4 on Saturday night as the Red Birds scored two runs in the eighth inning to come from behind and take the series lead.

Springfield rallied to score two runs in the eighth inning as Malcom Nunez scored on a fielder’s choice and Chase Pinder hit an RBI single to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead. Chase Pinder went two for three with an RBI in the ballgame.

The Cardinals struck first as they scored one run in the second inning and two runs in the third inning behind two sacrifice fly balls and an RBI double from Cardinals Center fielder Mike Antico to give Springfield an early 3-0 lead.

Daniel Ozoria put the Surge on the board in the fourth inning as he hit a two-run RBI single to score Anthony Prato and Leobaldo Cabrera to shrink the deficit to 3-2. Ozoria finished the night two for three with three RBIs.

Kyle Leahy got the start on the mound for Springfield and had an efficient outing as he pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and struck out six hitters before being relieved in the sixth inning.

The Wind Surge defense made two errors that led to three unearned Cardinals runs. Springfield reliever Joh Beller earned the win retiring the final five Wind Surge hitters. Osiris German took the defeat and his second blown save of the season.

The Surge left nine men on base and were one for eleven with runners in scoring position.

The Wind Surge wrap up the series against the Springfield Cardinals Sunday, July 3rd for a 5:25 p.m. first pitch.

Springfield, MO- The Springfield Cardinals defeated the Wind Surge 5-4 on Saturday night as the Red Birds scored two runs in the eighth inning to come from behind and take the series lead.Springfield rallied to score two runs in the eighth inning as Malcom Nunez scored on a fielder’s choice and Chase Pinder hit an RBI single to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead. Chase Pinder went two for three with an RBI in the ballgame.The Cardinals struck first as they scored one run in the second inning and two runs in the third inning behind two sacrifice fly balls and an RBI double from Cardinals Center fielder Mike Antico to give Springfield an early 3-0 lead.Daniel Ozoria put the Surge on the board in the fourth inning as he hit a two-run RBI single to score Anthony Prato and Leobaldo Cabrera to shrink the deficit to 3-2. Ozoria finished the night two for three with three RBIs.Kyle Leahy got the start on the mound for Springfield and had an efficient outing as he pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and struck out six hitters before being relieved in the sixth inning.The Wind Surge defense made two errors that led to three unearned Cardinals runs. Springfield reliever Joh Beller earned the win retiring the final five Wind Surge hitters. Osiris German took the defeat and his second blown save of the season.The Surge left nine men on base and were one for eleven with runners in scoring position.The Wind Surge wrap up the series against the Springfield Cardinals Sunday, July 3rd for a 5:25 p.m. first pitch.

Springfield wins at home over Wind Surge Saturday

DETROIT (AP) — Victor Reyes and Riley Greene hit back-to-back homers in the ninth inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. 

With one out, Reyes tied the game off Royals reliever Joel Payamps. It was the first homer allowed by Payamps in 26 1/3 innings this season. Greene followed with the first homer of his career. 

Joe Jimenez (3-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win as Detroit’s pitchers retired the last 17 batters they faced.

DETROIT (AP) — Victor Reyes and Riley Greene hit back-to-back homers in the ninth inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. With one out, Reyes tied the game off Royals reliever Joel Payamps. It was the first homer allowed by Payamps in 26 1/3 innings this season. Greene followed with the first homer of his career. Joe Jimenez (3-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win as Detroit’s pitchers retired the last 17 batters they faced.

Tigers win over Royals Saturday

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that infielder Bobby Witt Jr. and right-handed pitcher Scott Barlow have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for June. The awards are determined by a local media vote.

Witt Jr. tied for the team lead with 26 hits and 5 home runs in June and ranked 2nd with 15 RBI. Of his 26 hits, 10 went for extra bases (38.5%), including 3 doubles and a team-high 2 triples. He hit safely in 15 of 20 games from June 8 through the month’s end, slashing .316/.365/.566 (24-for-76) with 9 extra-base hits, including his first career multi-homer game—and first career game with at least 4 RBI—on June 21 in Anaheim, in which he became the fourth Royal age 22 or younger to record a multi-homer game, joining Eric Hosmer (Aug. 31, 2011), Billy Butler (Aug. 30, 2008) and Carlos Beltrán (June 5, 1999). He tripled on the first pitch he saw on June 24 vs. the Athletics, which marked his fifth triple of the season to match the Mets Brandon Nimmo for the Major League lead, while he’s just 1 triple shy of matching the Royals record for a player in his first big league season. Witt Jr. swiped 5 bases in June, and he’s already one of just three players in Royals history to record 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases in his first Major League season, joining Hosmer (2011) and Alex Gordon (2007). This marks the first career monthly award for Witt Jr., who made his Major League debut on Opening Day against the Guardians. Witt Jr. is the first to win Royals Player of the Month honors in his first big league season since Eric Hosmer won in May and September of his 2011 debut season.

Barlow ranked 8th among American League pitchers—and led all Royals—with 5 saves in June, while pitching to a 2.84 ERA (4 ER in 12.2 IP), however 3 of those runs came in a single outing on June 21 in Anaheim, as he worked a 0.77 ERA (1 ER in 11.2 IP) over his other 11 appearances. He held opponents scoreless in 10 of his 12 games and struck out 15 batters (10.66 SO/9) with just 3 walks allowed. The right hander earned a save in back-to-back appearances from June 15-18 and June 29-July 1. He sealed the Royals final win of the month with a 1-2-3 9th inning and 2 strikeouts on Wednesday vs. the Rangers, which marked his 200th career Major League outing. Three of his 5 saves last month came in outings in which he recorded at least 4 outs, and his 6 saves of at least 1.1 innings—including last night in Detroit—are tied with Jorge López for the most such saves in the Majors this season. This marks Barlow’s third career monthly award and first since winning the honor in back-to-back months last May and June, when he pitched to a 1.59 ERA (4 ER in 22.2 IP) with 37 strikeouts spanning both months.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that infielder Bobby Witt Jr. and right-handed pitcher Scott Barlow have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for June. The awards are determined by a local media vote.Witt Jr. tied for the team lead with 26 hits and 5 home runs in June and ranked 2nd with 15 RBI. Of his 26 hits, 10 went for extra bases (38.5%), including 3 doubles and a team-high 2 triples. He hit safely in 15 of 20 games from June 8 through the month’s end, slashing .316/.365/.566 (24-for-76) with 9 extra-base hits, including his first career multi-homer game—and first career game with at least 4 RBI—on June 21 in Anaheim, in which he became the fourth Royal age 22 or younger to record a multi-homer game, joining Eric Hosmer (Aug. 31, 2011), Billy Butler (Aug. 30, 2008) and Carlos Beltrán (June 5, 1999). He tripled on the first pitch he saw on June 24 vs. the Athletics, which marked his fifth triple of the season to match the Mets Brandon Nimmo for the Major League lead, while he’s just 1 triple shy of matching the Royals record for a player in his first big league season. Witt Jr. swiped 5 bases in June, and he’s already one of just three players in Royals history to record 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases in his first Major League season, joining Hosmer (2011) and Alex Gordon (2007). This marks the first career monthly award for Witt Jr., who made his Major League debut on Opening Day against the Guardians. Witt Jr. is the first to win Royals Player of the Month honors in his first big league season since Eric Hosmer won in May and September of his 2011 debut season.Barlow ranked 8th among American League pitchers—and led all Royals—with 5 saves in June, while pitching to a 2.84 ERA (4 ER in 12.2 IP), however 3 of those runs came in a single outing on June 21 in Anaheim, as he worked a 0.77 ERA (1 ER in 11.2 IP) over his other 11 appearances. He held opponents scoreless in 10 of his 12 games and struck out 15 batters (10.66 SO/9) with just 3 walks allowed. The right hander earned a save in back-to-back appearances from June 15-18 and June 29-July 1. He sealed the Royals final win of the month with a 1-2-3 9th inning and 2 strikeouts on Wednesday vs. the Rangers, which marked his 200th career Major League outing. Three of his 5 saves last month came in outings in which he recorded at least 4 outs, and his 6 saves of at least 1.1 innings—including last night in Detroit—are tied with Jorge López for the most such saves in the Majors this season. This marks Barlow’s third career monthly award and first since winning the honor in back-to-back months last May and June, when he pitched to a 1.59 ERA (4 ER in 22.2 IP) with 37 strikeouts spanning both months.

Bobby Witt Jr., Scott Barlow named Royals Player/Pitcher of the Month for June

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutch High's Ben Patterson is a late addition to the Shrine Bowl's West squad. He found out June 30 that he would be strapping on the helmet July 23 at Pittsburg State for the 49th Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Along with Patterson and Buhler's Sam Elliott, McPherson's Braxton Bailey, Inman's Jace Doerksen, and Cheney's Harrison Voth will also be on the West team. Buhler head football coach Steve Warner will be an assistant on the West coaching staff, as will Inman's Lance Sawyer.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutch High's Ben Patterson is a late addition to the Shrine Bowl's West squad. He found out June 30 that he would be strapping on the helmet July 23 at Pittsburg State for the 49th Kansas Shrine Bowl.Along with Patterson and Buhler's Sam Elliott, McPherson's Braxton Bailey, Inman's Jace Doerksen, and Cheney's Harrison Voth will also be on the West team. Buhler head football coach Steve Warner will be an assistant on the West coaching staff, as will Inman's Lance Sawyer.

Hutch High's Ben Patterson to join Shrine Bowl July 23

Day 2 of free agency: LaVine, Nurkic decide to stay put

Zach LaVine is staying in Chicago. Same goes for Jusuf Nurkic in Portland. Day 2 of NBA free agency brought another max deal — this time, going to LaVine, who secured the richest contract in Bulls history when he agreed to a $215 million, five-year contract. Nurkic got by far the biggest payday of his career, agreeing to a four-year, $70 million contract with Portland. The center just completed his eighth NBA season, the last six of those coming with the Trail Blazers, for whom he averaged 15 points and 11.1 rebounds this past season.

AP source: Rudy Gobert traded by Jazz to Timberwolves

Rudy Gobert has been traded by the Utah Jazz to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a massive package of players and draft picks, a person with knowledge of the blockbuster deal said. Utah is getting four first-round picks between 2023 and 2029, along with Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley and a first-round pick this year in Walker Kessler, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the NBA had not approved the deal and neither team could announce it publicly. ESPN, which first reported the trade, also said Jarred Vanderbilt was going from Minnesota to Utah as part of the deal for Gobert.

Conference realignment makes another seismic shift

Conference realignment in college sports has been going on since 1984, when the Supreme Court invalidated the NCAA's national television contract for football. The conference juggling has gone through ebbs and flows through the years since, from small schools bumping up to bigger leagues to power programs switching to other major conferences. The latest move, UCLA and USC bolting the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, could be part of a tectonic shift. Not just because of the marquee-named schools involved, but because it happened at a time when the NCAA is looking to take a more decentralized approach to governing college athletics, handing more power to schools and conferences.

WNBA's Brittney Griner goes on trial in Russian court

MOSCOW (AP) — WNBA star Brittney Griner has gone on trial in a Russian court on charges of possessing cannabis oil. Griner was arrested in February at a Moscow airport while traveling to play for a Russian team. The Phoenix Mercury center and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The next session was set for July 7. A U.S. Embassy official who was in court said she spoke with Griner, who "is doing as well as can be expected in these difficult circumstances." Her case comes at an extraordinarily low point in Moscow-Washington relations. Griner was arrested less than a week before Russia sent troops into Ukraine, which aggravated already high tensions.

Wimbledon updates | Coco Gauff 1st on Centre Court on Day 6

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Coco Gauff and Rafael Nadal get back on Centre Court on Day 6 at Wimbledon. Gauff will face Amanda Anisimova in the third round at the All England Club. Two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal will play Lorenzo Sonego. Another two-time champion at the grass-court Grand Slam will play between those matches with Petra Kvitova taking on fourth-seeded Paula Badosa. French Open champion Iga Swiatek will play her third-round match on No. 1 Court against Alizé Cornet. Fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas will play Nick Kyrgios after that.

Analysis: Settlement best solution for Deshaun Watson, NFL

Now that Deshaun Watson's disciplinary hearing has concluded, the best solution for the NFL and the quarterback's legal team is to reach a settlement before retired judge Sue Robinson issues a decision. Watson was accused of sexual misconduct by 24 women and has settled 20 of the civil lawsuits. A settlement with the NFL would avoid an appeal that undermines the collectively bargained process with a disciplinary officer and prevents a potential court case. The longer the process drags, the messier it can get. And, it's already ugly.

Johnson, Ortiz tied for lead in LIV Golf event in Portland

The outcry that marked the start of the Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Golf series' first American stop quieted a bit on Friday, putting the focus on the play at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Modest crowds and mild temperatures in the mid-70s greeted the players on the upstart series, bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, which is trying to shake up the PGA Tour. But there has been widespread criticism because of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses. Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Masters winner, and Carlos Ortiz were tied for the lead going into the final round of the 54-hole tournament Saturday.

JT Poston opens 4-stroke lead in John Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. (AP) — J.T. Poston took a four-stroke lead into the weekend in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic, following an opening 9-under 62 with a 65 on Friday at TPC Deere Run. Coming off a second-place tie last week in Connecticut after also opening with a 62, Poston got to 15 under with a birdie on the par-4 13th and parred the final six holes in the afternoon round. Poston was a stroke off the tournament 36-hole record set by Steve Stricker in his 2010 victory. Denny McCarthy was second at 11 under after a 65, also playing in the afternoon after rain delayed morning play. Christopher Gotterup, the former Rutgers player in the field on a sponsor exemption, had a 67 to reach 10 under.

Wimbledon wild-card entry outside top 100 gets Djokovic next

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic's next opponent is an oft-injured guy ranked outside the top 100 and making his Grand Slam debut thanks to a wild card. And he had never won an ATP Tour match until last month. Now he has won eight in a row. Tim van Rijthoven is a 25-year-old Dutchman who has eliminated two seeded players on his way to a fourth-round matchup against No. 1 Djokovic. The latest victory for van Rijthoven came against No. 22 Nikoloz Basilashvili. That followed a win over No. 15 Reilly Opelka. Van Rijthoven will play Djokovic on Sunday.

US men's soccer reach 1st Olympics since 2008 with U-20 win

The United States qualified for its first Olympic men's soccer tournament since 2008 when the Americans beat Honduras 3-0 at San Pedro Sula in the semifinals of the Under-20 championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean. Paxten Aaronson of the Philadelphia Union, a brother of Leeds midfielder Brenden Aaronson, scored in the third minute. Alejandro Alvarado added a goal in the 23rd, and Quinn Sullivan in the 43rd as the U.S. earned a berth in the 16-nation field. Olympic men's soccer is limited to players under 23, with each nation allowed three wild cards over the limit.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

Final	Chicago White Sox	1	San Francisco	0	

		N-Y Yankees	at	Cleveland	12:10 p.m.	(Postponed)

		Chi White Sox	at	San Francisco	4:05 p.m.	

In a surprising and seismic shift in college athletics, the Big Ten voted Thursday to add Southern California and UCLA as conference members beginning in 2024.

The expansion to 16 teams will happen after the Pac-12’s current media rights contracts with Fox and ESPN expire and make the Big Ten the first conference to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The announcement, which caught the Pac-12 off-guard, came almost a year after Oklahoma and Texas formally accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference in July 2025.

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said USC and UCLA, both members of the Pac-12 and its previous iterations for nearly a century, submitted applications for membership and the league’s Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously to add the Los Angeles schools.

The NBA generated more basketball-related income than ever this past season, the total number coming up just short of $9 billion.

Business is good. The first night of free agency underscored how good.

Nikola Jokic agreed to the biggest contract in NBA history, Bradley Beal agreed to a deal worth a quarter-billion dollars, and the money just kept flowing. Shortly after midnight Friday in the Eastern time zone, three more players — Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker and Ja Morant — also agreed to huge-money extensions.

Towns and Booker agreed to four-year deals that will commence in 2024 and are worth at least $224 million, their agent, Jessica Holtz of CAA, said. Morant will sign his first rookie extension, one that’ll be worth at least $193 million and could reach the $230 million range, according to Tandem Sports, which represents him.

Those five players — Jokic, Beal, Towns, Booker and Morant — had more than $1.1 billion in money committed to them in their new deals, highlighting the moves made Thursday when the NBA’s annual free-agent negotiating window opened.

Kevin Durant may be taking his quest for more titles elsewhere.

Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision that undoubtedly will have teams scrambling to put together offers for the perennial All-Star.

The Nets have been working with Durant to find a trade partner, and he has multiple teams on his preferred list, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because neither the player nor Brooklyn revealed any details publicly.

ESPN first reported Durant’s trade request, citing Phoenix and Miami as two of his preferred destinations. The bombshell came just hours before the NBA’s free-agent period for this summer was set to begin.

— By AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds.

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. were elected Thursday to start in the July 20 All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium.

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:16 a.m. EDTDay 2 of free agency: LaVine, Nurkic decide to stay putZach LaVine is staying in Chicago. Same goes for Jusuf Nurkic in Portland. Day 2 of NBA free agency brought another max deal — this time, going to LaVine, who secured the richest contract in Bulls history when he agreed to a $215 million, five-year contract. Nurkic got by far the biggest payday of his career, agreeing to a four-year, $70 million contract with Portland. The center just completed his eighth NBA season, the last six of those coming with the Trail Blazers, for whom he averaged 15 points and 11.1 rebounds this past season.AP source: Rudy Gobert traded by Jazz to TimberwolvesRudy Gobert has been traded by the Utah Jazz to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a massive package of players and draft picks, a person with knowledge of the blockbuster deal said. Utah is getting four first-round picks between 2023 and 2029, along with Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley and a first-round pick this year in Walker Kessler, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the NBA had not approved the deal and neither team could announce it publicly. ESPN, which first reported the trade, also said Jarred Vanderbilt was going from Minnesota to Utah as part of the deal for Gobert.Conference realignment makes another seismic shiftConference realignment in college sports has been going on since 1984, when the Supreme Court invalidated the NCAA's national television contract for football. The conference juggling has gone through ebbs and flows through the years since, from small schools bumping up to bigger leagues to power programs switching to other major conferences. The latest move, UCLA and USC bolting the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, could be part of a tectonic shift. Not just because of the marquee-named schools involved, but because it happened at a time when the NCAA is looking to take a more decentralized approach to governing college athletics, handing more power to schools and conferences.WNBA's Brittney Griner goes on trial in Russian courtMOSCOW (AP) — WNBA star Brittney Griner has gone on trial in a Russian court on charges of possessing cannabis oil. Griner was arrested in February at a Moscow airport while traveling to play for a Russian team. The Phoenix Mercury center and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The next session was set for July 7. A U.S. Embassy official who was in court said she spoke with Griner, who "is doing as well as can be expected in these difficult circumstances." Her case comes at an extraordinarily low point in Moscow-Washington relations. Griner was arrested less than a week before Russia sent troops into Ukraine, which aggravated already high tensions.Wimbledon updates | Coco Gauff 1st on Centre Court on Day 6WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Coco Gauff and Rafael Nadal get back on Centre Court on Day 6 at Wimbledon. Gauff will face Amanda Anisimova in the third round at the All England Club. Two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal will play Lorenzo Sonego. Another two-time champion at the grass-court Grand Slam will play between those matches with Petra Kvitova taking on fourth-seeded Paula Badosa. French Open champion Iga Swiatek will play her third-round match on No. 1 Court against Alizé Cornet. Fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas will play Nick Kyrgios after that.Analysis: Settlement best solution for Deshaun Watson, NFLNow that Deshaun Watson's disciplinary hearing has concluded, the best solution for the NFL and the quarterback's legal team is to reach a settlement before retired judge Sue Robinson issues a decision. Watson was accused of sexual misconduct by 24 women and has settled 20 of the civil lawsuits. A settlement with the NFL would avoid an appeal that undermines the collectively bargained process with a disciplinary officer and prevents a potential court case. The longer the process drags, the messier it can get. And, it's already ugly.Johnson, Ortiz tied for lead in LIV Golf event in PortlandThe outcry that marked the start of the Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Golf series' first American stop quieted a bit on Friday, putting the focus on the play at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Modest crowds and mild temperatures in the mid-70s greeted the players on the upstart series, bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, which is trying to shake up the PGA Tour. But there has been widespread criticism because of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses. Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Masters winner, and Carlos Ortiz were tied for the lead going into the final round of the 54-hole tournament Saturday.JT Poston opens 4-stroke lead in John Deere ClassicSILVIS, Ill. (AP) — J.T. Poston took a four-stroke lead into the weekend in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic, following an opening 9-under 62 with a 65 on Friday at TPC Deere Run. Coming off a second-place tie last week in Connecticut after also opening with a 62, Poston got to 15 under with a birdie on the par-4 13th and parred the final six holes in the afternoon round. Poston was a stroke off the tournament 36-hole record set by Steve Stricker in his 2010 victory. Denny McCarthy was second at 11 under after a 65, also playing in the afternoon after rain delayed morning play. Christopher Gotterup, the former Rutgers player in the field on a sponsor exemption, had a 67 to reach 10 under.Wimbledon wild-card entry outside top 100 gets Djokovic nextWIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic's next opponent is an oft-injured guy ranked outside the top 100 and making his Grand Slam debut thanks to a wild card. And he had never won an ATP Tour match until last month. Now he has won eight in a row. Tim van Rijthoven is a 25-year-old Dutchman who has eliminated two seeded players on his way to a fourth-round matchup against No. 1 Djokovic. The latest victory for van Rijthoven came against No. 22 Nikoloz Basilashvili. That followed a win over No. 15 Reilly Opelka. Van Rijthoven will play Djokovic on Sunday.US men's soccer reach 1st Olympics since 2008 with U-20 winThe United States qualified for its first Olympic men's soccer tournament since 2008 when the Americans beat Honduras 3-0 at San Pedro Sula in the semifinals of the Under-20 championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean. Paxten Aaronson of the Philadelphia Union, a brother of Leeds midfielder Brenden Aaronson, scored in the third minute. Alejandro Alvarado added a goal in the 23rd, and Quinn Sullivan in the 43rd as the U.S. earned a berth in the 16-nation field. Olympic men's soccer is limited to players under 23, with each nation allowed three wild cards over the limit.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Chicago Cubs	6	Boston	5	Final	N.Y. Mets	4	Texas	3	Final	Chicago White Sox	1	San Francisco	0	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		N-Y Yankees	at	Cleveland	12:10 p.m.	(Postponed)Final	Toronto	9	Tampa Bay	2	Final	Kansas City	3	Detroit	1	Final	Minnesota	3	Baltimore	2	Final	Houston	8	L.A. Angels	1	Final	Oakland	3	Seattle	1	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Miami	6	Washington	3	Final	Philadelphia	5	St. Louis	3	Final	Atlanta	9	Cincinnati	1	Final	Milwaukee	19	Pittsburgh	2	Final	Arizona	9	Colorado	3	Final	L.A. Dodgers	5	San Diego	1	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Las Vegas	91	Minnesota	85	Final	Los Angeles	97	Dallas	89	Final	Seattle	73	Indiana	57	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		Chi White Sox	at	San Francisco	4:05 p.m.			Texas	at	N-Y Mets	4:10 p.m.			Boston	at	Chi Cubs	7:15 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Tampa Bay	at	Toronto	12:07 p.m.			Baltimore	at	Minnesota	2:10 p.m.			Kansas City	at	Detroit	4:10 p.m.			L-A Angels	at	Houston	4:10 p.m.			Oakland	at	Seattle	4:10 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	Toronto	6:07 p.m.			N-Y Yankees	at	Cleveland	6:10 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		Miami	at	Washington	4:05 p.m.			Milwaukee	at	Pittsburgh	4:05 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Philadelphia	4:05 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Cincinnati	4:10 p.m.			San Diego	at	L-A Dodgers	7:15 p.m.			Arizona	at	Colorado	9:10 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Phoenix	at	Chicago	1 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER		Seattle	at	Toronto FC	7:30 p.m.			Los Angeles FC	at	Vancouver	10 p.m.	___<h2>More in SPORTS</h2>NCAAIn a surprising and seismic shift in college athletics, the Big Ten voted Thursday to add Southern California and UCLA as conference members beginning in 2024.The expansion to 16 teams will happen after the Pac-12’s current media rights contracts with Fox and ESPN expire and make the Big Ten the first conference to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific.The announcement, which caught the Pac-12 off-guard, came almost a year after Oklahoma and Texas formally accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference in July 2025.Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said USC and UCLA, both members of the Pac-12 and its previous iterations for nearly a century, submitted applications for membership and the league’s Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously to add the Los Angeles schools.NBAThe NBA generated more basketball-related income than ever this past season, the total number coming up just short of $9 billion.Business is good. The first night of free agency underscored how good.Nikola Jokic agreed to the biggest contract in NBA history, Bradley Beal agreed to a deal worth a quarter-billion dollars, and the money just kept flowing. Shortly after midnight Friday in the Eastern time zone, three more players — Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker and Ja Morant — also agreed to huge-money extensions.Towns and Booker agreed to four-year deals that will commence in 2024 and are worth at least $224 million, their agent, Jessica Holtz of CAA, said. Morant will sign his first rookie extension, one that’ll be worth at least $193 million and could reach the $230 million range, according to Tandem Sports, which represents him.Those five players — Jokic, Beal, Towns, Booker and Morant — had more than $1.1 billion in money committed to them in their new deals, highlighting the moves made Thursday when the NBA’s annual free-agent negotiating window opened.Kevin Durant may be taking his quest for more titles elsewhere.Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision that undoubtedly will have teams scrambling to put together offers for the perennial All-Star.The Nets have been working with Durant to find a trade partner, and he has multiple teams on his preferred list, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because neither the player nor Brooklyn revealed any details publicly.ESPN first reported Durant’s trade request, citing Phoenix and Miami as two of his preferred destinations. The bombshell came just hours before the NBA’s free-agent period for this summer was set to begin.— By AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds.MLBNEW YORK (AP) — Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. were elected Thursday to start in the July 20 All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium.The pair were chosen under new rules that give starting spots to the top vote-getter in each league in the first phase of online voting, which began June 8 and ended Thursday. Others advanced to the second phase, which runs from noon EDT on Tuesday and ends at 2 p.m. EDT on July 8. Votes from the first phase do not carry over.Starters will be announced July 8, and pitchers and reserves on July 10.Judge received 3.76 million votes and was elected to start for the fourth time. Acuña led the NL with 3.5 million votes and was elected to start for the third time.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A California agency cleared the way for the Oakland Athletics to continue planning a $12 billion waterfront ballpark project.The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission voted 23-2 to reclassify a 56-acre terminal at the Port of Oakland as a mixed-use area where a new ballpark could be built. The vote is the first in a series of legal hurdles the team would have to overcome before it gets permission to break ground for the project.The commission followed the recommendation of its staff, which found the team demonstrated removing the terminal from port use “would not detract from the region’s capability to handle the projected growth in cargo.”The A’s are the last professional franchise remaining in Oakland after the NBA’s Golden State Warriors relocated to San Francisco and the NFL’s Raiders to Las Vegas in recent years. The defections weigh heavily on the Bay Area city of roughly 400,000 people, some of whom pleaded with the commission Thursday to work harder to keep the team and the accompanying jobs.LOS ANGELES (AP) — The former agent of Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman says the Braves are presenting a “false narrative” about the first baseman’s parting with Atlanta in March.“I will not stand by as the circumstances surrounding Freddie Freeman’s departure from Atlanta are mischaracterized,” agent Casey Close of Excel Sports Management said in a statement.Freeman was in tears and at times could barely speak when talking to reporters in Atlanta last week, his first trip back to the city where he had played his entire career before leaving for the West Coast. He was warmly welcomed by Braves fans. He helped the team win the World Series last season and was presented his ring by Braves manager Brian Snitker.Freeman’s return came at the same time that he apparently fired Excel as his management team. Asked about that, he described the relationship as “fluid.”NFLDeshaun Watson’s disciplinary hearing concluded Thursday with the NFL adamant about an indefinite suspension of at least one year and the quarterback’s legal team arguing there’s no basis for that punishment, two people with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press.Both sides presented their arguments over three days before former U.S. District Judge Sue Robinson in Delaware, according to both people who spoke on condition of anonymity because the hearing isn’t public.Watson was accused of sexual misconduct by 24 women and settled 20 of the civil lawsuits.Robinson, who was jointly appointed by the league and the NFL Players’ Association, will determine whether Watson violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy and whether to impose discipline.—- By AP Pro Football Writer Rob MaaddiNHLDETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings have hired Derek Lalonde to coach their rebuilding team, hoping the two-time Stanley Cup-winning assistant can make all the right moves to make the franchise relevant again.Lalonde spent the past four years on Jon Cooper’s staff with the Tampa Bay Lightning, a stretch that included championships in 2020 and ’21 and, most recently, a third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final.“He has proven himself as an excellent coach at every level and has spent the last four seasons in the National Hockey League as part of a very successful program in Tampa Bay,” general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement. “We feel he is ready to take the next step in his career as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.”Yzerman was GM of the Lightning when he promoted Cooper to his first NHL head-coaching job in 2013. It’s the first time an active assistant of Cooper’s has jumped to a head job in the NHL.

Sports Headlines for Saturday

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Prairie Dunes Country Club golf course, which opened it's first 9 holes in 1937 and the other nine in 1957, &nbsp;was recently ranked the top private golf course in Kansas by USA Today's <a href="https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/golfweeks-best-private-courses-2022-state-by-state-rankings-of-private-courses/">Golfweek in an early June state-by-state golf rankings article</a>. &nbsp;

Prairie Dunes has played host to the U.S. Senior Open in 2006, the U.S. Women's Open in 2002, the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1991, and the NCAA Men's Championship in 2014 that was won by Alabama.

Prairie Dunes will be the 2023 site of the Big 12 Men's Golf Championships. The course is already a 13-time host of the conference event.&nbsp;&nbsp;

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Prairie Dunes Country Club golf course, which opened it's first 9 holes in 1937 and the other nine in 1957, &nbsp;was recently ranked the top private golf course in Kansas by USA Today's <a href="https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/golfweeks-best-private-courses-2022-state-by-state-rankings-of-private-courses/">Golfweek in an early June state-by-state golf rankings article</a>. &nbsp; Prairie Dunes has played host to the U.S. Senior Open in 2006, the U.S. Women's Open in 2002, the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1991, and the NCAA Men's Championship in 2014 that was won by Alabama. Prairie Dunes will be the 2023 site of the Big 12 Men's Golf Championships. The course is already a 13-time host of the conference event.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prairie Dunes remains top course, according to Golfweek

Wichita, KS- The Wind Surge fell short to the Springfield Cardinals 5-1 on Friday night behind a strong start on the mound from Cardinal starter Gordon Graceffo to even up the series.

Springfield scored three early runs in the first inning as Nick Dunn hit an RBI single to score Mike Antico, and Chase Pinder hit a two-run RBI double to extend the Cardinals lead to 3-0. Pinder finished the ballgame one for three with three RBIs.

Gordon Graceffo got the start on the mound for the Red Birds and had an efficient outing as he pitched five and two thirds’ innings and allowed just one run on four hits and tallied two walks and two strikeouts to earn his fourth win of the season.

Wichita’s lone run came in the top of the third inning as Matt Wallner grounded out to shortstop to score DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. to cut the deficit to 3-1. Keirsey Jr. and Chris Williams each had a pair of hits, and both finished two for four in the ballgame.

Wichita finished the night 0-5 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base.

The Wind Surge will resume action against the Springfield Cardinals Saturday night for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.

Wichita, KS- The Wind Surge fell short to the Springfield Cardinals 5-1 on Friday night behind a strong start on the mound from Cardinal starter Gordon Graceffo to even up the series.Springfield scored three early runs in the first inning as Nick Dunn hit an RBI single to score Mike Antico, and Chase Pinder hit a two-run RBI double to extend the Cardinals lead to 3-0. Pinder finished the ballgame one for three with three RBIs.Gordon Graceffo got the start on the mound for the Red Birds and had an efficient outing as he pitched five and two thirds’ innings and allowed just one run on four hits and tallied two walks and two strikeouts to earn his fourth win of the season.Wichita’s lone run came in the top of the third inning as Matt Wallner grounded out to shortstop to score DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. to cut the deficit to 3-1. Keirsey Jr. and Chris Williams each had a pair of hits, and both finished two for four in the ballgame.Wichita finished the night 0-5 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base.The Wind Surge will resume action against the Springfield Cardinals Saturday night for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.

Surge lose Friday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Monarchs put up five runs in the second inning and that was just the start of a 12-2 win over Haysville Friday night in eight innings at Hobart-Detter Field.

Corbin Hawkins was solid for Hutchinson, throwing five innings and giving up six hits and two earned runs en route to the win. The bullpen continued to be strong, with Carson Cornelius and Will Maynard coming on with scoreless relief.

A great crowd was on hand to enjoy the Monarchs win and the fireworks after the contest.  Attendance was listed at 533 which ranks as number 18 in the top 20 nights in attendance rankings for the Monarchs.

The Monarchs, now 17-5, are scheduled for a 7 p.m. first pitch Saturday night at Hobart-Detter, weather permitting.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Monarchs put up five runs in the second inning and that was just the start of a 12-2 win over Haysville Friday night in eight innings at Hobart-Detter Field.Corbin Hawkins was solid for Hutchinson, throwing five innings and giving up six hits and two earned runs en route to the win. The bullpen continued to be strong, with Carson Cornelius and Will Maynard coming on with scoreless relief.A great crowd was on hand to enjoy the Monarchs win and the fireworks after the contest. Attendance was listed at 533 which ranks as number 18 in the top 20 nights in attendance rankings for the Monarchs.The Monarchs, now 17-5, are scheduled for a 7 p.m. first pitch Saturday night at Hobart-Detter, weather permitting.

⚾️ Monarchs win over Haysville Friday

DETROIT (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino hit his first major league home run and Hunter Dozier followed with a drive into the bullpen, leading Brad Keller and the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers 3-1. 

Keller allowed five hits and two walks in six-plus scoreless innings. He’s won two of his last three outings after starting out 1-8. The Tigers scored in the ninth on Eric Haase’s sacrifice fly. Royals closer Scott Barlow walked Riley Greene, bringing the winning run to the plate, but he retired Willi Castro on the next pitch for his 11th save. 

Tigers starter Michael Pineda threw 65 pitches in his return from the injured list, giving up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out three without a walk.

DETROIT (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino hit his first major league home run and Hunter Dozier followed with a drive into the bullpen, leading Brad Keller and the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers 3-1. Keller allowed five hits and two walks in six-plus scoreless innings. He’s won two of his last three outings after starting out 1-8. The Tigers scored in the ninth on Eric Haase’s sacrifice fly. Royals closer Scott Barlow walked Riley Greene, bringing the winning run to the plate, but he retired Willi Castro on the next pitch for his 11th save. Tigers starter Michael Pineda threw 65 pitches in his return from the injured list, giving up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out three without a walk.

Royals win over Tigers Friday

UPDATE: <a href="https://www.kasb.org/45132?articleID=109996">The Kansas Association of School Boards is reporting</a> that the meeting has been rescheduled for August with action expected in September.

<a href="https://www.ksde.org/Home/Quick-Links/News-Room/notice-of-hearing-on-proposed-changes-to-kshsaa-rule-1">Via State Board of Education</a>

TOPEKA —

The Kansas State Board of Education will conduct a public hearing at 9:05 a.m., or as soon thereafter as possible, on Wednesday, July 13, in the board room in Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 102, Topeka, KS, to consider proposed changes to the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s Rule 5 – classification of senior high schools.

The purpose of the proposed rule change is to apply an enrollment multiplier factor when determining classification numbers of private schools. Factors for determining the multiplier include school location, socio-economic status, and championship factor. A copy of the proposed rule change may be obtained by contacting the Secretary to the Kansas State Board of Education at the address above prior to the date of the hearing or by email to bhughes@ksde.org.

All interested persons will be given a reasonable opportunity at the hearing to present their views or arguments, either orally or in writing, in regard to the proposed rule. The hearing shall be conducted in compliance with the public hearing procedures of the State Board of Education.

All interested parties wishing to give oral testimony during the hearing must register with the Secretary of the Kansas State Board of Education by email to <a href="mailto:bhughes@ksde.org">bhughes@ksde.org</a> or by letter to the address given above. Registrations must be received no later than 5 p.m., Monday, July 11. When requesting to speak, please include the following information:

3. Identify whether the testimony is as a Proponent, Opponent or Neutral regarding the proposed rule change.

Those who wish to submit written testimony may do so by mailing to the address or email address given above. All written testimony must be received no alter than 5 p.m. Monday, July 11.

Any individual with a disability may request an accommodation in order to participate in the public hearing, and may request the proposed regulation and economic impact statements in an accessible format. 

Requests for accommodation to participate in the hearing should be made at least five working days in advance of the hearing by contacting Wendy Fritz at (785) 296-5363 (or TDD 785-296-8172) or by e-mail to <a href="mailto:wfritz@ksde.org">wfritz@ksde.org</a>.

The north entrance to the Landon State Office Building is accessible. Handicapped parking is located at the south end of the Landon State Office Building, across the street from the north entrance to the building, and on Ninth Street, just around the corner from the north entrance to the building.

UPDATE: <a href="https://www.kasb.org/45132?articleID=109996">The Kansas Association of School Boards is reporting</a> that the meeting has been rescheduled for August with action expected in September.<a href="https://www.ksde.org/Home/Quick-Links/News-Room/notice-of-hearing-on-proposed-changes-to-kshsaa-rule-1">Via State Board of Education</a>TOPEKA —

The Kansas State Board of Education will conduct a public hearing at 9:05 a.m., or as soon thereafter as possible, on Wednesday, July 13, in the board room in Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 102, Topeka, KS, to consider proposed changes to the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s Rule 5 – classification of senior high schools.The purpose of the proposed rule change is to apply an enrollment multiplier factor when determining classification numbers of private schools. Factors for determining the multiplier include school location, socio-economic status, and championship factor. A copy of the proposed rule change may be obtained by contacting the Secretary to the Kansas State Board of Education at the address above prior to the date of the hearing or by email to bhughes@ksde.org.All interested persons will be given a reasonable opportunity at the hearing to present their views or arguments, either orally or in writing, in regard to the proposed rule. The hearing shall be conducted in compliance with the public hearing procedures of the State Board of Education.All interested parties wishing to give oral testimony during the hearing must register with the Secretary of the Kansas State Board of Education by email to <a href="mailto:bhughes@ksde.org">bhughes@ksde.org</a> or by letter to the address given above. Registrations must be received no later than 5 p.m., Monday, July 11. When requesting to speak, please include the following information:1. Speaker’s name.2. Organization represented, if any.3. Identify whether the testimony is as a Proponent, Opponent or Neutral regarding the proposed rule change.Those who wish to submit written testimony may do so by mailing to the address or email address given above. All written testimony must be received no alter than 5 p.m. Monday, July 11.Any individual with a disability may request an accommodation in order to participate in the public hearing, and may request the proposed regulation and economic impact statements in an accessible format. Requests for accommodation to participate in the hearing should be made at least five working days in advance of the hearing by contacting Wendy Fritz at (785) 296-5363 (or TDD 785-296-8172) or by e-mail to <a href="mailto:wfritz@ksde.org">wfritz@ksde.org</a>. The north entrance to the Landon State Office Building is accessible. Handicapped parking is located at the south end of the Landon State Office Building, across the street from the north entrance to the building, and on Ninth Street, just around the corner from the north entrance to the building.

State Board of Ed to hold KSHSAA class hearing in August in Topeka

HAYSVILLE, Kan.-The Hutchinson Monarchs scored three unanswered runs, including the game-winning tally in the 12th inning to win 5-4 over the Haysville Aviators last night (June 30) at Plagens-Carpenter Park.&nbsp;

The winning run occurred when Joey Baran led off the 12th with a walk and came around to score on an error.&nbsp;

Haysville had taken a 4-2 lead on a two-run homer by Ryan Henderson in the bottom of the sixth, but&nbsp;Jimmy Blumberg answered for Hutchinson with a two-run single in the seventh to tie the game again.

The Monarchs made the most of their five hits, while the Aviators had five players record at least two hits on the night.&nbsp;

Reed Scott finished the game with three scoreless innings to earn the win for the Monarchs.&nbsp; Arturo Ramirez started for the Aviators and struck out 10 while scattering four runs over 6.2 innings.&nbsp;

Hutchinson (16-5) will now host Haysville (12-10) tonight (July 1) starting at 7 pm at Hobart-Detter Field.&nbsp;

Catch the pregame at 6:50pm on Hutchpost.com

There will be a fireworks show following the game tonight at Hobart-Detter Field in Carey Park.

<a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/398814">Link to the game tonight - CLICK HERE</a>

HAYSVILLE, Kan.—<figure>
 <img src="http://pointstreaksites.com/img/news_article_images/3895/540490_small.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HAYSVILLE, Kan.-The Hutchinson Monarchs scored three unanswered runs, including the game-winning tally in the 12th inning to win 5-4 over the Haysville Aviators last night (June 30) at Plagens-Carpenter Park.&nbsp;The winning run occurred when Joey Baran led off the 12th with a walk and came around to score on an error.&nbsp;Haysville had taken a 4-2 lead on a two-run homer by Ryan Henderson in the bottom of the sixth, but&nbsp;Jimmy Blumberg answered for Hutchinson with a two-run single in the seventh to tie the game again.The Monarchs made the most of their five hits, while the Aviators had five players record at least two hits on the night.&nbsp;Reed Scott finished the game with three scoreless innings to earn the win for the Monarchs.&nbsp; Arturo Ramirez started for the Aviators and struck out 10 while scattering four runs over 6.2 innings.&nbsp;Hutchinson (16-5) will now host Haysville (12-10) tonight (July 1) starting at 7 pm at Hobart-Detter Field.&nbsp;Catch the pregame at 6:50pm on Hutchpost.comThere will be a fireworks show following the game tonight at Hobart-Detter Field in Carey Park.<a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/398814">Link to the game tonight - CLICK HERE</a>

Monarchs win in extra innings over Haysville Aviators

Big Ten votes to add USC, UCLA as members starting in 2024

The Big Ten voted unanimously to add Southern California and UCLA as conference members beginning in 2024. The expansion to 16 teams will happen after the Pac-12's current media rights contracts with Fox and ESPN expire and make the Big Ten the first conference to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The announced came almost a year after Oklahoma and Texas formally accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference in July 2025.

5 players, $1.1 billion: NBA free agency starts with a bang

The NBA generated more basketball related income than ever this past season, the total number coming up just short of $9 billion. Business is good. The first night of free agency underscored how good. Nikola Jokic, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ja Morant agreed to extensions worth more than $1 billion by the time they expire, highlighting the moves made Thursday when the NBA's annual free-agent negotiating window opened.

Wimbledon updates | Jelena Ostapenko reaches 4th round

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Jelena Ostapenko advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon after winning 12 of the last 13 games against Irina-Camelia Begu. The 2017 French Open champion from Latvia beat Begu 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 on No. 3 Court. The 12th-seeded Ostapenko trailed 6-3, 1-0 when she turned things around. She won nine straight games to take a 3-0 lead in the deciding set before Begu was able to hold serve again. Ostapenko then had to save a break point in the next game before taking a 4-1 lead. Ostapenko reached the semifinals at the All England Club in 2018 and last week reached the final at the grass-court warmup tournament in Eastbourne, England.

Trial for US basketball star begins in Moscow-area court

MOSCOW (AP) — American basketball star Brittney Griner has arrived at a Moscow-area court where she is scheduled to go on trial. Griner was arrested in February on cannabis possession charges at an airport while traveling to play for a Russian team. Police said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. Her trial is set to get underway on Friday. The Phoenix Mercury center and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs. Fewer than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and unlike in the U.S., acquittals can be overturned.

AP Sports Summary Brief at 7:56 a.m. EDTBig Ten votes to add USC, UCLA as members starting in 2024The Big Ten voted unanimously to add Southern California and UCLA as conference members beginning in 2024. The expansion to 16 teams will happen after the Pac-12's current media rights contracts with Fox and ESPN expire and make the Big Ten the first conference to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The announced came almost a year after Oklahoma and Texas formally accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference in July 2025.5 players, $1.1 billion: NBA free agency starts with a bangThe NBA generated more basketball related income than ever this past season, the total number coming up just short of $9 billion. Business is good. The first night of free agency underscored how good. Nikola Jokic, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ja Morant agreed to extensions worth more than $1 billion by the time they expire, highlighting the moves made Thursday when the NBA's annual free-agent negotiating window opened.Wimbledon updates | Jelena Ostapenko reaches 4th roundWIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Jelena Ostapenko advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon after winning 12 of the last 13 games against Irina-Camelia Begu. The 2017 French Open champion from Latvia beat Begu 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 on No. 3 Court. The 12th-seeded Ostapenko trailed 6-3, 1-0 when she turned things around. She won nine straight games to take a 3-0 lead in the deciding set before Begu was able to hold serve again. Ostapenko then had to save a break point in the next game before taking a 4-1 lead. Ostapenko reached the semifinals at the All England Club in 2018 and last week reached the final at the grass-court warmup tournament in Eastbourne, England.Trial for US basketball star begins in Moscow-area courtMOSCOW (AP) — American basketball star Brittney Griner has arrived at a Moscow-area court where she is scheduled to go on trial. Griner was arrested in February on cannabis possession charges at an airport while traveling to play for a Russian team. Police said she was carrying vape canisters with cannabis oil. Her trial is set to get underway on Friday. The Phoenix Mercury center and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs. Fewer than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and unlike in the U.S., acquittals can be overturned.AP source: Kevin Durant asks for trade from Brooklyn NetsA person with direct knowledge of the decision says Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. The decision revealed just before the start of NBA free agency undoubtedly will have teams scrambling to put together enormous offers for the perennial All-Star. The Nets have been working with Durant to find a trade partner, and he has multiple teams on his preferred list. That's according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the player nor Brooklyn revealed any details publicly. ESPN first reported Durant's trade request and cited Phoenix and Miami as two of his preferred destinations. Durant is a 12-time All-Star, four-time scoring champion, three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time NBA champion.AP Sources: NFL adamant on indefinite suspension for WatsonDeshaun Watson's disciplinary hearing concluded Thursday with the NFL adamant about an indefinite suspension of at least one year and the quarterback's legal team arguing there's no basis for that punishment, two people with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press. Both sides presented their arguments over three days before former U.S. District Judge Sue Robinson in Delaware, according to both people who spoke on condition of anonymity because the hearing isn't public. Watson was accused of sexual misconduct by 24 women and settled 20 of the civil lawsuits.Ex-agent: Braves fostering 'false narrative' about FreemanLOS ANGELES (AP) — The former agent of Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman says his ex-team, the Atlanta Braves, is presenting a "false narrative" about the first baseman's departure in March. Freeman was in tears in Atlanta last week when he returned to the city where he had played his entire career. His former agent, Casey Close, says the Braves are falsely suggesting that he failed to communicate a contract offer to Freeman, who signed with the Dodgers in mid-March. That deal came three days after the Braves signed All-Star first baseman Matt Olson from Oakland.LIV tees off in Oregon amid criticism over Saudi fundingNORTH PLAINS, Ore. (AP) — The Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf tour's second event teed off Thursday, angering a group of families who lost loved ones on Sept. 11 and want the Saudi government held to account for the terrorist attacks. About 10 family members and survivors spoke at a small park honoring veterans in tiny North Plains, home to Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. The LIV Golf series, funded by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, was making its first stop on American soil this week after a debut this month outside of London. Carlos Ortiz took the lead Thursday with a 5-under 67. Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Masters winner, was a shot back, and Hideto Tadihara, Pat Perez and Brenden Grace were two shots off the lead.JT Poston shoots 62, leads John Deere Classic by 2 strokesSILVIS, Ill. (AP) — J.T. Poston shot a 9-under 62 on Thursday to take a two-stroke lead in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic. Coming off a second-place tie last week in Connecticut after also opening with a 62, Poston eagled the par-5 second and had seven birdies in a bogey-free round at TPC Deere Run. He won the 2019 Wyndham Championship for his lone PGA Tour title. Canadian Michael Gligic was second at 64, playing in the final group of the day off the first tee. Vaughn Taylor and Christopher Gotterup followed at 65.Most American men reach Wimbledon's 3rd round since 1995WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — There will be eight American men in the third round of Wimbledon for the first time since 1995. That's also the largest group for the country at that stage of any Grand Slam tournament since the U.S. Open a year later. Brandon Nakashima, Taylor Fritz and Jenson Brooksby all advanced at the All England Club. Nakashima pulled off the biggest surprise by beating 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist Denis Shapovalov of Canada. Four U.S. men will play for a berth in the fourth round Friday: John Isner, Steve Johnson, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul.