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Tag: Florida Sports

  • Women’s pro soccer team Tampa Bay Sun ready to rise

    Women’s pro soccer team Tampa Bay Sun ready to rise

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    TAMPA, Fla. — This is history in the making.

    The Tampa Bay Sun prepares for their season opener and gets ready to put down their professional roots in a city that celebrates its pro teams.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Tampa Bay Sun open their season Sunday against Dallas

    • The Sun will play their home matches at Blake High School’s renovated stadium along the Hillsborough River

    • Playing in the USL Super League, the Sun are the first women’s professional team in Tampa Bay
    • All of their games will be streamed on Peacock


    “It’s just really special because we’re the only women’s team here in Tampa Bay,” Sun forward Ashley Clark said. “So that’s really cool.”

    Buccaneers, Lightning, Rays, Rowdies, and now Sun. These ladies have been working hard to establish themselves. The team features a lot of speed and experience. The product on the field is set up for success. It’s also set up to influence the next generation.

    “We’re going to have girls in the stands — the ball girls — that are watching and say, ‘You know what, I want to be like her one day,’” Clark said.

    Once relegated to playing the sport they love overseas, now Bradenton native Erika Tymrak gets to play in her own backyard. The former U.S. National Team member recalled the early beginnings of women’s professional soccer and the obstacles they had to overcome.

    “We didn’t have locker rooms. We didn’t have facilities. The medical treatment was subpar,” Tymrak said. “We were constantly changing pitches going from turf to grass to football fields. There was no consistency.”

    This generation of professional players has everything they need to be successful. The Sun have a new, state-of-the-art facility along the Hillsborough River, where they hope to pack the stands with fans. Sunday’s home opener is just the beginning of what they plan to sustain for a very long time.

    “It’s almost like there’s foundation that was built for a really long time that’s just breaking through and rising up,” Head coach Denise Schilte-Brown said. “And it just seems like it’s in every women’s sport. It’s our time to rise.”

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    Katherine Smith

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  • The Olympics may be over, but one Lakeland family is still celebrating

    The Olympics may be over, but one Lakeland family is still celebrating

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — When Lakeland native Monae’ Nichols competed in the long jump finals, her friends and family gathered around the TV at her grandparents house.

    She may have been more than 4,500 miles away in Paris, but her hometown support system made it feel like they were right there with her.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lakeland native Monae’ Nichols competed in her first Olympics in the long jump

    • Nichols began her track and field career at Auburndale High School, where she still holds records in the long and triple jump

    • Her family held an Olympics watch party at her grandparents home in Lakeland


    Her Auburndale High School coach was there. She’s got lots of memories stored on her phone, from the very beginning of Monae’s track career.

    “Monae’, she still has the long jump record, the long and the triple jump record at Auburndale High School,” Sheryl Covington-Thomas said. “So you know, just from the very beginning, I just knew she was destined for greatness.”

    That greatness landed her in Paris in her first Olympics. Her Nana, Audrey Nichols, watched the qualifying competition on her phone and when Monae’ clinched a spot on the U.S. Olympic team on her final jump, Nana couldn’t contain her excitement.

    “I was like, ‘Yes, yes, yes, she made it, she made it,’” Audrey Nichols said.

    That’s what the Olympics does. It brings out all the feels, especially when it’s a loved one going for the gold. These family members have been watching Monae’s journey from the very beginning.

    “We have watched Monae grow, and she has come a long way,” her grandfather, Byron Nichols, said. “From running in school to No. 6 or 7 in the Olympics, that is a great achievement.”

    Monae finished sixth, missing out on a medal at her first Olympics. But that didn’t damper the party. The Nichols celebration had it all. Food, faith and family. Most of all, family.

    This is a tight-knit group that sweated out each approach and cheered every jump. And a family that still sees Monae’ as their golden girl.

    “It’s just a wonderful, wonderful experience,” Byron said. “It’s a little nerve-wracking because of course all the Olympians family want their family to come in first. But we are so grateful and it’s so wonderful to see the winners and those who will try again. That gives us hope.”

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    Katherine Smith

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  • New facility in Land O’ Lakes helps athletes stay sharp

    New facility in Land O’ Lakes helps athletes stay sharp

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    LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — Located inside an old car garage is the brand-new NSi Field House, created by owner Tony Calimano.

    The state-of-the-art facility in Pasco County is helping athletes stay sharp year-round.

    What You Need To Know

    • A new, indoor facility is helping athletes of all ages stay sharp year-round

    • The NSi Field House, an indoor training facility for baseball, softball and more, is the first of its kind in the Wesley Chapel/Land O’ Lakes area

    • Located inside an old car garage, the field house was created by local businessman Tony Calimano who says he saw a need for the facility in the area


    “We’ve got athletes from all different sports coming in here and training,” said Calimano. “It’s indoor training. Affordable, accessible- you bring the other two ‘A’s’ being accountable and right attitude- and we’re going to grow.”

    Recently opened, the field house is a place for athletes of all ages to perfect their craft. It’s the first of its kind, Calimano says, in the Wesley Chapel/Land O’ Lakes area. It’s a business venture he wanted to take after noticing a growing need.

    “That’s one thing that we’re noticing is that these fields are being occupied, so they need a place to come and train,” said Calimano. “I’m being sought out now by people saying, ‘Hey- there’s a place locally that we can come and train.’ It’s year-round, accessible 24/7 pretty much.”

    And the reception has already been welcoming.

    “The biggest thing is just getting kids involved and getting them trained,” said Calimano.

    Youth baseball coach Cody Johnson puts a few of his athletes through practice at the facility. A routine, he says, that’s already starting to pay off.

    “A lot of the parents have said that they get home and the kids are doing box jumps on the coffee table or the couch,” said Johnson. “Even though they’re here for an hour or hour and a half, they’re still not getting enough. They’re going home and getting more work in, so they’re learning a lot.”

    While there is a focus on baseball and softball, all sports are welcome to train. There’s just one thing, Calimano says, that athletes need to bring with them.

    “Whatever sport that you’re playing in- whether you’re studying or looking at film- it’s about being accountable,” said Calimano. “I was a good athlete coming up, but I was one of those guys that sometimes looked at pointing fingers if I had something not go right for me. This is about making sure that you are putting the effort in and making sure at the end of the day you’re being accountable for your results.”

    Calimano says his hope is to expand the field house in the future, opening another location in the Tampa Bay area. You can learn more about the NSi Field House when you head to their website.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Gators begin Napier’s 3rd fall camp with revamped staff, hope for winning season

    Gators begin Napier’s 3rd fall camp with revamped staff, hope for winning season

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Billy Napier took a significant swing at solving his program’s problems this offseason. He revamped his defense, his special teams, his strength and conditioning program and even hired a new team nutritionist.

    What You Need To Know

    • The University of Florida’s football team began fall practices Wednesday

    • Coach Billy Napier has made major changes to his coaching staff and overhauled the program

    • The goal is to finish with a winning record after three losing seasons in a row

    • The Gators open their season against Miami on Aug. 31 in the Swamp

    Although the results of Napier’s make-or-break moves won’t be evident for months, defensive end Justus Boone was ready to show the effects as Florida opened its fall football camp this week.

    “If I take this shirt off, I’m ripped up,” Boone said.

    Boone and the Gators will wait for their season opener against in-state rival Miami on Aug. 31 at the Swamp to unveil whatever progress they’ve made heading into Napier’s third season in Gainesville.

    This is much is clear: Napier didn’t hesitate to retool every floundering aspect of his program following Florida’s third consecutive losing season, the last two under his watch. Napier is 11-14 in two years in Gainesville, a stint that includes consecutive losses to Kentucky and a 1-7 mark against rivals Georgia, Florida State, LSU and Tennessee.

    Napier fired two defensive assistants two days after a season-ending loss to the Seminoles in November and then essentially benched 30-year-old defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong, special teams coordinator Chris Couch and strength coach Mark Hocke in the weeks that followed. All three remain on staff but are no longer in charge of anything.

    Veteran coach Ron Roberts is now running the defense. Former NFL assistant Joe Houston is directing special teams. And Tyler Miles is heading the strength program. Napier also retooled the nutrition side and promoted Russ Callaway to co-offensive coordinator.

    The importance of those moves was evident when Napier brought Roberts, Houston, Miles and Callaway to media day.

    “We’ve got to go execute our formula,” Napier said. “We haven’t quite done that in all parts of our team.”

    Roberts is tasked with fixing a unit that allowed 38.2 points a game in five consecutive losses to end the season. The Gators managed just 22 sacks — their fewest since 2013 — and three interceptions en route to missing a bowl for just the third time since 1990.

    Houston is assigned with eliminating a variety of special-teams gaffes that have plagued the program, culminating with botching a late-game situation against Arkansas in which the field goal unit ran onto the field while the offense was lining up to spike the ball.

    The illegal substitution penalty that followed resulted in a 5-yard loss and seemed to be the difference in Trey Smack missing a 44-yard field goal with seconds left. The game went into overtime, and Florida lost 39-36.

    Houston installed a “launch pad” on the sideline to help moving forward. The mat has a circle for each special-teamer to stand in. It should prevent the Gators from lining up with too many or too few players.

    “It’s essentially a sideline huddle,” Houston said.

    Miles’ impact is already being felt. The Gators have 62 players topping 20 mph in sprints and 45 guys lifting more than 300 pounds in the weight room, dramatic improvements from the previous two years.

    “ ‘Finish’ is a word that’d been used quite a bit this summer,” said Napier, whose team dropped close games to Arkansas, Missouri and FSU in November. “I think how we train just might be the difference.”

    He also said he wants everyone who is part of the organization to feel like they can make an impact and to take accountability for the team’s success.

    “We want every single person who is part of the team and the organization to feel as if their role just might be the difference and for them to come to work every day and take pride in that role,” Napier said Wednesday.

    Although Napier will continue to call plays, he’s giving Callaway more input and responsibility. Callaway’s approach is straightforward and simple: get the ball in the hands of your best players, most notably sophomore receiver Eugene Wilson III.

    Wilson will be as important to Florida’s offense as anyone, including returning quarterback Graham Mertz, senior running back Montrell Johnson and highly touted dual-threat quarterback DJ Lagway.

    All four opened training camp Tuesday by checking into an on-campus dorm, a drastic change from last year’s posh hotel, a day before training camp opened.

    “We’re trying to create an old-school feel to training camp where they appreciate when they move back into that nice apartment here in a couple of weeks,” Napier said.

    Maybe, just maybe, old-school results might follow. The Gators were picked to finish 12th in the 16-team Southeastern Conference, a prediction that quickly found its way back to Florida’s locker room.

    “We’re not worried about trying to prove anybody wrong,” Boone said. “We’re just looking to prove ourselves right. We just want all our work to not go in vain.”

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    Associated Press

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  • Pinellas County commissioners take up Rays ballpark plans ahead of final vote

    Pinellas County commissioners take up Rays ballpark plans ahead of final vote

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Pinellas County Commissioners will meet Thursday to discuss plans to contribute nearly $313 million towards a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays.

    This is the last vote needed to approve a new $1.3 billion ballpark and the surrounding redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District. As of Thursday morning, the vote is scheduled for July 30 following a public hearing.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Rays are asking for nearly $313 million from the Tourist Development Tax fund to help pay for the ballpark 

    • Four out of seven county commissioners must vote in favor for the plans to pass 

    •  Public hearing and final vote scheduled for July 30 

    • PDF: Hines + Tampa Bay Rays Stadium Presentation


    Thursday’s work session will not have a public comment session and is a chance for county commissioners to ask questions about the proposed plans. The proposal needs four out of seven votes in order to pass.

    Ahead of the work session, Spectrum Bay News 9 asked each of the seven county commissioners their stance on the deal. Three commissioners said they support — or are leaning towards supporting the project, two said they have some questions that need answering, and two would not comment publicly ahead of the vote.

    Last week, the St. Pete City Council in a 5-3 vote approved spending $429.5 million on the 65-acre project by taking out bonds and using tax increment funding.

     


    Pinellas County’s contribution would come from tourist development tax dollars, or bed tax money. Real estate lawyer Charles Gallagher called the county approval process a bit of a smoother path.

     

    “The bed tax is a perfectly reasonable use of those funds,” he said. “All these folks coming down to hotels and resorts and paying taxes for the nights … that’s where that money comes from. In some respect it’s found money because it has to go towards tourism anyways.”

    Dylan Dames with the non-profit Faith in Florida feels the current agreement will not do enough for residents who need an affordable place to live.

    “I think a lot of people were disappointed with the size of the handout being given to a private entity during one of the most tough times for housing and development,” he said.

    Dames is closely watching to see how commissioners vote, but is staying optimistic.

    “It’s not over until the deal is signed, until the deal is closed on the land sale,” he said.

    Thursday’s work session will be streamed on YouTube at  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCakmugpSeqsZbfF5P5P90Dg and on the Pinellas County website at https://pinellas.gov/live-webcast-meetings/. It is also available on Spectrum Channel 637.

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    Angie Angers

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  • ACC commissioner vows to fight FSU, Clemson legal battles ‘as long as it takes’

    ACC commissioner vows to fight FSU, Clemson legal battles ‘as long as it takes’

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C.  — Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips said the league will fight “as long as it takes” in legal cases against Florida State and Clemson as those member schools challenge the league’s ability to charge hundreds of millions of dollars to leave the conference.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lawsuits filed by FSU and Clemson against the ACC are “extremely damaging,” Commissioner Jim Phillips says

    • Phillips vowed to continue battling the lawsuits challenging the ACC’s ability to force them to stay in the league

    • Phillips’ comments came on the first day of ACC Media Days in Charlotte, N.C.

    • Conference realignment is reshaping college sports as programs chase more revenue

    Speaking Monday to start the league’s football media days, Phillips called lawsuits filed by FSU and Clemson “extremely damaging, disruptive and harmful” to the league. Most notably, those schools are challenging the league’s grant-of-rights media agreement that gives the ACC control of media rights for any school that attempts to leave for the duration of a TV deal with ESPN running through 2036.

    The league has also sued those schools to enforce the agreement in a legal dispute with no end in sight.

    “I can say that we will fight to protect the ACC and our members for as long as it takes,” Phillips said. “We are confident in this league and that it will remain a premier conference in college athletics for the long-term future.”

    The lawsuits come amid tension as conference expansion and realignment reshape the national landscape as schools chase more and more revenue. The ACC is bringing in record revenues and payouts yet lags the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference.

    The grant-of-rights provision, twice agreed to by the member schools in the years before the launch of the ACC Network channel in 2019, is designed to deter defections in future realignment since a school could not bring its TV rights to enhance a new suitor’s media deal. That would mean hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, separate from having to pay a nine-figure exit fee.

    Schools that could leave with reduced or no financial impact could jeopardize the league’s long-term future.

    “The fact is that every member of this conference willingly signed the grant of rights unanimous, and quite frankly eagerly, agreed to our current television contract and the launch of the ACC Network,” Phillips said. “The ACC — our collective membership and conference office — deserves better.”

    According to tax documents, the ACC distributed an average of $44.8 million per school for 14 football-playing members (Notre Dame receives a partial share as a football independent) and $706.6 million in total revenue for the 2022-23 season. That is third behind the Big Ten ($879.9 million revenue, $60.3 million average payout) and SEC ($852.6 million, $51.3 million), and ahead of the smaller Big 12 ($510.7 million, $44.2 million).

    Those numbers don’t factor in the recent wave of realignment that tore apart the Pac-12 to leave only four power conferences. The ACC is adding Stanford, California and SMU this year; USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington are entering the Big Ten from the Pac-12; and Texas and Oklahoma have left the Big 12 for the SEC.

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    Associated Press

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  • Rays’ Paredes named to AL reserves for All-Star Game

    Rays’ Paredes named to AL reserves for All-Star Game

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Third baseman Isaac Paredes has been named to represent the Tampa Bay Rays in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 16.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tampa Bay third baseman Isaac Paredes has been named to the AL reserves for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game

    • He is the only Rays player headed to the game 

    • The selection is Paredes’ first to baseball’s summer classic

    • Paredes leads the Rays in homers and runs batted in so far this season

    Paredes, 25, was one of four picks by the Commissioner’s Office of players whose teams were not already represented among the starters, pitchers or other reserves. The others are pitchers Tyler Anderson of the Los Angeles Angels and Logan Gilbert of the Seattle Mariners and shortstop Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins.

    Paredes is leading Tampa Bay in home runs with 14 and in runs batted in with 47 so far this season. He has a .358 on-base percentage and a .266 batting average, with 83 hits and 34 runs scored in 85 games.

    He and first baseman Yandy Diaz are tied for the team lead in doubles with 17, and Paredes ranks second in walks with 38. 

    This is Paredes’ first time on an All-Star roster. He is in his third season with the Rays since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers before the start of the 2022 season.

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    Associated Press

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  • Rays’ Franco still faces legal repercussions from Dominican prosecutors

    Rays’ Franco still faces legal repercussions from Dominican prosecutors

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    SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco still faces legal repercussions from prosecutors in the Dominican Republic for allegations that he had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl.

    What You Need To Know

    • The deadline for Dominican prosecutors to press charges against the Rays Wander Franco passed July 5 

    • However, Dominican law allows a judge to grant an extra 10 days for conclusions in the case to be presented

    • The shortstop is under investigation on allegations he had a relationship with a 14-year-old girl

    • Franco is under administrative leave by Major League Baseball and the player’s association through July 14

    The deadline for the prosecutors to press charges against the shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays was July 5, six months after a judge ordered Franco to be investigated after allegations that he committed sexual and psychological abuse of the minor.

    Franco was released from prison on parole.

    The law in the Dominican Republic allows a judge the power to grant an extra 10-days for the prosecutors and victims to present their conclusions.

    In those 10 days, the prosecutors will be able to formulate their accusation, request that the case be closed or withdraw the charges, and the victims can dismiss their accusation or continue with it.

    “The deadline literally expires after six months, but there is a requirement that must prevail for that, and that is that the judge notify the prosecutor and notify the victim,” said Dinora Diloné, the father of the minor’s lawyer.

    Since January, Franco has been required to make monthly control visits to the judge.

    In April, Franco requested the visits to be suspended, but that was denied by the judge.

    According to prosecutors, Franco paid the girl’s mother thousands of dollars to consent to the relationship, which lasted four months. The girl’s mother is also charged in the case and remains under house arrest. The AP is not releasing the woman’s name to preserve her daughter’s privacy.

    Franco is under administrative leave by Major League Baseball and the player’s association through July 14. He was removed from the Rays’ 40-man roster before the start of Opening Day.

    Tampa Bay’s All-Star shortstop has not played since Aug. 12 while MLB continues its investigation into an alleged relationship with a minor.

    Administrative leave is not disciplinary under the sport’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, and a player continues to be paid. Franco, who has a $2 million salary this year, has remained in his native Dominican Republic while authorities there investigate.

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    Associated Press

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  • Mosley to coach, Suggs to play for 2024 Team USA Basketball Select Team

    Mosley to coach, Suggs to play for 2024 Team USA Basketball Select Team

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Magic coach Jamahl Mosley will coach the USA Basketball Men’s Select Team for a second year in a row and Orlando guard Jalen Suggs was selected to play for the team, which will train with the USA Basketball Men’s National Team as it prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games Paris 2024 next month.

    What You Need To Know

    • Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley will lead the coaching staff for the USA Basketball Men’s Select Team in July 

    • Magic guard Jalen Suggs was selected to play for the team, too

    • The select team will work with the USA Olympic team as it prepares for the 2024 Paris Games

    Plans call for the select team to work with the Olympic team head-to-head for the first three days of practice — July 6 through July 8 — in Las Vegas. What typically happens at that point is a handful of select teamers will be invited to remain with the Olympic team and travel with them to Abu Dhabi, where Olympic preparations will continue with more practices and two exhibitions.  

    Duke signee Cooper Flagg, the consensus national high school player of the year out of Montverde last season and a prospective top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, also was named to the Select Team. The other members of the Select Team are NBA champion Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, Golden State Warriors teammates Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski, Houston Rockets teammates Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson, Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller, New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy, Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, Utah two-way player Micah Potter, Nigel Hayes-Davis of Turkish club Fenerbahce and longtime USA Basketball standout Langston Galloway. 

    A common attribute of most of the Select Team members is their gritty defensive player as the USA men try to get ready for the physical play of international basketball.

    Mosley, who was also head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s Select Team in 2023, served as an assistant coach on the 2021 USA Basketball Men’s Select Team and as an assistant coach at the 2018 USA Basketball Men’s National Team minicamp.

    Indiana Pacers assistant coach Jim Boylen and Purdue coach Matt Painter will be on Mosley’s staff. They’ll work in concert with the Olympic team coaching staff — head coach Steve Kerr of Golden State, assistants Erik Spoelstra of Miami, Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers and Gonzaga’s Mark Few.

    Suggs, 6 feet 5 and 212 pounds, played and started in 75 regular-season games last season with Orlando, averaging 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a team-high 1.41 steals in 27 minutes per game. He shot 39.7% (153-for-385) from 3-point range. Suggs was named to the 2023-24 NBA All-Defensive Second Team after tying for eighth in the NBA in steals and 12th in steals-to-turnover ratio (0.80, 106/132).

    Magic forward Paolo Banchero played for the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s National Team that placed fourth in the 2023 FIBA World Cup but is not playing this year. That team included many of the NBA’s rising stars as the league’s more experienced standouts declined to play.

    For the Paris Olympics, many of the league’s longtime established stars — including Warriors guard Steph Curry, who has never played on an Olympic team — said they wanted to play for the national team and were selected.  Many of this year’s national team members, such as Lakers forward LeBron James and Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, have played for the United States on previous gold medal-winning Olympic teams.

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    Associated Press

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  • Rays’ 9th-inning rally comes up short as Mariners avoid sweep 5-2

    Rays’ 9th-inning rally comes up short as Mariners avoid sweep 5-2

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  — George Kirby allowed one run in six innings, Cal Raleigh hit a three-run homer, and the American League West-leading Seattle Mariners avoided a three-game sweep by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 on Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Rays tried to stage a rally in the ninth inning but lost to the Mariners 5-2

    • Seattle avoided a three-game sweep with its victory

    • Tampa Bay reached the midway point at 40-41. They were 54-27 at the same point last season

    • Rays starter Ryan Pepiot gave up one run and one hit over 5-1/3 innings

    Seattle went 3-6 on a trip to Cleveland, Miami and Tampa Bay and at 19-25 is the only division leader with a losing road record.

    “It’s just good to end the road trip on a good note.” Kirby said. “Happy flight.”

    Seattle closer Andrés Muñoz, who blew his second save in 15 chances on Monday, loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth on two walks and a hit by pitch with the Mariners ahead 5-1. Richie Palacios hit into a run-scoring forceout off Trent Thornton, who got his first big-league save when Amed Rosario grounded into a game-ending double play.

    “Muny didn’t feel good today,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Just the whole body stuff, and that happens once in a while. You could tell right away he wasn’t on top of his game. A ton of credit to Thorny.”

    Kirby (7-5) scattered four hits and struck out seven, his sixth consecutive start giving up two runs or fewer.

    Raleigh put Seattle up 3-1 with his 14th homer, a sixth-inning drive off Shawn Armstrong (2-2). The reliever walked the struggling Julio Rodríguez, who had three hits in his previous 32 at-bats, before Raleigh connected on a 422-foot drive to right field.

    J.P. Crawford made it 5-1 on a two-run single in the seventh.

    “We had a bad trip,” Servais said. “It happens to the best teams in the league, and I do think we’re one of the best teams in the league.”

    Yandy Díaz extended his career-best hitting streak to 19 games with a first-inning single, tying the Rays’ record set by Jason Bartlett in 2009.

    Tampa Bay reached the midway point at 40-41 after losing for just the third time in 10 games. The Rays were 54-27 at the same point last season en route to an AL wild-card berth.

    “We got work to do,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think that’s the easiest way to put it.”

    Díaz also had a third-inning RBI infield single.

    Kirby fielded Díaz’s chopper between the mound and the first-base line but was unsuccessful in beating him to the bag with first baseman Ty France moving toward second on the play. José Caballero, who had doubled, scored from second base.

    Rays starter Ryan Pepiot gave up one run and one hit over 5-1/3 innings, with eight strikeouts and two walks.

    Trainer’s room

    Mariners: Outfielder Luke Raley was a late scratch.

    Rays: Rosario (facial lacerations) played for the first time since getting hit by a pitch on Saturday and went 0 for 4. … Second baseman Brandon Lowe (broken right pinky toe) was out of the lineup for the fourth game in a row.

    Up next

    Mariners: Right-handed pitcher Logan Gilbert (5-4, 2.71 ERA) will start Friday night against the Minnesota Twins.

    Rays: Right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin (3-5, 2.40 ERA) out of Hagerty High School in Oviedo will face Washington on Friday night.

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    Associated Press

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  • Texas A&M beats Florida 6-0 to make CWS finals for 1st time

    Texas A&M beats Florida 6-0 to make CWS finals for 1st time

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    OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Texas A&M is going to play for a national championship in baseball for the first time in its program’s 130-year history.

    Jim Schlossnagle had a breakthrough, too. The 53-year-old coach has brought seven teams to the College World Series since 2010 — five when he was at TCU and two in his first three seasons at Texas A&M — and never made it to the finals until now.

    “I’m tired of leaving before the championship, so personally it’s awesome, it’s fun to get to be a part of,” he said after his Aggies knocked Florida out with a 6-0 bracket-clinching win Wednesday night. “Excited to play an awesome Tennessee team, one of the best college teams that I’ve — I mean, they really have a great team.”

    The Aggies (52-13) will play No. 1 national seed Tennessee (58-12) in the best-of-three championship series starting Saturday. It will be an all-SEC final for the second straight year and third time in four.

    Justin Lamkin gave Texas A&M a second straight sensational start against the Gators and Caden Sorrell homered to break open the game.

    Hours after Florida banged out 14 hits and scored its third-most runs this season in a 15-4 win over Kentucky, the Gators (36-30) managed just four hits and were shut out for the first time in 145 games.

    The last team to blank the Gators? Texas A&M, 10-0 in the 2022 SEC Tournament.

    “It’s like you’re going full speed ahead, and you win the game this morning, and you go back to the hotel, everybody’s in a good mood, we’re feeling really good about tonight, and it just didn’t go our way,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “As simple as that, and Texas A&M deserves to move on.”

    Schlossnagle, who lost starter Shane Sdao to an arm injury in the super regionals, turned to Lamkin for a second matchup with the Gators in Omaha. Lamkin was sharp in a 42-pitch, three-inning outing on Saturday. He was even better Wednesday, holding the Gators scoreless through five innings and striking out nine.

    “I think the big part of it is just having confidence in myself and knowing I can go out there and I can compete and play at this level,” Lamkin said. “And I think just getting ahead of hitters and just having true confidence in all my pitches really helped me out.”

    There was a scary moment in the top of the ninth when Florida right fielder Ashton Wilson struck his head on a padded post on the fence separating the bullpen and field as he tried to catch Ali Camarillo’s drive that went for a triple. Wilson appeared woozy, was tended to by an athletic trainer and coach Kevin O’Sullivan and came out of the game.

    Few expected Florida to make it to the final four of the CWS. The Gators struggled in the regular season and had to win their last series, at Georgia, to achieve the winning record necessary to be eligible for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. They won regionals and super regionals on the road to get here.

    “Any time you lose a game to end the year, especially in Omaha, it’s going to be heartbreaking,” Gators outfielder Tyler Shelnut said. “I’m just super proud of my teammates and the rest of this group who pushed through a lot to get here — I mean, a lot. This whole year was pretty hard on all of us. So being here was a huge accomplishment.”

    Florida freshman Liam Peterson struggled for a third straight start. He walked four of the first five batters to force in the Aggies’ first run and was lifted.

    With his team down 3-0 in the sixth, O’Sullivan called for reliever Brandon Neely with a man on base and one out. Neely had entered having allowed just three runs in a team-high 21 innings in the NCAA Tournament, but Sorrell turned on a 3-2 pitch for a two-run homer to right and a 5-0 lead.

    “I remember coming to these games when I was 10 years old and wanting to be part of this,” said Sorrell, who grew up three hours from College Station in Highland Village, Texas. “The job’s not finished yet.”

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  • Florida blows out Kentucky to set up showdown with Texas A&M

    Florida blows out Kentucky to set up showdown with Texas A&M

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    OMAHA, Neb. — Brody Donay hit a grand slam for the first of his two homers, Jac Caglianone became Florida’s all-time home run leader, and the Gators rode a seven-run first inning to a 15-4 victory against Kentucky in a College World Series elimination game Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida eliminated Kentucky with a 15-4 victory Wednesday in the College World Series

    • The Gators will have to defeat Texas A&M twice to stay in the tournament, starting Wednesday night

    • Brody Donay homered twice, including a grand slam, for Florida

    • Jac Caglianone hammered his 35th homer of the season to pass Matt LaPorta and become the Gators’ career leader

    The game had been scheduled for Tuesday night but was postponed because of rain.

    The Gators (36-29) return to the field Wednesday night to face another Southeastern Conference rival, Texas A&M.

    The victory over Kentucky was extra satisfying for the Gators because they lost a weekend series at home to the Wildcats a month ago.

    “We had to get some sort of revenge, I guess,” Caglianone said. “No better opportunity than to do it on this stage. All the guys were pretty pumped up about it.”

    Kentucky (46-16) went 1-2 in its first CWS appearance after giving up the most runs since it lost 16-6 to LSU on April 13, 2023.

    “This is not how you want to end your season, but this is where you want to end your season,” Kentucky coach Nick Mingione said. “Just so proud of our group of men. They’re unbelievable in every sense of the word. They made history. This hurts. It hurts a lot because this team is fully capable of accomplishing our goal of being national champions. That wasn’t the case this year. That’s not what the Lord planned.”

    This will be the second time Florida has had to play two games in a day in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Gators won two games in regionals on June 2. They are 5-0 in elimination games in the tournament.

    Florida would need to beat Texas A&M on Wednesday and again Thursday to advance to the best-of-three finals for the second year in a row. The Aggies beat Florida 3-2 in their CWS opener Saturday.

    The Gators’ bats didn’t require a wake-up call for the morning game. They banged out 15 hits and finished with their third-highest run total of the season.

    They rocked Kentucky starter Dominic Niman a second straight time while putting up seven runs in the first. Niman faced six batters in his one-third of an inning. He allowed three hits and was charged with five runs. Niman gave up six runs in four innings in a 10-1 loss to the Gators last month.

    Niman (8-5) was gone by the time Donay came up with the bases loaded in the first. Dale Thomas greeted reliever Cameron O’Brien with a base hit before Donay hit his first pitch to him out to right field, barely clearing the fence with the aid of a light north wind on a 66-degree morning. The wind had not blown out at Charles Schwab Field the first five days of the CWS.

    Donay’s second homer was monstrous, a 414-footer that exited his bat at 118 mph and landed in the last row of the left-field bleachers. The homers were the 13th and 14th of the year for the No. 8 batter in the order, and his five RBIs were a career high.

    Pierce Coppola (1-4), who came back in April following back and shoulder injuries that caused him to miss the 2023 season, gave the Gators exactly what they needed in his career-long five innings. The left-hander struck out nine, and the Gators had a five-run lead when his day ended.

    “I thought this was the best Pierce had thrown all year long,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “He was crisp. Him not throwing in (super regionals) probably helped.”

    The Gators, who entered the game batting .190 in Omaha, gave their batting order a makeover with four players in new spots.

    “Sometimes you make lineup changes and they work out, and sometimes they don’t,” O’Sullivan said. “We were at the point we had to do something because the first two games we weren’t very productive.”

    Most notably, O’Sullivan had Caglianone bat leadoff for the first time in his career. Caglianone, projected to be among the first players taken in the amateur draft, was intentionally walked six times in the regular-season series with the Wildcats.

    Kentucky again had no answer for Caglianone. The .400 hitter singled, hit his 35th homer of the season and 75th of his career to pass Matt LaPorta on the school career chart. Caglianone was walked three times, once intentionally.

    “I was all in on it — show off the bat, show off the wheels,” Caglianone said, smiling. “I embraced the role today.”

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  • Hults helps Florida State hold off North Carolina at College World Series

    Hults helps Florida State hold off North Carolina at College World Series

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    OMAHA, Neb. — Connor Hults pitched 4-1/3 innings of shutout relief to thwart North Carolina’s comeback bid, and Jaxson West and Max Williams hit back-to-back homers in the ninth for insurance as Florida State defeated the Tar Heels 9-5 in an elimination game at the College World Series on Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State turned back North Carolina 9-5 in a College World Series elimination game

    • Connor Hults pitched 4-1/3 shutout innings in relief to keep the Tar Heels at bay

    • The Seminoles play another elimination game Wednesday against top-seeded Tennessee

    • Jaxson West of FSU had four hits in five at-bats

    The Seminoles (49-16) will play top-seeded Tennessee on Wednesday afternoon. They would have to beat the Volunteers then, and again Thursday to reach the finals for the first time since 1999.

    The Tar Heels (48-16) lost consecutive games for the first time since mid-April and went 1-2 in their first CWS since 2018.

    Though FSU and North Carolina are both from the Atlantic Coast Conference, this was their first meeting since the Tar Heels swept a three-game series to end the 2022 regular season.

    Florida State led 3-1 after chasing both Aidan Haugh (4-3) and Matthew Matthijs in the third inning. The Tar Heels called on Dalton Pence, who extended his NCAA Tournament shutout innings streak to 14-1/3 innings before five singles in six at-bats led to four runs in the fifth inning, giving the Seminoles a 7-1 lead.

    North Carolina scored four runs in the bottom half. With two runners on, Vance Honeycutt greeted Conner Whittaker with his fourth homer in five games, and Jackson Van De Brake followed with an RBI single to make it a two-run game.

    Hults (3-1) got the last out of the inning and retired 12 of 15 batters in his longest outing of the season. He never was in trouble. Honeycutt singled leading off the seventh, but was erased in a rundown between first and second base. After Van De Brake doubled in the eighth, Hults coaxed two groundouts. He walked Alex Madera to start the ninth inning but sandwiched a strikeout between two groundouts to end the game.

    West, the No. 9 batter for FSU, had a career-high four hits in five at-bats. His homer was his second in four games and just his third of the season.

    Williams hit his fifth homer in eight NCAA Tournament games and has 14 for the season.

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  • Florida stays alive in College World Series with 5-4 win over NC State

    Florida stays alive in College World Series with 5-4 win over NC State

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    OMAHA, Neb.  — Two-way star Jac Caglianone broke the Florida single-season home run record to give his school the lead an inning after he struggled on the mound and got pulled, and the Gators eliminated North Carolina State from the College World Series with a 5-4 victory Monday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida defeated NC State 5-4 on Monday in a College World Series elimination game

    • The Gators on Tuesday will play the loser of Kentucky-Texas A&M in another elimination game

    • Jac Caglianone homered in the second inning to break his own single-season record with 34

    • With Wolfpack runners on base in the seventh and eighth, Brandon Neely ended the innings with strikeouts

    Florida (35-29) moved to another elimination game Tuesday against the loser of Monday night’s Texas A&M-Kentucky matchup.

    The Gators are 4-0 in elimination games since regionals and 8-1 in win-or-go-home games in the past two NCAA Tournaments.

    “That’s the standard around here, and it’s our responsibility to uphold that standard, to play winning baseball and get here to Omaha and be the last team standing,” Florida’s Tyler Shelnut said. “Anytime we’re in a spot where our backs are against the wall, we honestly play our best baseball, hands down without a doubt.”

    Caglianone, a projected top-five pick in next month’s amateur draft because of his bat labored through a 33-pitch first inning on the mound. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound left-hander hit a batter and walked two to loaded the bases, gave up Brandon Butterworth’s RBI single and then got a strikeout and fly out to mitigate what could have been a big inning for NC State.

    His fastball averaged 89.5 mph in the inning, and it had never been below 92 mph in his career, according to ESPN. After the first inning, he could be seen rubbing his elbow in the dugout.

    Coach Kevin O’Sullivan opted to lift him for Cade Fisher (4-3).  He said Caglianone wasn’t sharp in super regionals against Clemson, and he could tell he was off on Monday.

    “Definitely didn’t have my best stuff today,” Caglianone said. “I knew I would still have opportunities at the plate to step up for my team.”

    Caglianone stayed in the game as the designated hitter and atoned for what happened on the mound. NC State starter Dominic Fritton (3-7) struck him out on three pitches in the first inning, but in the second, Caglianone drilled his low fastball over the right-center field fence for a three-run homer and 4-1 lead.

    The 404-foot low rider was his 34th homer of the season, breaking his school’s single-season record of 33 set last year. The home run tied him with Matt LaPorta (2004-07) for career homers at Florida with 74.

    “It’s a cool feeling,” Caglianone said. “Mr. LaPorta has reached out a couple times during the year. He’s actually here now with his kids and family. It was a special moment for sure. But end of the day, I was too caught up in just trying to win, staying here and surviving and advancing.”

    Caglianone became the first starting pitcher to homer in a CWS game since Auburn’s Tim Hudson did it against Rice in 1997.

    NC State coach Elliott Avent said he knew he would be replacing Fritton with Logan Whitaker in the third inning, but he left Fritton in to face Caglianone because of his success against him the last time he was up.

    “We thought we’d see if Caglianone wanted to chase again,” Avent said. “That ball he hit to right-center, you’re looking at a future big-leaguer. I can tell you that.”

    Whitaker replaced Fritton to start the third. He allowed two hits and a run and struck out 10 over seven innings.

    The Wolfpack’s Alec Makarewicz and the Gators’ Shelnut also homered, and NC State cut the lead to 5-4 in the fifth on Butterworth’s RBI double.

    NC State had its leadoff man reach base in the sixth, seventh and eighth but couldn’t push the tying run across. Luke Nixon got caught stealing second in the sixth. Then the Wolfpack left two runners on base in the seventh and stranded a man on third in the eighth when Brandon Neely ended both innings with strikeouts.

    NC State, which was third in the nation with seven walk-off wins, had the top of the order up in the bottom of the ninth. Neely caught Eli Serrano III looking at strike three, Garrett Pennington struck out when he couldn’t check his swing on a pitch out of the zone, and Makarewicz lined out to left field to end the game.

    Neely, who earned his fifth save, allowed one hit and struck out six in three innings. He has surrendered just three earned runs and struck out 32 in 21 innings in the NCAA Tournament.

    NC State (38-23) went 0-2 in the CWS for the first time in four all-time appearances.

    “These players took us on a ride of a lifetime,” Avent said. “This place is magical. It’s so hard to get here and so hard to leave.”

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  • LaViolette robs Florida of homer in 9th, preserves Texas A&M’s 3-2 CWS win

    LaViolette robs Florida of homer in 9th, preserves Texas A&M’s 3-2 CWS win

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    OMAHA, Neb. — Jace LaViolette robbed Cade Kurland of a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning, Justin Lamkin and two relievers struck out 16, and Texas A&M held off Florida 3-2 in a weather-delayed College World Series opener that ended early Sunday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida lost to Texas A&M 3-2 in the teams’ College World Series opener

    • Jace Violette, 6 feet, 6 inches tall, reached above the fence in the ninth to prevent what would have been Cade Kurland’s winning homer

    • The game was delayed because of weather and did not finish until early Sunday

    • The Gators play North Carolina State on Monday afternoon in an elimination game

    The Aggies (50-13) will play Kentucky on Monday night in a Bracket 2 winners’ game.

    The Gators (34-29), the national runners-up to LSU last year, will meet North Carolina State in an afternoon elimination game.

    Texas A&M scored its runs in the first three innings against Liam Peterson (3-5), the first freshman to start a CWS opener for Florida, and then relied on Lamkin, Chris Cortez (10-3) and Evan Aschenbeck to hold down the Gators’ high-powered offense.

    Florida had come from behind in four of its six NCAA Tournament wins and nearly did it again.

    Down a run in the eighth, the Gators loaded the bases with two outs against Aschenbeck. The left-hander, named Stopper of the Year as the nation’s top closer, got out of the inning when second baseman Kaeden Kent gloved Dale Thomas’ slow roller and got his underhand flip to first baseman Ted Burton in time for the third out.

    In the ninth, Michael Robertson reached with one out before Kurland sent a fly deep to right-center field. With his back against the fence, the 6-foot-6 LaViolette reached above it to make the catch. Aschenbeck walked All-America slugger Jac Caglianone before getting his 10th save with a strikeout of Ashton Wilson.

    “Super awesome game, and I told Jace I’m really happy he’s tall,” Aggies coach Jim Schlossnagle said.

    The wind was blowing in at 14 mph at the start of the game, which was delayed 4 hours, 7 minutes because of rain and lightning. The wind gusted over 25 mph in the afternoon before calming down after storms moved through.

    “I got a total wrong read off the bat, I’m not going to lie,” LaViolette said. “I looked up and thought this might be a homer, and my heart dropped for a second and then I was at the wall. I give a little credit to the wind. This ballpark plays a lot bigger than what it is, and the wind knocked it down a little bit. It was a real cool play.”

    Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said he thought the ball was out, mostly based on Kurland’s reaction.

    “He thought he got it. I thought he got it. Right fielder made a heck of a play,” O’Sullivan said.

    Schlossnagle took a calculated risk starting Lamkin and saving fellow left-hander and season-long No. 1 pitcher Ryan Prager for the Aggies’ game on Monday. The Aggies are short of starting arms after a season-ending arm injury to Shane Sdao in last week’s super regional against Oregon.

    Lamkin had been in the weekend rotation until the final regular-season series, but he struggled in his previous two starts. In the last month, Lamkin’s only outing was a nine-pitch relief appearance against Louisiana in regionals.

    Schlossnagle needed Lamkin to give him a few innings and then turned the game over to Cortez and his 100-mph fastball. Lamkin did his part, allowing one baserunner and striking out six in three innings.

    The Aggies scored on Travis Chestnut’s bases-loaded infield single and a wild pitch in the second and on Caden Sorrell’s double in the third.

    Cortez kept Florida scoreless when the Gators threatened in the fourth and sixth, but they broke through in the seventh on back-to-back doubles by Tyler Shelnut and Thomas. Aschenbeck came on to face Michael Robertson, whose RBI groundout cut the Aggies’ lead to 3-2.

    The eighth and ninth inning turned out to be much more stressful for Aschenbeck and the rest of the Aggies.

    “Evan had to make really good pitches to get out of it,” Schlossnagle said. “Really good (opponent), playing in the College World Series with your season on the line, we trust Evan. You’re going to ride or die with your best.”

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  • Pride extend unbeaten streak to 13 games in draw with Courage

    Pride extend unbeaten streak to 13 games in draw with Courage

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    CARY, N.C. — The Orlando Pride remained one of two unbeaten teams in the National Women’s Soccer League this season with a scoreless draw on the road against the North Carolina Courage.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Orlando Pride and North Carolina Courage played to a 1-1 tie Saturday

    • The match marked the first time a team has earned a point in North Carolina this season

    • The draw boosted Orlando’s unbeaten streak to 13 games

    • Anna Moorhouse made five saves to get fifth clean sheet of the season

    The draw extended the Pride’s unbeaten streak to 13 games. The point is the first point earned by a visiting team against the Courage in the 2024 season. 

    Haley Hopkins had a good chance for North Carolina (5-7-1) from the center of the box in the 26th minute, but Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse made the save. Minutes later, Moorhouse stopped another shot from Ashley Sanchez.

    Moorhouse, who has five clean sheets for the 8-0-5 Pride this season, finished with five saves — including a kick save in a one-on-one situation with a Courage forward in the 33rd minute. Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy also made five saves for her fifth shutout.

    “The positives are the point on the road is probably something we would have taken before the game,” coach Seb Hines said. “No other team has done that against North Carolina. A clean sheet as well, shutout. It is really important to start to get that going as well. After the game, it is almost a bittersweet taste in our mouths because we felt like we played really well. We were really aggressive in our press and caused a lot of troubles to North Carolina and a lot of turnovers. I think, after all of it, we have to reward ourselves with a goal. We had countless amount of opportunities to score, and I think, on another day, we take them. That will probably be the reflection this week going into the Utah game next week.” 

    The game was delayed by about a half-hour because of field maintenance at Cary’s WakeMed Soccer Park.

    The KC Current are the other unbeaten team.

    The Pride’s next game is at 8 p.m. Friday at Inter&Co Stadium against the expansion Utah Royals (1-10-1).

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  • Dreiling’s hit in 9th gives Vols 12-11 walk-off win over Seminoles in CWS

    Dreiling’s hit in 9th gives Vols 12-11 walk-off win over Seminoles in CWS

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    OMAHA, Neb. — Florida State will play to avoid elimination from the College World Series on Sunday night after dropping its opener to top-seeded Tennessee 12-11 on Friday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State lost to Tennessee 12-11 in both teams’ first game at the College World Series

    • The Volunteers’ Dylan Dreiling punched in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning

    • A check-swing call for Tennessee’s Blake Burke in the ninth kept the Vols in the game 

    • The Seminoles play Virginia in an elimination game on Sunday

    • The Vols’ Christian Moore became the first player to hit for the cycle at the tournament since 1956.

    Dylan Dreiling’s single into the left-center field gap drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth inning as Tennessee rallied to beat Florida State, capping a night when Christian Moore became the first player in 68 years to hit for the cycle at the College World Series.

    Tennessee (56-12) will play North Carolina in a Bracket 1 winner’s game on Sunday night. Florida State (47-16) will meet Virginia in an elimination game in the afternoon.

    The Volunteers overcame sloppy defensive play and poor pitching, ratcheting up their high-powered offense another notch at the end to win their first CWS opener in five appearances since 2001.

    Moore went 5-for-6 for the Volunteers while becoming the first player to hit for the cycle at the CWS since Minnesota’s Jerry Kindall did it against Mississippi in 1956.

    Tennessee, which trailed 9-4 in the fifth inning, overcame its biggest deficit to win on the road or at a neutral site since coming from five runs down to win at UC Irvine in 2017.

    The Vols, in the CWS for a second straight year and third in the past four, trailed 11-8 entering the bottom of the ninth. Kavares Tears, who homered earlier, tripled leading off and scored on a sacrifice fly.

    Moore came to bat with two outs and a runner on base and was down to his last strike against Brennen Oxford (2-1) when he doubled into the left-field corner.

    “It was a fight, me against him, mano a mano,” Moore said. “I guess I won that.”

    That brought up Blake Burke, who delivered the tying single up the middle after he might have caught a break when third-base umpire Shawn Rakos signaled Burke checked his swing on a pitch with two strikes.

    “It was a check swing, and I didn’t go,” Burke said. “Just kept battling and that was the result.”

    FSU coach Link Jarrett’s body language in the dugout indicated he didn’t agree with the check-swing call. He did not directly address the play after the game. Had the call gone the other way, the game would have been over, and FSU would have won.

    “You guys saw the game,” he told reporters. “I need to watch every pitch of this game again. There’s factors in this that affect the outcome of the game, and I can’t tell from 90 feet away on the side what was going on with some of the things that occurred. Every pitch matters in these games, and you saw the result of this.”

    Burke moved to second on Billy Amick’s single off Oxford, and then Dreiling drove in the winning run on the second pitch from Connor Hults.

    Nate Snead (10-2), the sixth Tennessee pitcher, got the win after holding the Seminoles scoreless on one hit over the last 2-1/3 innings.

    The Seminoles took a 9-4 lead in the fourth inning when Jaime Ferrer hit a two-run home run, the first of the College World Series and his 20th of the season.

    After Tennessee scored off homers in fifth and sixth innings, Marco Dinges put FSU up 11-7 with a two-run double in the seventh inning. 

    Moore, the Vols’ leadoff man and a projected top-15 pick in the amateur draft next month, started his big night with a triple, his first since 2022, into the right-center gap in the first inning. He doubled in the second, singled in the fourth and drove the ball 440 feet to straight-away center for his 33rd homer of the season leading off the bottom of the sixth.

    “The whole game, I tried to get on base and set the tone,” Moore said. “I really, to be honest, didn’t know I did it (hit for the cycle).”

    The Vols’ first walk-off win of the season came after a grinding first half of the game. They committed three errors in a game for only the second time this season. The three errors also matched their most in 21 all-time CWS games. Tennessee pitchers combined to allow 13 hits, walk a season high-tying nine and hit a batter.

    The top-seeded Vols came to Omaha with a school-record 173 homers and averaging 9.2 runs per game for the season and 10.7 for the NCAA Tournament. Burke said it was only a matter of time before the offense cranked up.

    “We threw a bunch of jabs the whole game,” he said, “and landed the big punch in the ninth.”

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  • Dawkins signs 2-year contract extension with UCF basketball

    Dawkins signs 2-year contract extension with UCF basketball

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Basketball coach Johnny Dawkins has signed a two-year contract extension with the University of Central Florida that continues through the 2026-27 season, Vice President and Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir announced Friday.

    The university did not announce financial terms of the contract.

    “I love being here at UCF and am forever grateful for the opportunity this university has given me,” Dawkins said in post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    In late March, Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 had reported that UCF had offered Dawkins an extension, but said at the time that the sides still were working on contract details.

    Dawkins is 148-103 in his eight seasons as UCF’s coach, completing the 2018-19 and 2016-17 seasons with 24 victories each. He has led the Knights to postseason tournaments in four of those seasons, including reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019 after beating VCU 73-58.

    The Knights just missed knocking off top-seeded Duke in the second round when a tip-in at the buzzer rolled off the basket. The team also has played in three NIT Tournaments under Dawkins. The team has only finished under .500 in one season, 2020-21, with Dawkins as coach.

    After the 2022-23 season, Knights forward Taylor Hendricks was drafted No. 9 overall by the Utah Jazz after his freshman season.

    The 2023-24 season was UCF’s first in the strong Big 12, and the Knights won seven conference games in the regular season, including victories against Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech, when those teams were ranked in the Top 25. UCF also beat Oklahoma State in the league tournament.

    “If you were one of the record-setting number of people who attended our home games this season, you saw firsthand how we competed under Johnny’s leadership in our first season in the nation’s toughest basketball conference,” Mohajir said. “Johnny has done a great job leading this program and we’re excited he will continue to be our head coach.”

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  • With only SEC and ACC teams, College World Series might offer glimpse of future

    With only SEC and ACC teams, College World Series might offer glimpse of future

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    OMAHA, Neb. — The College World Series begins Friday, and only two conferences will be represented on the game’s biggest stage for the first time since the event expanded to eight teams in 1950.

    The Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference each are sending four teams, the SEC for the fourth time since 2015 and seventh overall and the ACC for the first time since 2006.

    What You Need To Know

    • The 2024 College World Series opens Friday with eight teams 

    • But only two conferences, the SEC and the ACC, are represented

    • Florida, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina State, Texas A&M and Kentucky are the teams; see capsules below

    • Since 2014, 50 of the 80 CWS teams have been from the SEC (31) or ACC (19)

    • Some coaches at smaller schools say they are struggling to compete because of NIL deals and unlimited transfers

    Their exclusivity this year hints at an even greater concentration of power in the sport as college athletics moves into an era when players, already able to transfer around freely, can make more money than ever, scholarship limits are likely to be removed and the richest schools pour more resources into facilities.

    The CWS opens Friday with an all-ACC matchup between North Carolina (47-14) and Virginia (46-15) and Tennessee (55-12) of the SEC playing Florida State (47-15) of the ACC. Games the next day match Kentucky (45-14) of the SEC against the ACC’s North Carolina State (38-21) and Texas A&M (49-13) against Florida (34-28) in an all-SEC meeting.

    College baseball has never been better, coaches and administrators say. The shortening of the amateur draft since the COVID-10 pandemic has kept talented older players in school, regular-season television coverage has expanded and attendance has increased.

    “I honestly believe we’re probably in a golden age of college baseball right now,” American Baseball Coaches Association Executive Director Craig Keilitz said.

    Beneath the surface, there is concern the transformation of college athletics will further reduce the number of programs capable of competing at the highest level.

    Baseball already is top heavy. The SEC has claimed four consecutive national championships and nine of the past 14, and has had at least one team in 14 of the past 15 finals. Since 2014, 50 of the 80 CWS teams have been from the SEC (31) or ACC (19).

    Part of the sport’s charm has been the ability of smaller programs to occasionally rise up and challenge the big-name brands, scenes familiar to fans of the March Madness basketball tournaments.

    Evansville, which had one of the oldest rosters in the country this year, came within one win of going to Omaha by extending its super regional against overall top-seeded Tennessee to three games. Oral Roberts made it to the CWS last year and won a game. Stony Brook was here, along with Kent State, in 2012. Coastal Carolina, then in the Big South, won the national title in 2016.

    “Those are the teams you root for,” Cal State Fullerton coach Jason Dietrich said. “Not to say you don’t root for the other schools, but you love the underdog, the teams that don’t have the bells and whistles.”

    Transfers and tender

    As with other sports, the transfer portal and athletes’ ability to earn endorsement money through name, image and likeness deals have turned baseball on its head.

    Florida State, Kentucky and Texas A&M each went into their super regionals with five players in their everyday lineups who started at other Division I schools. The number was two for North Carolina, NC State and Tennessee and one for Virginia.

    Kentucky had the most Division I transfers on its roster with 12; NC State had the fewest with five.

    Baseball receives only 4.8% of overall NIL spending, according to Opendorse, and is far behind the top three sports — football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. The top 25 NIL earners in baseball are making an average of $45,000 per year.

    But with most players receiving a partial scholarship because of the current NCAA limit of 11.7 per team, any income helps offset the cost of attendance. Schools offering the most NIL money through their donors naturally get the best players.

    Since July 1, 2021, the average estimated annual NIL spending per SEC baseball team was $820,000 to $920,000, based on more than 150,000 NIL transactions disclosed through or processed by Opendorse, a company that works with dozens of schools and more than 40 collectives on NIL activities. A number of SEC teams are said to be spending well into the millions.

    The average NIL spending in the ACC is half that of the SEC but still ranks second among all conferences.

    If scholarship limits are removed, which is the expectation, deep-pocketed programs could choose to fully fund their programs.

    This year, each program can divvy up 11.7 scholarships among 32 players. If all 32 get full rides in the future, the chasm between the haves and have-nots in the sport surely will deepen. And there could be additional money for baseball players in the major conferences as part of the revenue-sharing plan proposed in the NCAA’s antitrust case settlement.

    Ripple effects

    Dietrich grew up in Southern California and remembers when the small-budget Titans were one of college baseball’s best programs. Fullerton has appeared in 18 CWS, most recently in 2017, and won four national titles, tied for fifth most.

    Dietrich can’t offer the amenities of the major-conference schools and must recruit players who often need a year or two of seasoning. Fullerton has smaller NIL money available compared with larger programs, so Dietrich is susceptible to losing the players he develops and can land larger endorsement deals elsewhere.

    Fullerton went to an NCAA regional last year but lost three starting position players and its best reliever to the draft and then had another everyday starter and a bullpen arm join five teammates in the transfer portal. The Titans were 16-38 this season.

    “We’re doing everything we can,” Dietrich said. “Our goal is to go to Omaha and compete for a national championship. We see there are some obstacles ahead, but that’s just the way it is.”

    Big Ten-bound UCLA is one of the biggest brands on the West Coast but has struggled since making a regional in 2022. Eleven players went into the portal the next two cycles, and most were difference-makers like pitchers Thatcher Hurd and Gage Jump (both to LSU).

    Personnel losses to the portal and the draft left Bruins coach John Savage relying on one of the most freshmen-heavy rosters in the country. He noted the physical mismatch between his 18-year-old freshmen against the opponent’s 24-year-old seniors. The result was a last-place finish in the Pac-12 this year.

    Retiring Coastal Carolina coach Gary Gilmore said he’s not against the idea of NIL money for athletes. He is against the lack of guardrails around it, especially with booster-funded collectives at the big schools spending freely and rules that allow players to transfer as often as they like without penalty.

    “If Major League Baseball, the NBA and NFL had a system where everyone was a free agent every year, do you realize what chaos it would be?” Gilmore said. “If you did it in baseball, it would be the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Texas. The rest of the teams couldn’t compete. That’s what is going on right now. There’s not a level playing field.”

    Teams playing for 2024 national championship

    A look at the eight teams competing in the College World Series, which starts Friday at Charles Schwab Field. (Capsules in order of CWS opening games. Coaches’ records through super regionals):

    Virginia (46-15)

    • Coach: Brian O’Connor (885-368-2 in 21 years at Virginia and overall).
    • Road to Omaha: Won Charlottesville Regional — Beat Penn 4-2, beat Mississippi State 5-4, beat Mississippi State 9-2. Won Charlottesville Super Regional — Beat Kansas State 7-4, beat Kansas State 10-4.
    • 2024 record vs. CWS teams: 3-4 (2-1 vs. North Carolina, 1-2 vs. N.C. State, 0-1 vs. Florida State).
    • Last CWS appearance: 2023.
    • All-time record in CWS: 13-12 in six appearances (won national title in 2015).
    • Meet the Cavaliers: C Jacob Ference (.354, 17 HRs, 43 RBIs), 1B Henry Ford (.339, 17, 68), 2B Henry Godbout (.370, 9, 46), SS Griff O’Ferrall (.332, 5, 51), 3B Eric Becker (.363, 8, 46), LF Harrison Didawick (.297, 23, 68), CF Bobby Whalen (.370, 2, 35), RF Casey Saucke (.343, 14, 64). Starting pitchers: Evan Blanco (8-3, 3.69 ERA), RHP Jay Woolfolk (4-1, 5.95), RHP Joe Savino (3-2, 3.18). Relievers: RHP Chase Hungate (7-1, 3.71), LHP Owen Coady (1-1, 5.94), LHP Angelo Tonas (3-0, 3.96), RHP Aidan Teel (2-2, 7.88), LHP Blake Barker (2-1, 7.31), RHP Ryan Osinski (4-1, 4.80), RHP Matt Augustin (2-0, 4.28).
    • MLB alumni: Ryan Zimmerman, Ricky Horton, Javier Lopez, Mark Reynolds, Phil Gosselin, Sean Doolittle, David Adams, Pavin Smith.
    • Short hops: Brian O’Connor grew up across the Missouri River from Omaha in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and he has participated in the CWS as a pitcher (1991, Creighton), assistant (2002, Notre Dame) and head coach. … Virginia is in CWS for second straight year and third time in four years. … The Cavaliers’ .336 season batting average is the best among teams in Omaha. … Their 116 homers are 33 more than the previous program record of 83, set last year.
    • Quotable: “We’ve got excellent young men who represent this uniform the right way and they’re tigers. They’re just completely relentless with everything they do. You won’t be able to get the smile off my face that they have the opportunity to go back to Omaha. I’m very, very confident we’ll be ready to play whenever they tell us to play and believe we’ll have a deeper run than we had last year.” — O’Connor.

    North Carolina (47-14)

    • Coach: Scott Forbes (153-87, four years at North Carolina and overall).
    • Road to Omaha: Won Chapel Hill regional — Beat LIU 11-8, beat LSU 6-2, beat LSU 8-4, beat LSU 4-3 in 10 innings. Won Chapel Hill super regional — Beat West Virginia 8-6, beat West Virginia 2-1.
    • 2024 record vs. CWS teams: 2-4 (1-2 vs. Virginia, 1-2 vs. N.C. State).
    • Last CWS appearance: 2018.
    • All-time record in CWS: 18-23 in 11 appearances.
    • Meet the Tar Heels: C Luke Stevenson (.283, 14 HRs, 58 RBIs), 1B Parks Harber (.341, 20, 63), 2B Alex Madera (.301, 2, 34), SS Colby Wilkerson (.282, 3, 33), 3B Gavin Gallaher (.337, 8, 38), LF Casey Cook (.339, 18, 76), CF Vance Honeycutt (.314, 26, 65), RF Anthony Donofrio (.338, 7, 52), DH Alberto Osuna (.285, 14, 56). Starting pitchers: RHP Jason DeCaro (6-1, 3.89 ERA), LHP Shea Sprague (3-1, 4.00), RHP Aidan Haugh (4-2, 4.53). Relievers: LHP Dalton Pence (4-1, 2.04, 8 saves), RHP Matthew Matthijs (12-4, 3.65), RHP Ben Peterson (3-2, 4.97), RHP Matt Poston (5-2, 5.25), LHP Kyle Percival (4-0, 2.42), RHP Connor Bovair (1-0, 3.71), RHP Cameron Padgett (1-0, 4.91).
    • MLB Alumni: Michael Busch, Cooper Criswell, Tim Federowicz, Zac Gallen, Matt Harvey, Chris Iannetta, Andrew Miller, Colin Moran, Mike Morin, Ryder Ryan, Kyle Seager, Jacob Stallings, Trent Thornton, Adam Warren.
    • Short hops: The Tar Heels’ 47 wins are their most since they had 48 in 2009. … They scored the winning run or runs on their last at-bat in three of their five NCAA Tournament wins. … Honeycutt broke his school single-season home run record when he belted his 26th in the super regional-clinching win. … Matthew Matthijs’ 12 wins lead the ACC and are ranked third nationally.
    • Quotable: “I’m really happy for this team, these players. I’ve been fortunate enough to be in Omaha, and these guys haven’t. My whole goal, I just want to get these guys there because they deserve to be there.” — Forbes.

    Florida State (47-15)

    • Coach: Link Jarrett (70-46 in two seasons at FSU; 371-244 overall in 12 seasons).
    • Road to Omaha: Won Tallahassee Regional — Beat Stetson 7-2, beat UCF 5-2, beat UCF 12-4. Won Tallahassee Super Regional — Beat UConn 24-4, beat UConn 10-8, 12 innings.
    • 2024 record vs. CWS teams: 5-1 (3-0 vs. Florida, 1-1 vs. N.C. State, 1-0 vs. Virginia).
    • Last CWS appearance: 2019.
    • All-time record in CWS: 30-46 in 23 appearances.
    • Meet the Seminoles: C Jaxon West (.263, 2 HRs, 26 RBIs) or McGwire Holbrook (.268, 2, 16), 1B Daniel Cantu (.311, 8, 40), 2B Drew Faurot (.294, 6, 28), SS Alex Lodise (.276, 7, 41), 3B Cam Smith (.402, 16, 56), LF Jaime Ferrer (.319, 19, 58), CF Max Williams (.301, 13, 43), RF James Tibbs III (.374, 28, 94), DH Marco Dinges (.321, 15, 66). Starting pitchers: LHP Jamie Arnold (11-3, 2.77 ERA), LHP Carson Dorsey (7-4, 4.67), RHP Connor Whittaker (5-0, 4.75). Relievers: LHP Brennen Oxford (2-0, 2.94, 6 saves), RHP John Abraham (5-1, 4.24), LHP Connor Hults (2-1, 4.45), LHP Andrew Armstrong (5-0, 6.98), RHP Joe Charles (1-0, 6.52), RHP Noah Short, 1-1, 7.71), RHP Ben Barrett (1-0, 5.27), LHP Brady Louck (1-1, 7.06), LHP Rowan Hudson (0-1, 9.20), RHP Yoel Tejeda Jr. (1-2, 5.95).
    • MLB Alumni: Buster Posey, J.D. Drew, Stephen Drew, Kevin Cash, Doug Mientkiewicz, Paul Sorrento, Deion Sanders, Richie Lewis, Luis Alicea, Terry Kennedy, Johnny Grubb, Dick Howser.
    • Short hops: Jarrett is taking his second school to the CWS. His Notre Dame team made it in 2022. He played in three CWS as an FSU shortstop in the 1990s. … Tibbs, the ACC player of the year, hit three homers in the 10-8, 12-inning super regional-clinching win over UConn. His 28 homers are FSU’s most since Marshall McDougall hit 28 in 1999. … The Seminoles’ 24-win improvement extends the largest year-over-year jump in program history. … The Seminoles have homered in 15 consecutive games and in 57 of 62.
    • Quotable: “There are a lot of things that come at you when you’re in Omaha. There are a lot of interviews, a lot of distractions, a lot of people. The first opening weekend in Omaha is right up there with an experience at an NFL Super Bowl playoff-type game, the Final Four, Augusta. It’s that. And they’re going to feel it, and I’m probably more prepared for it now because of what I had to go through in Omaha in 2022.” — Jarrett.

    Tennessee (55-12)

    • Coach: Tony Vitello (290-111 in seven years at Tennessee and overall).
    • Road to Omaha: Won Knoxville Regional — Beat Northern Kentucky 9-3, beat Indiana 12-6, beat Southern Mississippi 12-3. Won Knoxville Super Regional — Beat Evansville 11-6, lost to Evansville 10-8, beat Evansville 12-1.
    • 2024 record vs. CWS teams: 5-1 (2-0 vs. Kentucky, 2-1 vs. Florida, 1-0 vs. Texas A&M).
    • Last CWS appearance: 2023.
    • All-time record in CWS: 9-12 in six appearances.
    • Meet the Volunteers: C Cal Stark (.231, 10 HRs, 28 RBIs), 1B Blake Burke (.376, 19, 56), 2B Christian Moore (.375, 32, 71), SS Dean Curley (.273, 12, 46), 3B Billy Amick (.313, 23. 64), LF Dylan Dreiling (.320, 20, 64), CF Hunter Ensley (.292, 11, 45), RF Kavares Tears (.330, 18, 55), DH Dalton Bargo (.294, 8, 27). Starting pitchers: LHP Chris Stamos (3-0, 4.02 ERA), RHP Drew Beam (8-2, 4.44), LHP Zander Sechrist (4-1, 3.26). Relievers: RHP AJ Causey (13-3, 3.77), LHP Kirby Connell (4-1, 3.98), RHP Nate Snead (9-2, 3.34, 5 saves), LHP Andrew Behnke (3-1, 3.12), RHP JJ Garcia (3-0, 3.97), RHP Aaron Combs (2-1, 2.65).
    • MLB alumni: Todd Helton, Phil Garner, Rick Honeycutt, Luke Hochevar, R.A. Dickey, Joe Randa, Mike Difelice, Bubba Trammell, Chris Burke, Mike Lincoln, Steve Searcy, Nick Senzel.
    • Short hops: The Vols’ 173 home runs are a school record and second most in Division I history behind LSU’s 188 in 1997. … This is the Vols’ second straight CWS and third in four years. … Seven home runs in super regional-clinching win tied a school record. … The Vols have hit at least six home runs in six games. … The Vols are averaging 10.7 runs and 4.33 home runs per game in NCAA Tournament. … Billy Amick, Christian Moore and Cal Stark each have four homers in the tournament.
    • Quotable: “Omaha is real fun to go to. If you don’t play that well, it ain’t that fun.” — Vitello.

    North Carolina State (38-21)

    • Coach: Elliott Avent (1,036-613 in 28 years at NC State; 1,260-826 in 36 years overall).
    • Road to Omaha: Won Raleigh Regional — Beat Bryant 9-2, beat South Carolina 6-4, beat James Madison 5-3. Won Athens Super Regional —Beat Georgia 18-1, lost to Georgia 11-2, beat Georgia 8-5.
    • 2024 record vs. CWS teams: 5-3 (2-1 vs. North Carolina, 1-1 vs. Florida State).
    • Last CWS appearance: 2021.
    • All-time record in CWS: 5-5 in three appearances.
    • Meet the Wolfpack: C Jacob Cozart (.300, 19 HRs, 53 RBIs), 1B Garrett Pennington (.348, 18, 65), 2B Matt Heavner (.264, 10, 33), SS Brandon Butterworth (.250, 7, 31), 3B Alec Makarewicz (.380, 22, 80), LF Luke Nixon (.260, 14, 29), CF Eli Serrano III (.297, 9, 39), RF Noah Soles (.221, 5, 22), DH Alex Sosa (.226, 6, 24). Starting pitchers: RHP Sam Highfill (7-2, 5.06 ERA), Dominic Fritton (3-6, 7.35), RHP Logan Whitaker (3-1, 6.06). Relievers: RHP Jacob Dudan (4-2, 4.40), RHP Derrick Smith (3-1, 4.50), RHP Andrew Shaffner (0-0, 5.56), LHP Ryan Marohn (4-2, 3.97), RHP Hollis Fanning (2-1, 7.41), RHP Carson Kelly (1-0, 9.64), RHP Shane Van Dam (4-0, 4.58), LHP Cooper Consiglio (5-4, 4.97), RHP Jaxon Lucas (1-0, 9.43).
    • MLB Alumni: Carlos Rodon, Trea Turner, Andrew Knizner, Mike Caldwell, Dan Plesac, Tim Stoddard, Greg Briley.
    • Short hops: Third CWS appearance since 2013. The 2021 Wolfpack were one win away from making the finals when the NCAA removed them from the CWS because of COVID-19 protocols. … Their .332 team batting average in NCAA Tournament is best among CWS teams. … Alec Makarewicz has five of his team’s 17 doubles in the tournament. … Pennington hit two of his four NCAA Tournament home runs in super regionals.
    • Quotable: “Not that it ever gets old going to Omaha. Yes, I want to go again. Yes, I want to eat at the Drover restaurant. I’ve kept that menu up probably three weeks.” — Avent, referring to the iconic Omaha steakhouse.

    Kentucky (45-14)

    • Coach: Nick Mingione (261-164 in eight years at Kentucky and overall).
    • Road to Omaha: Won Lexington Regional — Beat Western Michigan 10-8, beat Illinois 6-1, beat Indiana State 5-0. Won Lexington Super Regional — Beat Oregon State 10-0, beat Oregon State 3-2.
    • 2024 record vs. CWS teams: 3-3 (1-2 vs. Tennessee, 2-1 vs. Florida).
    • Last CWS appearance: First appearance.
    • All-time record in CWS: 0-0.
    • Meet the Wildcats: C Devin Burkes (.250, 3 HRs, 35 RBIs), 1B Ryan Nicholson (.299, 21, 61), 2B Emilien Pitre (.298, 9, 56), SS Grant Smith (.248, 5, 34), 3B Mitchell Daly (.302, 6, 44), LF Ryan Waldschmidt (.346, 14, 46), CF Nolan McCarthy (.286, 7, 39), RF James McCoy (.228, 6, 25), DH Nick Lopez (.350, 6, 50). Starting pitchers: RHP Trey Pooser (7-1, 3.46 ERA), RHP Mason Moore (9-3, 4.93), LHP Dominic Niman (8-2, 6.24). Relievers: LHP Jackson Nove (1-0, 5.46), RHP Cameron O’Brien (3-0, 3.94), RHP Robert Hogan (1-0, 2.58), RHP Ryan Hagenow (2-0, 1.96), RHP Johnny Hummel (3-0, 3.49, 7 saves), LHP Evan Byers (3-1, 5.32).
    • MLB Alumni: Jeff Abbott, Joe Blanton, Kyle Cody, Sean Hjelle, Paul Kilgus, Jason Kipnis, Jim Leyritz, James Paxton, JT Riddle, Chris Rusin, Terry Shumpert, Mark Thompson, Brandon Webb.
    • Short hops: The Wildcats tied with Tennessee for the SEC regular-season title. … Their 45 wins ties for the most in school history (2012). The Wildcats have consecutive 40-win seasons for first time. … Their 2.00 team ERA and 4.6 hits allowed per nine innings in NCAA Tournament rank first. … Pitchers have allowed four runs over the past 39 innings.
    • Quotable: “You know you’re confident in getting (to Omaha) with your squad. But, man, when it actually happens, it’s like you look around and you’re like, ‘We’re going to Omaha!’ It’s crazy. It’s crazy.” — Burkes.

    Texas A&M (49-13)

    • Coach: Jim Schlossnagle (131-60 in three seasons at Texas A&M; 942-453 in 23 seasons overall).
    • Road to Omaha: Won College Station regional — Beat Grambling 8-0, beat Texas 4-2 in 11 innings, beat Louisiana-Lafayette 9-7. Won College Station Super Regional — Beat Oregon 10-6, beat Oregon 15-9.
    • 2024 record vs. CWS teams: 1-3 (1-2 vs. Florida, 0-1 vs. Tennessee).
    • Last CWS appearance: 2022.
    • All-time record in CWS: 4-14 in 7 appearances.
    • Meet the Aggies: C Jackson Appel (.330, 10 HRs, 40 RBIs), 1B Ted Burton (.295, 9, 43), 2B Kaeden Kent (.302, 3, 21), SS Ali Camarillo (.297, 7, 35), 3B Gavin Grahovac (.306, 22, 63), LF Caden Sorrell (.264, 10, 36), CF Travis Chestnut (.272, 12, 41), RF Jace LaViolette (.314, 28, 77), DH Hayden Schott (.331, 8, 59). Starting pitchers: LHP Ryan Prager (8-1, 3.10 ERA), LHP Shane Sdao (5-1, 2.96), RHP Justin Lamkin (2-2, 5.73) or RHP Brad Rudis (6-0, 2.29). Relievers: RHP Chris Cortez (9-3, 2.83), RHP Tanner Jones (3-1, 6.33), RHP Brock Peery (2-1, 3.60), LHP Kaiden Wilson (0-1, 8.31), RHP Zane Badmaey (3-0, 2.70), LHP Evan Aschenbeck (6-1, 1.66).
    • MLB Alumni: Davey Johnson, Chuck Knoblauch, Scott Livingstone, A.J. Minter, Doug Rau, Ross Stripling, Mark Thurmond, Michael Wacha.
    • Short hops: The Aggies will be without projected top-five draft pick Braden Montgomery, who broke his right ankle in the super regional opener. … The Aggies have drawn a nation-high 396 walks. … Their pitching staff leads the country with 11 shutouts. … Travis Chestnut leads NCAA Tournament with four of the Aggies’ 13 stolen bases. … Aschenbeck’s 1.66 ERA and 0.80 walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP) are the best in the country. … Schlossnagle is among 13 coaches to lead multiple schools to a CWS. He led TCU to five CWS.
    • Quotable: “I never take it for granted. Nolan Ryan went to the World Series his rookie year and never went back. I’ll remind our players of that. You never know when you’ll get a chance to go back. I’ve never been part of the championship series or won it, so I’d like to do that.” — Schlossnagle.

    Florida (34-28)

    • Coach: Kevin O’Sullivan (715-347 in 17 years).
    • Road to Omaha: Won Stillwater Regional — Beat Nebraska 5-2, lost to Oklahoma State 7-1, beat Nebraska 17-11, beat Oklahoma State 5-2, beat Oklahoma State 4-2. Won Clemson Super Regional — Beat Clemson 10-7, beat Clemson 11-10 in 13 innings.
    • 2024 record vs. CWS teams: 4-8 (0-3 vs. Florida State, 2-1 vs. Texas A&M, 1-2 vs. Tennessee, 1-2 vs. Kentucky).
    • Last CWS appearance: 2023.
    • All-time record in CWS: 25-26 in 13 appearances (won national title in 2017).
    • Meet the Gators: C Brody Donay (.250, 12 HRs, 27 RBIs), 1B Jac Caglianone (.411, 33, 68) or Luke Heyman (.247, 16, 49), 2B Cade Kurland (.251, 14, 41), SS Colby Shelton (.257, 20, 55), 3B Dale Thomas (.228, 3, 20), LF Tyler Shelnut (.264, 15, 50), CF Michael Robertson (.255, 2, 25), RF Ashton Wilson (.327, 2, 14), DH Heyman or Donay. Starting pitchers: LHP Pierce Coppola (0-4, 9.16 ERA), RHP Liam Peterson (3-4, 5.97), LHP Jac Caglianone (5-2, 4.71). Relievers: RHP Jameson Fisher (5-0, 4.35), LHP Cade Fisher (3-3, 7.24), RHP Brandon Neely (3-4, 5.45), RHP Jake Clemente (2-0, 5.68), LHP Frank Menendez (1-0, 4.96), RHP Luke McNeillie (4-6, 7.20), RHP Ryan Slater (5-2, 6.70), RHP Blake Purnell (0-0, 7.78).
    • MLB alumni: Pete Alonso, Harrison Bader, David Eckstein, Mark Ellis, Dalton Guthrie, Jonathan India, A.J. Puk, David Ross, Brady Singer, Mike Stanley, Brad Wilkerson, Mike Zunino.
    • Short hops: The Gators’ .548 winning percentage is tied for lowest by a team entering the CWS. Bradley was 17-14 (.548) entering the 1950 CWS. … Caglianone’s 73 career homers are two behind active leader Tommy White of LSU. … O’Sullivan has led Gators to Omaha in nine of past 14 postseasons. … The Gators are 36-0 in their past 36 NCAA Tournament games in which they have owned a multi-run lead in the seventh inning or later, according to ESPN.
    • Quotable: “Going through the struggles and having every game matter the last two or three weeks of the year probably toughed us up a little bit.” — O’Sullivan.

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    Associated Press

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  • Speights joining basketball coaching staff at USF

    Speights joining basketball coaching staff at USF

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Former NBA and Florida Gators power forward/center Mareese Speights is joining the University of South Florida’s college basketball staff as director of player development, the program announced.

    Speights, a native of St. Petersburg, played 10 seasons in the NBA after being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16 overall pick in 2008. He also played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, and he spent his last season in the league with the Orlando Magic. He went to the NBA playoffs in seven postseasons, including with the Warriors team that won the championship in 2015.

    After completing his NBA career, Speights played for the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association from 2018 to 2021.

    During Speights’ two seasons with the Gators, he played on the team that won its second national championship in the 2006-07 season under then-coach Billy Donovan.

    Most recently, he was an assistant coach at Georgia Southern.

    The move to USF is a return home for Speights, who played high school basketball at Admiral Farragut in St. Petersburg. Speights also played at Gibbs High School and Hargrave Military Academy.

    The Bulls also hired Luke Moeller as a video coordinator. He had been a graduate assistant for the Bulls the past two seasons.

    USF finished the 2023-24 college basketball season with a 25-8 record and for a short time was ranked No. 25 in the AP college basketball poll in Amir Abdur-Rahim’s first season as coach. The Bulls advanced to the second round of the NIT, where they fell to VCU.

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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