July 11, 2023 4:38 am
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Northwestern has fired coach Pat Fitzgerald amid a hazing scandal that called into question his leadership of the program and damaged the university’s reputation after it mishandled its response to the allegations. Fitzgerald’s dismissal completed a rapid fall from grace for the former Northwestern linebacker. The 48-year-old Fitzgerald had been firmly entrenched at his alma mater, an annual fixture on any list of college coaches with the most job security. Northwestern President Michael Schill says the culture within Fitzgerald’s program was “broken” in some ways.
July 10, 2023 4:39 am
SEATTLE (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates have selected hard-throwing LSU right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes with the top pick in baseball’s amateur draft. Skenes went 12-3 as a pitcher, with 209 strikeouts in 122 innings in helping lead the Tigers to the College World Series championship. The pick was announced by Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., the top pick of the 1987 draft by the Seattle Mariners. For the second time in three years, the Pirates held the top overall selection after selecting catcher Henry Davis at the top of the 2021 draft. Davis made his major league debut last month for Pittsburgh. LSU teammate Dylan Crews went No. 2 to Washington with high school outfielder Max Clark being selected third by Detroit.
July 10, 2023 4:41 am
PHOENIX (AP) — Ji Man Choi hit a two-run homer, seven Pittsburgh pitchers combined on a four-hitter and the Pirates ended a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Choi homered off Zach Davies in the second inning and the Pirates bullpen took turns shutting down the Diamondbacks a day after giving up a late lead in a 3-2 loss to Arizona. Osvaldo Bido allowed a hit in 1 1/3 innings and All-Star closer David Bednar worked around a walk in the ninth inning for his 17th save in 18 chances after Jared Triolo hit a run-scoring single in the top half. Alek Thomas homered for the second straight game for the Diamondbacks.
July 10, 2023 4:42 am
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic will be back at Centre Court on Monday to try to close out his fourth-round match against 17th-seeded Hubert Hurkacz. The seven-time champion won the first two sets in tiebreakers on Centre Court when play was suspended because it was too late. Djokovic’s Wimbledon winning streak is at 31 matches and counting and he’s 5-0 lifetime against Hurkacz. Hurkacz hadn’t dropped a set in three wins before facing Djokovic. The 23-time Grand Slam champion is trying to tie Roger Federer’s record of eight men’s titles at Wimbledon. No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz faces Matteo Berrettini for a spot in the quarterfinals. Defending champion Elina Rybakina takes on Beatriz Haddad Maia, and two-time champion Petra Kvitova faces 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur.
July 9, 2023 6:50 am
PHOENIX (AP) — Corbin Carroll singled with the bases loaded in the 10th inning and the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2. Alek Thomas homered to tie it in the eighth, then singled in the tying run in the 10th against David Bednar (3-1). The infield hit followed a throwing error by Bednar on a bunt and scored automatic runner Dominic Canzone, making his debut in the majors. After Geraldo Perdomo sacrificed, Ketel Marte was intentionally walked and Carroll lined a single just fair down the right-field line. Jared Triolo’s single put the Pirates ahead in the top of the 10th against Scott McGough (1-6). Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller gave up one hit in seven innings.
July 9, 2023 6:49 am
Bob Huggins says he never resigned as West Virginia’s basketball coach following a drunken-driving arrest and wants his job back. That’s according to a letter from his attorney to the university. Huggins’ attorney David A. Campbell wrote to the school that Huggins “never signed a resignation letter and never communicated a resignation to anyone at WVU.” The letter threatens a lawsuit if Huggins isn’t reinstated. Campbell says Huggins’ wife, and not the coach, sent a resignation notice to the school. WVU disputes those claims, saying Huggins clearly communicated his resignation and retirement in writing and told players and members of the basketball staff about his decision.
July 8, 2023 3:51 am
PHOENIX (AP) — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a three-run homer and fellow All-Star Zac Gallen pitched seven strong innings to help the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3. NL West-leading Arizona snapped a four-game losing streak, with All-Star rookie Corbin Carroll returning to the lineup a day after leaving a game because of soreness in his right shoulder. The Diamondbacks remained a half-game ahead of Los Angeles for the division lead. Gurriel also had two doubles and drove in four runs, three of them on his 15th homer in the third inning off Rich Hill (7-9). Gallen (11-3) gave up one run in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 3.05. He tied Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan for the majors victory lead.
July 8, 2023 4:05 am
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has been eliminated by Stefanos Tsitsipas after a five-setter contested over two days at Centre Court. Tsitsipas won the second-round match by a score of 7-6 (3), 6-7 (2), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 that began on Thursday and concluded on Friday. Murray was loudly supported by most of the 15,000 or so spectators. But he could not hold onto the two-sets-to-one lead he built before play was suspended overnight because it was getting too late to play. Tsitsipas took the last four points of the fourth-set tiebreaker Friday and then broke early in the fifth to lead 2-1 and was on his way.
July 7, 2023 4:34 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson and New York manager Aaron Boone spoke Thursday with Pete Stendel, the YES Network cameraman who sustained an orbital fracture when he was hit by Henderson’s errant throw Wednesday night. Positioned right next to the Yankees’ dugout on the first-base side, Stendel was struck by a hurried throw by Henderson, who fired high to first as he tried to complete a double play in the fifth inning. The game was delayed about 17 minutes as the Yankees’ training staff and medical personnel tended to Stendel in the camera well. Stendel was strapped onto a stretcher and carted off the field, raising and wagging two fingers to loud applause from the crowd.
July 7, 2023 4:33 am
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — They finally got the first round of Wimbledon finished two days later than planned. After rain threw the schedule into chaos, the sun returned Thursday so 56 matches were completed. That meant plenty of results and plenty of drama. One contest that did not get done was Andy Murray against Stefanos Tsitsipas. That was halted at 10:40 p.m. after Murray took a two-sets-to-one lead. They’ll come back Friday. Stan Wawrinka won to reach the third round and will face Novak Djokovic next. Donna Vekic was down a set and 5-2 in the second before coming back to beat 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens. Other winners included 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva and defending champion Elena Rybakina.
