Pirates Fall To Orioles

March 23, 2025 7:28 am

The Pittsburgh Pirates lost to the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 on Saturday. What makes the game unusual is that the Pirates suffered a no-hitter in the effort. Seven Orioles pitchers were successful in keeping the Bucs’ bats silent. Paul Skenes did make his final start before his assignment as the Opening Day pitcher. He worked 3.1 innings giving up only one hit and striking out four batters. The Pirates are 14-13 for the spring training season so far. They travel to Dunedin to take on the Toronto Blue Jays today at 1:07 pm.

PIAA Semifinals

March 22, 2025 12:01 am

Olivia Terlecki scored 19 points, leading Upper St. Clair to a 6A Girls semifinal win over Garnet Valley Friday night. The guard hit five three pointers to help the Panthers reach the state finals for just the second time.  Rylee Kalocay added 13 points for USC. In a 5A Boys semifinal, Hershey used a 17-0 run late in the second quarter to build a 15-point lead. Chartiers Valley pulled to within two points three different times after intermission, but Hershey’s 16-2 run to end the game ended the Colts’ season one win shy of the state finals. Hershey will make its first-ever appearance in the PIAA championship game next Friday night.

Lailah Wright and Ryan Oldaker combined for 27 points, leading South Fayette to a 50-36 win over Peters Township in the 5A Girls semifinals. The duo was held to six combined points in the Lions’ loss to the Indians in the WPIAL Finals three weeks ago. Now, with the win, South Fayette returns to the state championship game for the second time in three seasons, hoping to avenge the 2023 loss to District 12 champion Archbishop Wood.

In the 6A Boys semis, Upper St. Clair trailed by three at the end of one quarter, but Roman Catholic used a 17-6 second period to get distance on the Panthers, then played the second half at arms’ length, eliminating the WPIAL champion, 59-46.

PIAA championship games are set for the Giant Center, March 27-29. Click for PIAA Brackets

Semifinals
Friday, March 21
6A Girls Upper St. Clair 53, Garnet Valley 49
5A Boys Hershey 66, Chartiers Valley 50

Saturday, March 22
5A Girls South Fayette 50, Peters Township 36
6A Boys Roman Catholic 59, Upper St. Clair 46

March Madness, Second Round Saturday

March 22, 2025 7:00 am

Thursday’s First Round winners square off Saturday in the Second Round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.  Friday winners meet Sunday in their second round games. By the end of Sunday night, we’ll be down to the Sweet 16. WJPA-AM (1450) is your home for all of the action of the Men’s tournament with “feature games” each day plus “wrap-around” coverage of every game. We’ll also have coverage of the Women’s tournament starting with Sweet 16 action next Friday.

Saturday, March 22
(4) Purdue  76, (12) McNeese State 62
(10) Arkansas 75, (2) St. John’s 66
(5) Michigan 91, (4) Texas A&M 79
(3) Texas Tech 77, (11) Drake 64
(1) Auburn 82, (9) Creighton 70
(6) BYU 91, (3) Wisconsin 89
(1) Houston 81, (8) Gonzaga 76
(2) Tennessee 67, (7) UCLA 58

March Madness, First Round Friday

March 21, 2025 1:00 am

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament moves to Day Two of the First Round with the remaining 32 teams set to take the court.  Friday winners meet Sunday in the second round. By the end of Sunday night, we’ll be down to the Sweet 16. WJPA-AM (1450) is your home for all of the action of the Men’s tournament with “feature games” each day plus “wrap-around” coverage of every game. We’ll also have coverage of the Women’s tournament starting with Sweet 16 action next Friday.

Friday, March 21
(9) Baylor 75, (8) Mississippi State 72
(2)Alabama 90, (15) Robert Morris 81
(3) Iowa State 82, (14) Lipscomb 55
(12) Colorado State 78, (5) Memphis 70
(1) Duke 93, (16) Mount St. Mary’s 49
(7) Saint Mary’s 59,  (10) Vanderbilt 56
(6) Ole Miss 71, (11) North Carolina 64
(4) Maryland 81, (13) Grand Canyon 49
(1) Florida 95, (16) Norfolk State 69
(3) Kentucky 76, (14) Troy 57
(10) New Mexico 75, (7) Marquette 66
(4) Arizona 93, (13) Akron 65
(8) UConn 67, (9) Oklahoma 59
(6) Illinois 86, (11) Xavier 73
(2) Michigan State 87, (15) Bryant 62
(5) Oregon 81, (12) Liberty 52

Crosby Scores 25th Goal, Penguins Beat Blue Jackets

March 22, 2025 3:29 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored his 25th goal and added an assist and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3. Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust both had a goal and an assist, and Evgeni Malkin, Noel Acciari and Bokondji Imama also scored for the Penguins, who are 22-3-4 in their last 28 games against Columbus. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 44 shots in his first start since March 7. Boone Jenner scored his first since returning from shoulder surgery, while Kent Johnson and Justin Danforth also scored for Columbus, which couldn’t rally from a 5-2 deficit. Elvis Merzlikins, who started Thursday’s 1-0 overtime loss against Florida, made 28 saves on Friday.

Amarion Dickerson Helps Robert Morris Nearly Pull Off Upset Of Alabama

March 22, 2025 3:49 am

CLEVELAND (AP) — Robert Morris’ Amarion Dickerson came into the NCAA Tournament known as one of the nation’s best shot blockers after being chosen the Horizon League’s Defensive Player of the Year. Playing in his hometown on Friday, the junior forward showed that he has an offensive game as well. Dickerson scored 25 points and had nine rebounds in the Colonials’ 90-81 loss to No. 2 seed Alabama in a first-round game in the South Region in Cleveland. Dickerson tied Forest Grant for most points by a Robert Morris player in an NCAA Tournament game. Grant had 25 points in a first-round game against Indiana in 1982.

Aaron Rodgers Meets With Steelers, Leaves Without Signing

March 22, 2025 3:45 am

Aaron Rodgers has met with the Pittsburgh Steelers. A person familiar with the meeting tells The Associated Press that Rodgers visited on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was not made public. Rodgers spent several hours in the team’s facility gathering information but left without signing a contract. Pittsburgh has an opening at quarterback after Justin Fields signed with the New York Jets and free agent Russell Wilson appears unlikely to return. The 41-year-old Rodgers spent two turbulent years with the New York Jets after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers that included four MVP awards and a Super Bowl title.

Pirates Lose Close Game To Red Sox

March 22, 2025 3:37 am

The Pittsburgh Pirates lost a close game to the Boston Red Sox 2-1 in grapefruit league action Friday. Joey Bart extended his on-base streak to 12 games by going 2 for 4 with a double. Jack Suwinski extended his four game hitting streak going 1 for 3 with a stolen base. Mitch Keller faced 10 batters giving up one hit in 3 innings. The Pirates host the Baltimore Orioles Saturday at 1:05. Paul Skenes is expected to start.

March Madness –Thursday

March 20, 2025 2:17 am

The First Four games are in the books. The NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Tournament kicks into high gear Thursday with 16 First Round games with winners moving to Saturday. Friday will feature 16 more First Round contests with those winners playing on Sunday. By the end of the weekend, the original 68-team field will be down to the Sweet 16.  WJPA-AM (1450) is your home for all of the action of the Men’s tournament with “feature games” each day plus “wrap-around” coverage of every game. We’ll also have coverage of the Women’s tournament starting with Sweet 16 action next Friday.

Thursday, March 20
(8) Louisville 75, (9) Creighton 89
(4) Purdue 75, (13) High Point 63
(3) Wisconsin 85, (14) Montana 66
(1) Houston 78, (16) SIU Edwardsville 40
(1) Auburn 83, (16) Alabama State 63
(12) McNeese State 69, (5) Clemson 67
(6) BYU 80, (11) VCU 71
(8) Gonzaga 89, (9) Georgia 68
(2) Tennessee 77, (15) Wofford 62
(10) Arkansas 79, 7:10 pm (7) Kansas 72
(4) Texas A&M 80, (13) Yale 71
(11) Drake 67, (6) Missouri 57
(7) UCLA 72, (10) Utah State 47
(2) St. John’s 83, (15) Omaha 53
(5) Michigan 68, (12) UC San Diego 65
(3) Texas Tech 82. (14) UNC Wilmington 72

Paul Skenes Card Sells For $1.1 Million

March 21, 2025 10:25 am

A one-of-a-kind Paul Skenes baseball card has been sold for $1.11 million after a two-week auction. There was a total of 64 bids on Skenes’ debut patch card, which is autographed and contains a patch that was on the pitcher’s jersey for his heralded major league debut in May. The final price announced by Fanatics Collect late Thursday night included a 20% buyer’s premium. The buyer was not identified. Fanatics Collect plans to donate its proceeds from the sale to the LA Fire Relief Fund. The 22-year-old Skenes is slated to make $875,000 while in the major leagues this year with the Pittsburgh Pirates.