April 3, 2021 4:03 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – The Associated Press has learned that the NCAA has not tested players for performance-enhancing drugs at March Madness and other recent college championships. Three people with direct knowledge of NCAA testing protocols tell AP that testing has not resumed since the coronavirus pandemic shut down college sports a year ago. Although athletes may have been tested on campus, the NCAA has not ramped up its usual testing program at national championships such as the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The women’s Final Four semifinals games are Friday, with the men playing Saturday. á The people who spoke to AP about testing all confirmed the same thing: No samples from the organization’s signature events have been sent to the labs that analyze NCAA tests.
April 3, 2021 4:05 am
UNDATED (AP) – There will be no baseball played in Washington this weekend, and no All-Star Game in Atlanta this summer. A COVID-19 outbreak affecting more than a third of the Nationals’ roster has caused the postponement of their season-opening, three-game series against the visiting New York Mets. General manager Mike Rizzo says four of Washington’s players have tested positive for the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, and another five were quarantining after contact tracing determined they might have been exposed. The Mets plan to spend the weekend practicing at Nats Park before heading to Philadelphia to play their new season opener on Monday. The Nationals still hope to open their scheduled series with the Braves on Monday. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball is pulling this year’s All-Star Game from Atlanta over objections to sweeping changes to Georgia voting laws that critics have condemned as being too restrictive. The decision to move the July 13 game from Truist Park amounts to the first economic backlash against Georgia for the voting law that Republican Gov. Brian Kemp quickly signed into law last week. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred made the decision to move the All-Star events and the amateur draft from Atlanta after discussions with the Major League Baseball Players Association, individual players and the Players Alliance.
April 2, 2021 8:02 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — Joey Koroly rushed for 138 yards and a third quarter touchdown as the Washington & Jefferson football team registered a 20-6 victory over Geneva College Thursday evening at Cameron Stadium. The weather was no April Fools joke, as the two teams battled cold temperatures and occasional snowfall throughout the contest. The game, which was the first played at Cameron Stadium in 502 days, was completed in just 2 hours and 19 minutes. The two teams combined to run the ball 93 times and attempt just 29 passes. W&J limited Geneva to 205 total yards. The Golden Tornado’s offense fumbled seven times, three of which were lost to the Presidents. Justin Heacock completed 13-of-23 pass attempts for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Koroly averaged 6.3 per rush as he carried 22 times for 138 yards and a score. Andrew Wolf hauled in five catches for 61 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Alex Bellinotti led the defense with 11 tackles and a fumble recovery. Will Paczkoskie finished with seven tackles and forced a pair of fumbles in the victory.
April 2, 2021 3:56 am
BOSTON (AP) -Mike Matheson scored a highlight-reel goal after a lengthy rush, and the surging Pittsburgh Penguins ended a long winless drought in Boston with a 4-1 victory over the Bruins. Zach Aston-Reese, Jason Zucker and Jake Guentzel also scored for the Penguins, who won their fifth straight game and improved to 11-2-1 in their last 14. Casey DeSmith stopped 30 shots as Pittsburgh won in Boston for the first time since an overtime win Nov. 24, 2014, ending an 0-8-2 stretch since then. The Bruins had gone 12-0-1 in their last 13 games in TD Garden against the Penguins. Brad Marchand scored his 14th goal and rookie goalie Dan Vladar stopped 19 shots in his third career start for Boston, which had collected at least a point in five of its previous six games (4-1-1).
April 2, 2021 3:59 am
CHICAGO (AP) – Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer and Pittsburgh’s relievers dominated in a two-hitter, helping the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on a chilly opening day. The gametime temperature at Wrigley Field was 36 degrees, and the flags at the iconic ballpark rippled in the breeze for much of the sunny afternoon. A crowd of 10,343 dressed in winter jackets, hooded sweatshirts and hats for the return of fans to Wrigley after they were kept out last summer because of the pandemic. Anthony Rizzo, Joc Pederson and Willson Contreras each hit a sacrifice fly for Chicago, but that was it for the reigning NL Central champions.
April 2, 2021 4:00 am
UNDATED (AP) – Francisco Lindor has committed to the Mets for the long haul before his first game. Lindor has agreed to a 10-year, $341 million deal with New York late Wednesday night. The deal currently is the largest ever for a shortstop, passing Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year contract with San Diego signed in February.
April 2, 2021 4:01 am
UNDATED (AP) – North Carolina has announced that Hall of Fame basketball coach Roy Williams is retiring after a 33-year career that includes three national championships. The decision comes two weeks after the 70-year-old Williams closed his 18th season with the Tar Heels after a highly successful run at Kansas. Williams won 903 games in a career that included those three titles, all with the Tar Heels, in 2005, 2009 and 2017. UNC lost to Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in his final game, which was Williams’ only first-round loss in 30 tournaments.
April 1, 2021 3:52 am
UNDATED (AP) – Coronavirus concerns are affecting the Major League Baseball schedule on opening day. Thursday night’s game between the Nationals and Mets has been postponed after one of Washington’s players tested positive for COVID-19. The Nationals issued a statement saying “ongoing contact tracing involving members of the Nationals organization” was the reason for scrapping the game at their stadium. Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that one of his team’s players had tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, before the team left spring training camp. Rizzo said four other players and one staff member were following quarantine protocols after contract tracing determined they were in close contact with the person who tested positive. Rizzo did not identify any of those involved. The contest was not immediately rescheduled, even though Friday already had been set up as an off day that could accommodate a game pushed back from Thursday if necessary. The Nationals said the game “will not be made up on Friday.”
April 1, 2021 3:47 am
CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a one-year deal with catcher Tony Wolters and designated right-hander James Norwood for assignment. Wolters figures to back up Willson Contreras. He signed a minor league deal with Pittsburgh last month and was released on March 29. Wolters is a career .238 hitter with seven home runs and 123 RBIs over five seasons with the Colorado Rockies. Norwood was 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA over 23 relief appearances for Chicago from 2018 to 2020.
April 1, 2021 3:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Penguins have become the NHL’s hottest team despite a slew of injuries to high-profile players. The Penguins went 12-3-1 during March to move into a tie for second in the East Division. Head coach Mike Sullivan credited his players for adopting a simpler style of play while stars such as Evgeni Malkin and Kasperi Kapanen are out. Pittsburgh’s long injury list now includes goaltender Tristan Jarry, who is out with an upper-body injury.
