August 10, 2025 2:00 am
The 73rd PONY League World Series wrapped up the opening-round schedule and eliminated a pair of teams in Sunday action. Play continues Monday with a pair of daytime eliminations, the Winners’ bracket contests under the lights. Division Finals are scheduled for Tuesday evening with the tournament’s championship game set for Wednesday night. Hear all of the action on WJPA-AM (1450) and online LISTEN HERE!
Sunday, Aug. 10 — Bracket
Corpus Christi 12, Barranquilla, Colombia 6 Edwin Ballestas stroked a grand slam in the top of the first but Colombia couldn’t make it stand as Corpus Christi rallied with a seven-run fourth inning to advance in the Winners’ bracket. Trailing 5-0, the South Zone champions used a wild pitch and JD Carvajal’s two run single to get within a pair after three. Josh Garcia tied the game in the fourth with a two-run single. Carvajal and Garcia both scored on JJ de los Santos’ seventh straight base hit. Two batters later, Gabriel Torres blasted a three-run home run, giving Corpus Christi plenty of breathing room. Garcia got the win despite the early barrage, working 5.1 innings. de los Santos extended his hitting streak to eight straight at-bats, one shy of the all-time record set in 1984. Ballestas’ grand slam is the 52nd in the history of the event, but his day was dimmed by taking the loss, charged with all seven runs in the decisive frame.
Chinese Taipei 14, Bronx 2 (Bronx eliminated) Yi-Le Li allowed just one hit and no runs over 4.1 innings and doubled in a pair of runs in the first as Chinese Taipei eliminated Bronx. Slowly and methodically, in typical Asia-Pacific fashion, Taipei pulled away from the East Zone squad, adding single runs in the third and fifth, two each in the fourth and sixth before scoring five times in the top of the seventh. Zi-Han Yang and Tany-You Zhang each drove in three runs, more than enough for Li who faced the minimum through three innings, allowing a single and two walks while striking out seven. CT was in the early elimination round by way of Friday’s 5-4 setback against Simi Valley, the first opening-round loss for Chinese Taipei since 2012.
Bay County 12, Grosseto, Italy 3 (Grosseto eliminated) Four Bay County pitchers combined to one-hit the European champions, ending Italy’s first-ever appearance in the World Series. The winners trailed 3-2 into the fourth but took advantage of six Grosseto errors over the final four innings. Meanwhile Kwess Mathews, Brody Kuhn and Ryder Southern did not allow a base hit over the final 4.1 innings of work, facing just two batters over the minimum over that stretch. Like Chinese Taipei, the North Zone squad blew the game open, scoring nine times over the final three frames. Mathews got the win, throwing 2.2 innings of no-run, no-hit relief. Kuhn had a double and a triple, Mason Krager added two hits and two RBI. Leonardo Faccincani doubled to plate Ruben Paviotti, then scored on consecutive groundout to take a 2-1 lead in the second.
Monday, Aug. 11
10:00 am Elimination Chinese Taipei vs. Barranquilla
12:30 pm Elimination Bay County vs. South Hills
4:30 pm Winners’ Bracket Monterrey vs. Simi Valley
7:00 pm Winners’ Bracket Washington County vs. Corpus Christi
August 11, 2025 4:40 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Miguel Andujar hit his first home run with Cincinnati, Spencer Steer and Noelvi Marte had three hits and four RBIs each, and the Reds outlasted the Pittsburgh Pirates 14-8. Andujar hit a three-run shot to the rotunda in left field in a four-run second inning. He came to Cincinnati from the Athletics at the trade deadline. The teams combined for 30 hits, including 16 by the Pirates led by Isiah Kiner-Falefa with three hits and two RBIs. Scott Barlow (6-0) retired only one of three batters he faced but still got the win.
August 11, 2025 4:42 am
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Justin Rose produced a stunning rally with four straight birdies to make up a three-shot deficit with five holes to play. He made two birdies in a three-hole playoff to beat U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun in the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Rose shot 67 and wound making six birdies on his last eight holes. Tommy Fleetwood remains without a PGA Tour victory after losing a two-shot lead with three holes left. He tied for third with Scottie Scheffler. Rickie Fowler and Bud Cauley were among five players who moved into the top 50 in the FedEx Cup to advance.
August 10, 2025 7:40 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Martinez pitched seven sharp innings and Noelvi Marte doubled three times as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Saturday night to snap a three-game slide. Marte drove in one run and scored another. Martinez (10-9) permitted a run on four hits and two walks while striking out four. Emilio Pagán earned his 25th save. He gave up a leadoff walk in the ninth but shortstop Elly De La Cruz converted a line drive into a game-ending double play. Marte knocked in Spencer Steer from first base with a double in the fourth to tie it 1-all. Marte doubled again in the seventh and scored on TJ Friedl’s sacrifice fly. He added his third double in the ninth to set a career high. Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the third when Jared Triolo doubled and scored on Tommy Pham’s sacrifice fly. Spencer Horwitz had two of the Pirates’ four hits. Carmen Mlodzinski (2-7), the second of five pitchers in a bullpen game, took the loss.
August 10, 2025 7:30 am
Despite being a preseason game, last night’s Steelers game had plenty of highlights. Steelers QB Skylar Thompson threw for 233 yards and 3 scores after taking over for Mason Rudolph in the second quarter. Rudolph contributed his own touchdown pass and 84 yards in his first game back in the black and gold after spending last season in Nashville. The highlight of the night however was a 70-yard field goal that was made by Jacksonville kicker Cam Little to end the first half. It will not count in the NFL record books because it took place in a preseason game, but it would have handily broken the previous mark set by former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker of 66 yards.
August 10, 2025 7:19 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Jen Pawol has made history as the first female umpire to work a regular-season game in the major leagues. Pawol worked as the first base umpire for Saturday’s first game of a split doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. She made her first call in the third inning. Pawol worked third base in the second game of the doubleheader and will be in the spotlight when she calls pitches behind the plate in Sunday’s final game of the series. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough and Braves bench coach Walt Weiss greeted Pawol when lineups were exchanged at home plate.
August 9, 2025 11:00 am
Washington County opened play in the 73rd PONY League World Series with a run-rule win. The next two games needed extra innings to separate the winners and losers. Corpus Christi broke a 2-2 tie with a six-run 10th inning to beat Bay County. Monterrey tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, then got a solo home run in the eighth to beat South Hills. First round action concludes when Colombia takes on Corpus Christi Sunday at 12 noon. The first elimination games of this year’s tournament follow Sunday afternoon. Division Finals are scheduled for Tuesday evening with the tournament’s championship game set for Wednesday night. Hear all of the action on WJPA-AM (1450) and online LISTEN HERE!
Saturday, Aug. 9 — Bracket
Washington County 12, Grosseto, Italy 2, 5 inn. Kaden Harkins two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth invoked the run rule and moving Washington County into the Winners’ bracket Monday night. With the game tied at one in the third, Niko Vitale singled home Ryan Lukas to put the locals in front to stay. Washington County added a pair of unearned runs later in the frame, then sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth. Lukas, Keegan Widenhofer, Vitale and Lucas Daniels drove in runs the inning, building the lead to 10-1. Grosseto scored its last run in the fifth, setting the stage for Harkins blast that ended the game. Vitale, Lukas and Luke Henderson each had two hits, helping Braxten Thompson to the win.
Corpus Christi, TX 8, Bay County, MI 3, 10 inn. Both teams scored single runs in the third and the eighth, before Corpus Christi batted around in the tenth, scoring six times to beat Bay County. JJ de los Santos went 5-for-5 and drove in three runs, including the tie-breaker in the final frame. Two batters later, Gabriel Trevino delivered a two-run double to give the South Zone squad more than enough to advance. Josh Garcia had a pair of hits and scored twice, all after regulation, helping Dos Villegas to the win. Mason Krager had three hits to lead Bay County. Both starters, Lincoln Ketter and Carter Maze were solid but neighter figured in the decision. Ketter did not allow an earned run in his 5+ innings of work. Maze allowed one run on four hits while striking out eight. Landon Deford took the loss.
Monterrey, Mex. 7, South Hills 6, 8 inn. Angel Ponce homered to centerfield in his only at-bat, walking off with the one-run, eight-inning win for Monterrey. South Hills had taken a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh, thanks to Jonah Koontz’ solo home run. In the Monterrey half of the inning, Abdiel Zavala singled with one out and moved to third on an infield error of a Sergio Guajardo batted ball. Derek Bustos grounded out to short, Zavala scoring to tie the game. South Hills took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, thanks to Johnny Parris’ two-run double. Monterrey answered with a three-spot in the bottom of the inning on just one hit, a two-run single by Guajardo. Koontz put the Host Area champions back in front with a two-run single in the fifth. That lead was short-lived as Guajardo singled to score Vladdy Angulo to tie the game at 4. Two errors brought Zavala home. Santiago Villanueva got the win, working 4.1 innings, charged with four runs while striking out 10. Dylan Koehler took the loss, pitching the final 2.1 innings. Koontz was the only South Hills player with two hits. Guajardo had a pair of singles and drove in three.
Sunday, Aug. 10
12:00 noon Barranquilla, Colombia vs. Corpus Christi
2:30 pm Elimination: Chinese Taipei vs. Bronx
6:00 pm Elimination: Grosseto vs. Bay County
Monday, Aug. 11
10:00 am Elimination
12:30 pm Elimination
4:30 pm Winners’ Bracket Monterrey vs. Simi Valley
7:00 pm Winners’ Bracket Washington County vs. Colombia/Corpus Christi winner
August 8, 2025 1:52 am
The 73rd PONY League World Series is underway at Lew Hays PONY Field. First round action Friday included Simi Valley, CA and South Hills, PA scoring come-from-behind wins to advance in the winners’ bracket. For South Hills, the 4-2 win over Bronx, NY is the first-ever for the program. The Host Area champions return to action Saturday (5:00 pm) against Monterrey, Mexico. Eliminations begin mid-afternoon Sunday. Division Finals are scheduled for Tuesday evening with the 73rd PONY League World Series Championship Game set for Wednesday night. Hear all of the action on WJPA-AM (1450) and online LISTEN HERE!
Friday, Aug. 8 — Bracket
Game 1: Simi Valley CA 6, Chinese Taipei 5 Tristan Theobald singled in two runs, then scored the game-winner as Simi Valley rallied past Chinese Taipei, 6-5. The West Zone scored three times in the sixth inning, with all the action in the inning coming with two out. Ean Devine and Braedon Halverson singled, putting runners at the corners. Theobald lofted a bloop single to shallow center, plating Devine and Halverson, and ended up at third on a throwing error. Riely Loggins doubled to give Simi Valley the lead. Halverson pitched a scoreless seventh inning to save the win for Kade Monica. Yi-Le Li took the loss, charged with all three runs after retiring the first eight batters he faced. En Chen had three hits, including a home run for Chinese Taipei. Halverson had three singles for Simi Valley.
Game 2: South Hills, PA 4, Bronx, NY 2 Johnny Parris stroked a two-run double to the wall in right, lifting South Hills past Bronx Friday night. Trailing 1-0, Brody Cole doubled and moved to third on Gavin Stock’s base hit. One out later, Parris gave the Host Area champions a lead they’d not give up. Two batters later, Parris scored on an infield throwing error. In the sixth, Parris grounded softly to short with the bases loaded to drive in South Hills’ final run. Jonah Koontz pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief to get the win. Stock worked the final 1.1 innings to earn the save.
Saturday, Aug. 9
12:00 noon Washington County vs. Grosseto, Italy
2:30 pm Corpus Christi, TX vs. Bay County, MI
5:00pm South Hills vs. Monterrey, Mexico
Sunday, Aug. 10
12:00 noon Barranquilla, Colombia vs. Corpus Christi/Bay County winner
2:30 pm Elimination: Chinese Taipei vs. Bronx
6:00 pm Elimination: Washington County/Grosseto vs. Corpus Christi/Bay County
August 9, 2025 3:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Reynolds had a two-out, two-run triple in the eighth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday night. Isiah Kiner-Falefa drew a one-out walk off Tony Santillan (1-4), and Tommy Pham singled with two outs to put runners on the corners. Reynolds tripled to right on Santillan’s first pitch. Kyle Nicolas (1-0) pitched the eighth for the victory, and Dennis Santana worked the ninth for his seventh save. Pirates starter Mitch Keller allowed two runs on six hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. Reds rookie Chase Burns stuck out 10 in six innings, and allowed a run on three hits. He topped 100 mph five times while striking out the side in the first.
August 9, 2025 3:39 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris was in stable condition after he was attended to for about 20 minutes and taken off the field in an ambulance Friday night against Atlanta, with the preseason game ending early. The Lions released a statement, saying: “Morice Norris is in stable condition and has feeling and movement in all his extremities. He will remain at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta overnight for observation.” Norris was hurt with 14:50 to go trying to tackle Nathan Carter. When play resumed, Atlanta’s Emory Jones took a snap and held the ball as players from teams stood at the line of scrimmage as the clock continued to run. Finally, with 6:31 left, an official said the game was suspended with Detroit up 17-10.
