The Warrensburg-Latham Cardinals scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning and beat Clinton 8-7 in a Central Illinois Conference boy's baseball thriller Friday in Warrensburg.

With game tied at one, the Maroons went ahead 5-1 in the top of the fourth inning and tacked on two more in the sixth to go up 7-2. The Cardinals rallied in the bottom half, tying the game at seven, forcing extra innings after neither team scored in the seventh.

Brock Wilson threw five innings of two-run ball for the Maroons. Brooks Cluver took the loss, permitting six runs but just one was earned.

Wilson struck out ten to two walks and allowed eight hits. Cluver walked five and struck out three.

Cluver finished 2-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored. Colton Walker was 3-for-5 with a triple while Jack Manning finished 2-for-5.

Jakob Helm finished 3-for-4 for the Cardinals.

Warrensburg-Latham moves to 17-4 overall and 8-3 in the CIC.

Clinton falls to 7-8 overall and 6-6 in the Central Illinois Conference. The Maroons host Central A&M on Tuesday.

Chance Payne struck out 17 acros six no hit innings in his first varsity start and drove in a run with a double as Mt. Pulaski rolled Cornerstone Calvary Christian Academy 10-0 in six innings in non-conference high school boy's baseball Friday in Mt. Pulaski.

The sophomore southpaw issued two walks and hit a batter in facing three over the minimum. He was 1-for-3 with a run scored, a walk and an RBI. 

Jackson Fricke and Clay Aylesworth also doubled for the Hilltoppers.

Liam Smith was 1-for-3 with two RBIs while AJ Bailey was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Luke Martin finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Mt. Pulaski goes to 19-2 overall. The Hilltoppers host Illini Bluffs in Tomahawk Conference play on Saturday and then host New Berlin Monday.
 

Warrensburg-Latham rallied from a 3-1 deficit and beat Clinton 5-4 in Central Illinois Conference high school girl's softball action from Warrensburg Friday afternoon.

Clinton would go up 3-1 in the top of the third inning but the Lady Cardinals answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to go up 4-3. 

The Lady Maroons tied the game in the top of the sixth, however, Warrensburg-Latham went ahead for good in the bottom half and held on from there.

Aliviyah Haynes paced the Clinton offense finishing 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Kylee Isaac was 1-for-2 with a double and scored twice. Reice McCormick was 1-for-2 with two runs batted in.

Warrensburg-Latham goes to 17-5 overall and 8-4 in the CIC.

Clinton drops to 6-17 on the year and 3-9 in the Central Illinois Conference. The Lady Maroons are in Gibson City Saturday to take on GCMS before returning home on Monday to host Tri-Valley.

Arcola cooled off Blue Ridge with an 11-1 ten-run rule, five inning win Friday in Lincoln Prairie Conference girl's softball action.

Blue Ridge entered Friday's contest playing well as they were winners of three in a row and four of five overall but Arcola took advantage of 11 Lady Knights errors and Ellie Schlieper allowed 11 runs, but only three were earned.

Schlieper struck out four and walked one. 

The Lady Purple Raiders did not have a single extra base hit. Reyli Vega and Vanessa Condarco recorded three hits apiece to lead Arcola. Jacey Kessler had two hits.

Alexis Wike went 3-for-3 for Blue Ridge and scored the only run.

Keira Hohlbauch struck out 12 across five innings of one run ball for Arcola.

The Lady Purple Raiders move to 9-6 overall and 5-2 in the Lincoln Prairie. 

Blue Ridge drops to 8-10 and 3-4 in conference.

The Lady Knights will host Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond Saturday in Lincoln Prairie action before a non-conference tilt at Heyworth on Tuesday. 

The Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers mustered enough offense to withstand a late rally from LeRoy in an 8-3 non-conference high school boy's baseball victory Thursday afternoon in Mt. Pulaski.

Chance Payne paced the Hilltoppers offense going 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. 

Clay Aylesworth, Jackson Fricke and Landon Smith doubled for Mt. Pulaski while Evan Cooper, Liam Smith, Landon Smith, and Aylesworth drove in the other Hilltoppers runs. 

Landon Smith allowed a run on a hit but walked eight while striking out nine in 5 2/3 innings for the win for Mt. Pulaski.

The Hilltoppers go to 18-2 overall. They host Cornerstone Calvary Christian Academy this afternoon in non-conference action before a noon game with Illini Bluffs on Saturday in Tomahawk Conference play.

Emily York struck out 16 in a complete game shutout leading Bloomington Central Catholic over Monticello 3-0 in Illini Prairie Conference high school girl's softball action Thursday afternoon in Monticello.

York permitted three hits and did not walk a batter.

Reese Patton, Avery Schweitzer, and Lynnsey Trybom recorded the only hits for the Lady Sages. Schweitzer doubled.

Reese Patton allowed three runs, one was earned over seven innings. She walked three and struck out two while permitting six hits. 

The Lady Saints improve to 13-10 overall and 6-1 in the Illini Prairie Conference.

Monticello falls to 8-10 overall and 3-4 in the Illini Prairie. They return to action Monday hosting St. Joseph-Ogden.

The Chicago Bears selected Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, giving quarterback Justin Fields more protection after trading back one spot with Philadelphia.

The Bears clearly had no intention of drafting Jalen Carter and allowed the Eagles to switch spots so they could take Georgia's star defensive tackle. Chicago also got a fourth-round pick in 2024.

The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Wright was the second offensive lineman drafted, with Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. going to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 6. The Tennessee Titans took Northwestern's Peter Skoronski with the 11th pick.

Wright played a big role in Tennessee going 11-2 and finishing sixth in the final AP poll. He delivered a memorable performance in containing Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. in a 52-49 win over the Crimson Tide, and was first-team, All-SEC as a right tackle last season. He played left tackle in 2021.

The Bears finished with the worst record in the league and set a franchise mark for losses while going 3-14 in their first season under Poles and coach Matt Eberflus. But their frustrated fans are feeling at least a little more optimistic after some big offseason moves.

The Bears hired Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as their new president and closed on a 326-acre tract of land in suburban Arlington Heights where they hope to build an enclosed stadium.

Poles pulled off a blockbuster trade for a play-making receiver in March when he acquired DJ Moore from the quarterback-needing Carolina Panthers. The Bears moved down eight spots and also got a haul of selections in return; Carolina took Alabama's Bryce Young at No. 1.

Wright is the first offensive lineman drafted by Chicago in the first round since Kyle Long in 2013. He is also Poles' first opening-round pick. The Bears did not have one in 2022, after former GM Ryan Pace dealt it to the New York Giants the previous year to move up for quarterback Justin Fields.

Chicago's two most prominent additions in free agency were at linebacker, where they signed Buffalo two-time Pro Bowler Tremaine Edmunds (four years, $72 million, $50 million guaranteed) and former Eagle T.J. Edwards (three years, $19.5 million, $12 million guaranteed).

But they still had plenty of issues to address in the draft, including an edge rusher to boost a pass rush that finished with a league-low 20 sacks as well as a disruptor on the interior of the defensive line. They also needed to beef up the blocking to protect Fields, after he was sacked 55 times and tied Denver's Russell Wilson for most in the NFL.

The Bears came into the draft with 10 picks, including two second-rounders at 53 and 61 and the first pick of the third at No. 64. They also had two picks each in the fourth (103, 133), fifth (136, 148) and seventh (218, 258) rounds.

 The Green Bay Packers’ lack of pass-rushing depth was apparent when they struggled to get to opposing quarterbacks after Rashan Gary tore his anterior cruciate ligament last November.

They are confident Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness can help change that.

Rather than getting a pass catcher for new starting quarterback Jordan Love in the opening round, the Packers selected Van Ness with the 13th overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night. Van Ness was in Wisconsin when he got the news while watching the draft from Fontana, where his parents have a home.

Green Bay began the week with the No. 15 overall pick in the draft, but they moved up two spots as part of the blockbuster trade that sent four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.

That trade also brought the Packers a second-round selection (No. 42 overall) and sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, plus a conditional 2024 second-round pick that could become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of the Jets’ snaps this season. The Packers are sending a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft to the Jets.

Green Bay's pass-rushing ability took a hit late last season without Gary, whose status for the start of the upcoming season remains uncertain. Gary had six sacks in nine games, Preston Smith had a team-high 8 ½ sacks and nobody else had more than four last season.

Van Ness showed his explosiveness by getting a combined 13 1/2 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in two seasons at Iowa. Van Ness did all that without starting a single game for the Hawkeyes.

Van Ness’ versatility intrigued the Packers since he played both tackle and end for Iowa. Gutekunst said the Packers could use him as an edge rusher while also occasionally having him work inside.

After going 8-9 and missing the playoffs last season to end a string of three straight playoff appearances, the Packers are entering a new post-Rodgers era with Love as their starting quarterback.

Love could use some more weapons.

Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are the only Packers wideouts under contract who had at least 100 yards receiving in 2022. Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis, the top tight ends under contract, had a combined 17 catches for 140 yards.

But it shouldn't come as a surprise the Packers addressed defense instead in the first round.

Green Bay hasn’t selected a wide receiver in the first round since taking Florida State’s Javon Walker 20th overall in 2002 and hasn’t used a first-round pick on a tight end since selecting Miami’s Bubba Franks at No. 14 in 2000.

The last offensive player Green Bay drafted in the first round was Love himself, who went 26th overall in 2020 when the Packers traded up four spots to get him. He was the first offensive player the Packers had taken in the opening round since selecting Mississippi State tackle Derek Sherrod at No. 32 overall in 2011.

The Packers have three of the top 45 overall selections in the draft, giving them plenty of opportunities to boost a roster that has more holes than usual since salary-cap issues prevented them from being very active on the free-agent market.

Eric Hosmer and Nelson Velázquez hit back-to-back homers and Dansby Swanson added his first of the season to help the Chicago Cubs top the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Thursday.

Manny Machado homered for the Padres, who had won five of seven.

Hayden Wesneski (2-1) worked the first five innings for Chicago, which took the three-game series after going 1-3 against the Los Angeles Dodgers last weekend. The right-hander allowed four hits, including Machado’s solo shot in the second, and had three strikeouts and a walk.

Hosmer and Velázquez gave the Cubs the lead for good with consecutive homers off Seth Lugo (2-2) in the bottom of the second.

Lugo struck out three and gave up seven hits and all four Chicago runs in five innings, including Ian Happ’s RBI single in his final frame. Swanson went deep in the seventh off reliever Tim Hill.

Wesneski loaded the bases with a pair of walks in the fourth but escaped by getting Ha-Seong Kim to ground meekly to third.

San Diego’s Matt Carpenter had a sacrifice fly in the eighth to create a save situation for Brad Boxberger, who worked the ninth for his second in as many chances.

Chicago heads to Miami on Friday, where RHP Marcus Stroman (2-2, 2.17) will face LHP Jesus Luzardo (2-1 3.62).

In a game heard on WHOW, Isaac Paredes had a career-high five RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays handed the Chicago White Sox their eighth straight loss with a 14-5 victory on Thursday night.

Brandon Lowe homered, tripled and drove in three runs for Tampa Bay in the opener of a four-game series. Lowe, Yandy Díaz, Luke Raley and Josh Lowe each had three hits as the AL East leaders bounced back nicely after they were shut out in back-to-back home games by Houston.

The Rays (21-5) have scored an MLB-best 171 runs and launched 51 homers in their first 26 games.

Tampa Bay collected 16 hits.

Shane McClanahan (5-0) pitched five innings of two-run ball in the win. He struck out five and walked two.

White Sox ace Dylan Cease (2-1) was tagged for seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in four-plus innings.

Jake Burger homered for Chicago and drove in two runs.

Lenyn Sosa stopped Chicago’s scoreless streak at 25 innings with an RBI double in the second. The White Sox were shut out in their previous two games in Toronto.

The Rays improved to 4-0 against the White Sox. They swept a three-game series in Florida last weekend.

Tampa Bay ended its scoreless drought at 20 innings when it scored three runs in the second. Paredes singled in Brandon Lowe and scored on Raley’s two-run double.

Brandon Lowe hit a solo shot in the third for his seventh homer, and the Rays added three more runs in the fifth.

Pedro Grifol was ejected in the eighth inning. He said he was contesting the time he had to make a challenge.

White Sox SS Tim Anderson (sprained left knee) and INF Hanser Alberto (strained left quad) will join Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday for rehab assignments.

Anderson, a two-time All-Star and the 2019 AL batting champion, got hurt on April 10 at Minnesota. 3B Yoán Moncada is dealing with a bulging disk in his lumbar spine that is impinging on nerves, causing pain in his hips and limiting his mobility. He hasn’t appeared in a big league game since April 9. Hahn said Moncada might be ready for a rehab assignment in the next couple of weeks.

Alec Burleson and Paul DeJong homered, Miles Mikolas pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 6-0 on Thursday to avoid a four-game sweep.

Mikolas (1-1) scattered four hits and two walks, striking out six to end the Giants’ five-game winning streak.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Burleson sent Logan Webb’s 2-2 fastball over the right-field wall to break a scoreless tie. Later in the inning, Tommy Edman legged out an infield single to second base to drive in another run. Edman was initially ruled out at first but the call was overturned upon video review.

Dylan Carlson added an RBI double in the eighth, followed by DeJong’s two-run homer to left. Paul Goldschmidt made it 6-0 with an RBI fielder’s choice in the ninth.

Webb (1-5) allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts, suffering his MLB-leading fifth loss of the year. 

After making two rehab starts for Double-A Springfield, RHP Adam Wainwright (groin strain) will make a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Memphis. He is expected to throw approximately 90 pitches.

Jack Flaherty (2-2, 3.29 ERA), a Los Angeles native, returns home to open a three-game series against the Dodgers on Friday night. Flaherty has a 1.50 ERA in three career starts at Dodger Stadium.

Kyle Busch gambled on fuel and won under caution in double overtime at Talladega, becoming the third two-time winner through 10 races this season as the NASCAR Cup series heads to the Monster Mile at Dover Speedway this Sunday.

The race featured 57 lead changes, the last coming when leader Bubba Wallace's third block of Ryan Blaney caused a race-ending crash. 

Busch joined William Byron and Kyle Larson as two-time winners this year. 

Blaney finished second, followed by Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski. Christopher Bell remains the points leader with Ross Chastain five behind and Kevin Harvick 15 off the pace. Larson is fourth, Busch is eighth and Byron 15th.

Practice and qualifying are at 9:30 central time Saturday.

Jeb Burton won in double overtime at Talladega, his second career victory and second on the biggest oval on the circuit in a race marred by multiple crashes and now the XFinity Series joins the Cup racers in Dover, Delaware. 

Burton also won at Talladega in 2021. Burton led both overtime restarts. The race had 12 cautions and two red-flag stoppages and took nearly three hours to complete. Only 19 of the 38 entries finished on the lead lap. 

Sheldon Creed finished second and Parker Kligerman was third as Chevrolet swept the podium. Cole Custer was fourth as the top Ford and won the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus.

Practice and qualifying are this afternoon at 2 pm central time.

The Craftsman Truck Series resumes next week at Kansas Motorspeedway. 

In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Luke Teschke hit a game-ending two-run home run and pitched five innings of one-run ball as Monticello ten runed Bloomington Central Catholic 11-1 in five innings Thursday from Monticello High School in Illini Prairie Conference baseball action.

Teschke settled down after he gave up a run in the first inning and the Sages sent 11 batters to the plate in the second inning to take control with a six-run frame.

Jacob Trusner finished 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, a walk and three RBIs. 

Leading 9-1 with one out in the bottom of the fifth, Teschke sent a high drive over the left field fence ending the game as the Sages went up ten.

He finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk. The Illinois State commit struck out eight and retired 12 of the final 15 he faced. 

Teschke was the ServPro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game.

Jarrett Wiedewilt was 2-for-3 with a stolen base and run scored for BCC. Nick Mardis singled in the only run for the Saints and finished 1-for-2 with a stolen base. 

The Saints fall to 8-8 overall and 3-4 in the Illini Prairie Conference. 

The Sages go to 14-4 overall and move to 6-1 in the Illini Prairie Conference. A showdown with St. Joseph-Ogden is up next for Monticello on Monday. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com starting at 4:30 pm. 

Jack Manning pitched into the sixth inning and Colton Walker drove in four runs as Clinton rolled past Tuscola 13-3 in Central Illinois Conference high school baseball action Wednesday in Clinton.

Manning struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs, one was earned, walked three and permitted two hits.

Tuscola jumped on Clinton 3-1 thanks to a three-run second inning but the Maroons scored the next 12 runs to run away with the six-inning win.

Walker was 2-for-4, big brother Mason Walker finished with a double. Manning went 3-for-4 with a double for Clinton.

The Maroons move to 7-7 on the year and go to 6-5 in the Central Illinois Conference. They'll travel to Warrensburg-Latham on Friday.

Monticello senior Spencer Mitze got a rare start and pitched five innings of one-run ball to lead the Sages over Tri-Valley 12-1 in five innings of non-conference high school baseball action Wednesday in Monticello.

Mitze struck out eight, walked one and permitted five hits. 

Biniam Lienhart finished 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles at the top of the Monticello lineup. Ike Young was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs batted in while Jacob Trusner was 1-for-3 with three RBIs.

Matt Swartz doubled in a run and scored three times for the Sages.

Monticello goes to 13-4 overall. They host Bloomington Central Catholic this afternoon at Monticello High School. Hear all the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, starting at 4:30 pm.

The Clinton Lady Maroons could not hold on to a 3-0 lead and fell to Tuscola 12-3 in Central Illinois Conference high school girl's softball action Wednesday in Clinton.

Heidi Humble doubled and homered to drive in two runs to lead the Lady Maroons. Alaina Soberalski went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Sarah Mills finished 1-for-3 for Clinton.

Ella Boyer doubled and homered to lead the Lady Warriors. Boyer drove in three and scored twice. Isabella Wilcox went 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs. Ava Boyer was 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, two stolen bases and three runs scored at the top of the Tuscola lineup.

Clinton falls to 6-16 overall and 3-8 in the Central Illinois Conference. They will travel to Warrensburg-Latham on Friday afternoon.

The Blue Ridge Lady Knights scored the final five runs of the game and took down GCMS 8-3 in non-conference high school girls' softball action Wednesday in Farmer City.

Lily Enger missed the cycle by a double, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple, homer, and three runs batted in. Cassie Zimmerman doubled and tripled, finishing 2-for-4 for Blue Ridge. 

Carsyn Stiger doubled in a run for the Lady Knights.

Ellie Schlieper picked up the win in circle for Blue Ridge. She fired seven innings of three-run ball with five strikeouts. 

The Lady Knights have won three in a row and four of five overall. Blue Ridge plays its next five games on the road. They travel to LeRoy this afternoon for a non-conference and finish the week at Arcola Friday and Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond for Lincoln Prairie Conference play. 

Fernando Tatis Jr. drove in three runs with a pair of singles, lifting the San Diego Padres to a 5-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.

With runners at second and third in the seventh, Tatis hit Brandon Hughes’ 2-1 slider past diving Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom to score both and give the Padres a 4-3 lead. He knocked in an insurance run in the ninth with a line shot to center.

Tatis played his sixth game since returning from an 80-game drug suspension. His RBIs were his second, third and fourth since being reinstated. The 24-year-old Tatis missed all of last season, first because of a broken left wrist. When he was about to return, he was hit with his PED suspension for a positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Clostebol.

Jake Cronenworth drove in two runs with a triple as the Padres won for the third time in four games.

Chicago’s Trey Mancini lined a two-run homer and singled. Nico Hoerner had an RBI single.

Nick Martinez (2-1) pitched three scoreless innings for the win in his first relief appearance this season after four starts. Josh Hader worked around Yan Gomes' double and a walk in the ninth for his ninth save.

Chicago starter Drew Smyly yielded two runs on four hits in five innings. Hughes (0-1), the second of five Cubs relievers took the loss.

Smyly entered with 2-0 record and 0.98 ERA in his previous three outings. The lefty took a perfect game into the eighth inning in his last start, a 13-0 Cubs win over the Dodgers.

Padres RHP Seth Lugo (2-1, 2.78) starts against Cubs RHP Hayden Wesneski (1-1, 6.23) on Thursday afternoon in the series finale.

Yusei Kikuchi struck out eight batters over 5 2/3 innings, Bo Bichette hit a solo home run and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the slumping White Sox 8-0 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep, extending Chicago’s losing streak to seven.

Blue Jays outfielder George Springer left in the fourth, one inning after he was hit on the right hand by a pitch from White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech (0-3). X-rays did not reveal a fracture.

Cavan Biggio pinch hit for Springer but struck out to strand two runners.

Chicago has lost nine of 10 and 15 of 19. Things aren’t getting any easier for the White Sox, who host MLB-leading Tampa Bay in a four-game series beginning Thursday.

Chicago was blanked for the second-straight game and third time this season. The White Sox have three runs and 14 hits in their last four games.

Kikuchi (4-0) allowed four hits, all singles, and walked one in his third straight winning start. The left-hander has pitched at least six innings in all three of those victories. He has allowed more than one earned run only once in five starts in 2023.

Ten of the final 11 White Sox batters struck out, including Eloy Jiménez, who fanned four times.

White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr., who came in 1 for 21 on the road trip, hit a two-out single in the first but was thrown out at second after sliding past the bag.

Kopech allowed four runs and six hits in five innings.

Dylan Cease (2-0, 2.73) starts Thursday as Chicago returns home for a four-game series against the Rays. Tampa Bay has not named a starter.

Mitch Haniger scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the fifth inning following a dropped fly ball by Cardinals center fielder Lars Nootbaar as the San Francisco Giants beat St. Louis 7-3 on Wednesday night.

That helped the Giants overcome a big night from Paul Goldschmidt, who had two home runs and four hits. He extended his on-base streak at Oracle Park to 28 games, tied for the 10th longest streak in stadium history. It was the 24th multi-homer game for the seven-time All-Star, whose 15 home career home runs at the waterfront ballpark are also the most by an opponent.

But the Cardinals first baseman grounded into a game-ending double play against Giants closer Camilo Doval.

St. Louis led 2-0 after Goldschmidt’s two home runs that included a 425-foot drive to center that was his longest of the season.

Cardinals starter Steven Matz allowed two runs and six hits in four innings but remains winless this season.

Promising St. Louis Cardinals rookie outfielder Jordan Walker was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday following a 7-for-35 slide in his last 10 games.

Struggling ace Logan Webb (1-4, 4.40 ERA), coming off his first win of the season when he had eight strikeouts against the Mets, starts for the Giants on Thursday. Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (0-1, 7.46 ERA) goes for his third win in four career starts against San Francisco.

José Berríos struck out a season-high nine over seven innings, Danny Jansen homered twice and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the White Sox 7-0 Tuesday night, extending Chicago’s losing streak to six.

Berríos (2-3) allowed four hits - all singles - and walked one in his second straight seven-inning outing.

Berríos had lost three of his previous four starts against the White Sox but beat them Tuesday for the first time since September 2020. He’s made 23 starts against Chicago, his most against any opponent.

Berríos struck out the side in the first and didn’t allow a runner to reach scoring position until Elvis Andrus advanced from first to third on Andrew Benitendi’s two-out single in the sixth. Eloy Jiménez took a called third strike.

Nate Pearson and Anthony Bass finished with hitless relief as the Blue Jays won for the 14th time in 20 games.

Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run triple, and George Springer had three hits and drove in a run for Toronto.

Chicago has lost 11 of 13 and 14 of 17. The White Sox were blanked for the second time this season and have three runs and 10 hits in their last three games.

Clevinger (2-2) allowed a season-high six runs and seven hits in five innings. All three batters he walked came around to score.

Michael Kopech (0-2, 6.97) starts Wednesday’s series finale against Blue Jays LHP Yusei Kikuchi (3-0, 3.80). Kopech has a 20.77 ERA in four games against Toronto, allowing 10 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Justin Steele pitched three-hit ball into the sixth inning in his fourth straight win, and the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 6-0 on Tuesday.

Yan Gomes had four of Chicago’s seven hits, including a two-run drive off Blake Snell in the second. The veteran catcher is batting .441 (15 for 34) with four homers and nine RBIs in his last eight games.

The game-time temperature was 41 degrees, and the wind made life difficult on a handful of plays throughout the game. But nothing seems to faze Steele these days.

The 27-year-old Mississippi native struck out five and walked two in 5 1/3 innings. San Diego had at least one baserunner in four of the first five innings, but it came up empty each time.

Steele (4-0) improved to 5-1 with a 1.07 ERA in his last 12 starts dating to July 22. He pitched at least six innings and allowed two or fewer runs in each of his first four outings this year.

The Cubs broke it open with four runs in the eighth. Gomes hit an RBI single and scored on Nico Hoerner's three-run triple.

Snell (0-4) allowed four hits, struck out five and walked five in his third straight loss. The veteran lefty has 18 walks in 23 innings on the season.

San Diego, which had won four of five, finished with five hits. It went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.

After Steele retired Juan Soto for the first out of the sixth, Adbert Alzolay, Mark Leiter Jr., Keegan Thompson and Michael Rucker combined for 3 2/3 innings of two-hit ball.

Chicago has five shutouts through 22 games for the first time since 1969, matching a modern franchise record.

San Diego right-hander Michael Wacha and Chicago left-hander Drew Smyly take the mound on Wednesday night. Wacha (2-1, 7.08 ERA) was tagged for five runs and 10 hits in four innings in a no-decision at Arizona in his last start. Smyly (2-1, 3.13) is coming off a dominant performance against the Dodgers, striking out 10 in 7 2/3 innings in a 13-0 win on Friday.

Blake Sabol hit a game-ending two-run homer in the ninth inning, and the San Francisco Giants rallied past the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Tuesday night.

With two outs and a runner on second, Sabol sent Ryan Helsley’s 1-2 offering over the wall in center field for his first career walk-off homer. Helsley (0-2) blew his third save of the year.

San Francisco trailed 4-2 entering the ninth. Joc Pederson reached on a fielding error by second baseman Tommy Edman, and Mike Yastrzemski followed with an RBI double to bring the Giants within one.

Yastrzemski homered earlier in the game as San Francisco won its fourth in a row.

Paul Goldschmidt broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run single in the eighth inning to give the Cardinals their first lead of the night.

Edman homered in the third for the Cardinals, who fell to 9-15 for their worst 24-game start in 50 years.

The Giants took an early lead in the bottom of the second with the help of two St. Louis errors on the same play. Thairo Estrada stole second and took third when catcher Willson Contreras’ throw went into center field. When Dylan Carlson bobbled the ball, Estrada headed home.

Edman tied it with his fourth home run of the season. Yastrzemski answered with a solo shot in the fourth, his fifth of the year.

Cardinals starter Jake Woodford allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts.

Cardinals LHP Steven Matz (0-3, 6.55 ERA) seeks his first win of the season Wednesday night opposite Giants RHP Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 2.63), whose seven career wins over St. Louis are his most against any opponent.

Monticello got contributions from the entire lineup and beat Urbana 11-1 in five innings in non-conference high school girl's softball action from Monticello Tuesday.

Marrissa Miller paced the Monticello offense going 4-for-4 with two triples, an RBI, a stolen base and three runs scored.

Sadie Walsh reached base four times with two hits, two walks, drove in two, and scored three runs. Cassidee Stoffel walked in a run, Isabella Beery doubled in a run and Reese Patton had an RBI base hit.

Catie Swartz started the scoring for Monticello with a double to left field to start the second inning. She stole third base and the throw went into left field, allowing the sophomore to score the game's first run standing up.

Avery Schweitzer walked twice and singled home a run for the Lady Sages. Emma Stoerger and Lynnsy Trybom finished 1-for-3 as well.

Patton went five one-run innings in circle for Monticello. The junior struck out six, walked one and permitted two hits.

Miller's stellar day at the plate earned her the ServPro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game. 

The Lady Sages go to 8-9 overall. They host Bloomington Central Catholic on Thursday.

In a game heard Tuesday evening on WHOW, the Clinton Lady Maroons fell to the visiting Argenta-Oreana Bombers, 11-9, in non-conference softball action. 
 

Clinton jumped out quickly with a five run first inning, and would lead, 8-6 going into the seventh, but the Bombers plated five in the top of the seventh and would hold on from there.  Argenta's big inning was highlighted by Addison Maiden's Grand Slam.  She launched a pitch over the center field fence to put the Bombers in front for good. 
 

The Lady Maroons saw some fireworks offensively as well.  Heidi Humble blasted two home runs, going 3 for 3 with 3 RBI, and earning the WHOW / Serv Pro Of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game.   Kylee Isaac also went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, and Sarah Mills was 1 for 3 with two runs batted in for Clinton.  
 

Maiden finished 2 for 4 with a grand slam, a double, and six RBIs to lead Argenta.  Gracie Manning was also 3 for 5 with a double and two runs batted in for the Bombers.  
 

Abby Jackson took the win in relief for Argenta-Oreana as they improve to (10-7) on the season. 
 

Anelise Thompson took the loss for Clinton as they fall to (6-15) on the season.  The Lady Maroons will look to rebound Wednesday afternoon as they host Tuscola.  
 

The Lady Maroons will next be heard on WHOW on May 10th versus Eureka.  Our next WHOW Maroons Game of the Week comes up next Wednesday, May 3rd, when the Maroons host Argenta-Oreana in baseball action.  
 

The bats came alive late and sparked a Clinton comeback rally in a 5-2, eight-inning victory over Meridian in Central Illinois Conference high school baseball victory Monday at Meridian.

Mason Walker went six innings of two-run ball, keeping Clinton close. Walker struck out eight, walked two and permitted three hits. 

The Maroons trailed 2-0 heading into the fifth inning and tied the game and went ahead for good in the top of the eighth inning with a three-run inning.

Walker paced the offense, finishing 2-for-4 while Noah Bass was 2-for-4 with a double. 

Brooks Cluver pitched two hitless, shutout innings in relief for the win for the Maroons. He struck out four and issued a walk. 

Roy Ralston struck out 12 in seven innings of two-run ball for Meridian. The Hawks drop to 6-9 overall and 4-6 in CIC play.

Clinton moves to 6-7 overall and 5-5 in the Central Illinois Conference. Clinton hosts Tuscola on Wednesday.

An 11 run sixth inning was too much for Clinton to overcome as Meridian held off a late comeback attempt from the Lady Maroons for a 13-9 Central Illinois Conference win in girl's softball action from Meridian Monday.

Trailing 2-0 heading to the top of the sixth, Clinton rallied for five runs to go up 5-2, but the Lady Hawks dropped 11 runs in the bottom half of the fram and held on from another Clinton comeback attempt in the sevent to keep its CIC leading undefeated mark intact.

Aliviyah Haynes doubled and drove in four to pace the Lady Maroons offense. Kylee Isaac was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Alaina Soberalski drove in two for Clinton.

Heidi Humble, Avery Smith and Haynes doubled for Clinton Monday.

The Lady Hawks move to 8-0 in the CIC and are 12-5 overall.

Clinton falls to 6-14 overall and 3-7 in the Central Illinois Conference.

Clinton hosts Argenta-Oreana this afternoon.

The Monticello Sages bounced back from a frustrating week last week and touched up Indiana-commit Henry Brummel for seven runs, rolling past Pontiac 7-1 in an Illini Prairie Conference showdown at Pontiac High School Monday.

Ike Young's first inning, bases clearing triple jump started the Sages offense, which had sputtered in losing three of its last four games. 

Jack Buckalew looked sharp in a complete game effort. A leg injury has hampered the senior for the last few weeks but he looked like a number one Monday. He struck out six, walked two and permitted four hits.

Biniam Lienhart was 2-for-4 with a run for the Sages. 

Brummel drove in the only run for Pontiact with a double in the fourth.

The Sages are 12-4 overall and 5-1 in the Illini Prairie Conference. They host Tri-Valley on Wednesday.

Coach Joel Washko put out a call for opponents this week and when the powerhouse St. Joseph-Ogden came calling, Washko did not hesitate to put the Spartans on his team's schedule.

St. Joe jumped out to an 8-0 lead early and held off a late rally from the Hilltoppers to win 9-6 Monday in a non-conference showdown of 1A and 2A baseball powers in Mt. Pulaski.

Evan Cooper doubled and drove in two for the Hilltoppers and finished 2-for-4. Liam Smith doubled finishing 2-for-3. Landon Smith, Jackson Fricke, Chance Payne, and Luke Martin drove in runs for Mt. Pulaski. 

The Spartans go to 18-4 overall while Mt. Pulaski drops to 16-2. 

The Hilltoppers host Hartsburg-Emden in a Tomahawk Conference matchup on Tuesday.

An eight-run second inning was too much for Monticello to overcome as Pontiac rolled to a 13-2, five-inning run-rule win in Illini Prairie Conference girl's softball action Monday in Pontiac.

Marrissa Miller finished doubled and tripled, finishing 2-for-3 to lead the Lady Sages. 

Cassidee Stoffel and Isa Beery drove in runs for Monticello.

Monticello falls to 7-8 overall and 3-2 in the Illini Prairie Conference. The Lady Sages host Urbana this afternoon at 4:30 pm. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.

In a game heard on WHOW, Chris Bassitt pitched 6 1/3 innings before leaving because of a sore lower back, Cavan Biggio hit a three-run home run and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 5-2 on Monday night.

Bassitt (3-2) called manager John Schneider and the trainer to the mound i the seventh after bouncing his first pitch to Luis Robert Jr. Zach Pop came on and finished the inning.

Robert made a spectacular catch in center field to take a home run away from Toronto slugger Matt Chapman, but little else went right for the struggling White Sox. Chicago (7-16) has lost five straight, 10 of 12 and 13 of 17.

Vaughn opened the scoring with a two-run double off Bassitt in the third, but the Blue Jays answered with a four-run fourth off White Sox right-hander Lance Lynn.

Robert soared over the low wall in deep center to deny Chapman for the second out of the inning, but the next five Blue Jays batters reached safely. Whit Merrifield hit an RBI double before Biggio followed with his second home run.

Winless in five starts to begin the season, Lynn (0-3) allowed four runs and five hits in five innings.

Chapman made it 5-2 with an RBI double off Kenyan Middleton in the seventh. It was Chapman’s AL-leading 11th double of the season. Chapman leads the AL with 16 extra-base hits.

Mike Clevinger (2-3, 3.26) starts for the White Sox Tuesday against Blue Jays RHP José Berríos (1-3, 6.23).

Alex Cobb pitched his first shutout in 11 years and J.D. Davis hit a three-run homer, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 4-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a four-game series Monday night.

Cobb (1-1) scattered six hits and struck out four in his fifth career complete game and first since 2018 with Baltimore. His only other major league shutout was a four-hitter for Tampa Bay against Oakland in August 2012.

Cobb walked one and threw 70 of his 109 pitches for strikes. He ended his gem in style, striking out Tyler O'Neill for the final out as San Francisco won its third straight game for the first time this year.

Cardinals starter Jordan Montgomery (2-3) allowed an unearned run and five hits in six-plus innings. He struck out six but took his third straight loss.

St. Louis has lost all eight series openers this season, matching a dubious franchise record set in 1988. The Cardinals are the only team in the majors yet to win a series opener.

Jake Woodford (1-2, 6.05 ERA) pitches Tuesday night for St. Louis. RHP John Brebbia (1-0, 5.63) goes for San Francisco, likely as an opener.

A Clinton High School senior signed her national letter of intent for track and field next year but what was also a part of that commitment is an additional activity.

Alayna Earle will throw the shot put and discus at Monmouth College next year. She told Regional Radio she liked the feel Monmouth had.

Earle is also going to be in the marching band. She explains marching band is the most appealing opportunity she explored.

Earle says being a band drum major was her favorite band memory. As for her favorite memory of track, she says being at last year's state meet and hearing her name called. 

The Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers used a balanced offensive attack to roll past Springfield Southeast 8-4 in non-conference high school boy's baseball action Friday afternoon in Springfield.

Jackson Fricke doubled twice and finished 3-for4- with an RBI for the Hilltoppers. Landon Smith was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI while AJ Bailey was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs.

Smith struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings. Smith surrendered four runs on five hits with a pair of walks. 

Mt. Pulaski is 15-1 overall. They will battle Springfield Lanphier in Springfield Saturday before a home match up with Springfiel Lutheran on Monday.

Despite a quick start for the Clinton Maroons, Shelbyville bounced back for a 4-2 extra innings victory over Clinton Friday afternoon from Clinton High School in Central Illinois Conference high school baseball action.

The Maroons jumped in front 2-0 in the first inning behind an RBI base hit by Colten Walker but the Rams got those two runs back in the top of the second inning and it was all goose eggs until the top of the eighth when Shelbyville went up 4-2 and held on from there.

Nate Trimble settled down after the first inning to finish with seven innings of two-run ball. The senior struck out eight and permitted five hits and a walk. 

Brock Wilson pitched into the eighth for Clinton. He struck out four, walked one, five hits, and was charged with four unearned runs. 

Shelbyville's Drew Noren permitted a hit but struck out two to close out the win for Shelbyville.

Jack Manning and Brooks Cluver finished 2-for-4 at the plate for the Maroons.

Clinton falls to 5-7 overall and drops to 4-5 in the CIC. Shelbyville is 14-4 overall and improves to 7-2 in the CIC.

Clinton travels to Meridian for another Central Illinois Conference tilt on Monday.

The Clinton Lady Maroons could not solve Karli Boehm and fell to Shelbyville 16-1 in four-innings in Central Illinois Conference girl's softball from Clinton High School Friday afternoon.

The Lady Rams had just ten hits in scoring its 16 runs. They walked five times and the Lady Maroons committed just three errors. 

Mia Kivlehan and Sarah Mills finished 2-for-2 for Clinton. Heidi Humble was 1-for-2 with an RBI double.

Boehm allowed a run on five with hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Clinton falls 6-13 overall and 3-6 in the Central Illinois Conference. They travel to Meridian on Monday. 

The Monticello offense was slow to get going Friday and fell to Paxton-Buckley-Loda 8-3 in Illini Prairie Conference high school baseball action Friday in Monticello.

Friday's game was a make-up of Thursday's contest that was called shortly after players had taken the field but lightning in the area delayed the start before the game was postponed.

Luke Teschke went five innings of four run ball, but only one was earned. The junior Illinois State-commit struck out six, walked two and permitted four hits.

Colton Vance continued his hot hitting with a double and an RBI.

Jeremiah Ager struck out seven in six innings of three-run ball with seven strikeouts. The senior lefty walked four and allowed three hits.

PBL goes to 8-10 overall and 2-2 in the Illini Prairie Conference.

Monticello has lost three of its last four, dropping to 11-4 overall and suffered its first Illini Prairie Conference loss to go to 4-1. 

Friday's matchup could be a preview of a Regional matchup, as PBL and Monticello have a good chance to be placed in the same Regional.

The schedule doesn't lighten up for the Sages who travel to Pontiac on Monday, with Bloomington Central Catholic and St. Joseph-Ogden still to battle before postseason play begins in mid-May.
 

The Maroa-Forsyth Lady Trojans answered a big inning by Clinton with a big inning of their own and held off the Lady Maroons 9-5 in non-conference girl's softball action from Forsyth Thursday afternoon.

The Lady Maroons trailed 4-1 going into the top of the fifth inning and put four runs on the board to go up 5-4 but the Lady Trojans dropped a five-spot in th bottom of the fifth to go up 9-5 and held on from there.

Balance was the name of the game for the Lady Trojans offensively Thursday. 

Lainey Larner, Kelci Kahler, and Tori Thomas went yard on a breezy afternoon. Megan Holub and Thomas recorded two hits at the top of the lineup. Lauryn Wright, Danni Hovey, Maggie Ravenscraft, and Reya Corley all recorded hits for Maroa-Forsyth.

Heidi Humble went 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and a run scored for the Lady Maroon.s Brooke Reeves and Sarah Mills finished 2-for-4. Mills drove in a run while Reeves had a stolen base. Alaina Soberalski finished 1-for-4 with a double and run scored. 

Reice McCormick, Aliviyah Haynes, and Mia Kivlehan each had RBIs for Clinton.

Maro-Forsyth improves to 14-4 overall. They Lisle-Benet Academy and Effingham St. Anthony in a Saturday morning twin bill.

Clinton drops to 6-12 overall and will host Shelbyville this afternoon. 

Freshman Cassidee Stoffel had four hits and five RBIs leading the Monticello Lady Sages over Paxton-Buckley-Loda 20-3 in a four-inning, Illini Prairie Conference romp Thursday from Monticello.

Stoffel was a triple short of the cycle finishing 4-for-4 with a home run. Avery Schweitzer and Lynnsee Trybom drove in three runs apiece while Schweitzer and Isa Beery each recorded three hits. 

Stoffel, Schweitzer, Trybom, Beery, and Marrissa Miller all doubled in the victory. Miller and Trybom had stolen bases. 

Stoffel also picked up the win in circle for the Lady Sages. She allowed three runs, two were earned on four hits with a walk, and recorded nine strikeouts. 

Monticello goes to 7-8 and 4-3 in the Illini Prairie Conference. They will travel to Pontiac on Monday.

Kyle Larson made a late two-tire pit stop pay off and held off Joey Logano to win at Martinsville, his second victory in three races as the Cup Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway Sunday.

Larson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron are the only multiple race winners through nine events. Larson led the last 29 laps. 

Logano started at the back of the field after a post-qualifying adjustment to his car and rallied from going a lap down twice in the race. 

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin finished third and fourth, their first top-five finishes of the season. 

Chase Elliott returned after missing six races because of surgery to repair a broken tibia sustained while snowboarding.

Race time is 2 pm Sunday afternoon.

John Hunter Nemechek led 198 of the 250 laps at Martinsville to record his second victory of the season and his fourth in the series as the XFinity Series also heads to Talladega Superspeedway Saturday. 

Nemechek's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Sammy Smith finished second, followed by Cole Custer, Josh Berry and Brandon Jones. 

There have been 12 different winners in the last 12 Xfinity Series races at Martinsville. 

Nemechek and Berry share the series lead with seven top-10 finishes. Nemechek also took over the series points lead by 21 over three-time winner Austin Hill.

Race time is 3 pm Saturday afternoon.

The Craftsman Truck Series returns Saturday, May 6 at Kansas Speedway. 

James Outman hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the ninth inning for his second homer of the game, and the Los Angeles Dodgers cooled off the Chicago Cubs with a 6-2 victory on Thursday.

Max Muncy also homered for the banged-up Dodgers, who had dropped three of four. David Peralta and Miguel Vargas each had two hits in the opener of a four-game series.

It was the first career grand slam and multihomer game for the 25-year-old Outman. The outfielder also threw out a runner at the plate in his 24th big league appearance.

Chicago had won a season-high four straight. Cody Bellinger homered against his former team for the second time this season, but Michael Fulmer (0-2) struggled with his location in the ninth.

With runners on first and second and one out, pinch-hitter Jason Heyward reached on a nine-pitch walk after falling behind 1-2 in the count. Outman then drove a full-count pitch deep to right for his fifth homer of the season.

It was Heyward's first game at Wrigley Field since he was released by the Cubs in November.

Five LA relievers combined for six innings of one-hit ball after Michael Grove departed with a right groin strain. Caleb Ferguson (1-0) got three outs for the win.

Javier Assad pitched three innings of two-run ball in his first start of the season for Chicago. Assad was brought up from Triple-A Iowa after right-hander Jameson Taillon went on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain.

The Cubs tied it at 2 when Nico Hoerner grounded a one-out single into right field in the fourth. Trey Mancini also tried to score on the play, but he was cut down at the plate on a great throw by Outman. Dansby Swanson then walked before Phil Bickford retired Ian Happ on a bouncer to second.

Left-handers Julio Urías (3-1, 1.90 ERA) and Drew Smyly (1-1, 4.70 ERA) start on Friday afternoon. Smyly pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in a 3-2 victory over Urías and the Dodgers on Sunday. Urías was charged with two earned runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Clinton overcame a five-run fourth inning by Sullivan to rally to a 7-6 win in Central Illinois Conference high school girl's softball action from Sullivan Wednesday afternoon. 

Heidi Humble doubled twice and drove in three runs finishing 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Riece McCormick doubled and drove in two for the Lady Maroons

She finsihed 2-for-4. 

Mia Kivlehan had an RBI for Clinton. 

Ashley Armstrong struck out nine and walked six in a complete game effort. She permitted all six runs on seven hits. 

Brooke Reeves, Alaina Soberalski, Kylee Isaac, and Anelise Thompson each recorded hits for Clinton.

The Lady Maroons improve to 6-11 overall and 3-5 in the CIC. 

They travel to Forsyth this afternoon for a non-conference tilt with Maroa-Forsyth.

The Clinton Maroons scored three first-inning runs but could not hold on against Sullivan in an 8-5 defeat in Central Illinois Conference boy's baseball action from Sullivan Wednesday afternoon. 

Jack Manning was touched up for six runs, just three were earned and two runs allowed by Brooks Cluver were unearned as the Maroons committed three errors.

The Maroons had played much better defense of late. 

Mason Walker and Noah Bass each finished 2-for-4 while Colton Walker was 2-for-3. 

Schafer Ogle drove in three runs for the Redskins who move to 10-5 overall and 5-3 in the CIC.

Clinton falls to 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the Central Illinois Conference. They will host Shelbyville Friday.

The Monticello Sages took advantage of a wind blowing straight out to center field and blasted Salt Fork with six home runs in a 25-6 rout Wednesday in Catlin. 

Luke Teschke and Colton Vance went deep twice, Biniam Lienhart and Raiden Colbert each went yard for the Sages.

Teschke drove in six in a 4-for-5 afternoon. Vance brought home five in a 3-for-5 day at the place. Lienhart added a double and scored five runs finishing 3-for-6. 

Kyle Peake doubled, tripled and drove in three finishing 2-for-2.

Ike Young permitted seven runs, five were earned over four innings. He struck out four and walked one. 

Salt Fork hit two runs on the afternoon.

The Sages snap a two-game skid and move to 11-3 overall.

Monticello puts an undefeated Illini Prairie Conference mark on the line today when they host Paxton-Buckley-Loda in Illini Prairie Conference baseball this afternoon. Hear the action starting at 4:30 pm on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

Tommy Edman had a three-run homer with a career-best five RBIs, Nolan Gorman hit his first big league grand slam and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 14-5 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Madison Bumgarner (0-3) was hit hard again, allowing seven runs, seven hits and four walks in three innings.

St. Louis set a season high for runs, scoring three or more runs in four innings.

Edman was a single short of the cycle and reached base four times. His leadoff double started a three-run first that included RBI doubles by Dylan Carlson and Willson Contreras. The switch hitter got RBIs from both sides of the plate.

Alek Thomas hit a two-run homer in the second, and Christian Walker’s sacrifice fly tied the score in the third.

Rookie Jordan Walker, who broke out of a 1-for-17 slide with a pair of hits, had go-ahead single in the third, and Edman homered for a 7-3 lead.

Pavin Smith homered in the fourth and Edman hit a two-run triple in the bottom half against Peter Solomon, then scored on Dylan Carlson’s single to put the Cardinals ahead 10-4. Gorman homered in the sixth, his fifth home run this season.

Jake Woodford (1-2) earned his first win as a starter since last Aug. 23, allowing four runs and eight hits in five innings.

Steven Matz (0-2, 6.48 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series on Friday at Seattle and RHP George Kirby (1-1, 3.78 ERA). The Cardinals are 0-6 in series openers. 

Illinois State pounded out 14 hits while scoring 18 runs, their most runs scored during the 2023 season and beat Northern Illinois 18-11 Wednesday in DeKalb. 

Eight different players tallied a hit during the contest, marked by Shay Kubo's three hits. 

Greg Nichols notched 2 homers and four RBIs. His two-homer game is his first multi-homer game of his Redbird career.

Auggie Rasmussen's on-base streak moves to 12 games as he went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. 

Illinois State is scheduled to play at Bradley Friday through Sunday.

Tre Turner homered and had three hits, Brandon Marsh also went deep and Philadelphia beat the Chicago White Sox 5-2 on Wednesday.

Taijuan Walker pitched into the seventh inning, and the Phillies had better luck against Mike Clevinger after being held to one hit by Lucas Giolito and three relievers in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader.

Marsh led off the second with his third home run; he had Philadelphia’s lone hit in Tuesday’s nightcap.

Andrew Vaughn hit a two-run homer in the first. But the White Sox lost for the sixth time in eight games.

White Sox 3B Yoán Moncada (lower back soreness) will probably need to go on a rehab assignment before he returns from the 10-day injured list, manager Pedro Grifol said.

Michael Kopech (0-2, 6.32) seeks his first win when the White Sox open a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Friday. LHP Josh Fleming (0-0, 6.10) starts for the Rays.

Dansby Swanson scored the tiebreaking run standing up on an infield grounder to spark a four-run sixth inning, and the Chicago Cubs reached Oakland's bullpen for 10 runs in a 12-2 victory over the Athletics on Wednesday that completed a three-game sweep.

The A's have lost seven straight and at 3-16 are mired in their poorest 19-game start since the 1951 Philadelphia A’s.

Eric Hosmer hit his first home run since last July 29 for San Diego, Patrick Wisdom had a two-run triple and Nico Hoerner added three hits for the Cubs. Luis Torrens drove in two runs with a bases-loaded double in the ninth.

Justin Steele (3-0) struck out five in six innings, allowing two runs - one earned - and four hits. The left-hander, who won four games in 24 starts last season, has given up two earned runs or fewer in 11 consecutive starts dating to last year.

Mason Miller, a 24-year-old right-hander who is Oakland’s top pitching prospect, made his major league debut and allowed two runs, four hits and one walk with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-5 right-hander, a third-round pick in the 2021 draft, reached 100 mph with 15 of 81 pitches and averaged 99.3 mph with 53 fastballs.

He retired nine of his first 10 Chicago hitters before the Cubs scored single runs in the fourth and fifth.

With the score 2-2, Swanson and Ian Happ drew back-to-back walks off Chad Smith (1-1) to begin the sixth. After both runners moved up on a wild pitch, Cody Bellinger hit a sharp grounder to first baseman Jesús Aguilar off Sam Moll. Aguilar attempted to get the out at home, but Swanson beat the throw standing up.

After Torrens struck out swinging, Wisdom tripled for a 6-2 lead.

Hosmer homered off Adam Oller in the eighth.

Keegan Thompson and Julian Mayweather combined to get the final nine outs for the Cubs.

Carlos Pérez and Jordan Diaz had RBI doubles for Oakland.

Jameson Taillon (0-2, 7.00 ERA) starts Friday in Los Angeles seeking his first career win in five outings against the Dodgers.

A six-run sixth inning pushed Mt. Pulaski over the top as they doubled up Heyworth 10-5 in non-conference high school boy's baseball action in Heyworth Tuesday afternoon.

Luke Martin homered twice connecting for the game-winning grand slam in the sixth inning that broke a 6-all tie. He finished 3-for-3 with five RBIs. 

Landon Smith finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in. AJ Bailey and Evan Cooper went 2-for-4 with a double apiece. Bailey drove in a run as well for the Hilltoppers.

Bailey picked up the win on the mound by going five innings of one-run relief. Despite walking five, he struck out seven, allowed a hit, and the run was unearned. 

The Hilltoppers go to 14-1 overall. They are off Wednesday and return to action Thursday for a Tomahawk Conference showdown with Illini Bluffs in Mt. Pulaski.

Ellie Shlieper went the distance for Blue Ridge as the Lady Knights blanked Paxton-Buckley-Loda 11-0 in non-conference high school girl's softball action Tuesday in Paxton.

Shlieper struck out ten in seven shutout innings allowing three hits and zero walks. 

Cassie Zimmerman paced the Lady Knights finishing 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Carsyn Stiger doubled twice finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Lily Enger was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs scored, two walks and stole four bases. 

Alexis Wiki drove in a run and stole two bases while Carmen Ellis had an RBI for the Lady Knights.

Blue Ridge is 5-8 overall. They will take on Argenta-Oreana in Lincoln Prairie Conference action Friday in Argenta.

Westville brought home the game's winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Tigers downed Monticello 4-3 in a marathon non-conference high school girl's softball contest at Westville Tuesday.

The Lady Sages were shut out through five innings but rallied with a two-run sixth inning and tied the game in the top of the seventh inning to send the game to extras.

Reese Patton was terrific in circle for Monticello. The junior went all 11 innings and did not record a strikeout or a walk. She allowed four runs, three were earned on ten hits.

Only one of the three runs scored for Monticello was credited as a run batted in. 

Lynnsee Trybom finished 1-for-5 with a solo home run. Catie Swartz was 2-for-5.

The Lady Sages struck out 22 times against Abby Sabalaskey as she completed all 11 innings for the Lady Tigers. Just one of the three runs she surrendered was earned. Sabalaseky also finished 3-for-5. 

The Lady Sages are 6-8 on the season. They will host PBL Thursday in Illini Prairie Conference softball action. 

Illinois (15-18) dropped its midweek contest to Eastern Illinois (20-13), 1-0, in a 12-inning marathon Tuesday night at Illinois Field.

After the Panthers broke the scoreless deadlock with a two-out single in the 12th, Branden Comia started the home half with a single and moved into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt from Brody Harding, but he would ultimately be left stranded on second as the visitors held on for the win.

Freshman Julius Sanchez tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in his start, scattering three hits to go along with two strikeouts. Jack Crowder and Joe Glassey followed in relief, with each pitcher working 3.0 scoreless innings. Crowder did not allow a hit and whiffed four batters, while Glassey allowed one hit and tallied one strikeout.

Illinois left 10 runners stranded on base in the loss

Illinois will be back in action on Friday, when they begin a three-game set against Minnesota to close out this homestand. First pitch of Friday's opener is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT.

Auggie Rasmussen reached base safely five times in Illinois State's 4-2 loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday at Duffy Bass Field.

Rasmussen doubled twice, singled, and was hit by two pitches for Illinois State (10-21 overall), which stranded 12 runners and had the tying run at the plate in the 9th inning with no outs.

Illinois State struck first as freshman Daniel Pacella grounded home junior Shaydon Kubo. The Redbirds nearly plated another run but had the call that Rasmussen had crossed the plate before the runner was tagged out overturned upon review.

Trailing 3-1, ISU pulled within a run on a 6th-inning double by second-year sophomore Nick Strong.

Freshman Shai Robinson reached three times via two singles and a walk. Freshman Thomas Harper tallied a career-high six innings pitched in the start against his hometown team. Harper, a Wauwatosa, Wis. Native, struck out four while allowing three runs.

Rasmussen's on-base streak moved to 11 games.

Milwaukee moves to 17-16 overall.

Illinois State is scheduled to play at Northern Illinois on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. before a weekend series at Bradley.

Cody Bellinger hit an RBI single to break a scoreless tie and ignite a four-run outburst in the eighth inning, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 4-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.

Seiya Suzuki led off the inning with a walk. Patrick Wisdom followed with a double, sending Suzuki to third. Bellinger then lined his first hit of the game past a diving Ryan Noda into right field, scoring Suzuki and putting the Cubs in front.

Yan Gomes followed with an RBI groundout and Nick Madrigal added an RBI single to give Chicago a three-run lead. Madrigal scored on a fielding error by right fielder Conner Capel and the Cubs clinched their fourth straight series win.

Marcus Stroman continued his strong start to the season, pitching six scoreless innings and striking out five to lower his ERA to 0.75. Mark Leiter Jr. (1-0) worked a scoreless seventh for his first win of the season.

Oakland starter Ken Waldichuk pitched five scoreless innings, striking out five. Reliever Trevor May (2-3) managed to get just one out and was charged with three runs and the loss.

The A's finished with just two hits.

The A’s will promote top pitching prospect Mason Miller from Triple-A Las Vegas to start Wednesday’s series finale. The 24-year-old right-hander was dominant in his lone Triple-A outing last Friday, pitching five scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and averaging 100 mph with his fastball.

Cubs LHP Justin Steele (2-0, 1.42 ERA) starts Wednesday afternoon.

In games heard on WHOW, Josh Harrison homered among his three hits and drove in four runs, and four relievers combined for four perfect innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 on Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Harrison is now 5 for 10 after being mired in a 2-for-12 slump as the Phillies won their second consecutive game. The White Sox lost for the fifth time in their last six.

Nick Castellanos and Harrison had three hits apiece to lead the Phillies' 14-hit attack. Philadelphia has totaled 37 hits in its last two games.

Phillies shortstop Bryson Stott singled to start the game and extend his hitting streak to 17 games, surpassing the franchise record of 16 to start the season set by Puddin’ Head Jones in 1950.

The White Sox got six consecutive hits off Zack Wheeler (1-1) to start the bottom of the third and pull within one. Luis Robert Jr. hit a two-run double, and Andrew Vaughn followed with a two-run single. But Wheeler stranded Vaughn at third and left runners in scoring position in each of the next two innings to qualify for the win.

Chicago starter Lance Lynn (0-2) allowed a season-high 10 hits and was pulled after striking out Trea Turner on his 107th pitch in the sixth. Jimmy Lambert got Lynn out of a jam by striking out Brandon Marsh with runners on first and second to end the inning, but Harrison tagged him with his first homer in the seventh.

Lucas Giolito and three relievers combined on a one-hitter, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 on Tuesday night to split a doubleheader.

Brandon Marsh had Philadelphia's only hit, an opposite-field double to left on reliever Aaron Bummer's first pitch of the eighth inning.

Giolito was pulled after throwing 102 pitches in six innings. He struck out seven, walked one and hit a batter. Kendall Graveman retired the side on eight pitches in the seventh, Bummer got two outs in the eighth and Reynaldo Lopez set down the last four batters, striking out three, to earn his third save.

Jake Burger hit his fourth homer in five games, a three-run shot to left field in the first inning off left-hander Bailey Falter (1-2) that was 118.2 mph off the bat. That was more than enough for Giolito.

Stott had his streak 17-game hitting streak snapped in the nightcap.

Yoan Moncada (low back soreness) might not be ready to be activated from the 10-day injured list when he's eligible Friday, manager Pedro Grifol indicated. 

RHP Joe Kelly (groin) threw a bullpen session Monday. He is eligible to return Monday. 

SS Tim Anderson (left knee strain) performed light jogging but is at least two weeks away from returning.

Philadelphia's Taijuan Walker (1-1, 4.20 ERA) will oppose Mike Clevinger (2-0, 2.20) in Wednesday’s series finale.

Gabriel Moreno hit his second career homer and first for the Diamondbacks, a three-run blast that capped a six-run fourth inning against the Cardinals' Jordan Montgomery, and Arizona held on to beat St. Louis 8-7 on Tuesday night.

Moreno was the sixth consecutive Diamondback to reach base to open the fourth and his 399-foot homer to center - the first allowed by Montgomery in 21 1/3 innings this season - made it 7-2.

Earlier in the inning, Jake McCarthy hit a grounder to first with two men on and the score tied 2-2, but the Cardinals botched a rundown and everyone was safe. Nick Ahmed then doubled in two runs, hitting a curveball that bounced in front of the plate.

Willson Contreras homered twice for the Cardinals, including a two-run shot off Andrew Chafin during St. Louis’ three-run ninth. Miguel Castro came in and got the last two outs for his first save.

Montgomery (2-2), who had been the Cardinals' most consistent starter, allowed seven runs on 10 hits in four innings as his ERA jumped from 2.45 to 4.84.

Kyle Nelson (3-0), the second of seven Arizona pitchers, worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter Drew Jameson, who gave up two runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Paul Goldschmidt homered in the first for the Cardinals, his seventh homer in 76 at-bats against his former team. He also doubled in the ninth.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had three hits for NL West-leading Arizona.

The 23-year-old Moreno was acquired in the offseason trade that sent outfielder Daulton Varsho for Toronto. He had one homer in 25 games for the Blue Jays last season.

The Cardinals were assured of their second losing homestand this year. They lost four of six to Toronto and Atlanta and now have dropped four of six to Pittsburgh and Arizona with the series set to conclude Wednesday.

Brendan Donovan was a late scratch with a left shin abrasion. Nolan Gorman moved from third base to second and Taylor Motter took over at third. 3B Nolan Arenado had the night off.

The Diamondbacks send Madison Bumgarner (0-2, 7.90 ERA) to the mound as they seek a three-game sweep. Jake Woodford (0-2, 5.65) starts for the Cardinals.

The Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers hit four home runs and rolled Riverton 15-5 in non-conference high school boy's baseball Monday afternoon at Riverton High School.

Even Cooper and Chance Payne homered, doubled, and drove in three runs. Jackson Fricke hit a two-run home while Clayton Aylesworth came off the bench with a home run.

AJ Bailey and Landon Smith doubled and Bailey drove in two for Mt. Pulaski. 

Gavin Smith went four innings of one-run ball, struck out nine, and permitted just two hits. 

The Hilltoppers pounded out nine extra-base hits. 

Mt. Pulaski moves to 15-1 overall. They'll travel to Heyworth this afternoon.

Maroa-Forsyth held serve in a rematch of a classic Supersectional matchup last year with Monticello, downing the Sages by the same score from last May, 4-3 in non-conference high school boy's baseball action from Forsyth Monday afternoon.

Jacob Blunck pitched into the sixth inning for the Trojans, allowing two runs and five hits. Kaiden Maurer closed out the win with an 1 2/3 scoreless relief. 

Maurer, who had the walk-off hit that sent the Trojans to the state finals last Memorial Day, finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Andy Munjoy was 2-for-3 with a double, triple, and run batted in.

Jacob Trusner continued his hot hitting for the Sages, finishing 1-for-3 with a double and RBI. Luke Teschke slammed a triple for the second straight game for the Sages and Kyle Peake had an RBI double

The Trojans are 13-2 overall. Monticello moves to 10-3.

Maroa-Forsyth hosts Williamsville in a Sangamo Conference showdown this afternoon. Monticello travels to Salt Fork on Wednesday.

The series opener between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago White Sox scheduled for Monday night was postponed because of high winds and cold temperatures.

The game was rescheduled for Tuesday as part of a straight doubleheader, with the first game starting at 3:10 p.m. The second game will start approximately 30 to 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first game but not before 6:10 p.m.

Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (0-1) will oppose Lance Lynn (0-1) in the first game, with left-hander Bailey Falter (0-2) facing Lucas Giolito (0-1) of the White Sox in the second game.

Both teams entered Monday at 6-10 on the season.

Pavin Smith hit his first career grand slam, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.

While he was in the on-deck circle, Smith admitted the thought of hitting a grand slam entered his mind.

Ketel Marte also homered and drove in another run with a single for the Diamondbacks.

Merrill Kelly (1-2) pitched six innings, allowing five hits and a run. He struck out three and did not walk a batter. Kelly improved to 3-1 in five career starts against the Cardinals. Andrew Chafin earned his third save after facing three batters in the ninth.

Jack Flaherty (1-2) was lifted in the seventh after facing three batters. He gave up four hits. He walked three and struck out four.

Marte led off the seventh with his second homer of the season to give the lead back to Arizona after St. Louis had tied the game in the sixth.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled and Christian Walker drew a walk to chase Flaherty. Andre Pallante entered and promptly walked Corbin Carroll on four pitches to load the bases.

Smith ripped a 2-2 curveball 414 feet into the right field bleachers for his first homer of the season.

St. Louis got two runs back when Alec Burleson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth off José Ruiz. Burleson has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games since April 2.

Jordan Montgomery (2-0, 1.46) is making his first start and appearance against Arizona. The Diamondbacks are one of four teams he has yet to face along with San Francisco, San Diego and St. Louis.

Patrick Wisdom hit two more homers and drove in four runs, leading Hayden Wesneski and the Chicago Cubs to a 10-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.

Wisdom, who played at nearby Saint Mary’s College, connected for a solo drive in the second inning and a three-run shot in the eighth. He has five homers during a four-game streak and eight homers on the season, tied for the big league lead.

Ian Happ added three RBIs and Cody Bellinger had a career-high five hits as the Cubs won for the eighth time in 11 games. Wesneski (1-0) pitched seven innings of one-run ball after struggling in his first two starts of the season.

Chicago finished with a season-high 20 hits in its first game in Oakland since 2016.

Yan Gomes and Nico Hoerner each hit an RBI single before Happ sent a two-run single into center field.

Hoerner had two hits and scored three runs. He also picked up his majors-leading ninth stolen base.

Marcus Stroman (2-1, 1.00 ERA) starts Tuesday night for Chicago opposite Oakland LHP Ken Waldichuk (0-2, 10.20 ERA).

In a game heard Monday afternoon on WHOW, the Clinton Maroons topped the visiting St. Teresa Bulldogs, 7-2, in Central Illinois Conference baseball action.  
 

Clinton's Mason Walker set the tone on the mound early, striking out the side in the top of the first.  Maroons shortstop Brooks Cluver then led off the bottom half of the first with a solo blast to left center on the first pitch of the inning.  The Maroons would add another run to lead 2-0 after the first. 
 

Walker would go on to no-hit the Bulldogs thru four innings before Cam Knapik homered to lead off the fifth.  From there, the Maroons Junior would only allow one more hit through six innings of work.  Walker was named the Serv Pro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game as he earned the win allowing only one run on two hits with two walks while striking out twelve.  
 

Clinton added a run in the second on Cluver's RBI single.  He led the Maroons at the plate going two for four with 2 RBI. Braden Thayer also went 3 for 3 with 3 RBI, including a two run single in the third. Clinton added two more runs in the fifth.  St. T would add two runs and threaten with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, but the Maroons held on for the win with Cluver pitching in relief. 
 

Joe Brummer took the loss for St. Teresa giving up seven runs on seven hits while walking five and striking out six in five innings of work.  The loss drops the Bulldogs to 13-3 on the year, and 5-2 in conference. 
 

Clinton improves to 5-5 on the season, and 4-3 in the CIC.  They'll next play Wednesday at Sullivan. 
 

Our next Maroons Game of the Week broadcast on WHOW is next Tuesday at 4:30pm when the Lady Maroons host Argenta-Oreana. 

Jack Manning went the distance in a complete-game shutout leading Clinton over Central A&M 7-0 in Central Illinois Conference high school baseball Friday at Clinton High School.

Manning permitted just two hits and walked one while striking out four. 

Brooks Cluver and Noah Bass finished 2-for-4 for the Maroons, each with a double.

Josh Bass was 1-for-2 with a double for Clinton.

The Maroons are 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the CIC. They host Decatur St. Teresa this afternoon. 

The Clinton Lady Maroons broke out the bats and doubled up Cental A&M 8-4 in Central Illinois Conference girl's softball Saturday at Clinton High School.

Mia Kivlehan paced the Lady Maroons offense going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Alaina Soberalski, Reice McCormick, and Aliviyah Haynes each had a pair of hits. 

Kylee Isaac drove in two at the top of the Lady Maroons order. 

Ashley Armstrong struck out six in seven, four-run innings. She permitted five hits and issued zero walks. She did surrender a pair of home runs.

Clinton goes to 4-11 overall and the win was their first in CIC play, going to 1-5. 

They will host Decatur St. Teresa this afternoon in more CIC action. 

Monticello outlasted Sullivan in walk-off fashion 11-10 Saturday in non-conference high school softball action from Monticello.

The game need eight innings to complete and Avery Schweitzer's base hit scored the winning run. The Lady Sages need to rally to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Marrissa Miller tied the game at 4-4 with a base hit.

Miller paced the Monticello offense finishing 4-for-5. 

Reese Patton followed up a strong shutout performance in Clinton last week going six innings and struck out six to zero walks. She permitted six runs and ten hits.

Schweitzer, Isabella Beery, and Lynnsey Trybom all had multiple hits for Monticello who pounded 15 hits on the game.

The Lady Sages are 6-6 overall. They will travel to Westville on Tuesday.

Jacob Trusner hit a game tying, three-run home run in a five-run sixth inning but Monticello's rally against Williamsville fell short in a 9-8 non-conference loss to Williamsville Saturday in Monticello.

Trusner's four RBI performance was not enough for the Sages, who's bats got off to a slow start Saturday. 

The Bullets jumped out to an 8-3 lead and led 7-0 before the Sages scored in the bottom of the fifth. 

Ike Young and Luke Teschke each finished 2-for-4 for the Sages. Young had a pair of triples while Teschke tripled and singled. Eli Craft was 3-for-3 for the Sages.

Monticello drops to 10-2 overall and will travel to Maroa-Forsyth this afternoon.

A six-run fifth inning propelled Mt. Pulaski over Lexington 11-1 in non-conference high school boy's baseball action from Mt. Pulaski Saturday afternoon.

Jackson Fricke was 3-for-4 with a double and a pair of RBIs for the Hilltoppers. Landon Smith helped Mt. Pulaski overcome a slow start offensively with a two-run home run in the third inning. AJ Bailey was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Eric Cooper finished 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs.

Smith also went five innings on the mound, surrendering a run on three hits and strcuk out three. 

The Hilltoppers go to 12-1 overall. They begin another busy week hosting Riverton this afternoon. 

In a game heard on WHOW, Cedric Mullins had three hits and four RBIs, including a tiebreaking single in Baltimore's three-run eighth inning, and the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 8-4 on Sunday.

Gunnar Henderson had two hits and scored three times as Baltimore rallied for the win in the rubber game of the weekend series. The Orioles erased a shaky start by Grayson Rodriguez with a 12-hit attack.

Chicago scored each of its four runs in the first. Gavin Sheets hit a three-run homer, and Jake Burger added a solo drive.

Lance Lynn (0-1, 7.31 ERA) starts Monday against Philadelphia RHP Zack Wheeler (0-1, 4.02 ERA).

Patrick Wisdom homered for the third straight game, Cody Bellinger also went deep and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Sunday.

Wisdom and Bellinger connected back-to-back in the sixth inning, and the Cubs took two of three in the series. Drew Smyly (1-1) allowed one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Chris Taylor homered for the Dodgers, who scored six runs all weekend. Julio Urías (3-1) gave up two earned runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, the first time this season he allowed multiple runs in a start.

Bellinger launched his third homer of the season, capping a memorable return to Los Angeles for the former Dodgers slugger after receiving a standing ovation on Frida y and snatching away a home run on Saturday.

Cubs RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-0) takes the mound Monday for the first of three games at Oakland. Wesneski lasted only 1 1/3 innings against Seattle on Tuesday, getting tagged for five hits with four walks before exiting the shortest start of his career.

Tommy Edman hit an RBI single in the 10th inning, sending the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.

With runners on first and second and one out, Nolan Gorman drove in Paul Goldschmidt with a tying double. Lars Nootbaar was walked intentionally by Wil Crowe (0-1) and rookie Jordan Walker struck out before Edman singled back up the middle.

It was Edman's third career game-ending hit. He went 2 for 5 on the day as St. Louis salvaged a split of the four-game series.

Edman stopped an 0-for-15 skid with runners in scoring position.

Nootbaar hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, and Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Gorman each had two hits.

Drew VerHagen (1-0) got three outs for the win, allowing an unearned run in the top of the 10th on Canaan Smith-Njigba's groundout to first.

Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. The starting pitchers for the Pirates have gone at least six innings in the last six games for the franchise’s longest such streak since April 10-19, 2019, when they had an eight-game run.

St. Louis put runners at second and third with none out in the eighth, but Colin Holderman worked out of the jam. He struck out Contreras and Gorman. After Nootbaar was walked intentionally, Walker flied out to center.

Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas was charged with three runs, two earned, and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Mikolas struggled in his first three starts, allowing 16 runs and 29 hits over 14 1/3 innings.

Jack Flaherty (1-1, 1.76 ERA) will take on Arizona RHP Merrill Kelly (0-2, 2.93 ERA) in the first of a three-game set on Monday in St. Louis. The Cardinals are 0-5 in series openers this season.

Kyle Larson passed Joey Logano with 29 laps to go and went on to win his second Cup Series race of the season on a day when NASCAR welcomed back Chase Elliott.

It was the 21st career Cup Series win for Larson and 15th in the last three seasons for the 2021 Cup champion.

Logano, who was forced to begin the race in the back of the field after his crew found a leak in his water tank prior to the start, finished second, followed by Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe.

Elliott, voted NASCAR’s most popular driver the last five years, finished 10th in his first race since breaking his leg in a snowboarding accident that forced him to miss six weeks.

He ran in the mid-20s for most of the race before closing strong.

Polesitter Ryan Preece dominated early, leading the first 136 laps before a costly speeding penalty on pit row sent him to the back of the field. He never challenged again.

After winning his first career Cup Series pole on Saturday, Preece added another first to resume when earned his first stage win. The 32-year-old Preece had led just 29 laps in his entire Cup racing career prior to Sunday.

Kevin Harvick, the winner of the second stage, was running near the front for most of the day until his right front tire went down due to a broken rim with 53 laps to go. Harvick had been seeking his 61st career Cup Series victory and first since last August.

NASCAR heads to Talladega next weekend for the first of two races at the 2.66-mile course. Chastain won the spring race there last season and Elliott captured the fall race.

Rookie center Wyatt Johnston scored his 24th goal, goalie Jake Oettinger posted another shutout and the Dallas Stars then had to wait another day to find out if they would win the Central Division title.

The Stars will go into the playoffs on a six-game winning streak after beating St. Louis 1-0 in their regular-season finale Thursday night.

Dallas (47-21-14) finished with 108 points, one ahead of Colorado for the division lead. The Avalanche won their home finale 4-2 over Winnipeg just minutes after the Stars finished, then still had a makeup game to play Friday night at Nashville.

St. Louis (37-38-7) was already eliminated from the playoff contention, but the loss in its finale also snapped the franchise record of consecutive winning seasons at 14. The Blues hadn’t had a losing season since 2007-08. The NH’s longest active streak is Pittsburgh’s 17 in a row, though the Penguins missed the playoffs as well.

Jordan Binnington stopped 33 shots while playing in his 61st game, a single-season career high. He withstood several flurries of shots, including in the opening minutes when he turned away a short-hander.

St. Louis rookie Jordan Walker's hitting streak ended at 12 games when he went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in the Cardinals' 5-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.

The 20-year-old tied the record for longest hitting streak at the start of a career by a player 20 or younger, set by Eddie Murphy, who hit in 12 straight games with the Philadelphia Athletics from Aug. 26, 1912, to Sept. 5, 1912. The longest streak at the start of a career, regardless of age, is 17 by Chuck Aleno of the 1941 Cincinnati Reds and David Dahl of the 2016 Colorado Rockies.

Carlos Santana doubled twice, and Connor Joe and Rodolfo Castro hit consecutive homers in the eighth against Génesis Cabrera. The Pirates have multiple homers in five games this season, going 5-0.

Vince Velasquez (1-2) allowed three hits in six innings, struck out three and walked two. He was coming off an 11-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox in which he gave up five runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Jordan Montgomery (2-1) gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Andrew McCutchen and Santana in consecutive doubles in the sixth, when Gold Glove first baseman Paul Goldschmidt threw out Santana trying to score from third on Joe's grounder. Santana is 4 for 7 with three doubles and one homer off Montgomery. It was McCutchen's 295th career double, passing Bill Mazeroski for eight palde all-time in Pirates history.

McCutchen made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the seventh off Jordan Hicks, who inherited a pair of runners.

Ke'Bryan Hayes doubled in the ninth and scored on Chris Stratton's wild pitch.

Jake Woodford (0-2) will be making his first start against the Pirates. He earned his first big league win against Pittsburgh on Sept. 19, 2020, in a relief outing. Woodford allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings while striking out a season-high five in dropping a 6-1 decision at Milwaukee last week.

Jonathan Toews scored in a rousing end to his memorable run in Chicago, but Ivan Provorov beat Alex Stalock 3:09 into overtime to lift the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-4 victory Thursday night in the season finale for each team.

Toews won three Stanley Cup titles in 15 seasons with Chicago, but general manager Kyle Davidson announced earlier in the day that the team would not re-sign the veteran center. Toews turns 35 on April 29, and the lowly Blackhawks are rebuilding.

Toews had a chance to win the game in overtime, but he was denied by Felix Sandstrom on a breakaway with about 2:15 remaining. Provorov then closed it out with his sixth goal of the season.

Anders Bjork and Jujhar Khaira also scored for Chicago, which is in the mix for a prime position in the upcoming NHL draft. Stalock finished with 31 saves.

The Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers held off Midwest Central 7-4 in a Tomahawk Conference high school baseball victory Thursday in Manito.

The Hilltoppers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings but the Raiders scored the next four to tie the game. Mt. Pulaski answered with a run in the sixth to go ahead for good and two more in the seventh. 

Chance Payne paced the Hilltoppers' offense finishing 3-for-4 and doubled twice. Liam Smith was 2-for-2 with two doubles and an RBI. Smith's double in the seventh scored two and AJ Bailey tripled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning. 

Evan Cooper went five innings, striking out four and walking two. Landon Smith closed the door for the save with two shutout innings. 

Mt. Pulaski goes to 11-1 and 3-0 in the Tomahawk. They will host Lexington Saturday afternoon. 

In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Luke Teschke struck out a career-best 15 and overcame a late three-run home run with two outs in the top of the 7th inning to lead Monticello by Tolono Unity 4-3 in an Illini Prairie Conference showdown at Monticello High School Thursday afternoon.

Teschke was outstanding through 6 2/3 innings. He walked two batters in the seventh inning and Aiden Porter put a deep drive into a wind blowing out to left field that cleared the left field fence to bring the Rockets within 4-3 but Teschke struck out his 15th batter to preserve the win for the Sages.

Wade Carroll brought home two with two outs in the bottom of the second inning to put Monticello up 2-0.

Logan Chupp came off the bench hitting for Jack Buckalew in the three-spot in the lineup and hit a two-run double to put Monticello up 4-0.

That proved to be the game-winner for the Sages.

Teschke set down 14 in a row at one point between fielding errors.

In the top of the sixth, the Rockets started the inning when Gavin Moore reached base on misplayed ground ball to first base. With two outs, Easton Cunningham singled to right field and Moore tried to take third base on the play but a well-executed relay started by right fielder Ike Young and finished off by second baseman Biniam Lienhart beat Moore to third base by a step-and-a-half and ended the Rockets best chance of the day to that point.

Freshman Tre Hoggard was very good for Unity Wednesday. While charged with all four runs, he located a sweeping breaking ball all over the zone and struck out three. He permitted five hits and walked two. 

Jacob Trusner and Colton Vance each finished 2-for-3 for the Sages.

Teschke's career-high for strikeouts earned him the ServPro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game.

The Rockets fall to 10-1 overall and move to 3-1 in the Illini Prairie Conference. 

The Sages improve to 10-1 overall and move to 4-0 in the Illini Praire.

Monticello will host Williamsville on Saturday and then travel to Forsyth for a non-conference tilt with Maroa-Forsyth. The Trojans knocked off Monticello 4-3 in a Supersectional classic in Springfield last spring.

Hear more Sages baseball on WEZC next week when they host Paxton-Buckley-Loda in an Illini Conference matchup at Monticello High School. Game time is 4:30 pm.

In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Reese Patton spun seven sterling, shutout innings and Monticello blanked Clinton 4-0 in non-conference high school girl's softball action Wednesday from Clinton High School.

Patton struck out four and allowed two hits. At one point, she set down 10 in a row and retired 14 of her final 15 batters faced.

Freshman Cassidee Stoffel doubled in two runs as part of a three-run third inning that put the Lady Sages in front 3-0. 

Clinton's Ashley Armstrong was strong in circle and settled down after the three-run third. She retired the first two batters she faced in the fifth inning but back-to-back errors set up a base hit by Monticello sophomore Catie Swartz that scored Stoffel to make it 4-0.

Armstrong allowed four runs though three were earned. She struck out seven and walked one. 

Stoffel finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs while Swartz finished 2-for-4 and Patton was 2-for-3. 

Alaina Soberalski was 1-for-3 for Clinton and Avery Smith was 1-for-2. 

Patton was named the ServPro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game. 

The Lady Maroons drop to 3-11 overall while Monticello improves to 5-5. 

Jack Buckalew threw six shutout innings leading Monticello to a 2-0 win over Mattoon in non-conference high school boy's baseball action Tuesday in Mattoon.

Buckalew struck out nine and permitted four hits. Spencer Mitze struck out two in the seventh inning to preserve the shutout. 

The only runs in the game came on a misplayed fly ball in the outfield off the bat of Jacob Trusner that allowed two runs to score.

Trusner came within inches of hitting a home run in his third consecutive game. He hit a deep drive off the yellow, plastic guards in center field and wound up with a triple but Monticello could not score him from third.

Logan Chupp was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk. 

The Sages go to 8-1 overall and will host Tolono Unity on Thursday afternoon. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.

A 12-run first inning propelled Mt. Pulaski to a dominating 15-0 victory over Cerro Gordo-Bement in non-conference high school boy's baseball action on Tuesday afternoon in Mt. Pulaski. 

Liam Smith finished 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and Evan Cooper drove in a pair in a 2-for-2 afternoon for the Hilltoppers. Jackson Fricke added an RBI going 2-for-2 as well.

Luke Martin fired three shutout innings and struck out seven while walking one and allowing just one hit. Chance Payne closed out the win by striking out the side in a scoreless inning of relief. 

The Hilltoppers go to 10-1 overall and will travel to Manito on Thursday to take on Midwest Central.

Six runs in the first inning helped Warrensburg-Latham take down Clinton 8-2 in Central Illinois Conference high school softball Tuesday afternoon at Clinton High School.

Heidi Humble Aliviyah Haynes drove in the only runs for the Lady Maroons. Haynes finished 2-for-3 while Humble finished 1-for-3. Reice McCormick was 1-for-3 with a run scored and Alaina Soberalski finished 2-for-3 for Clinton.

The Lady Cardinals hit two home runs against Ashley Armstrong. 

Warrensburg-Latham moves to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the CIC. 

Clinton drops to 3-10 and 0-5 in the Central Illinois Conference. 

The Lady Maroons host Monticello this afternoon. Hear action starting at 4:30 pm on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

In a game heard on WHOW, Hanser Alberto’s throwing error allowed the automatic runner to score from second base and the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 in 10 innings on Tuesday night.

The series finishes Wednesday with Sonny Gray (1-0, 0.75 ERA) pitching for Minnesota and Chicago going with RHP Lucas Giolito (0-0, 9.00). Gray has allowed one run in 12 innings this season and struck out a career-high 13 in his last start. Giolito allowed a career-high 12 hits and seven runs in his last start at Pittsburgh.

Illinois got back into the win column in a big way on Tuesday night, scoring 16 runs on 17 hits in a 16-5 victory over Illinois State (10-17) at Duffy Bass Field. The programs split the season series, with the road team coming away victorious in each contest.

The run and hit totals both are season-high marks, as was the 11-run margin of victory. Eleven different Illini recorded a hit, with five picking up multi-hit efforts.

Illinois opened the scoring in the first, with Camden Janik doing deep for the sixth time this season with a solo blast to left. Jack Crowder, making his first start since March 4, began his outing with a 1-2-3 first and then kept the Redbirds off the board in the second, setting the table for the onslaught.

The Illini then put up back-to-back three spots in the third and fourth, starting with a three-run blast from Drake Westcott, his team-leading eighth of the season to make it 4-0. Cam McDonald drew a walk with the bases loaded to start the scoring in the fourth and Westcott brought his RBI total to five with a two-run single.

Crowder cruised through the final two innings of his start, allowing just one hit to go along with a strikeout. His 4.0 innings was his longest outing since March 4, and he also marked his first scoreless start of the season.

Jacob Schroeder picked up an RBI, scoring Brody Harding with a groundout, before Illinois State would get on the board in the bottom half to make it 8-1. The Illini grabbed that run right back when Ryan Moerman collected RBI No. 30 with a solo shot to left to make it 9-1.

Illinois continued to pour it on in the seventh when Janik scored two on a triple with two outs and then scored on a single from McDonald. 

Sophomore JT Sokolove drove in the Redbirds' first run in the 5th inning.

Illinois State (10-17 overall) stranded 11 runners despite four Redbirds recording multiple hits.

Junior Auggie Rasmussen recorded three hits while juniors Shaydon Kubo and Greg Nichols each had two hits to join sophomore Noah Rabin also tallied two knocks.

But the Illini continued to be relentless, with Schroeder picking up his second RBI of the contest with a single in the eighth, and scoring three more times in the ninth on a bases-clearing three-run double from Gavin Bennett.

Westcott finished 2-for-5 with a run, home run, five RBI and a walk. His five RBIs marks a career high and has nine RBI in his last six games. His home run was his team-leading eighth home run of the season.

Doligale went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a double and a walk extending his hitting streak to a season-high five games. He is batting .381 (8-for-21) during that span.

ISUs Kubo recorded his team-leading 11th multi-hit game of the season.

Illinois State is scheduled to host Murray State April 14-16. April 15 is "Bark in the Park" and fans are encouraged to bring their dogs to Duffy Bass Field. Get more information about registering your dog at goredbirds.com/sports/baseball. 

The Fighting Illini will begin a season-long seven-game homestand on Friday, beginning a three-game set against Big Ten foe Indiana. 

Nelson Velázquez hit his first career grand slam in Chicago's eight-run third inning, and the Cubs rallied for a 14-9 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night.

Dansby Swanson went 4 for 4 and Trey Mancini homered as the Cubs won for the fifth time in six games. Mancini had three RBIs, and Nico Hoerner had two hits and drove in two runs.

Velázquez had three hits and scored three times in his first start since he was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Monday.

Swanson posted his fifth career four-hit game before departing in the sixth with tightness on his left side. He is batting .400 (16 for 40) in his first 10 games with his new team.

Swanson said he cramped up after getting up at 4 a.m. and spending the day with his wife, U.S. soccer star Mallory Swanson, who underwent surgery on Tuesday for a knee injury after she got hurt Saturday in a game against Ireland.

Eugenio Suárez and Jarred Kelenic homered for Seattle in its third consecutive loss. Suárez drove in three runs, and Ty France finished with three hits and two RBIs.

The wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field on a warm night.

The Mariners made the most of errors by Swanson and Mancini in the second, scoring five unearned runs on their way to a 7-0 lead. It was each player's first error with Chicago.

But the Cubs responded in the third, sending 13 men to the plate. Mancini hit a two-run shot and Eric Hosmer added an RBI single. Velázquez then hit a drive to left-center against Chris Flexen, making it 8-7 and sending the crowd of 30,081 into a frenzy.

Flexen (0-2), making his second start in place of the injured Robbie Ray, departed after Velázquez's homer. He was tagged for 10 hits and walked two.

Chicago starter Hayden Wesneski recorded just four outs. He was charged with seven runs, two earned, and five hits.

Michael Rucker (1-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings of one-run ball for the win.

Kelenic connected for a solo shot in the fourth, but Swanson and Mancini each hit an RBI single in the fifth and the Cubs tacked on three more in the sixth.

Cubs RF Seiya Suzuki (left oblique) and LHP Brendan Hughes (left knee inflammation) continued their rehab assignments with Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer expects Suzuki to rejoin the Cubs on their upcoming six-game West Coast trip that starts Friday. 

RHP Kyle Hendricks (shoulder strain) was set to throw two innings of live batting practice at the team’s Arizona training facility on Wednesday. 

Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (0-1, 3.60 ERA) faces Cubs RHP Marcus Stroman (2-0, 0.00 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday.

Nolan Gorman sparked St. Louis' three-run ninth inning with a tiebreaking solo homer off Pierce Johnson, and the Cardinals topped the Colorado Rockies 9-6 on Tuesday night.

Gorman's third homer of the season gave St. Louis a 7-6 lead. Paul Goldschmidt then singled in Brendan Donovan and scored on Tyler O'Neill's single.

Tommy Edman and Juan Yepez also went deep for the Cardinals, who trailed 6-2 after six innings. Nolan Arenado hit a three-run double in the seventh, and rookie Jordan Walker extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Giovanny Gallegos (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win, and Ryan Helsley gave up a pair of singles before retiring three straight for his second save.

Elías Díaz, C.J. Cron and Ryan McMahon homered for Colorado, but Johnson (0-1) faltered in the ninth. McMahon also committed a costly error.

The Cardinals scored four unearned runs in the seventh after McMahonbooted Edman’s two-out grounder to second, loading the bases.

Dinelson Lamet then relieved Jake Bird and walked Goldschmidt before Arenado, who spent his first eight years in Colorado before being traded to St. Louis ahead of the 2021 season, laced a double down the left-field line.

The Rockies had opened a 6-2 lead with five runs in the fifth, batting around against Miles Mikolas. McMahon hit a three-run drive and Cron followed with another homer. Yonathan Daza added a sacrifice fly.

Edman homered in the first, snapping a 13-inning scoreless streak to start the season by Colorado starter Kyle Freeland, and Yepez went deep leading off the third.

Jack Flaherty (1-1, 1.80 ERA) is set to make his first career appearance at Coors Field in Wednesday’s series finale. Rockies RHP José Ureña (0-2, 14.40 ERA) will be looking to pick up his first win of the season.

Buddy Robinson and Andres Athanasiou scored 26 seconds apart in the third period and the lowly Chicago Blackhawks dealt the Penguins' playoff chances a significant blow in a 5-2 win on Tuesday night.

Pittsburgh began the night needing wins in its last two games over Chicago and Columbus to extend the longest active playoff streak in major North American professional sports to 17 years.

Instead, Petr Mrazek made 38 saves, Robinson scored just the fourth goal of his nomadic career to give Chicago a late lead and Pittsburgh finds itself on the outside of the playoffs looking in with just one game to go.

The Florida Panthers clinched one of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference following losses by Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The New York Islanders can eliminate the Penguins with a win or an overtime loss against Montreal on Wednesday.

The Blackhawks, who are hoping to land the No. 1 pick in the draft and the chance to select Connor Bedard, responded by scoring four times in the last 10 minutes.

Robinson corralled a bouncing puck in the slot and knuckled it by Tristan Jarry to put Chicago up 2-1 with 9:38 remaining. Athanasiou found himself behind the Pittsburgh net moments later and flicked a shot at Jarry that somehow bounced off the goaltender and eventually made its way across the goal line.

Connor Murphy, Tyler Johnson and MacKenzie Entwistle also scored for Chicago.

The Blackhawks finish up their third straight losing season on Thursday against Philadephia.

In a game heard Tuesday afternoon on WHOW, the Clinton Maroons downed the visiting Warrensburg-Latham Cardinals, 5-2, in CIC conference baseball action.  It was the first loss of the season for the Cardinals.  
 

Warrensburg threatened to take the lead right away.  The Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the first, but Clinton's Mason Walker struck out Jason Clark to end the threat.  
 

Clinton then jumped out to a two run lead in the bottom half of the inning, and would never trail.  Colton Walker's sacrifice fly to score Jack Manning, who reached on a walk, opened the scoring.  Noah Bass then singled home Mason Walker to give the Maroons a 2-0 lead. 
 

Warrensburg scored a run in the third, while the Maroons added a run in the fourth.  Two more runs in the fifth driven in again by Colton Walker and Noah Bass extended the Maroons lead to 5-1.   The Cards put a run across in the seventh, but Brooks Cluver held things down to pick up the save.  
 

Clinton's Mason Walker got the win.  He pitched four and two thirds, allowing one run on two hits while striking out 10, and walking eight.  Cluver worked two and a thirds innings for the save allowing one run on a hit with three strikeouts and two walks.  
 

Noah Bass led Clinton at the plate going 3 for 3 with two runs batted in.  He was named the WHOW / Serv Pro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game.  Mason Walker was 1 for 1 with two walks and two runs scored.  Colton Walker went 1 for 2 with two RBIs for the Maroons. 
 

Evan Gottman took the loss for Warrensburg. He gave up two runs on two hits while walking three and striking out 5.   John Hall went 1 for 2 with an RBI double and two walks.  The Cardinals fall to 8-1 on the season, and 4-1 in the conference.  
 

Clinton improves to 3-5 on the year, and 2-3 in the CIC.  They'll next play at Central A&M on Friday.  
 

A reminder, you can hear Clinton Lady Maroons softball Wednesday afternoon on 95.9FM WEZC as they take on Monticello.  First pitch comes your way at 4:30 Wednesday afternoon again on 95.9FM WEZC. 

 

A six-run sixth inning and five Maroons errors did in Clinton as Champaign Centennial doubled up Clinton 10-5 in non-conference high school boy's baseball from Champaign Monday afternoon.

Colton Walker and Aiden Toohill each collected a pair of hits and Mason Walker doubled.

Noah Bass went two innings and allowed three runs and two hits, walking two and striking out one. Brock Wilson took the loss for Clinton firing three innings and allowing five runs, four were earned, on five hits with three walks to three strikeouts. 

Toohill allowed five hits and two runs in an inning of relief.

Clinton drops to 2-5 overall. They host Warrensburg-Latham this afternoon.

Ike Young fired five innings of one-run ball was backed by another Jacob Trusner long ball as Monticello took down Champaign St. Thomas More 9-2 in Illini Prairie Conference high school boy's baseball Monday in Champaign.

Young struck out six and walked two and allowed just one hit. 

Trusner homered in his second straight game finishing 2-for-3. Eli Craft, Colton Vance, and Logan Chupp finished 2-for-3 for the Sages. Vance and Chupp had RBIs.

Monticello moves to 8-1 overall and travels to Mattoon this afternoon.

Landon Smith and Liam Smith drove in a pair of runs while AJ Bailey pitched two-hit ball over four innings as Mt. Pulaski blanked Edinburg 10-0 in five innings Monday in non-conference high school boy's baseball action in Mt. Pulaski.

Landon Smith blasted a home run and doubled as part of a 2-for-4 day at the plate. Evan Cooper doubled, tripled and drove in two finishing 2-for-3 for the Hilltoppers.

Chance Payne also tripled for Mt. Pulaski. 

Bailey struck out eight over four shutout innings and walked just one. 

Mt. Pulaski goes to 9-1 overall and will host Cerro Gordo-Bement this afternoon.

The Monticello Lady Sages offense tallied 25 hits as they routed Champaign St. Thomas More 27-0 in Illini Prairie Conference high school girl's softball from Champaign Monday.

Avery Schweitzer drove in five runs to pace the Monticello offense. She finished a home run short of the cycle. 

In a ten-run third inning, Lynnsey Trybom, Marrissa Miller, Sadie Walsh, Cassidee Stoffel, and Emma Stoerger drove in runs. Kaylin Matthews hit a home run as well.

Reese Patton picked up the win in circle for Monticello. She fired four shutout innings with six strikeouts and allowed three hits.

Monticello moves to 3-5 overall and 1-1 in the Illini Prairie Conference. They travel to Clinton on Wednesday. Hear Wednesday's action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com starting at 4:30 pm.

Blue Ridge mustered just four hits and committed 11 errors as Toledo-Cumberland took down the Lady Knights 11-2 in Lincoln Prairie Conference girl's softball action Monday in Farmer City.

Alexis Wike finished 2-for-4 for Blue Ridge and just one of the 11 runs allowed was earned by Ellie Schlieper. 

Callie Lewis struck out 14 across seven two-run innings for Toledo-Cumberland. 

The Lady Knights drop to 4-6 overall and move to 2-1 in the Lincoln Prairie Conference.

Blue Ridge hosts LeRoy on Thursday.

Hanser Alberto hit a three-run homer, Dylan Cease had another strong outing against the Twins and the Chicago White Sox held on to beat Minnesota 4-3 on Monday.

Yasmani Grandal had two hits and drove in the other run for Chicago, which had to remove shortstop Tim Anderson in the sixth inning with left knee soreness after he collided with a baserunner.

Cease, the American League Cy Young runner-up last season, gave up three runs but only one was earned after three errors by the White Sox. Cease (2-0) allowed three hits with six strikeouts in five innings.

The Twins hit just 2 for 48 and were scoreless in 16 innings in two games against Cease last season.

Reynaldo López entered with the tying run on third base with two outs in the eighth and struck out Michael Taylor before pitching a perfect ninth for his second save of the season.

Alberto committed one of the errors by the White Sox, allowing the Twins to score their first run in the third inning. But he answered in the next inning with his first homer of the season.

Kenta Maeda (0-2) surrendered four runs on eight hits in six innings for Minnesota, making his second start since Aug. 21, 2021, after recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Trevor Larnach, who has reached base safely in all 10 of his games this season, had an RBI single in the fourth after a separate defensive miscue by the White Sox allowed a runner to reach third, although no error was charged.

Eloy Jiménez (hamstring) took batting practice on the field before the game. He has been on the injured list since April 4. 

RHP Joe Kelly was placed on the 15-day IL with a right groin strain. RHP Keynan Middleton's contract was selected from Triple-A Charlotte and RHP Jonathan Stiever was outrighted to Charlotte.

Pablo López (1-0, 0.73 ERA) will make his third start for Minnesota, and Chicago counters with RHP Lance Lynn (0-1, 9.00). López has allowed one run through his first 12 1/3 innings. Lynn has given up 10 runs in 10 innings this season and has surrendered 15 runs in 15 innings in his last three starts against Minnesota.

German Márquez pitched five strong innings before exiting, Alan Trejo tied a career-high with three hits and the Rockies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 on Monday.

Colorado got production from the bottom of its lineup with young shortstop Ezequiel Tovar producing a pair of doubles while Trejo added three singles and two RBIs.

Steven Matz (0-2) struggled for a second straight start, allowing six runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. He surrendered four runs over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the Braves last week.

Jordan Walker singled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. It’s the longest by a rookie to start their career in Cardinals history.

Nolan Arenado's nine-game hitting streak was halted as he returned to Coors Field. He dazzled with his glove, though, starting a pair of double plays for the Cardinals. Arenado earned eight Gold Gloves over his eight seasons (2013-20) with the Rockies.

Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland (2-0, 0.00 ERA) has yet to allow a run over 12 2/3 innings heading into his third start of the season Tuesday against St. Louis. The Cardinals will throw righty Miles Mikolas (0-1, 9.64)

Nico Hoerner's soft single off Matt Brash with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning scored pinch-runner Nick Madrigal and gave the Chicago Cubs a 3-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.

Madrigal was inserted as a pinch-runner and stole third off Brash (0-1), setting up Hoerner's winning hit. Keegan Thompson (1-0) had worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 10th.

The Cubs were two outs away from a win in regulation until Jarred Kelenic launched a home run off closer Michael Fulmer that struck the right field message board. The homer came one inning after Seattle's Cooper Hummel was thrown out trying to advance from second to third on a grounder to short.

Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly threw five innings of two-hit ball after allowing seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in his season debut April 3 at Cincinnati. Smyly relied on a sharp knuckle-curve and had seven strikeouts. He retired the first 10 batters and was supported by exceptional defensive plays in the third by third baseman Patrick Wisdom and second baseman Hoerner.

Seattle (4-7) scored its lone run off Smyly in the fourth. Ty France doubled off a diving Miles Mastrobuoni in right field and AJ Pollock lofted a sacrifice fly.

Smyly retired the final five batters he faced, and struck out the side in the fifth - all on knuckle-curves. He threw 11 consecutive knuckle-curves at one point.

The Cubs (5-4) broke through against Luis Castillo in a resourceful manner. After Ian Happ stole second base, Cody Bellinger fouled off four consecutive pitches before capping a seven-pitch at-bat by yanking a double down the right field line, scoring Happ and snapping Castillo's scoreless streak at 14 2/3 innings.

Eric Hosmer hit an opposite field single to left that scored Bellinger with the go-ahead run. Hosmer is 12 for 18 lifetime against Castillo.

Mariners right fielder Teoscar Hernandez leaped against the right field wall and robbed Dansby Swanson of an extra-base hit to end the third.

Seiya Suzuki (left oblique) and LHP Brendan Hughes (left knee inflammation) will continue their rehab assignments with Triple-A Iowa. Manager David Ross said, in a best-case scenario, Suzuki would rejoin the Cubs on its upcoming six-game West Coast trip starting Friday at Los Angeles.

Chris Flexen (0-1, 3.00) will oppose Cubs RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-0, 5.79) Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

Marcus Johansson scored two goals late in the third period, and the short-handed Wild beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Monday.

Matt Boldy and Gustav Nyquist also scored for Minnesota in its second consecutive win. Filip Gustavsson made 39 saves in his second straight start.

Johansson’s 18th goal - a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 with 6 minutes left - tied it at 2. It was the Wild’s 14th short-handed goal of the season, breaking the franchise record.

Johansson then put Minnesota in front when he got a nice pass from Boldy and beat Alex Stalock on the glove side with 3:13 left.

Nyquist closed it out with an empty-netter with 1:01 remaining.

Marcus Foligno's fight with Blackhawks defenseman Andreas Englund with 7:40 left sparked Minnesota's comeback. Foligno held Englund's helmet in the air when the skirmish was over.

Anders Bjork and Joey Anderson scored for Chicago in its 11th loss in 12 games. The Blackhawks (25-49-6) are in the mix with Columbus, Anaheim and San Jose for the worst record in the NHL this season.

The Blackhawks tied it when Anderson jumped on a loose puck in front of Gustavsson with 1:49 left in the first. It was Anderson's fourth goal in 22 games since he was acquired in a trade with Toronto in February.

Bjork then put Chicago in front with his first goal of the season 2:23 into the second. Buddy Robinson's shot was stopped by Gustavsson, but the rebound went right to Bjork and the winger got just enough of the puck to score, despite largely whiffing on the shot.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews skated for 18 1/2 minutes in what could be one of his last home games with his only NHL team. The three-time Stanley Cup champion received a loud ovation when he was introduced with the starting lineup.

The Blackhawks are at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.

Illinois (13-15, 3-6) fell in its series finale to Northwestern (5-21, 3-3) in Sunday's at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park.

In a 4-4 game in the eighth, the Wildcats hit a go-ahead three-run home run, which proved to be the game winner in the contest, as the Illini were unable to score in the ninth.

Illinois jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Camden Janik brought home Danny Doligale with a two-out RBI-single. Northwestern then responded with a three-run home run its first time up to take a 3-1 lead.

The Orange and Blue fought back in the fourth, scoring two runs in the frame to tie the ballgame. Branden Comia lined a double into the left-center gap to score Janik and would later score on Cal Hejza's infield single.

The hosts would re-take the lead in the fifth with a safety squeeze, but the Illini would battle back and push a run across in the seventh to tie it at 4-4.

The Illini were unable to generate any offense over the final two innings of the game, drawing just one walk, leading to the defeat.

McDonald went 2-for-4 extending his hitting streak to seven games and has multi-hit performances in three-straight games. Hejza went 2-for-4 with an RBI and finished 4-for-9 in the series with two runs, a double and an RBI.

Wenninger worked 7.1 innings and fanned eight batters. He has worked 6.0+ innings in three-straight starts.

The Illini lost Friday and won Saturday in the three-game set. 

Illinois will be back in action on Tuesday, when they make the short trip to Normal, Ill., to take on Illinois State. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CT.

In a game heard on WHOW, Oneil Cruz fractured his left ankle in the sixth inning of what became a 1-0 victory over the White Sox, overshadowing a strong performance from Johan Oviedo, who outdueled Michael Kopech to give the Pirates their fifth win in six games.

Cruz slid awkwardly into home plate while trying to score from third on a chopper by Ke'Bryan Hayes with no outs in the sixth. Cruz's left leg collided with Chicago catcher Seby Zavala, Cruz's ankle rolling up underneath him in the process.

Things briefly grew heated after Cruz was injured. Zavala took exception to Cruz's late slide, leading to an exchange between Zavala and Pittsburgh designated hitter Carlos Santana. The benches and bullpens cleared but no punches were thrown.

Pittsburgh improved to 6-3 with the victory but now faces the prospect of trying to replace one of its most important pieces for an extended period. Rodolfo Castro moved from second base to shortstop after Cruz's exit. Yet Castro knows he doesn't have all of Cruz's considerable tools.

Oviedo bounced back from a bumpy start in Boston to allow five hits - all singles - while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old who was thrust into the rotation near the end of spring training when J.T. Brubaker injured his right (pitching) elbow dazzled in arguably his best start since Pittsburgh acquired him last summer in a trade that sent veteran left-hander José Quintana to the Cardinals.

Chicago had collected at least 10 hits in eight of its first nine games. The White Sox managed just six in all against Oviedo and three relievers. David Bednar worked around a two-out single in the ninth by Gavin Sheets to earn his fourth save.

Canaan Smith-Njigba tripled in the second and scored on Jack Suwinski's sacrifice fly to produce the game's only run.

Kopech (0-2) matched Oviedo pitch for pitch, a positive sign for a staff that entered Sunday with a 7.38 ERA, the worst in the majors. The right-hander gave up just two hits in six innings with three walks and five strikeouts.

The White Sox travel to Minnesota to start a three-game set on Monday. Dylan Cease (1-0, 1.59 ERA) faces Kenta Maeda (0-1, 1.80).

Illinois State led through four innings but dropped a 4-3 decision at Indiana State Sunday at Bob Warn Field, closing the series sweep.

Illinois State (10-16 overall, 2-7 Missouri Valley Conference) got a two-RBI double from Luke Lawrence, who had three hits, to lead 3-2 through four innings but the Sycamores (18-12 overall, 8-1 MVC) tied the game in the 5th inning and took the lead in the 8th inning.

Indiana State scored twice in the opening frame before a single from sophomore Nick Strong got the Redbirds on the board with a two-out single in the 4th inning.

Lawrence delivered the big blow with a line shot to left-center field to plate two Redbirds and provide a 3-2 Illinois State lead through four innings.

Indiana State tied the game in the 5th inning and scored in the 8th inning to take the lead.

Jayson Hibbard matched the longest start of his career (4/2 vs Missouri State) with a seven-inning outing. Hibbard allowed three runs with four strikeouts.

Auggie Rasmussen stole his MVC-leading 13th base of the season.

Illinois State is scheduled to host Illinois on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. CT at Duffy Bass Field. The Redbirds also host Murray State April 14-16.

Willy Adames went 3 of 4 with a homer, double and three RBIs and the Brewers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1.

Adames hit a two-run double in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth off Cardinals starter Jake Woodford (0-2).

Adames' fifth-inning homer - his second of the series - gave him a chance to wear the cheesehead that goes to every Brewer after hitting a homer.

Christian Yelich got a chance to wear the cheesehead for the first time. The 2018 NL MVP had three hits and a solo homer that started the Brewers' three-run outburst in the seventh.

The Brewers won two of three from the Cardinals in a matchup between the past two NL Central champions.

The Brewers (7-2) have won each of their first three series and own the NL's best record as they begin a 10-game road trip.

Brewers starter Freddy Peralta (2-0) struck out seven and gave up one run, four hits and three walks in six innings. Peter Strzelecki, Matt Bush, Hoby Milner and Devin Williams went the rest of the way as Milwaukee's bullpen extended its string of consecutive scoreless innings to 23 1/3.

The Cardinals’ biggest highlight came from rookie Jordan Walker, who continued his remarkable start.

Walker singled home Nolan Arenado in the fourth inning and has now gotten a hit in each of his first nine games. Walker tied the Cardinals record Magneuris Sierra set in 2017 for the longest hitting streak to open a major-league career.

Walker is the first player under 21 to open an MLB career with a nine-game hitting streak since a 20-year-old Ted Williams did it in 1939. Walker turns 21 on May 22.

St. Louis put runners on the corners in the fifth, but Peralta preserved the 2-1 lead by striking out Tyler O’Neill. The score was 3-1 when the Cardinals had runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh before Strzelecki struck out Arenado to complete his 14th straight scoreless appearance.

Trailing 6-1 in the eighth, the Cardinals loaded the bases with nobody out against Bush, who struck out Willson Contreras and retired Tommy Edman on a shallow fly to left before Milner struck out Taylor Motter.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said the MRI revealed no additional damage for LHP Packy Naughton, who went on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm strain on Saturday. Marmol said Naughton would undergo more testing in the next couple of days.

Cardinals OF Lars Nootbaar (left thumb bruise) is planning to take some swings Monday as he gets closer to a return. Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (groin) threw 33 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday. Wainwright has another bullpen session Tuesday.

The Cardinals are at Colorado on Monday. Scheduled starters are LHP Steven Matz (0-1, 6.75 ERA) for the Cardinals and RHP Germán Márquez (1-1, 4.76) for the Rockies.

Zach LaVine scored 17 points and DeMar DeRozan added 16 to help the Bulls end the regular season Sunday with a 103-81 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Shortly after, Detroit coach Dwane Casey stepped down for a job in the franchise's front office, capping the Pistons' NBA-worst 17-65 season. Killian Hayes had 26 points and Jaden Ivey scored 16 for the Pistons.

Up 67-64 at the end of the third quarter, the Bulls put in their reserves. The bench crew, led by Carlik Jones’ 11 points, put the game away with an 11-2 run midway through the final period.

Chicago had the 10th spot in Eastern Conference standings locked up, and travel to Toronto for Wednesday's elimination game in the NBA’s play-in tournament. The winner advances to Friday’s meeting with the loser of Tuesday’s Atlanta-Miami game.

Jalen Duren had 17 rebounds for Detroit, which snapped an 11-game skid Friday night at Indiana.

Casey, the league’s coach of the year with Toronto in 2018, mostly had young teams in Detroit. He guided the Pistons to the playoffs in his first season but the franchise stayed close to the Eastern Conference basement the next four seasons.

The Pistons can begin hoping they win the May 16 NBA Draft lottery and a shot at selecting 7-foot-2 French superstar Victor Wembanyama. Detroit picked Cade Cunningham two years ago after winning the first selection.

Ninth-place hitter Bubba Thompson had a triple, double and two RBIs, and the Texas Rangers ripped the Chicago Cubs 8-2 on Sunday to end a two-game slide.

Leadoff man Marcus Semien doubled among two hits and drove in three runs as the Rangers rebounded from an error-filled 10-3 loss on Saturday to salvage the final game of a three-game set at Wrigley Field. Corey Seager and Travis Jankowski each knocked in a run with a double, and Jonah Heim had two hits.

Thompson appeared in his third game and entered with just one hit, a double, in three previous at bats. The fleet center fielder - who Bochy says has “game-changing speed” -- also scored twice in this one and reached on an error.

Jankowski, hitting eighth, played in just his fourth game and notched his first extra-base hit since 2021.

Edwin Rios cracked a two-run homer, his first hit in three games with the Cubs this season after signing as a free agent in February. That was the only scoring off Texas starter Jon Gray (1-1), who scattered six hits in 5 2/3 innings for the win.

Relievers Will Smith, Cole Ragans and José Leclerc followed with 3 1/3 scoreless, one-hit innings.

Jameson Taillon (0-2) allowed five runs, three earned, on six hits in five innings in his second start with Chicago after signing a four-year contract in free agency. The right-hander struck out seven and walked only one, but was hurt by some soft, well-placed Texas hits and two Cubs errors as Chicago's three-game winning streak ended.

The Rangers took a 4-0 lead in the second.

Jankwoski drove in the first run with a ground-rule double. Heim scored to make it 2-0 when third-baseman Nick Madrigal snared Thompson’s smash but threw wide of first.

Semien capped the rally with a bloop double to right that dropped in off Trey Mancini’s glove.

Rios’ shot to the batter’s eye in center in the bottom half cut it to 4-2.

The Rangers added another unearned run in the fourth, upping their lead to 5-2. Jankowski reached on first baseman Eric Hosmer’s fielding error then scored on Thompson’s soft double down the left-field line.

Texas tacked on three more runs against reliever Javier Assad in the sixth, scoring on Thompson’s triple, Semien’s single and Seager’s double.

Cubs LHP Drew Smyly (0-1, 11.75) faces Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (1-0, 0.00) on Monday at Wrigley Field.

John Rahm turned the longest day into his sweetest victory Sunday. The 30-hole marathon finish started with him trailing by four and ended with a walk up to the 18th green that nearly reduced him to tears, and gave him another major that affirmed him as No. 1 in the world.

He closed with a 3-under 69 to pull away from mistake-prone Brooks Koepka. He won by four shots over Koepka and 52-year-old Phil Mickelson, who matched the low score of the tournament with a 65 and became the oldest runner-up in Masters history.

Rahm now has a green jacket to go along with his U.S. Open title he won in 2021 at Torrey Pines.

Rahm made up two shots on Koepka over the final 12 holes of the rain-delayed third round and started the final round two shots behind. He seized on Koepka’s collapse and then surged so far ahead that Mickelson’s amazing closing round — it matched the three-time Masters champion’s best final round ever at Augusta National — was never going to be enough.

The finish was vintage Rahm. He pulled his drive into the pine trees and it ricocheted out, short of where the fairway starts. No problem. He hit 4-iron toward the green and lofted a pitch to 3 feet to end his round with only one bogey.

Rahm won for the fourth time this year — just as Scottie Scheffler did a year ago when he won the Masters — and reclaimed the No. 1 world ranking from Scheffler.

This Masters had a little bit of everything — hot and humid at the start, a cold front with wind that toppled three trees on Friday, putting surfaces saturated from rain on Saturday and a marathon finish Sunday as Rahm and Koepka went 30 holes.

Koepka had one miscue after another, losing the lead for the first time since Thursday afternoon when he chipped 20 feet past the hole from behind the par-3 sixth and made his second bogey. More would follow.

Koepka went 22 consecutive holes Sunday without a birdie — from the par-5 eighth hole in the morning of the third round until the par-5 13th in final round. By then, he was three shots behind and Rahm all but sealed it with his next shot.

He hit a low cut with an 8-iron from 141 yards around a tree from right of the 14th fairway, and it caught a slope on the green at just the right spot to feed down to 3 feet for birdie. When Koepka three-putted for bogey, it was a matter of finishing.

The leaderboard was littered with major champions and a tinge of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. Mickelson and Koepka both are part of the rival circuit. Former Masters champion Patrick Reed, another player who defected to LIV, closed with a 68 and tied for fourth with Jordan Spieth (66) and Russell Henley.

Tiger Woods wasn’t around for the finish. He withdrew Sunday morning before the third round resumed, saying plantar fasciitis in his foot was aggravating him.  Woods also withdrew after three rounds of the PGA Championship last year in similarly cold, windy conditions at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Mickelson barely contends over 54 holes in the 48-man LIV Golf league. And then he played like the six-time major champion who two years ago became the oldest major champion at age 50 when he won the PGA Championship.

He stuffed his tee shot on the par-3 sixth, birdied the seventh and then finished in style. His approach to the 17th came within inches of going in for an eagle, and he pumped his fist when his 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th dropped for a 65.

It matched his lowest score ever at Augusta National — he shot 65 in the opening round in the 1996 Masters and was at his Sunday best.

Christopher Bell held on through a restart eight laps from the end hold off another who grew up racing on dirt in Tyler Reddick.

Bell was a whiz-kid dirt racing sensation growing up — he won three Chili Bowl Nationals driving midget cars on dirt — and that experience helped the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to his fifth victory in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The first two years of Bristol dirt racing, NASCAR champs Joey Logano and Kyle Busch both won despite have less expansive dirt experience than many of their colleagues.

Reddick was second for a second straight season, followed by Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chase Briscoe.

Bell’s last challenge came after defending race winner Kyle Busch spun with 15 laps left. Bell took off on the restart and widened his lead over Reddick.

Reddick, who won the second stage, was closing in on the last lap when the 16th and final caution came out, instantly ending the race and sending Bell’s team into hysterics.

Justin Haley was sixth, Bell’s JGR teammate Martin Truex Jr. seventh, Todd Gilliland eighth, Kevin Harvick with Ty Gibbs in 10th, giving Gibbs three cars in the top 10.

Points leader Ross Chastain, who took the top spot after Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman’s car was hit with a 60-point penalty for violations at Richmond, ended a lap down in 28th.

Kyle Larson, like Bell a dirt racing supernova who started from pole, won the first stage and took only fuel — no fresh tires — heading to the final segment. But Larson spun on his own 96 laps from the end, had to pit and restarted at the back of the field.

Larson’s race ended for good some 20 laps later after bumping several times with Ryan Preece between turn three all the way to turn one. Larson, the winner last week at Richmond, drove into the garage.

Preece was angered by earlier contact with Larson and gave him a hand gesture soon after to make that clear as their cars passed each other.

Joey Logano, who won the truck race at the track Saturday night, struggled to find his way and was behind the wall with his hood up less than halfway through.

Logano had his hood up behind the wall at lap 104. He registered 37th — last place. It’s the second time that’s happened this season to the reigning champion, the other being Las Vegas last month. He only had two in his NASCAR career before 2023.

NASCAR stays on the short tracks and heads back to Virginia when the Cup Series runs at Martinsville on Sunday. William Byron, already a two-time winner this season, is the defending champion for Martinsville’s spring race.

In a game heard on WEZC and at dewittdailynews.com, Luke Teschke was sharp again over five shutout innings and Jacob Trusner muscled a two-run home run to spark a four-run third inning leading Monticello over IVC 10-1 in Illini Prairie Conference boy's baseball Saturday morning at Monticello High School.

Teschke struck out 11 and faced one over the minimum in another sharp outing for the Illinois State-commit. 

With the Sages up 1-0, the junior started the four-run third inning with a base hit. Trusner followed with a mammoth home run to left field.

Sophomore Colton Vance continued his hot hitting with a base hit after the Trusner blast. Logan Chupp doubled Vance in and senior Spencer Mitze capped the rally with a base hit up the middle that scored Chupp. 

Teschke finished 2-for-4 with a walk. Trusner was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a walk. Mitze finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Trusner's blast earned him the ServPro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game for the Sages.

IVC falls to 3-7 overall and 0-4 in the Illini Prairie.

Monticello moves to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the Illini Prairie. The Sages travel to Champaign St. Thomas More on Monday afternoon. The next Monticello baseball broadcast on WEZC and at dewittdailynews.com comes your way next Thursday when they host Tolono Unity. Hear the action starting at 4:30 pm.

Hear Monticello girl's softball action on Wednesday afternoon when the Lady Sages travel to Clinton for a 4:30 non-conference tilt. 

The Clinton Maroons defeated the Tuscola Warriors 13-4 on Thursday evening.

Jack Manning took the win by pitching 4 2/3 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits, while striking out 3 and walking 4. Brooks Cluver pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief striking out 5. At the plate, Colton Walker was 2-4 with 3 RBI.

Isaac Halverson took the loss for Tuscola giving up 8 runs on 2 hits, striking out 3, and walking 10.

With the win, Clinton improves to 2-4 and 1-3 in the CIC conference. The Maroons travel to Champaign Monday to take on Champaign Centennial.

Tune in Tuesday, April 11, as the Maroons take on the Warrensburg-Latham Cardinals. You can hear the game live on The BIG 1520 AM/92.3 FM/106.5 FM WHOW, online at dewittdailynews.com, on the WHOW mobile app, and on Amazon Alexa.

The Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers defeated Devalan 7-0 in Tomahawk Conference play Thursday afternoon.

Evan Cooper took the win giving up 3 hits, one walk, and 9 strikeouts. AJ Bailey was 3-3 with an RBI, and Jackson Fricke was 2-4 with an RBI.

The Clinton Lady Maroons fell to the Tuscola Lady Warrior 7-6 on Thursday evening. 

Ashley Armstrong took the loss giving up five earned runs, three walks and ten strikeouts. 

Heidi Humble was 3-4 with a double, home run, and two RBIs. Kylee Isaac was 3-5 with a double and RBI. Aliviyah Haynes was 1-2 with an RBI. Reice McCormick and Brooke Reeves each had a double. 

The Lady Maroons next play Warrensburg-Latham at home on Tuesday. Our next Lady Maroons Game of the Week broadcast will be Wednesday, April 12, in a special simulcast broadcast when they take on the Monticello Lady Sages. You can hear that game live on The BIG 1520 AM/92.3 FM/106.5 FM WHOW, online at dewittdailynews.com, on the WHOW mobile app and  Amazon Alexa, as well as Your Easy Choice 95.9 FM WEZC.

Kasperi Kapanen took a pass from Brayden Schenn to score his 15th goal of the season for St. Louis, which has won two in a row. Tyler Pitlick and Alexey Toropchenko also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 21 saves.

Vincent Trocheck tied it at 2 for the Rangers with 2:03 remaining in regulation on a power play and Jaroslav Halak pulled for an extra attacker.

Tarasenko scored his 18th on a power play when he buried Mika Zibanejad’s rebound 1:55 into the third to tie it.

Pitlick batted a loose puck in the crease past Halak for his seventh of the season 10:13 into the third period to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead.

J.D. Davis hit a grand slam in the ninth off mop-up reliever Hanser Alberto for his third hit, Michael Conforto cracked a three-run homer among three hits and the San Francisco Giants powered past the Chicago White Sox 16-6 on Thursday.

Hanser served up Davis' second career grand slam after giving up two singles and a walk. Davis finished with five RBIs and Joc Pederson drove in two runs.

Tim Anderson had two RBIs for Chicago.

Jakob Junis (2-0) threw four innings of scoreless, two-hit relief for the win.

The Giants roughed up Chicago starter Lance Lynn (0-1) for eight runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Conforto launched a three-run shot deep to right in the first. Sabol made it 4-0 in the second on a drive to right center.

Anderson’s singled in two runs the bottom of the second to cut it to 4-2.

Pederson’s bases-loaded single in the fourth upped the Giants lead to 6-2.

Yastrzemski went deep to right in the fifth to chase Lynn.

Flores’ first homer of the season, off Jose Ruiz in the sixth, made it 10-3.

Remember WHOW is your home for Chicago White Sox baseball. Our next broadcast is today (Friday) at 2:30pm versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Thatcher Demko stopped 33 shots for his first shutout of the season and third overall in the Vancouver Canucks' 3-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

Andrei Kuzmenko, Vitali Kravtsov and J.T. Miller - into the empty net - scored and defenseman Akito Hirose had two assists to help the Canucks end a four-game losing streak.

Alex Stalock stopped 26 shots for the Blackhawks. 

The Canucks went up 2-0 early in the second period after Jonathan Toews was called for hooking. Kravtsov fired a one-timer into the net for his first goal for Vancouver 3:53 into the frame.

Kuzmenko opened the scoring with a long-range blast 16:16 into the game.

Dylan Cease went five innings in his first win, Anderson got ejected and Chicago beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 on Wednesday.

Luis Robert Jr. had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run. Gavin Sheets added three RBIs.

Cease (1-0) said the cold symptoms prevented him from getting a good night's sleep. Coffee and Red Bull helped perk him up, and he was able to keep the Giants in check after they smacked seven homers in Monday's 12-3 romp.

The AL Cy Young Award runner-up walked five, but struck out eight. The only hit and run he allowed was a solo homer to J.D. Davis in the second.

Anderson got tossed after thinking he was quick-pitched by Logan Webb.

The White Sox were up 2-1 in the third when Anderson came to bat. With a 1-2 count, he was in the batter’s box but not settled into his stance when Webb began his delivery with 11 seconds left on the pitch clock.

Anderson stepped out and was already walking toward the home dugout when Webb threw strike three down the middle. Plate umpire D.J. Reyburn called Anderson out on strikes, and Anderson then turned back toward Reyburn to argue.

Robert singled and scored in a two-run first and added an RBI double in a two-run fifth to make it 4-1.

Sheets had an RBI single in the first and two-run single in the seventh, extending the lead to 7-1 and capping a three-run rally.

Elvis Andrus got his 2,000th hit, and the White Sox came away with the win after losing three of four.

Webb (0-2) went five innings, allowing four runs and nine hits.

The White Sox expect slugger Eloy Jiménez to miss two to three weeks because of a strained left hamstring he suffered running the bases. The team placed Jiménez on the 10-day injured list Wednesday and recalled INF Jake Burger from Triple-A Charlotte. Jiménez sustained a low-grade strain running from first to third on Andrew Vaughn’s RBI double in the seventh inning of Monday’s 12-3 loss to the Giants.

Closer Liam Hendriks has completed his final round of chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hendriks posted a video Wednesday on Instagram of him ringing the “victory bell” and a note thanking his medical team, wife, family, friends and fans.

The three-game series wraps up with LHP Alex Wood making his season debut for the Giants and RHP Lance Lynn (0-0, 3.18 ERA) starting for the White Sox.

Matt Olson homered and drove in three, and the Atlanta Braves completed a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Wednesday.

Bryce Elder, who was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, pitched six strong innings, giving up two hits, striking out six and walking three. Jesse Chavez retired the only batter he faced to earn his first save of the season.

The Braves won for the fifth time in their first six games, while St. Louis has lost three straight.

Cardinals rookie Jordan Walker hit his first career home run, driving a Michael Tonkin slider over the left field wall in the seventh. Walker, who added an RBI double in the ninth, has a six-game hitting streak to start his career.

Elder (1-0) got help from his defense in the fourth after Nolan Gorman’s pop fly dropped in short left field. Paul Goldschmidt tried to score from first but was easily thrown out at the plate by Eddie Rosario.

Olson’s 410-foot solo homer in the second was part of a three-hit day. He also had a pair of doubles in the first and fourth that scored Ronald Acuña Jr. twice.

Austin Riley had an RBI single and Ozzie Albies added a sacrifice fly as part of a three-run first inning.

Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas (0-1) struggled in his second straight start to begin the season, allowing five runs on nine hits, as well as striking out six and walking one. His six innings was the longest for a St. Louis starter this season.

Jack Flaherty (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will start St. Louis’ first road game of the season Friday night against the Milwaukee Brewers and RHP Brandon Woodruff (0-1, 1.50 ERA). Flaherty didn’t allow a hit to the Toronto Blue Jays in five innings on Saturday but walked seven and hit a batter.

Wednesday's game between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park was postponed due to rain and rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader on Friday, Sept. 1.

The Cincinnati area was under a tornado watch with a line of strong storms expected in the afternoon.

Game 1 (the rescheduled game) will begin at 1:10 p.m. ET. Game 2 Game 2 (the original game) will start at 6:40 p.m. ET. Both games of the split doubleheader will be nine-inning regulation games.

Cubs OF Seiya Suzuki (left oblique strain) had four at-bats in a simulated game in Arizona with no issues. He was expected to get more at-bats and play defense in a simulated game on Wednesday. A minor-league rehab stint could come soon.

The Cubs open a six-game homestand on Friday against the Texas Rangers with left-hander Justin Steele (0-0, 0.00) scheduled to make his second start.

Despite being without the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo and losing Khris Middleton to an injury early in the game, the Bucks made a second-half push to beat the Chicago Bulls 105-92. The Bucks went on a 15-0 run in the third quarter to overcome a 10-point deficit and pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Bobby Portis had 27 points and 13 rebounds, starting in place of Antetokounmpo, and center Brook Lopez finished with 26 points.

Antetokounmpo was ruled out before the game because of right knee soreness. He had 28 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists against Washington on Tuesday night.

Point guard Jrue Holiday scored 20 points and had a season-high 15 assists while adding eight rebounds, and he led the second-half surge. Jevon Carter had 16 points in a starting role.

Middleton started for the Bucks, but played just eight minutes before exiting with right knee soreness. He was 0 for 3 from the floor.

Milwaukee improved to 58-22 as it won its third straight game. The Bucks lead fellow Eastern Conference foe Boston by three games with two games remaining.

Wes Matthews played 30 minutes off the bench and harassed Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan throughout the game, helping limit DeRozan to eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. He did not score a basket until early in the fourth quarter.

Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Coby White added 14 points, and Zach LaVine had 13.

The Bulls started the night in 10th place in the East and already having clinched a play-in berth. They will not be able to move up during the final two games after Atlanta won on Wednesday. Toronto lost in Boston but remains two games ahead of the Bulls with two to play, and the Raptors own the tiebreaker.

Chicago led, 61-51, when Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer took a timeout with 8:30 left in the third quarter. Milwaukee outscored the Bulls, 54-31, the rest of the way.

The Bulls are at Dallas on Friday night.

The Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers defeated the ALAH Knights 17-6 on Tuesday.

AJ Bailey got the win in relief striking out 2 1/3 innings.

At bat, The Hilltoppers were led by Jackson Fricke who was 3-4 with a double, a grand slam, and 6 RBI. Luke Martin went 2-4 with an RBI, and Eric Cooper was 2-5 with a triple and an RBI.
 

The Clinton Lady Maroons fell to the Meridian Lady Hawks 6-3 on Tuesday afternoon.

Armstrong threw a complete game allowing 8 hits, 3 earned runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts. 

Reice McCormick had a single and two RBIs. Ashley Armstrong, Heidi Humble, and Mea Kivlehan each had a hit. 

Abigail Clark took the win pitching seven complete innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits, striking out 8, and walking 2.

Monticello Lady Sages watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 10-3 loss to Tri-Valley Lady Vikings on Tuesday. 

Reese Patton took the loss for Monticello lasting five innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs while striking out one. Emma Stoerger led the Lady Sages with two hits in four at bats.

Abby Vandiver pitched Tri-Valley to victory. Vandiver surrendered three runs on three hits over five innings, striking out one. Marly Little threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen. Paige Fessler went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Tri-Valley Varsity Vikings in hits.

The Illinois State baseball team topped Illinois, 12-9, at Illinois Field on Tuesday.

Jacob Schroeder gave Illinois a fast start, when he launched a three-run shot in the first to give the Illini a 3-0 lead. The Redbirds hit back for six runs in the second but Drake Westcott collected a pair of RBI with a bases loaded single in the third to make it 6-5.

Illinois State (10-13 overall)  got three-run homers from third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen and fourth-year junior Adrian Flores to take a 10-5 lead.

 Alex Vera, who entered the contest in relief in the fifth, kept the Illini in the ballgame by allowing just two runs on five hits over 3.2 innings of work, striking out a career-high nine batters.

Third-year junior Elijah Dale threw two scoreless innings to record the save while freshman Tyrelle Chadwick fired three innings to earn the win after being forced to warm up on the game mound.

Freshman Luke Lawrence hit his first career home run while second-year sophomore Noah Rabin had four hits as every Redbird in the starting lineup had at least one hit and either scored or knocked in a run.

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 26 points and the Atlanta Hawks overcame the loss of top scorer Trae Young to beat the Chicago Bulls 123-105 on Tuesday night.

After Zach LaVine opened the game with a basket, the Hawks ran off 13 consecutive points, with Bogdanovic scoring 11 during that span as the Hawks never trailed after that.

Saddiq Bey added 18 points while Dejounte Murray had 17 and Jaylen Johnson 16.

LaVine led the Bulls with 26 points, and DeMar DeRozan added 21 and Nikola Vucevic 19.
 

Patrick Wisdom doubled twice and had three hits and three RBIs, leading the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 12-5 on Tuesday night to even their three-game series.

Wisdom’s two-run single highlighted a six-run seventh inning that overcame a 3-2 deficit. Chicago had 16 hits, including four doubles.

Cody Bellinger went 3 for 5 with an RBI.

Ian Happ went 3 for 4 with a tying double.

Jason Vosler, TJ Friedl and Stuart Fairchild homered for the Reds. 

After going ahead in a first inning that included Jake Fraley’s RBI single, the Cubs didn’t get another hit off Luis Cessa until the sixth, when Wisdom doubled to chase the starter and scored on Eric Hosmer’s single off Ian Gibaut to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Nico Hoerner doubled off Buck Farmer (0-2) leading off the seventh, Dansby Swanson walked and Happ doubled in the tying run.

Reiver Sanmartin relieved, Cody Bellinger walked. Trey Mancini singled for a 4-3 lead and Wisdom followed with a two-run single.

After Hosmer reached on a fielding error by second baseman Jonathan India, Yan Gomes bounced into a run-scoring double play that increased the lead to 7-3.

Miles Mastrobuoni added an RBI single.

Wisdom and Hosmer added RBI doubles in a three-run eighth.

In a game heard Tuesday evening on WHOW, the Clinton Maroons fell to the visiting Meridian Hawks, 3-2, in Central Illinois Conference baseball action. 
 

Both teams entered the game looking for their second win of the season.  It looked like Meridian would get on the board first, advancing a runner to third in the top of the first inning, but Clinton was able to escape the early jam.  From there, both teams traded scoreless innings until the bottom of the fourth when Clinton broke through and scored first.  Jack Manning reached on an error, and was later driven in on Colten Walker's RBI single.  Meridian answered with a run in the top of the 5th, but Clinton would take a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning.  Preston Curtis led off with a single, and later came home on a bases loaded walk to Mason Walker.  After Walker's no out walk, the Maroons however were unable to push any other runs across. Meridian then tied the game up, 2-2, in the top of the sixth, and scored the go ahead run an inning later when Ashton Dawson was singled in by Will Gorden.  Clinton threatened with two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't push a run across.  Giving the Hawks the 3-2 road win.  
 

Clinton's Brooks Cluver took the loss in relief. He allowed one run on three hits, and one walk in his inning of work in the seventh.  Mason Walker pitched well taking the no decision.  He threw 6 innings of 6 hit ball.  He struck out nine while allowing two runs, and walking two.  
 

Meridian's Dylan Patterson got the win in relief.  He allowed no runs and no hits in two innings of work while walking and striking out one each.  At the plate the Hawks were led by Will Gorden's 2 for 3 day with two runs batted in.  
 

The Maroons notables at the plate included Colten Walker's 1-4 with an rbi.  Mason Walker walked twice and brought home a run, and Josh Bass went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk.  Bass was named the WHOW / Serv Pro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player Of The Game.  The freshman catcher caught four runners stealing in the game, in addition to his hard hit double.  
 

Meridian improves to 2-3 overall, and 2-1 in the CIC.  They travel to Taylorville Wednesday. 
 

The Maroons fall to 1-4 on the season, and 0-3 in conference.  They'll travel to Williamsville Wednesday.  Our next Maroons "Game of the Week" broadcast is next Tuesday afternoon when Clinton baseball hosts Warrensburg-Latham at 4:30pm on all WHOW platforms!

The Monticello Lady Sages fell to the Mt. Zion Lady Braves by a score of 15-1 on Monday afternoon.

Cassidee Stoffel took the loss for the Lady Sages. The righty went four innings, allowing 15 runs on 14 hits, striking out two and walking one. Isabella Beery had two hits in two at bats.

Kennedy Highley led the Lady Braves to victory in the circle. The ace surrendered one run on four hits over two innings, striking out one.  Harrison threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen. Kayla Schnippel started the game lasting two innings, allowing two hits and zero runs while striking out four and walking zero.
 

The Blue Ridge Lady Knights nabbed the lead late in the game in a 6-4 victory over Cerro Gordo/Bement on Monday.

Ellie Schlieper got the win for Blue Ridge pitching six and two-thirds innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, striking out nine and walking one.Alexis Wike went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Blue Ridge in hits.

Brooklyn Comp took the loss for Cerro Gordo/Bement pitching six innings, allowing ten hits and six runs while striking out five.

Jason Vosler hit a go-ahead three-run home run, his second of the season, as the Cincinnati Reds held off the Chicago Cubs 7-6 on Monday. Cody Bellinger collected his first hit as a Cub: a three-run home run in the first.

Derek Law stranded the tying and go-ahead runners in the ninth to earn his first save since 2019. Alex Young (1-0) earned the victory.

Bellinger launched a 3-1 pitch from Connor Overton with two runners aboard in the first to make the score 3-0.

But it was a rough first inning for Drew Smyly (0-1) too, as the Reds pounded out four straight singles, driving in three runs to tie the score.

Hosmer's two-run double off left-hander Young in the fifth put the Cubs ahead 6-4. He was 0-for-7 coming into the game.

Vosler who entered the game as a pinch-runner in the second, hit a go-ahead, three-run home run off Smyly to put the Reds ahead 7-6

David Villar hit two of San Francisco’s seven home runs, Anthony DeSclafani tossed three-hit ball over six scoreless innings and the Giants pounded the Chicago White Sox 12-3 on Monday afternoon.

Villar hit a solo homer in the fifth and his first career grand slam in the ninth. Joc Pederson, Michael Conforto, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski and Bryce Johnson also went deep for San Francisco.

Pederson got the home run derby going when he connected leading off a two-run second. He was also robbed of a two-run drive in the third by center fielder Luis Robert Jr.

Johnson finished the home run parade with the first of his career - a solo drive in the ninth.

Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a three-run homer Monday night, leading the Atlanta Braves to an 8-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Acuña finished with a 3-for-4 night with a double and a single. He also drew a walk and scored two runs.

Ozzie Albies smacked a two-run homer and Austin Riley added a solo shot in the Braves' 10-hit attack.

Paul Goldschmidt hit his first home run of the season along with a single in four at-bats. Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman and Tyler O'Neill each had two hits.

Charlie Morton (1-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings to notch the win. Morton scattered nine hits in giving up three runs. He walked two with one strikeout.

Jake Woodford pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, including three home runs. He walked three and registered three strikeouts.

The Cardinals tied the game when Alec Burleson scored on a fielder’s choice in the first inning.

The Braves scored five runs on two home runs in the second, sending nine men to bat. With a runner on base, Albies homered to right. Acuña extended the Atlanta lead to 6-1 with a three-run homer to center field.

St. Louis narrowed the lead to 6-3 in the fourth on an RBI single by rookie Jordan Walker and a ground out by Brendan Donovan.

Atlanta got two runs back in the seventh off reliever Jordan Hicks.

Matt Olson drove in a run with a single and Travis D’Arnaud hit a run-scoring double off Hicks.

Goldschmidt hit a 3-1 fastball to center field in the seventh off reliever Nick Anderson, cutting the Braves lead to 8-4.

The Clinton Maroons fell to the Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers by a score of 12-1 on Friday afternoon. Preston Curtis took the loss pitching 1 and 2/3 innings, allowing 7 runs on 6 hits, and walking one. Brock Wilson pitched 4 and 1/3 innings in relief, allowing 5 runs on 5 hits, while striking out 5 and walking 5.

Brooks Cluver went 2 for 3 with a double and Brock Wilson recorded a double.

Evan Cooper took the win for the Hilltoppers pitching 5 complete innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits, and striking out 6.

Landon Smith went 2 for 3 with 2 doubles for the Hilltoppers. 

With the loss, the Maroons fall to 1-3.

Tune in Tuesday, April 4, as the Maroons face Meridian at home. You can hear the game live on The BIG 1520 AM/92.3 FM/106.5 FM WHOW, streamed live at dewittdailynews.com, on the WHOW mobile app, and on Amazon Alexa.

Fourth-year junior Greg Nichols scored the tying run and knocked in the winning run while fourth-year junior Jayson Hibbard faced the minimum 21 batters over seven scoreless innings to lead Illinois State to a 2-1 walk-off win in 10 innings at Duffy Bass Field on Sunday.

Missouri State (13-13 overall, 2-4 MVC) took a 1-0 lead in the 9th inning but Nichols doubled to open the bottom of the inning prior to second-year sophomore Noah Rabin doubling him home.

The Redbirds had runners on second and third with one out in the 10th inning before Nichols one-hopped the right field wall to score third-year junior Auggie Rasmussen, who was hit by a pitch and stolen second to start the inning.

Hibbard had just two strikeouts but erased two Missouri State singles with double plays, throwing seven scoreless frames on an efficient 72 pitches.

Third-year junior Elijah Dale conceded a solo home run in the 9th inning but retired the nine other Bears he faced, four of which came via strikeouts, en route to recording his second win of the season.

Fighting Illini baseball head coach Dan Hartleb earned his 519th win at Illinois today, becoming the winningest coach in program history, as the Illini slugged their way to an 11-1 victory over Michigan (15-12, 5-1) in Sunday's series finale.

Illinois (12-12, 2-4) scored early and often in the ballgame, which was kickstarted by a two-run second. Drake Westcott started the frame with a solo shot, his team-leading seventh of the year, and Brody Harding followed three batters late with an RBI-single to make it 2-0.

Jack Wenninger faced the minimum through the first three innings of the game, picking up a pair of strikeouts along the way, as well as inducing one double play.

The Orange and Blue broke the game wide open in the third, with Ryan Moerman crushing a lead-off home run and Jacob Schroeder going yard with a three-run blast of his own to make it 6-0.

The Wolverines would pull one back in the fourth, making it 6-1, but that's all the visitors would get, as Wenninger closed out his outing by facing just one batter over the minimum over the final 4.0 innings of his day, allowing no runs and no hits in his career-high 8.0 innings of work. The junior also retired 10-straight to cap his start.

Illinois continued the onslaught when Harding slugged his first home run of the season, a two-run blast, in the fifth and he would later collect his career-high fourth RBI of the game with a run-scoring single in the seventh, making it 9-1.

The Illini then added two more runs in eighth, with Zak Hartleb drawing a pinch-hit bases-loaded walk and Schroeder also picking up his fourth RBI of the ballgame with a single.

Payton Hutchings made his season debut in the ninth, working a scoreless inning and picking up one strikeout to close out the contest, giving coach Hartleb the milestone victory.

Jesse Winker had two hits and three RBIs, including a key two-run single in Milwaukee's five-run sixth inning, and the Brewers beat Jameson Taillon and the Chicago Cubs 9-5 on Sunday.

Christian Yelich, Garrett Mitchell and Brice Turang also had two hits apiece - part of a 13-hit attack for Milwaukee in the rubber game of the opening set between NL Central rivals. Eric Lauer (1-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball, settling down after a shaky start.

Patrick Wisdom hit two solo homers for Chicago, which won 4-0 on Thursday on opening day. Dansby Swanson went 1 for 4 with a walk and an RBI single.

Milwaukee went ahead to stay on Mitchell's RBI triple in the fourth, and then broke it open in the sixth.

Winker's single into the gap in left-center drove in Turang and Joey Wiemer for a 5-2 lead. Willy Adames followed with another RBI single against Julian Merryweather.

Brian Anderson added a sacrifice fly and Mitchell had another run-scoring single as the Brewers sent 10 batters to the plate.

Trailing 9-3 in the eighth, Yan Gomes nearly hit a grand slam for Chicago, but he had to settle for a sacrifice fly when Wiemer caught his drive at the wall in right field. A Cody Bellinger fielder's choice drove in another run before Wisdom was retired, ending the inning.

Nolan Gorman hit a pair of two-run homers, including a drive that capped a three-homer first inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-4 on Sunday.

Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson also homered to start the game off Chris Bassitt, who made his debut for the Blue Jays.

Bassitt (0-1) gave up the three homers on the first 14 pitches and ended up allowing nine runs and 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings for a 24.30 ERA.

Jordan Montgomery (1-0) gave up three runs and six hits over five innings.

Donovan paced a 16-hit attack with two doubles and his first home run this season. He teamed with Burleson to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead after just three pitches.

Dylan Carlson added three hits for the Cardinals in his first start of the season.

Toronto scored twice in the top of the second to climb to within 4-3. Danny Jansen and Matt Chapman drove in runs, and Daulton Varsho had two hits.

Bassitt allowed a career-high nine earned runs and four home runs.

St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras returned to the lineup and had two hits.