Sports
UNC has eye on ACC tourney seed against reeling Miami
Feb 24, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tarheels forward Ian Jackson (11) drives to the net during the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images Three games remain for North Carolina to not only sneak into the top four of ACC standings and earn a double bye in the conference tournament but also earn its way into the NCAA Tournament.
Considering how the Tar Heels (18-11, 11-6 ACC) have played the past four games, it certainly seems possible, especially as UNC gets set for a Saturday matchup in Chapel Hill, N.C., against last-place Miami (6-22, 2-15), which has won just three times in its past 25 games.
North Carolina has flipped a switch since losing by 20 at then-No. 23 Clemson on Feb. 10, reeling off four straight wins, including three wire-to-wire victories. The Tar Heels trailed for a total of just over five minutes in those games.
Offensive rebounding has been key during UNC’s latest burst, when the Tar Heels outrebounded its past three opponents 110-63, including 38-14 on the offensive glass. They outscored opponents 62-21 in second-chance points during those games.
“It has allowed us to be more efficient on the offensive end,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “We’re getting more cracks at it, and not only are we getting more offensive rebounds, we’re converting them. When you can do that, that’s huge for us offensively.”
Over the past four games, UNC’s Jae’Lyn Withers has averaged 13.5 points per game while shooting 65.4 percent from the floor, including a 10 of 16 mark from 3-point range. Before the run, Withers averaged just 4.6 points.
Ven-Allen Lubin is experiencing a similar trend with 12.3 points per game on 68.2 percent shooting over the past three outings after averaging just 6.6 for the season.
Miami has lost each of its past four games and is in position to have the worst seasons in program history. The Hurricanes are two losses shy of the school’s single-season record set in the 1991-92 season when they finished 8-24.
The Hurricanes might be without its top scorer once again. Matthew Cleveland (16.3 points) has missed the past two games with an ankle injury. Miami has already been without Nijel Pack (13.9) since his foot injury in December.
“We’re really in a situation where guys have to step up because, again, we haven’t had Nijel since December and now Matt’s missed the last two games,” Miami interim coach Bill Courtney said. “They were the most veteran guys on our team. If you look at our group, they were the only guys besides Paul Djobet that was here last year. Everybody else is new.”
Miami does feature Lynn Kidd, who has averaged 15.8 points on 75.8 percent shooting from the floor over the past four games. There is also the opportunity for AJ Staton-McCray to take advantage of more offensive opportunities, as he did in a 21-point outing against Virginia Tech last Saturday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pirates use 3-run 10th to extend Brewers' losing streak
Apr 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn (29) scores a run during the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Bryan Reynolds singled in the go-ahead run to trigger a three-run 10th inning and lift the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-3 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday, handing the Brewers their fourth consecutive loss.
Left-hander Angel Zerpa (0-2) started the 10th for Milwaukee. Pinch-hitter Marcell Ozuna drew a one-out walk. Nick Yorke ran for Ozuna and Reynolds singled to left, scoring automatic runner Henry Davis from second. Both runners advanced on a ground out. Grant Anderson relieved Zerpa, and Nick Gonzales delivered an RBI single to left, with Reynolds continuing home on a bobble by left fielder Greg Jones.
Yohan Ramirez kept the Brewers off the board in the 10th for his first save. Gregory Soto (2-0) delivered a scoreless ninth.
The Pirates snapped a 2-2 tie with a run in the sixth off starter Jacob Misiorowski. Ryan O’Hearn was hit by a pitch and Gonzales singled. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Spencer Horwitz followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.
The Brewers tied it in the bottom half on Sal Frelick’s second sacrifice fly of the game. Jake Bauers and Tyler Black opened with consecutive singles, chasing starter Mitch Keller. Isaac Mattson replaced him, and Bauers advanced to third on a fielder’s choice. Frelick followed with a sacrifice fly to right.
The Pirates went in front 2-0 with two runs in the fourth. Reynolds was hit by a pitch to open the frame and O’Hearn singled. Reynolds took third on a fielder’s choice, and Horwitz followed with an RBI single. Konnor Griffin added a two-out RBI single, but the Pirates stranded runners at second and third.
Milwaukee countered with two in the bottom half. Bauers singled and continued to second on an error. Black doubled Bauers to third. Bauers scored and Black advanced to third on a ground out. Frelick tied it with a sacrifice fly to right.
Misiorowski struck out nine in six innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He also walked one, hit two batters, and had a wild pitch.
Keller allowed three runs on five hits in five-plus innings, striking out six and walking two.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Salvador Perez, Cole Ragans help Royals club Angels
Apr 25, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) slides into home to score a run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Salvador Perez had three hits including a home run, Cole Ragans pitched six strong innings and the Kansas City Royals routed the visiting Los Angeles Angels 12-1 on Saturday night.
Nick Loftin had two hits and drove in four runs for the Royals, who go for their first series sweep of the season on Sunday. Kansas City has won three of four, scoring at least six runs in each game.
Ragans (1-4) allowed a run on five hits and struck out 11 batters without a walk. It was the third time this season Ragans went six innings and allowed one run or less.
Jo Adell homered and Vaughn Grissom had three hits for the Angels, who have lost six of seven.
Walbert Urena (0-3) lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Los Angeles pitchers issued 10 walks, including two with the bases loaded.
Perez lined a homer to left leading off the second inning. Jac Caglianone walked, went to third on a single by Michael Massey and scored on a single by Loftin to make it 2-0.
In the third, Bobby Witt, Jr. doubled and Vinnie Pasquantino walked. Perez lined a single to left, scoring Witt and Isaac Collins walked to load the bases before Loftin walked, forcing in Pasquantino.
Adell homered to center leading off the fourth to pull the Angels within 4-1.
Loftin reached on an error leading off the sixth. Kyle Isbel singled and Carter Jensen walked to load the bases. With one out, Pasquantino walked, scoring Loftin.
The Royals broke it open with a three run seventh. Caglianone led off with a walk and Collins singled. Massey lined a single to left, scoring Caglianone. Loftin smacked a grounder that got past shortstop Zach Neto. Collins scored and Massey raced for third and came home on Neto’s throwing error to make it 8-1.
Loftin and Jensen hit two-run singles to make it 12-1 in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees score late to break open close game against Astros
Apr 25, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) celebrates with center fielder Trent Grisham (12) after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Austin Wells socked a leadoff home run to ignite a three-run seventh inning as the New York Yankees claimed a three-game series against the host Houston Astros with an 8-3 win on Saturday.
Wells’ second homer was the third of the game for the Yankees, who improved to 5-0 on their current nine-game road trip and have won eight straight overall. The Yankees were locked in a pitcher’s duel before Wells snapped a 2-2 tie by driving an inside fastball from Astros reliever Kai-Wei Teng (1-1) out to right field.
Teng faced only three batters before ceding the mound to left-hander Bennett Sousa, who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list and made his season debut. The Yankees made it a forgettable appearance for Sousa, who issued four walks, including two with the bases loaded.
Sousa walked Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr., with Bellinger and Chisholm forcing home Grisham and Ben Rice (who had singled) in succession to up the lead to 5-2.
Rice delivered a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the eighth that plated Ryan McMahon. Rice and Jose Caballero recorded three-hit games for the Yankees, with Caballero extending the lead to 2-1 in the fifth with his third homer, a solo shot to left off Astros starter Mike Burrows.
Burrows matched his career high of eight strikeouts while working five innings. He allowed five hits and issued three walks. Burrows surrendered a solo home run to Grisham, his fourth on the season, with one out in the third inning that enabled the Yankees to erase a 1-0 deficit.
The Astros grabbed that lead in the bottom of the first. Carlos Correa roped a leadoff double to left-center and scored when Isaac Paredes added an RBI single to left two batters later. Yankees starter Ryan Weathers immediately settled down and retired 11 consecutive batters after Paredes’ run-scoring hit.
Yainer Diaz opened the fifth with a single, but Weathers didn’t allow another run until Correa led off the sixth with his second homer, a 391-foot blast to left-center that tied the game at 2-2.
Weathers surrendered two runs on six hits with no walks and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Right-hander Fernando Cruz (2-0) earned the win in relief for the Yankees.
–Field Level Media
Pirates use 3-run 10th to extend Brewers' losing streak
Salvador Perez, Cole Ragans help Royals club Angels
