Sports
Injuries haven't slowed Dodgers ahead of Phillies' visit
May 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) reacts after a play during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Soaring once more despite a rash of injuries, the Los Angeles Dodgers will play host to a playoff rematch starting Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Dodgers lost a pair of position players this week when infielder Enrique Hernandez’s return from elbow surgery was cut short by an oblique injury, and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez went down with a hamstring injury.
The club returned infielder Alex Freeland to the roster from Triple-A Oklahoma City, while Alex Call and longtime power-hitting minor leaguer Ryan Ward will share time in left field.
“It’s pretty frustrating for us,” Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages said of the injuries, according to ESPN. “We have the opportunity to see them work hard every day and prepare so that those things don’t happen. But (injuries are) going to happen all the time.”
Pages has been doing his part of late. He was moved up to the No. 2 spot in the order this week and has three home runs in his past four games. The Dodgers are riding a team-wide power surge, with eight home runs in the past two games.
The club has won five straight games and 12 of its past 14 contests.
Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (6-2, 3.07 ERA) is set to take the mound in the series opener. He has just one career appearance against the Phillies and it was a struggle when he gave up five runs while recording just one out in relief last season.
Wrobleski opened the season 5-0 with a 1.25 ERA through six starts, but he is 1-2 with a 6.41 ERA over his last three outings.
The last time the Phillies played in Los Angeles, they were eliminated from the National League Division Series in a bizarre ending. Right-hander Orion Kerkering was left in tears after making a wild throw home with two outs instead of taking the out at first base to extend the game.
The miscue gave Los Angeles a 2-1 series-clinching victory in the 11th inning of Game 4.
Kerkering seems to be using the moment as inspiration with a 2.21 ERA through his first 23 appearances this season.
The Phillies enter the series off a three-game sweep at San Diego, allowing just three runs in the series.
Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez is on a franchise-record 44 2/3-inning scoreless streak but will not pitch in the series. Instead, Philadelphia will turn to right-hander Zack Wheeler (4-0, 1.67), who is on his own scoreless innings streak.
Wheeler did not allow a run in either of his last two outings, and he is coming off a start Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians when he had six strikeouts over six scoreless innings while earning the win.
Wheeler is 3-2 with a 4.35 ERA in seven career starts against the Dodgers.
The series will mark the return of former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly to Los Angeles. Mattingly has guided the Phillies to a 20-8 turnaround since Rob Thomson was fired with a 9-19 record to start the season.
“Obviously, the Dodgers have been the world champions the last two years, so they’re going to bring plenty of trouble for us,” said Mattingly, who managed the Dodgers from 2011-15. “But we just got to play good baseball and take care of our own business and keep it simple. Usually, the team that plays the best baseball wins, so just look at it like that.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
UCF extends coach Johnny Dawkins through 2028-29
Mar 19, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCF Knights head coach Johnny Dawkins conducts a press conference during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images UCF coach Johnny Dawkins agreed to a three-year deal through the 2028-29 season, the school announced Thursday.
Dawkins, 62, guided the Knights to a second consecutive 20-win season in 2025-26 as well as appearances in the Top 25 poll and the NCAA Tournament.
“Johnny has led our men’s basketball program with outstanding poise and class,” athletic director Terry Mohajir said. “The stability and continuity he has provided have been, in my opinion, a major reason for the program’s growth. As a result, we’re excited to extend his contract. He is a strong leader and an outstanding role model for our young men. Johnny is highly deserving of this extension, and we’re excited about the future of UCF men’s basketball under his leadership.”
Dawkins reportedly had the lowest salary among Big 12 coaches last season at $2.1 million.
Dawkins has compiled a 189-132 record in 10 seasons at UCF, overseeing the Orlando-area school’s transition from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 Conference in 2023-24. His team also reached the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
The Knights were 21-12 last season, appearing at No. 25 in the Associated Press poll on Jan. 5. As a No. 10 seed, they lost to No. 7 seed UCLA 75-71 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
“What we accomplished this season was a testament to the hard work of our student-athletes, coaches and staff as we continue establishing ourselves in the Big 12,” Dawkins said. “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and excited about where this program is headed. UCF has become home for my family, and I’m committed to continuing to build a program that our university and fans can be proud of.”
Dawkins was 156-115 with one NCAA Tournament appearance in eight seasons at Stanford from 2008-16, leading the Cardinal to NIT championships in 2011-12 and 2014-15. His overall record is 345-247.
Dawkins was a two-time All-American point guard and the Naismith National Player of the Year during a decorated career at Duke from 1982-86. A first-round pick (10th overall) by San Antonio in 1986, he played nine NBA seasons with the Spurs (1986-89), Philadelphia 76ers (1989-94) and Detroit Pistons (1994-95).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tennessee rides Elsa Morrison HR, tames Texas bats
Tennessee Lady Volunteers catcher Elsa Morrison (22) celebrates after hitting a home run in the second inning during a Women’s College World Series softball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas Longhorns at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Thursday, May 28, 2026. Tennessee won 6-3. Freshman Elsa Morrison smashed the first pitch she saw over the center field fence for a three-run home run in the second inning and Tennessee beat defending national champion Texas 6-3 in the Women’s College World Series at Oklahoma City on Thursday afternoon.
Sage Mardjetko (15-2) got the win for Tennessee in four shutout innings and muted the high-powered Texas offense. She has 16 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings this postseason.
SEC Player of the Year Katie Stewart went hitless for the Longhorns in three at-bats.
Morrison doubled off the top of the wall in the sixth and was 2-for-3 despite missing her second homer by a narrow margin.
Taelyn Holley scored two runs for Tennessee, which avenged a 2-0 loss to Texas in the 2025 WCWS semifinals.
Morrison’s heroics are becoming expected. She belted a tiebreaking homer to sink Northern Kentucky in the regional opener and now has seven homers this season.
Texas cut the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth. After Gold Glove senior catcher and cleanup hitter Reese Atwood got Texas on the board, second baseman Leighann Goode delivered with two outs. She roped a two-run home run to center field off the Volunteers’ Karlyn Pickens, who was clocked at a record 78 mph — the equivalent of 109 mph from an MLB regulation pitching mound.
Pickens and Tennessee (48-10) advance to meet Texas Tech and starter NiJaree Canady on Friday for a spot in the semifinals. The Red Raiders won 8-0 in five innings in the WCWS opener Thursday.
The Longhorns will face Mississippi State, which managed two hits and zero runs Thursday against Texas Tech, in an elimination game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Charles Schwab first round suspended with four tied for lead
May 28, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Tom Kim watches his shot from the sixth tee during the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images Tom Kim of South Korea and Erik van Rooyen of South Africa had one hole left to break out of a four-way tie for the lead when first-round play at the Charles Schwab Challenge was suspended due to a dangerous weather situation on Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas.
When play was delayed at Colonial Country Club, Ryan Gerard and Andrew Putnam were in the clubhouse with 6-under-par 64s while Kim and van Rooyen were 6 under with the par-4 ninth hole left to play.
The tournament was suspended at 4:15 p.m. local time and it was not clear whether it would resume Thursday. Many groups from the afternoon wave had between one and nine holes left to play.
A 10-man logjam at 5 under par included Keegan Bradley, Brian Harman and Alex Smalley in with scores of 65, while J.J. Spaun, Gary Woodland and Lee Hodges were 5 under with some holes to go. Max Homa, Russell Henley and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama highlighted the 12-man clump at 4-under 66.
Putnam, who had a bogey-free day, seeks his second PGA Tour victory and his first since the 2018 Barracuda Championship. Gerard’s only win on tour, coincidentally, came at the Barracuda Championship last year. He mixed eight birdies with two bogeys Thursday.
–Field Level Media
UCF extends coach Johnny Dawkins through 2028-29
Tennessee rides Elsa Morrison HR, tames Texas bats
