Sports
Wisconsin wary of high-scoring High Point in classic 5-12 matchup
Wisconsin and 12th-seeded High Point are capable of producing one of the highest-scoring games in the NCAA Tournament’s opening round when the Badgers navigate the ever-risky 5-12 matchup in West Region action in Portland.
High Point (30-4), the Big South’s regular-season and tournament champion, averages 90.0 points per game. That’s third in the Division I ranks. The Panthers’ 14-game winning streak is the nation’s longest active run entering the NCAA Tournament.
Wisconsin (24-10) can score, too. The Badgers average 83.0 points per game, which shares 35th in the nation and ranks as the school’s highest-scoring squad since 1970-71.
Speaking of history: In three of the last four NCAA Tournaments, two No. 5 seeds have lost in the first round. But Wisconsin coach Greg Gard has a simple theory about seeds: Forget about them.
“Erase the numbers, that’s what I always say,” Gard said. “I don’t care. When we were a 1, when we were a 2, it wasn’t any less nervous knowing that these teams that are in this are very good.”
Wisconsin has five first-round losses to a No. 12 seed, most recently to James Madison in 2024, 72-61. Each of the past three trips into the NCAA Tournament when the Badgers were the No. 5 seed, they were one-and-done.
For Gard, the life raft to the second round will be his guards. Always considered essential in the NCAA Tournament, that’s a strength for both teams.
Badgers senior guard Nick Boyd, a second-team all-Big Ten pick averages 20.6 points and 4.2 assists. Junior John Blackwell, a third-team selection, averages 19.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Both put up superhuman efforts to win Big Ten games last week. When Wisconsin upset Illinois in the quarterfinals on Friday, Boyd dropped a career-high 38 and Blackwell scored 31 to become the school’s first 30-point duo since 1968.
Moreover, Boyd adds valuable NCAA Tournament experience. He started 37 games and averaged 8.9 points for Florida Atlantic in 2022-23, when the Owls reached the Final Four.
“In terms of scoring, in terms of all the rule changes, guard play has become more accentuated,” Gard said. “The pace of play universally is up. I think obviously we have really good ones.”
Wisconsin could welcome back forward Nolan Winter (13.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and sophomore guard Jack Janicki available after injuries kept them on the sideline during the Big Ten tournament.
Panthers guard Rob Martin averages 15.3 points and 3.7 assists as High Point also has a pair of mobile wings — Terry Anderson (16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds) and Cam’Ron Fletcher (12.7 points, 6.9 rebounds) — atop its eight-man rotation. Fletcher is a former Top 75 recruit who began his career six years ago at Kentucky.
Wisconsin has made 400 3-pointers this season, trailing only Alabama (405), and average 11.8 per game to rank fourth in Division I. Six players average at least one make per game. Blackwell (2.8) and reserve guard Braeden Carrington (2.1) lead the barrage, but Wisconsin fires relentlessly and from every direction. Reserve forward Austin Rapp drilled six threes in a 68-65 loss to Michigan in the Big Ten tournament semifinals — including five on consecutive second-half possessions down the stretch.
The Badgers seemed to coalesce after a 91-88 victory over then-undefeated Michigan in Ann Arbor on Jan. 10, when Blackwell and Boyd combined for 49 points.
They are 14-5 since scoring signature wins over South No. 3 seed Illinois and knocking off West No. 2 seed Purdue and East No. 3 seed Michigan State.
“We’ve been on an ascension from mid-January,” Gard said. “How they’ve bonded, how their toughness has grown, how their connectivity has grown.”
The Panthers also took off in mid-January. They have not lost since a 92-75 loss to Winthrop on Jan. 14, and they avenged that with a 91-76 victory in the Big South tournament final over second-seeded Winthrop.
“The ’12’ matchup does upset people a lot, and we know that happens historically in the tournament,” said Flynn Crayman, High Point’s 37-year-old, first-year coach. “We’ve had 34 games straight of being the favorite, and now I think our group is ready to go out and shoot our shot.”
No. 12 seeds Colorado State and McNeese won their first-round games in 2025. Since 1985, No. 12 seeds have won 35.6 percent of the time against No. 5 seeds according to the NCAA Tournament media guide.
–Field Level Media
Sports
CJ Abrams (5 RBIs), Nationals slam Twins
May 6, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) hits an RBI double against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images CJ Abrams had three hits including a grand slam, Miles Mikolas pitched into the sixth inning and the host Washington Nationals routed the Minnesota Twins 15-2 on Wednesday night.
Brady House, Drew Millas and Jose Tena each had two hits including a home run for the Nationals, who collected 14 hits. Abrams also had two doubles and five RBIs, and James Wood and Jacob Young each had two hits.
Mikolas (1-3), signed as a free agent in the offseason, began the game with an 8.23 ERA. The right-hander pitched a season-high 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits. Mikolas retired 16 of the 19 batters he faced to earn his first Washington win.
Three Washington pitchers held Minnesota to three hits. Matt Wallner had two hits including a home run for Minnesota, which had won two straight.
Twins starter Bailey Ober (3-2) went five-plus innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the third when Luke Keaschall doubled and scored on a Wallner single.
Washington did not get a baserunner against Ober until Wood singled leading off the fourth. Wood stole second with one out and Curtis Mead walked. Abrams followed with a double to score Wood.
Wallner homered off Mikolas in the fifth to put Twins up 2-1.
Young singled leading off the bottom half and Millas homered to center to give Washington a 3-2 lead.
In the sixth, back-to-back doubles by Abrams and House ended Ober’s night. Tena greeted reliever Andrew Morris with Washington’s third straight double to make it 5-2. With two outs, Nasim Nunez tripled to right and the lead was 6-2.
Daylen Lile walked leading off the bottom of the seventh and, with two outs, House homered to center to make it 8-2.
Young singled, Millas doubled and Wood singled them both home in the eighth. Washington loaded the bases and Abrams smacked a grand slam to right-center, the second of his career. Tena followed with a homer to make it 15-2.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies' 4-run eighth fuels rally past Athletics
May 6, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) celebrates his home run with second baseman Edmundo Sosa (33) against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Edmundo Sosa delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to notch a 6-3 victory over the visiting Athletics on Wednesday.
Brandon Marsh had three hits and an RBI for Philadelphia, which improved to 8-1 under interim manager Don Mattingly. Adolis Garcia homered for the Phillies while J.T. Realmuto, Garcia and Sosa each had two hits.
A’s left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who exited his last outing with hip soreness, gave up two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and no walks in a crisp 75-pitch performance. Nick Kurtz finished with two hits and an RBI as he reached base for the 30th straight game.
In his third start since returning from a blood clot in his shoulder, Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler allowed three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The Phillies trailed 3-2 in the eighth inning when Kyle Schwarber drew a leadoff walk against Jack Perkins (2-1). Bryce Harper reached on an error by second baseman Jeff McNeil that spoiled a potential double play, then Garcia singled to load the bases.
Sosa grounded his two-run single up the middle to give Philadelphia the lead. The Athletics brought in Hogan Harris for the platoon advantage against Brandon Marsh, but Marsh stroked an RBI single before Justin Crawford’s RBI groundout made it 6-3 as the Phillies’ four-run frame featured two unearned runs.
The A’s loaded the bases against Brad Keller with two outs in the ninth, but the veteran right-hander got Jacob Wilson on a grounder back to the mound to end it. Orion Kerkering (1-0) recorded the final out of the eighth.
Kurtz’s RBI single in the fifth made it 2-0, but Philadelphia got a run back in the bottom half as Marsh tripled and scored on a grounder by Felix Reyes. Tyler Soderstrom led off the sixth with a homer against Wheeler to make it 3-1.
The Phillies answered again, this time with Garcia’s solo homer in their half of the sixth.
Perkins pitched the seventh for the A’s, striking out a pair, before the right-hander ran into trouble in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pete Alonso helps power Orioles past Marlins
May 6, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) congratulates Pete Alonso (25) on his three-run home run in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Pete Alonso hammered a three-run home run and Adley Rutschman smacked two run-scoring doubles as the Baltimore Orioles beat the host Miami Marlins 7-4 on Wednesday night.
It’s the second victory in a row following a five-game skid for the Orioles, who will go for a series sweep on Thursday.
Orioles starter Brandon Young (3-1) worked six innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Rico Garcia pitched the ninth for his second save as four pitchers combined on a six-hitter.
Baltimore won despite being limited to seven hits, though the Orioles drew seven walks. Taylor Ward picked up three of the walks and scored three runs.
Jakob Marsee drove in two runs, but the Marlins lost their fourth game in a row and for the fifth time in six games.
Marlins starter Eury Perez (2-4) lasted five-plus innings and was charged with a season-high five earned runs on four hits and five walks with six strikeouts.
Dax Fulton entered to pitch for Miami in the sixth inning in his major league debut, striking out Dylan Beavers and Coby Mayo as the first batters he faced with two runners on base.
Both teams scored in the first inning.
Alonso’s seventh homer of the season was a three-run blast that came with one out after Ward walked and Rutschman was hit by a pitch.
The first two Marlins were retired before two runners reached base and Marsee knocked them in with a double on an 0-2 splitter. Owen Caissie’s single drove in Marsee.
The Orioles went back ahead in the fourth on Beavers’ two-out double. Rutschman doubled in Ward in the fifth with two outs.
Rutschman’s seventh-inning double stretched the lead to 6-3.
The Marlins got a run in the seventh, with pinch hitter Otto Lopez doubling and scoring on Xavier Edwards’ groundout.
–Field Level Media
CJ Abrams (5 RBIs), Nationals slam Twins
Phillies' 4-run eighth fuels rally past Athletics
