(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Steelers will welcome sports museum, hall of fame and heritage professionals that are from across the United States, Canada and beyond as the Steelers Hall of Honor Museum hosts the 2026 International Sports Heritage Association (ISHA) Annual Conference, which is from September 22nd-24th. 

ISHA was established in 1971 and it brings together organizations and individuals that are dedicated to educating the public about the legacy that sports has, promoting the heritage of sports worldwide and supporting those who preserve the history of sports.

Much of that conference this year will take place at Acrisure Stadium and it will feature educational sessions, networking events, behind-the-scenes tours and speakers,  that showcase the rich sports heritage of western Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Famer Mel Blount will participate in a fireside chat with broadcaster Andrew Stockey. 

Conference attendees will also experience several of the signature sports and cultural destinations in Pittsburgh, which includes tours of Acrisure Stadium, the Heinz History Center, Kamin Science Center, PPG Paints Arena and the Steelers Hall of Honor Museum. 

ISHA will honor the Steelers Hall of Honor Museum and the Rooney family with its Legacy Award as part of the conference.

This award recognizes their contributions to preserving and celebrating the sports heritage of Pittsburgh.

The Legacy Award was established in 2018 to recognize an individual or organization in the host community of the conference that has made a contribution that is significant to sports heritage. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Jones delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jared Jones allowed one hit over seven dominant innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates inched closer to the franchise’s first winning season in eight years with a 2-0 win over St. Louis on Tuesday night.

The hard-throwing Jones (5-6) retired the first 16 batters he faced before Nathan Church’s bloop landed just beyond the outstretched glove of Pirates third baseman Jacob Gonzalez with one out in the sixth. Church sprinted to second for a double but remained there after Masyn Wynn lined out and J.J. Wetherholt struck out to end the inning.

Jones, who returned from Tommy John surgery in late May, tied a season high with nine strikeouts in seven innings and improved to 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in four starts in September. Gregory Soto worked around a leadoff walk to record his 16th save.

Ryan O’Hearn delivered an RBI-single for the Pirates and rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin had two hits for Pittsburgh, and Bryan Reynolds added his major league-leading 40th double. The Pirates have won five straight to improve to 80-77 with five games remaining. Pittsburgh is seeking its first winning campaign since going 82-79 in 2018.

Andre Pallante (12-8) nearly matched Jones pitch for pitch in six innings of work. The right-hander’s only hiccup came in the sixth, when Oneil Cruz walked with one out, moved to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on O’Hearn’s sharp single to left. Pallante is just 2-2 in 10 starts since the All-Star break despite pitching to a 3.00 ERA over that span.

The Cardinals fell to 76-81 with the loss. If St. Louis doesn’t win out, the franchise will experience consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1958 and 1959, the second-longest stretch between consecutive losing years in the history of major North American professional sports.

Up next

The series continues on Wednesday. Matthew Liberatore (5-14, 5.36 ERA) gets the start for the Cardinals. The Pirates have yet to announce a starter in what is likely a bullpen game.

(File Photo of the Ellwood City Wolverines Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hookstown, PA) The Ellwood City high school boys soccer team won a match for the first time in 15 years on Thursday.

The Wolverines had a 1-0 victory on the road over the South Side Rams in a section match. 

The last time that the Ellwood City high school boys soccer team won a match before Thursday was on September 25th, 2010.

That was a span of 5,836 days between wins.  

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcraft delivers against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star right-hander Braxton Ashcraft will not pitch again this season because of right arm discomfort.

Ashcraft was placed on the 15-day injured list on September 10th with the hope he might be able to return during the season’s final week. He was examined last week by Texas Rangers physician Dr. Keith Meister and advised to begin preparing for 2027.

Ashcraft finished his first full big league season 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 28 starts.

“I was never concerned,” Ashcraft said Saturday. “Nobody ever had a concern about anything being structural or anything that was more than just general discomfort because of fatigue.”

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that all charges were held for court on Friday against a strength coach from Bucknell University regarding the death of a freshman football recruit that happened on July 12th, 2024.

Calvin “CJ” Dickey, Jr. of Florida, was on campus on July 10th, 2024, which was the first day of his freshman football practice.

He was directed to do extensive calisthenics, which put him in risk of death because of his Sickle Cell trait.

Prosecutors presented testimony on Friday that Mark Kulbis, who was Bucknell University’s strength and conditioning coach at the time, subjected Dickey to hazing, even after he was made aware of Dickey’s medical condition and received training from the university on the NCAA standards regarding hazing and Sickle Cell trait and state law.

After the hearing was over, a magisterial district judge ordered that charges of felony aggravated hazing and misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and hazing would be bound over for county court.

The investigation into this incident showed that, before Dickey’s first-day practice on July 10th, 2024, Kulbis subjected Dickey, as well as other players, to 100 “up-downs” and several full-body plank drills, which are both considered extraneous calisthenic exercises. 

This was done in spite of training and direction from other coaches that such exercises were not appropriate or safe for use as part of training.

Dickey was treated at an area hospital.

However, Dickey died on July 12th, 2024.

An autopsy determined that Dickey’s death was caused by Kulbis subjecting him to the exercises in combination with Dickey’s body weight, exertional rhabdomyolysis and Sickle Cell trait.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Rafael Flores Jr. rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Kansas City Royals pitcher Nate Pearson during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rafael Flores Jr. hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday and complete a series sweep.

After Ryan O’Hearn led off with a single to center, Flores sent a slider from Nate Pearson (2-3) into the left-field bleachers for his 10th homer this season.

Pittsburgh rallied with a two-run homer in the eighth for a second straight day. Brandon Lowe had his 33rd of the season in a 6-5 win Saturday.

Carmen Mlodzinki (8-7) got the win. He allowed two runs and three hits in three innings. The reliever gave up a pinch-hit, two-run home run to Vinnie Pasquantino that gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead with two outs in the seventh.

Mason Montgomery earned his 16th save. He retired the first two batters in the ninth before Luke Maile hit a double and took third on a fielding error by Jake Mangum. Montgomery got Isaac Collins to fly out to right to strand Maile.

The Royals went ahead 1-0 in the first inning with three straight singles off Lake Bachar. Bobby Witt Jr. beat out a groundball to second baseman Lowe. He moved to third on a single to right from Jac Caglianone and scored when Perez shot one through the middle of the infield.

Oneil Cruz tied it on his 20th home run of the season, starting the fourth inning with a drive to center field off a curveball left hanging in the middle of the zone by Wacha.

Spencer Horwitz put the Pirates up 2-1 with a bloop single to center off Michael Wacha that drove in O’Hearn with two outs in the sixth.

Up next

Royals: LHP Daniel Lynch IV (6-5, 3.29 ERA) is in line to start Tuesday to open a three-game home series against the White Sox. LHP Anthony Kay (9-9, 4.41 ERA) is the probable starter for Chicago.

Pirates: RHP Jared Jones (4-6, 4.17 ERA) is expected to start Tuesday in the first of a three-game series against the Cardinals. RHP Andre Pallante (12-7, 3.70 ERA) will take the mound for St. Louis.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jake Mangum (28) celebrates with Nick Gonzales (3) after hitting a two-run home run off Kansas City Royals pitcher Noah Cameron during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Lowe jumped on a pitch from Steven Cruz (2-4) and sent it into the seats in right field for his 33rd homer of the season, the second-most by a player in their first year with the Pirates. The two-time All-Star was acquired by Pittsburgh last winter.

The home run was also the 96th at PNC Park this year for the Pirates, a club record for most homers at home in a season. The 1947 club hit 95 round-trippers when the team called Forbes Field home.

Pittsburgh rookie outfielder Ronnie Simon hit his first career homer. Jake Mangum added his fifth of the season as the Pirates won their third straight to improve to 78-77. The franchise is seeking its first winning season since 2018.

Lowe, Rafael Flores and Oneil Cruz had two hits each for the Pirates. Luke Weaver (3-1) picked up the win by pitching a scoreless eighth. Mason Montgomery worked the ninth for his 15th save. Montgomery hasn’t allowed a run in 22 2/3 innings, the second-longest streak ever by a Pittsburgh reliever.

Nick Loftin had four hits for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. added three and Carter Jensen slugged his 25th of the season but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Royals from losing for the sixth time in seven games.

Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler needed 90 pitches to get through four innings. The 24-year-old right-hander allowed three runs with a walk and six strikeouts.

Up next

The series wraps up Sunday. Michael Wacha (9-9, 3.34 ERA) was set to start for the Royals. The Pirates will start Lake Bachar.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Brandon Lowe, right, celebrates with Konnor Griffin (6) after hitting a two-run home run off Kansas City Royals pitcher Randy Dobnak during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin had four hits, Brandon Lowe hit his 32nd homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates surged past the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Friday night.

Pittsburgh churned out 15 hits against Kansas City to overcome an early four-run deficit to move back to .500 (77-77) in its bid for the franchise’s first winning season since 2018.

The 20-year-old Griffin, who missed two months with a left-hand injury that coincided with a summer swoon that saw the Pirates’ playoff hopes evaporate, posted the third four-hit game of his young career. His RBI single in the seventh off reliever Nate Pearson (2-2) capped a three-run rally.

Yohan Ramirez (7-4) retired all four batters he faced in relief to pick up the win. Gregory Soto worked the ninth for his 15th save, but just his first since Aug. 1.

Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey homered for the Royals, but Kansas City couldn’t take advantage of a so-so performance by Pirates ace Paul Skenes.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner scuffled at times during his likely next-to-last start of the season. The 24-year-old right-hander was tagged for five runs in six innings with a walk and seven strikeouts but found a rhythm late, retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced. Still, his ERA ticked up to 3.91, nearly double the 1.97 he posted a year ago while becoming the first Pirate to win pitching’s biggest award since 1992.

Kansas City starter Randy Dobnak, a Pittsburgh native, struggled in his second career start in his hometown. The 31-year-old allowed four runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout in 3 2/3 innings, his shortest outing since making his debut with the Royals in July.

Up next

The series continues Saturday. Noah Cameron (9-8, 3.84 ERA) was set to start for the Royals against Pittsburgh’s Bubba Chandler (8-9, 4.28).

(File Photo: Credit for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates his goal with Bryan Rust after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Cranberry Township, PA) Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas announced on Wednesday that the Penguins invited 69 players to their 2026-2027 training camp, which is presented by UPMC. 

The training camp roster for the Penguins this year, which can be seen by clicking here, includes seven goaltenders, 23 defensemen, 36 forwards and three injured players. 

Training camp opened yesterday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township. 

All practices at that facility are free and open to the public, and all practices unless noted otherwise are at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. 

According to a report from the Pittsburgh Penguins on nhl.com, here is the remaining schedule for the team’s 2026-2027 training camp:

(PASSED: Thursday, September 17th 8:45-10:15 AM – Group A Practice 11:30 AM-1:00 PM – Group B Practice 12:45-2:15 PM – Group C Practice)

Friday, September 18th
8:45-10:15 AM – Group A Practice
11:30 AM-1:00 PM – Group B Practice
12:45-2:15 PM – Group C Practice

Saturday, September 19th
8:45-10:15 AM – Group A Practice
11:30 AM-1:00 PM – Group B Practice
12:45-2:15 PM – Group C Practice

Sunday, September 20th
DAY OFF

Monday, September 21st
10:30 – Morning Skate
7:00 PM – GAME VS. BUFFALO

Tuesday, September 22nd
10:30 – Morning Skate
7:00 PM – GAME VS. DETROIT

Wednesday, September 23rd
DAY OFF

Thursday, September 24th
11:30 AM – Morning Skate
7:00 PM – GAME AT COLUMBUS (Nationwide Arena)

Friday, September 25th
12:00-1:30 PM – Practice

Saturday, September 26th
3:00 PM – GAME AT BUFFALO (KeyBank Center)

Sunday, September 27th
12:00-1:00 PM – Practice

Monday, September 28th
DAY OFF