Category: Saturday Sports Slam

Keller shines, Pirates end 6-game skid, tag Davies, Cubs 8-2

Keller shines, Pirates end 6-game skid, tag Davies, Cubs 8-2
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mitch Keller pitched five efficient innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates used an early burst to chase Zach Davies in an 8-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. Keller bounced back from a rough 2021 debut by allowing one run. The 25-year-old struck out seven and walked just one as the Pirates ended a six-game losing streak. Colin Moran, Bryan Reynolds and Jacob Stallings all drove in two runs during Pittsburgh’s seven-run outburst in the second against Davies.

Bucs lose 6th Straight. Drop Home Opener to the Cubs 4-2

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jayy Baez hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning and the Chicago Cubs’ struggling offense came to life in a 4-2 over Pittsburgh. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo also homered for Chicago as the Cubs pounded out a season-high 11 hits against Tyler Anderson (0-2) and four Pittsburgh relievers. Baez, Rizzo, Bryant and Jake Marisnick had two hits each as Chicago raised its major-league worst team batting average from .143 to .157. Adam Frazier and Gregory Polanco had two hits each for the Pirates but couldn’t stop Pittsburgh from dropping its sixth straight.

Letang, Rodrigues lead Penguins to 5-2 win over Rangers

Letang, Rodrigues lead Penguins to 5-2 win over Rangers
NEW YORK (AP) — Kris Letang and Evan Rodrigues scored in the second period and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Rangers 5-2. Radim Zohorna and Jason Zucker each added a goal and an assist, Mark Jankowski also scored and Letang and Rodrigues also each had an assist. Tristan Jarry stopped 22 shots to help Pittsburgh snap a two-game skid. The Penguins beat the Rangers for the sixth time in eight games this season. Colin Blackwell and Kevin Rooney scored for the Rangers, who were 3-0-1 in their last four games. Igor Shesterkin finished with 27 saves.

Reds keep rolling, hit 4 HRs to back Castillo, sweep Pirates

Reds keep rolling, hit 4 HRs to back Castillo, sweep Pirates
By JEFF WALLNER Associated Press
CINCINNATI (AP) — Tyler Naquin hit another leadoff home run and the high-scoring Cincinnati Reds kept rolling, backing Luis Castillo to rout the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-4 for their fifth straight win. The Reds have started a season 5-1 for the first time since 2016. They outscored the Pirates 30-8 in the three-game series sweep. Their 56 runs are the most in Reds franchise history through the first six games of a season. The 1976 Big Red Machine scored 51 en route to a second straight championship.  Naquin hit a leadoff homer for the second straight day. Nick Castellanos, Tyler Stephenson and Aristides Aquino also homered for the Reds.

Rangers blast Penguins 8-4 with goals from 8 players

Rangers blast Penguins 8-4 with goals from 8 players
NEW YORK (AP) — Artemi Panarin had a goal and three assists, Adam Fox had a goal and two assists and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 8-4. Colin Blackwell, Mika Zibanejad, Ryan Strome, Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and Pavel Buchnevich also scored for New York, which extended its point streak to four games. It was the first time in 11 years that different Rangers scored in a game. Igor Shesterkin made 42 saves for New York. Jared McCann, Mike Matheson, Jake Guentzel and Brian Dumoulin scored for Pittsburgh, which lost for the second time in seven games.

Naquin stars as Reds pound Pirates for 4th straight win

Naquin stars as Reds pound Pirates for 4th straight win
By JEFF WALLNER Associated Press
CINCINNATI (AP) — Tyler Naquin homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs, helping the Cincinnati Reds pound the Pittsburgh Pirates 14-1 for their fourth straight victory. Rookie Jonathan India had three hits and four RBIs in Cincinnati’s latest offensive outburst. Tucker Barnhart and Nick Senzel also had three hits apiece. The Reds set a franchise record with 46 runs in their first five games. The 1895 and 1976 teams scored 44 runs through five games.

Bucs Lose Third Straight Game

Castellanos, Moustakas lift Reds to third straight win
By JEFF WALLNER Associated Press
CINCINNATI (AP) — Nick Castellanos hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning hours after deciding to appeal a two-game suspension for his part in a brawl, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3. Jose De Leon tied a career high with nine strikeouts and allowed two runs, three hits and two walks over five innings to help the Reds secure a third straight win. Mike Moustakas tied it at 2 in the fifth with his first home run of the season, a solo shot to right field off Luis Oviedo. Moustakas also doubled and scored in the eighth.

Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams retiring after 33-year run

Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams retiring after 33-year run
By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer
North Carolina says Hall of Fame basketball coach Roy Williams is retiring. The decision comes two weeks after Williams closed his 18th season with the Tar Heels and 33rd season as a head coach overall going back to his time at Kansas. Williams won 903 games in a career that included three national championships with the Tar Heels in 2005, 2009 and 2017. UNC lost to Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in his final game.

AUDIO: Geneva Football Ready To Kick Off Season Unlike Any Other

The snow is gone, the flowers are blooming, and spring is in the air. In the sports world, that means it’s time for…college football?!

Strange as it may be, the football season begins for the Geneva College Golden Tornadoes on March 26, several months after the season was supposed to begin before the pandemic cancelled the majority of sports activity in 2020. The team kicks off its reduced spring season tonight against Westminster at Reeves Field beginning at 7:30 (pregame at 7:00 on Beaver County Radio).

Before the game, head coach Geno DeMarco sat down with Matt Drzik to talk about his 28th season as the sideline general of the Golden Tornadoes, a season he knows is going to be unlike any other. Coach DeMarco talked about the players he sees as key components to victory in the shortened five-game season, the motivation for players to even play such a short schedule on the verge of the end of the semester, the connection that Geneva College has and hopes to maintain with Beaver County talent, and the perseverance that comes with enduring not just a football season…but one within the confines of a ongoing global crisis.

To listen to the full interview, click on the player below!

Penguins extend Sabres’ winless streak to 16 straight

Penguins extend Sabres’ winless streak to 16 straight
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jared McCann scored a pair of power-play goals, Casey DeSmith made 36 saves and the Pittsburgh Penguins extended Buffalo’s winless streak to 16 straight with a 4-0 victory. Radim Zohorna picked up a goal on his first shot in the NNHL for the Penguins. Jake Guentzel added an empty-netter and Sidney Crosby had three assists to raise his career point total to 1,300. Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams served as head coach after interim Don Granato and assistant Matt Ellis were placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol a few hours before the opening faceoff.