Gabe Swansen’s game-winning RBI double in the ninth inning delivered Nebraska its fifth conference championship in program history with a 2-1 win over Penn State in front of 13,300 fans on Sunday morning at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

Nebraska (39-20) totaled two runs on six hits with an error, while Penn State (29-24) tallied a run on four hits with one error.

Swansen finished 2-for-4 with an RBI double, his fourth multi-hit game of the Big Ten Tournament. Josh Caron homered for the third consecutive game, while Joshua Overbeek and Case Sanderson recorded the other two Husker hits.

Jackson Brockett tossed eight strong innings for the Big Red, allowing just four hits and an earned run. The southpaw punched out five batters and walked just one, improving to 3-2 for the Huskers. Brett Sears entered in the ninth inning and set down the Nittany Lions in order to secure the first save of his career.

Penn State jumped ahead in the opening frame after a walk and two singles loaded the bases. An errant throw on a pickoff attempt at second base plated the first run of the game and put the Nittany Lions in front 1-0.

After three scoreless innings from the Husker offense, an error on Overbeek’s grounder and a single from Sanderson put runners on second and third. However, a shallow pop-up and double play on a popped up bunt attempt ended the threat in the fourth inning.

On the mound, Brockett retired the next 12 batters in order across the next four innings before a two-out single from Overbeek gave Nebraska its second base runner of the game. The Huskers were once again stifled offensively after a groundout ended the top of the sixth.

Brockett’s streak came to an end at 14 consecutive batters retired on a one-out double from Penn State’s Adam Cecere. The southpaw responded with two straight outs to strand a runner in scoring position and keep the deficit at one after six innings played.

Caron continued his scorching hot tournament with a 403-foot home run into the right-center bleachers to begin the seventh inning and even the game at one.&nbsp;

The blast marked his sixth long ball of the tournament, which passed Purdue’s Dan Black (5) in 2008 for the most home runs in a single Big Ten Tournament. His 28 total bases also set a new tournament record, surpassing Ohio State’s Steve Caravati who finished the 2005 tournament with 26.

Both teams went quietly in the eighth but a two-out single from Columbus up the middle gave the Huskers life. Brumbaugh entered the game as a pinch runner and swiped second base to give NU a runner in scoring position with two outs.

Swansen then delivered the go-ahead RBI double for the Big Red into the left-center gap to score Brumbaugh and give the Huskers their first lead of the afternoon. It was the junior’s team-leading seventh extra-base hit of the tournament and 10th RBI this week for the Johnston, Iowa, native.

Sears entered in the bottom of the ninth inning for his first relief appearance of the season after throwing 99 pitches on Wednesday. The right-hander retired the side in order, ending the game on a flyout to clinch Nebraska's first-ever Big Ten Tournament title.

The Huskers secured the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Baseball Championship Selection Show is set for tomorrow, Monday, May 27, at 10 a.m. (MT) on ESPN2.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716767220541.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy: Husker AthleticsGabe Swansen’s game-winning RBI double in the ninth inning delivered Nebraska its fifth conference championship in program history with a 2-1 win over Penn State in front of 13,300 fans on Sunday morning at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.Nebraska (39-20) totaled two runs on six hits with an error, while Penn State (29-24) tallied a run on four hits with one error.Swansen finished 2-for-4 with an RBI double, his fourth multi-hit game of the Big Ten Tournament. Josh Caron homered for the third consecutive game, while Joshua Overbeek and Case Sanderson recorded the other two Husker hits.Jackson Brockett tossed eight strong innings for the Big Red, allowing just four hits and an earned run. The southpaw punched out five batters and walked just one, improving to 3-2 for the Huskers. Brett Sears entered in the ninth inning and set down the Nittany Lions in order to secure the first save of his career.Penn State jumped ahead in the opening frame after a walk and two singles loaded the bases. An errant throw on a pickoff attempt at second base plated the first run of the game and put the Nittany Lions in front 1-0.After three scoreless innings from the Husker offense, an error on Overbeek’s grounder and a single from Sanderson put runners on second and third. However, a shallow pop-up and double play on a popped up bunt attempt ended the threat in the fourth inning.On the mound, Brockett retired the next 12 batters in order across the next four innings before a two-out single from Overbeek gave Nebraska its second base runner of the game. The Huskers were once again stifled offensively after a groundout ended the top of the sixth.Brockett’s streak came to an end at 14 consecutive batters retired on a one-out double from Penn State’s Adam Cecere. The southpaw responded with two straight outs to strand a runner in scoring position and keep the deficit at one after six innings played.Caron continued his scorching hot tournament with a 403-foot home run into the right-center bleachers to begin the seventh inning and even the game at one.&nbsp;The blast marked his sixth long ball of the tournament, which passed Purdue’s Dan Black (5) in 2008 for the most home runs in a single Big Ten Tournament. His 28 total bases also set a new tournament record, surpassing Ohio State’s Steve Caravati who finished the 2005 tournament with 26.Both teams went quietly in the eighth but a two-out single from Columbus up the middle gave the Huskers life. Brumbaugh entered the game as a pinch runner and swiped second base to give NU a runner in scoring position with two outs.Swansen then delivered the go-ahead RBI double for the Big Red into the left-center gap to score Brumbaugh and give the Huskers their first lead of the afternoon. It was the junior’s team-leading seventh extra-base hit of the tournament and 10th RBI this week for the Johnston, Iowa, native.Sears entered in the bottom of the ninth inning for his first relief appearance of the season after throwing 99 pitches on Wednesday. The right-hander retired the side in order, ending the game on a flyout to clinch Nebraska's first-ever Big Ten Tournament title.The Huskers secured the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Baseball Championship Selection Show is set for tomorrow, Monday, May 27, at 10 a.m. (MT) on ESPN2.&nbsp;

Huskers are Big 10 Baseball Champs!

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerBaseball/status/1794381412130283523">Josh Caron hit two home runs and drove in all the runs</a>&nbsp;and Will Walsh pitched a complete game as Nebraska stayed alive in the Big Ten Tournament with a 4-2 win over Indiana on Saturday.

The third-seeded Cornhuskers (37-20) and the third-seeded Hoosiers (32-23-1) meet again Saturday night for a berth in the championship game on Sunday.

Caron hit a three-run homer in the third inning and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerBaseball/status/1794404655532761233">added an insurance run with his 14th of the season in the eighth.</a>

<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerBaseball/status/1794407838061641837">Walsh (5-4) gave up six hits and walked one while striking out five</a>.

Josh Pyne and Nick Mitchell had back-to-back doubles in the first inning for the Hoosiers and Mitchell scored on a sacrifice fly after tripling with one out in the third.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerBaseball/status/1794381412130283523">Josh Caron hit two home runs and drove in all the runs</a>&nbsp;and Will Walsh pitched a complete game as Nebraska stayed alive in the Big Ten Tournament with a 4-2 win over Indiana on Saturday.The third-seeded Cornhuskers (37-20) and the third-seeded Hoosiers (32-23-1) meet again Saturday night for a berth in the championship game on Sunday.Caron hit a three-run homer in the third inning and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerBaseball/status/1794404655532761233">added an insurance run with his 14th of the season in the eighth.</a><a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerBaseball/status/1794407838061641837">Walsh (5-4) gave up six hits and walked one while striking out five</a>.Josh Pyne and Nick Mitchell had back-to-back doubles in the first inning for the Hoosiers and Mitchell scored on a sacrifice fly after tripling with one out in the third.

Huskers handle Hoosiers Saturday to advance in Big 10 Tournament

Chadron is looking for a split on opening day of action at the annual Gering Memorial Day Weekend American Legion Baseball Tournament at Oregon Trail Park.&nbsp; 

Friday morning, Chadron's Post #12 seniors dropped an 11-1 decision to Torrington, and will face Buckley next to cap Friday's pair of games.&nbsp; Torrington used two big innings to earn the win, scoring five runs in each of the third and fifth.

Chadron was held to just two hits and scored its lone run on an error in the second inning.&nbsp; Kobe Bissonette tripled. Defensively, five Chadron errors helped the Tigers continue their offensive success.

Chadron faces Buckley shortly after the first game and the tournament continues over the holiday weekend with several regional teams.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716574746517.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins Sports DirectorChadron is looking for a split on opening day of action at the annual Gering Memorial Day Weekend American Legion Baseball Tournament at Oregon Trail Park.&nbsp; Friday morning, Chadron's Post #12 seniors dropped an 11-1 decision to Torrington, and will face Buckley next to cap Friday's pair of games.&nbsp; Torrington used two big innings to earn the win, scoring five runs in each of the third and fifth.Chadron was held to just two hits and scored its lone run on an error in the second inning.&nbsp; Kobe Bissonette tripled. Defensively, five Chadron errors helped the Tigers continue their offensive success.Chadron faces Buckley shortly after the first game and the tournament continues over the holiday weekend with several regional teams.

Chadron opens Legion Baseball Memorial Day Weekend Tournament with loss

Omaha, Ne -&nbsp;Nebraska gets it's rematch today against Ohio State who defeated the Huskers 15-2 in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Tuesday night. Today's game is an elimination game at&nbsp; 2 p.m CDT at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. You can listen to the game on <a href="https://kcowradio.com/">AM 1400 or FM 92.5 KCOW</a> today, with pregame at 12:30pm Mountain Time, first pitch at 1pm MDT/2pm CDT.&nbsp;

Should Nebraska win, they'll play Indiana Saturday morning in a 9am CDT game, 8am MDT with pregame at 7:30am on KCOW.&nbsp;

Omaha, Ne -&nbsp;Nebraska gets it's rematch today against Ohio State who defeated the Huskers 15-2 in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Tuesday night. Today's game is an elimination game at&nbsp; 2 p.m CDT at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. You can listen to the game on <a href="https://kcowradio.com/">AM 1400 or FM 92.5 KCOW</a> today, with pregame at 12:30pm Mountain Time, first pitch at 1pm MDT/2pm CDT.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716563615138.jpeg" alt="Big Ten Baseball Bracket for Friday, May 24 2024" />
 <figcaption>Big Ten Baseball Bracket for Friday, May 24 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>Should Nebraska win, they'll play Indiana Saturday morning in a 9am CDT game, 8am MDT with pregame at 7:30am on KCOW.&nbsp;

Husker Baseball gets rematch in B1G Tournament against Ohio State this afternoon

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos closed out their first week of OTAs Thursday with coach Sean Payton praising&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-bo-nix-minicamp-f097800533bc5d9445d02615f010c6d4">all three quarterbacks</a>&nbsp;competing for the starting job and cautioning that nothing should be read into the order in which they take snaps.

“We try to split up all the reps,″ Payton said. “There’s going to be a time when you read into the reps, I don’t think it’s early in OTAs.”

Jarrett Stidham is technically the incumbent, having started the final two games last season, but he'll have to beat out two first-round picks in rookie Bo Nix, the 12th player and sixth quarterback selected in last month's draft, and Zach Wilson, the second-overall pick in 2021 by the New York Jets, who traded him to Denver last month.

Asked about Nix's progress so far, Payton said: "Good, he’s farther along than most would be. We’re talking about a player who’s played 61 games (in college). He’s extremely smart. He’s picked it up very quickly.″

Nix worked with the starters Thursday after Stidham got first-team reps Tuesday and Wilson worked with the No. 1 unit Wednesday.

Stidham has started four games in four NFL seasons with the Patriots, Raiders and Broncos, backing up Tom Brady, Derek Carr and Russell Wilson.

“Having two new guys in the room, this is the first time I've been the vet in the room,” Stidham said. Otherwise, he said, he's competing for a job just like he has every year he's been in the NFL.

Zach Wilson went 12-21 as the starter in New York and was deemed expendable with Aaron Rodgers returning from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in last season's opener. Wilson said he's eager to play in Payton's system, which he feels will bring out the best in him.

“They're all in a race to learn this system,” Payton said. “Man, they're doing well.”

Each was superior in his own way Thursday when Stidham showed a grasp of the offense befitting someone with a year's head start, Nix deftly handled the pressure of the pass rushers and Wilson showed off his arm strength.

“You know, it's kind of the orphan group,” Payton said. “They're all orphan dogs. They come from somewhere. But they're doing good.”

Wilson, a proud owner of two Siberian huskies, chuckled at the metaphor.

“We've gone through it, right? You can see why," Wilson said, adding that for him, "it's been three years of tough challenges. But in the end that's what makes you stronger and you just need somebody to believe in you and believe in yourself.”

The Broncos have rolled through 13 starting quarterbacks since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peyton-manning-mizel-honor-denver-broncos-82b7c68dcfe44e7eb0cd9d0ace02fc9c">Peyton Manning</a>&nbsp;retired after Denver won Super Bowl 50 in 2016.

At a banquet honoring his community involvement Wednesday night, Manning called Payton's system “extremely quarterback friendly,” one he said he would like to have played in during his Hall of Fame career.

“It sounds like they got great competition over there," Manning said. “That’s always good, makes everybody better.”

Manning goes back a long way with both Stidham and Nix, who as youths participated in his family's passing academy. Although he doesn't know Wilson well, Manning reached out to him when he was traded to the Broncos.

“It's exciting,” said Wilson, who grew up in Utah, where the Broncos are popular. "I've grown up watching him and the way he plays the game, the way he attacks it every single day. And he's a legend out here. So, hopefully I can spend a little time picking his brain.”

Asked about Nix, Manning said that while there are exceptions such as Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, who bided their time on the sideline before getting their crack at starting, the quickest way for a rookie to get up to speed in the NFL is to take his lumps right away.

That's what Manning did in Indianapolis in 1998 when he threw 28 interceptions — a rookie record that still stands — and suffered through a 3-13 season that was followed a year later by a 13-3 campaign.

“There’s no way that would have happened had I not played and kind of gone through those struggles,” Manning said. He added that his brother Eli told him he learned more from the seven games he started as rookie than from the nine he watched.

Payton was asked about his thoughts on starting a rookie QB right away and said one of the many factors that go into that equation is how quickly the newcomer can pick up the offense.

"I think some of it is a byproduct of what you have in the building. If you have a starter in the building then that’s the path you go, and sometimes you don’t have that luxury, then that’s the path you go,″ Payton said. “A lot of it is dependent on the quarterback, his mental makeup.″

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716518438191.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos closed out their first week of OTAs Thursday with coach Sean Payton praising&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-bo-nix-minicamp-f097800533bc5d9445d02615f010c6d4">all three quarterbacks</a>&nbsp;competing for the starting job and cautioning that nothing should be read into the order in which they take snaps.“We try to split up all the reps,″ Payton said. “There’s going to be a time when you read into the reps, I don’t think it’s early in OTAs.”Jarrett Stidham is technically the incumbent, having started the final two games last season, but he'll have to beat out two first-round picks in rookie Bo Nix, the 12th player and sixth quarterback selected in last month's draft, and Zach Wilson, the second-overall pick in 2021 by the New York Jets, who traded him to Denver last month.Asked about Nix's progress so far, Payton said: "Good, he’s farther along than most would be. We’re talking about a player who’s played 61 games (in college). He’s extremely smart. He’s picked it up very quickly.″Nix worked with the starters Thursday after Stidham got first-team reps Tuesday and Wilson worked with the No. 1 unit Wednesday.Stidham has started four games in four NFL seasons with the Patriots, Raiders and Broncos, backing up Tom Brady, Derek Carr and Russell Wilson.“Having two new guys in the room, this is the first time I've been the vet in the room,” Stidham said. Otherwise, he said, he's competing for a job just like he has every year he's been in the NFL.Zach Wilson went 12-21 as the starter in New York and was deemed expendable with Aaron Rodgers returning from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in last season's opener. Wilson said he's eager to play in Payton's system, which he feels will bring out the best in him.“They're all in a race to learn this system,” Payton said. “Man, they're doing well.”Each was superior in his own way Thursday when Stidham showed a grasp of the offense befitting someone with a year's head start, Nix deftly handled the pressure of the pass rushers and Wilson showed off his arm strength.“You know, it's kind of the orphan group,” Payton said. “They're all orphan dogs. They come from somewhere. But they're doing good.”Wilson, a proud owner of two Siberian huskies, chuckled at the metaphor.“We've gone through it, right? You can see why," Wilson said, adding that for him, "it's been three years of tough challenges. But in the end that's what makes you stronger and you just need somebody to believe in you and believe in yourself.”The Broncos have rolled through 13 starting quarterbacks since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peyton-manning-mizel-honor-denver-broncos-82b7c68dcfe44e7eb0cd9d0ace02fc9c">Peyton Manning</a>&nbsp;retired after Denver won Super Bowl 50 in 2016.At a banquet honoring his community involvement Wednesday night, Manning called Payton's system “extremely quarterback friendly,” one he said he would like to have played in during his Hall of Fame career.“It sounds like they got great competition over there," Manning said. “That’s always good, makes everybody better.”Manning goes back a long way with both Stidham and Nix, who as youths participated in his family's passing academy. Although he doesn't know Wilson well, Manning reached out to him when he was traded to the Broncos.“It's exciting,” said Wilson, who grew up in Utah, where the Broncos are popular. "I've grown up watching him and the way he plays the game, the way he attacks it every single day. And he's a legend out here. So, hopefully I can spend a little time picking his brain.”Asked about Nix, Manning said that while there are exceptions such as Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, who bided their time on the sideline before getting their crack at starting, the quickest way for a rookie to get up to speed in the NFL is to take his lumps right away.That's what Manning did in Indianapolis in 1998 when he threw 28 interceptions — a rookie record that still stands — and suffered through a 3-13 season that was followed a year later by a 13-3 campaign.“There’s no way that would have happened had I not played and kind of gone through those struggles,” Manning said. He added that his brother Eli told him he learned more from the seven games he started as rookie than from the nine he watched.Payton was asked about his thoughts on starting a rookie QB right away and said one of the many factors that go into that equation is how quickly the newcomer can pick up the offense."I think some of it is a byproduct of what you have in the building. If you have a starter in the building then that’s the path you go, and sometimes you don’t have that luxury, then that’s the path you go,″ Payton said. “A lot of it is dependent on the quarterback, his mental makeup.″

Payton praises all 3 quarterbacks seeking Broncos starting job

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tyler Soderstrom drew a bases-loaded walk to cap a five-run 11th inning and the Oakland Athletics stunned the Colorado Rockies 10-9 on Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Oakland trailed 9-5 before Max Schuemann doubled home a run to start the winning rally. Abraham Toro followed with an RBI single, and JJ Bleday tied the score with a two-run homer.

Colorado loaded the bases on an intentional walk to Kyle McCann before Peter Lambert (2-3) walked Soderstrom to force in the winning run.

“These guys in there, they don’t quit,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Today’s an example of that. The unity that they’ve stuck together, the teamwork that they’ve created, the culture in there came out today as an example of the win.”

J.D. Davis and Daz Cameron also homered late for the A's, who overcame a pair of four-run deficits and sent the Rockies to their fifth loss in six games following a seven-game winning streak.

“This one stings a little bit," Lambert said. “We were kind of in control the whole game and had a couple of tough innings late. But we'll move past it.”

Colorado starter Ryan Feltner pitched six scoreless innings and the Rockies took a 4-0 lead into the seventh but couldn't close it out.

Schuemann got the A’s on the board with an RBI single in the seventh. Davis hit a two-run homer in the eighth, and Cameron homered off Rockies closer Jalen Beeks leading off the ninth to tie it.

Oakland called up the 27-year-old Cameron from Triple-A Las Vegas earlier Thursday. It was his first major league home run since June 2, 2022, with the Detroit Tigers.

“If you ever heard of the ‘snap, crackle, pop’ saying, that’s exactly what it felt like,” Cameron said. “Popping a ball off the wood, fat part of the bat and sending it out was a good feeling.”

Colorado regained the lead on Jordan Beck’s sacrifice fly in the 10th, but Zack Gelof tied it for the A's with an RBI single in the bottom half.

Brandon Bielak (1-0) got the final out of the 11th to earn his first win with the Athletics.

Oakland won its fourth game when trailing after eight innings, tying the Miami Marlins for most in the majors.

“We kept battling,” Cameron said. “We kept gnawing down and dogging the team out there to beat them during every next pitch and every next play for us to come out and win.”

A’s starter Joey Estes allowed four runs and seven hits, striking out six in seven innings.

The Athletics placed OF Esteury Ruiz on the 10-day injured list with a strained left wrist. Oakland selected Cameron from Triple-A Las Vegas and designated INF Jordan Díaz for assignment. ... RHP Joe Boyle (lower back strain) was scheduled to make a rehab start for Las Vegas on Thursday night.

Rockies: LHP Ty Blach (1-2, 5.14 ERA) opens a three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night opposite LHP Cristopher Sánchez (2-3, 3.31).

Athletics: RHP Ross Stripling (1-8, 5.19 ERA) takes the mound Friday night in the first of a three-game home series against the Astros. Houston counters with RHP Justin Verlander (2-2, 3.97).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716518322876.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tyler Soderstrom drew a bases-loaded walk to cap a five-run 11th inning and the Oakland Athletics stunned the Colorado Rockies 10-9 on Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game series.Oakland trailed 9-5 before Max Schuemann doubled home a run to start the winning rally. Abraham Toro followed with an RBI single, and JJ Bleday tied the score with a two-run homer.Colorado loaded the bases on an intentional walk to Kyle McCann before Peter Lambert (2-3) walked Soderstrom to force in the winning run.“These guys in there, they don’t quit,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Today’s an example of that. The unity that they’ve stuck together, the teamwork that they’ve created, the culture in there came out today as an example of the win.”J.D. Davis and Daz Cameron also homered late for the A's, who overcame a pair of four-run deficits and sent the Rockies to their fifth loss in six games following a seven-game winning streak.“This one stings a little bit," Lambert said. “We were kind of in control the whole game and had a couple of tough innings late. But we'll move past it.”Colorado starter Ryan Feltner pitched six scoreless innings and the Rockies took a 4-0 lead into the seventh but couldn't close it out.Schuemann got the A’s on the board with an RBI single in the seventh. Davis hit a two-run homer in the eighth, and Cameron homered off Rockies closer Jalen Beeks leading off the ninth to tie it.Oakland called up the 27-year-old Cameron from Triple-A Las Vegas earlier Thursday. It was his first major league home run since June 2, 2022, with the Detroit Tigers.“If you ever heard of the ‘snap, crackle, pop’ saying, that’s exactly what it felt like,” Cameron said. “Popping a ball off the wood, fat part of the bat and sending it out was a good feeling.”Colorado regained the lead on Jordan Beck’s sacrifice fly in the 10th, but Zack Gelof tied it for the A's with an RBI single in the bottom half.Brandon Bielak (1-0) got the final out of the 11th to earn his first win with the Athletics.Oakland won its fourth game when trailing after eight innings, tying the Miami Marlins for most in the majors.“We kept battling,” Cameron said. “We kept gnawing down and dogging the team out there to beat them during every next pitch and every next play for us to come out and win.”A’s starter Joey Estes allowed four runs and seven hits, striking out six in seven innings.TRAINER’S ROOMThe Athletics placed OF Esteury Ruiz on the 10-day injured list with a strained left wrist. Oakland selected Cameron from Triple-A Las Vegas and designated INF Jordan Díaz for assignment. ... RHP Joe Boyle (lower back strain) was scheduled to make a rehab start for Las Vegas on Thursday night.UP NEXTRockies: LHP Ty Blach (1-2, 5.14 ERA) opens a three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night opposite LHP Cristopher Sánchez (2-3, 3.31).Athletics: RHP Ross Stripling (1-8, 5.19 ERA) takes the mound Friday night in the first of a three-game home series against the Astros. Houston counters with RHP Justin Verlander (2-2, 3.97).

Crazy 11th inning ends in Oakland comeback over Colorado

(AP) The NCAA and the nation's five biggest conferences announced Thursday night that they have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims</a>, a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start directing millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.

NCAA President Charlie Baker along with the commissioners of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference released a joint statement saying they had agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-keys-c155b06303fce4def9bca9f7efb2d03c">settlement terms.</a>&nbsp;They called the move "an important step in the continuing reform of college sports that will provide benefits to student-athletes and provide clarity in college athletics across all divisions for years to come.”

The deal still must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case and challenges could arise, but if the agreement stands it will mark the beginning of a new era in college sports where athletes are compensated more like professionals and schools can compete for talent using direct payments.

“There’s no question about it. It’s a huge quantum leap,” said Tom McMillen, the former Maryland basketball player and congressman who has led an association of collegiate athletic directors the past eight years.

Terms were not disclosed, though some details have emerged in the past few weeks. They signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906. Indeed, the days of NCAA punishment for athletes driving booster-provided cars started vanishing three years ago when the organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-sports-0aee610b0152c02dcd5d3eddb4d29f76">lifted restrictions on endorsement deals</a>&nbsp;backed by so-called name, image and likeness money.

Now it is not far-fetched to look ahead to seasons where a star quarterback or top prospect on a college basketball team are not only cashing in big-money NIL deals but have a $100,000 school payment in the bank to play.

“This landmark settlement will bring college sports into the 21st century, with college athletes finally able to receive a fair share of the billions of dollars of revenue that they generate for their schools,” said Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. “Our clients are the bedrock of the NCAA’s multibillion-dollar business and finally can be compensated in an equitable and just manner for their extraordinary athletic talents.”

There are a host of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-891f8252255048d8e5961c9b863175c3">details still to be determined,</a>&nbsp;but the agreement calls for the NCAA and the conferences to pay $2.77 billion over 10 years to more than 14,000 former and current college athletes who say now-defunct rules prevented them from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals dating to 2016.

“Even though it was only because of the overwhelming legal pressure, the NCAA, conferences and schools are agreeing that college athletes should be paid,” said Ramogi Huma, a former UCLA football player and longtime advocate for college athletes. “And there’s no going back from there. That’s truly groundbreaking.”

Some of the money will come from NCAA reserve funds and insurance but even though the lawsuit specifically targeted five conferences that are comprised of 69 schools (including Notre Dame),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-752156fdb0ea01445f52b1b109d14922">dozens of other NCAA member schools</a>&nbsp;will see smaller distributions from the NCAA to cover the mammoth payout.

Schools in the Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences will end up bearing the brunt of the settlement at a cost of about $300 million each over 10 years, the majority of which will be paid to athletes going forward.

The Pac-12 is also part of the settlement, with all 12 current schools sharing responsibility even though Washington State and Oregon State will be the only league members left by this fall after the other 10 schools leave.

In the new compensation model, each school will be permitted but not required to set aside up to $21 million in revenue to share with athletes per year, though as revenues rise so could the cap.

Athletes in all sports would be eligible for payments and schools would be given the freedom to decide how that money is divvied up among sports programs. Scholarship limits by sport will be replaced by roster restrictions.

Whether the new compensation model is subject to the Title IX gender equity law is unknown along with whether schools will be able to bring NIL activities in-house as they hope and squeeze out the booster-run collectives that have sprouted up in the last few years to pay athletes. Both topics could lead to more lawsuits.

The class-action federal lawsuit at the center of the settlement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">House v. the NCAA,</a>&nbsp;was set to go to trial in January. The complaint, brought by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and Sedona Prince, a former Oregon and current TCU basketball player, said the NCAA, along with the five wealthiest conferences, improperly barred athletes from earning endorsement money.

The suit also argued that athletes were entitled to a piece of the billions of dollars the NCAA and those conferences earn from media rights agreements with television networks.

Amid political and public pressure, and facing the prospect of another court loss that some in college sports claimed could reach $20 billion in damages, NCAA and conference officials conceded on what has long been a core principal of the enterprise: That schools don't directly pay the athletes to play beyond a scholarship.

That principle has been dented numerous times over the last decade. Notably, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-supreme-court-alston-college-athlete-benefits-5be12caeaf014da7d71baf0bb60646fe">against the NCAA in 2021</a>&nbsp;in a case related to education-related benefits.

The narrow focus of the Alston case didn't collapse the collegiate sports system, but the strong rebuke of the NCAA's model of amateurism flung the door open to more lawsuits. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a former Yale athlete, put it bluntly: “The bottom line is that the NCAA and its member colleges are suppressing the pay of student athletes who collectively generate billions of dollars in revenues for colleges every year."

The settlement is expected to cover two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-legal-problems-fe7bce9289ac1a017c3ad3bcc9f1ee8e">other antitrust cases</a>&nbsp;facing the NCAA and major conferences that challenge athlete compensation rules. Hubbard vs. the NCAA and Carter vs. the NCAA are also currently in front of judges in the Northern District of California.

A fourth case, Fontenot vs, NCAA, creates a potential complication as it remains in a Colorado court after a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-3e26c017980afe0ee1c6a28f77abcf5a">denied a request</a>&nbsp;to combine it with Carter. Whether Fontenot becomes part of the settlement is unknown and it matters because the NCAA and its conferences don't want to be on the hook for more damages should they lose in court.

“We’re going to continue to litigate our case in Colorado and look forward to hearing about the terms of a settlement proposal once they’re actually released and put in front of a court,” said George Zelcs, a plaintiffs' attorney in Fontenot.

The solution agreed to in the settlement is landmark, but not surprising. College sports has been trending in this direction for years, with athletes receiving more and more monetary benefits and rights they say were long overdue.

In December, Baker, the former Massachusetts governor who has been on the job for 14 months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-baker-nil-c26542c528df277385fea7167026dbe6">proposed creating a new tier of Division I athletics</a>&nbsp;where the schools with the most resources would be required to pay at least half their athletes $30,000 per year. That suggestion, along with many other possibilities, remain under discussion.

The settlement does not make every issue facing college sports go away. There is still a question of whether athletes should be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1095US1095&amp;oq=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCjEzMTU2ajFqMTWoAgiwAgE&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">deemed employees</a>&nbsp;of their schools, something Baker and other college sports leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-nil-charlie-baker-hearing-senate-83ed8f9e1fb267db1ce5e24d6b79617a">are fighting against.</a>

Some type of federal legislation or antitrust exemption is likely still needed to codify the terms of the settlement, protect the NCAA from future litigation and pre-empt state laws that attempt to neuter the organization's authority. As it is,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-legal-problems-fe7bce9289ac1a017c3ad3bcc9f1ee8e">the NCAA is still facing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;that challenge its ability to govern itself, including setting rules limiting multiple-time transfers.

“This settlement is also a road map for college sports leaders and Congress to ensure this uniquely American institution can continue to provide unmatched opportunity for millions of students,” the joint statement said. "All of Division I made today’s progress possible, and we all have work to do to implement the terms of the agreement as the legal process continues. We look forward to working with our various student-athlete leadership groups to write the next chapter of college sports.”

Federal lawmakers have indicated they would like to get something done, but while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-congress-nil-f8b4d71460b9950694bfc66e2e6479e2">several bills have been introduced</a>&nbsp;none have gone anywhere.

Despite the unanswered questions, one thing is clear: Major college athletics is about to become more like professional sports than ever before.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716518230646.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>(AP) The NCAA and the nation's five biggest conferences announced Thursday night that they have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims</a>, a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start directing millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.NCAA President Charlie Baker along with the commissioners of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference released a joint statement saying they had agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-keys-c155b06303fce4def9bca9f7efb2d03c">settlement terms.</a>&nbsp;They called the move "an important step in the continuing reform of college sports that will provide benefits to student-athletes and provide clarity in college athletics across all divisions for years to come.”The deal still must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case and challenges could arise, but if the agreement stands it will mark the beginning of a new era in college sports where athletes are compensated more like professionals and schools can compete for talent using direct payments.“There’s no question about it. It’s a huge quantum leap,” said Tom McMillen, the former Maryland basketball player and congressman who has led an association of collegiate athletic directors the past eight years.Terms were not disclosed, though some details have emerged in the past few weeks. They signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906. Indeed, the days of NCAA punishment for athletes driving booster-provided cars started vanishing three years ago when the organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-sports-0aee610b0152c02dcd5d3eddb4d29f76">lifted restrictions on endorsement deals</a>&nbsp;backed by so-called name, image and likeness money.Now it is not far-fetched to look ahead to seasons where a star quarterback or top prospect on a college basketball team are not only cashing in big-money NIL deals but have a $100,000 school payment in the bank to play.“This landmark settlement will bring college sports into the 21st century, with college athletes finally able to receive a fair share of the billions of dollars of revenue that they generate for their schools,” said Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. “Our clients are the bedrock of the NCAA’s multibillion-dollar business and finally can be compensated in an equitable and just manner for their extraordinary athletic talents.”There are a host of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-891f8252255048d8e5961c9b863175c3">details still to be determined,</a>&nbsp;but the agreement calls for the NCAA and the conferences to pay $2.77 billion over 10 years to more than 14,000 former and current college athletes who say now-defunct rules prevented them from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals dating to 2016.“Even though it was only because of the overwhelming legal pressure, the NCAA, conferences and schools are agreeing that college athletes should be paid,” said Ramogi Huma, a former UCLA football player and longtime advocate for college athletes. “And there’s no going back from there. That’s truly groundbreaking.”Some of the money will come from NCAA reserve funds and insurance but even though the lawsuit specifically targeted five conferences that are comprised of 69 schools (including Notre Dame),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-752156fdb0ea01445f52b1b109d14922">dozens of other NCAA member schools</a>&nbsp;will see smaller distributions from the NCAA to cover the mammoth payout.Schools in the Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences will end up bearing the brunt of the settlement at a cost of about $300 million each over 10 years, the majority of which will be paid to athletes going forward.The Pac-12 is also part of the settlement, with all 12 current schools sharing responsibility even though Washington State and Oregon State will be the only league members left by this fall after the other 10 schools leave.PAYING ATHLETESIn the new compensation model, each school will be permitted but not required to set aside up to $21 million in revenue to share with athletes per year, though as revenues rise so could the cap.Athletes in all sports would be eligible for payments and schools would be given the freedom to decide how that money is divvied up among sports programs. Scholarship limits by sport will be replaced by roster restrictions.Whether the new compensation model is subject to the Title IX gender equity law is unknown along with whether schools will be able to bring NIL activities in-house as they hope and squeeze out the booster-run collectives that have sprouted up in the last few years to pay athletes. Both topics could lead to more lawsuits.THE CASEThe class-action federal lawsuit at the center of the settlement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">House v. the NCAA,</a>&nbsp;was set to go to trial in January. The complaint, brought by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and Sedona Prince, a former Oregon and current TCU basketball player, said the NCAA, along with the five wealthiest conferences, improperly barred athletes from earning endorsement money.The suit also argued that athletes were entitled to a piece of the billions of dollars the NCAA and those conferences earn from media rights agreements with television networks.Amid political and public pressure, and facing the prospect of another court loss that some in college sports claimed could reach $20 billion in damages, NCAA and conference officials conceded on what has long been a core principal of the enterprise: That schools don't directly pay the athletes to play beyond a scholarship.That principle has been dented numerous times over the last decade. Notably, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-supreme-court-alston-college-athlete-benefits-5be12caeaf014da7d71baf0bb60646fe">against the NCAA in 2021</a>&nbsp;in a case related to education-related benefits.The narrow focus of the Alston case didn't collapse the collegiate sports system, but the strong rebuke of the NCAA's model of amateurism flung the door open to more lawsuits. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a former Yale athlete, put it bluntly: “The bottom line is that the NCAA and its member colleges are suppressing the pay of student athletes who collectively generate billions of dollars in revenues for colleges every year."THE OTHER CASESThe settlement is expected to cover two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-legal-problems-fe7bce9289ac1a017c3ad3bcc9f1ee8e">other antitrust cases</a>&nbsp;facing the NCAA and major conferences that challenge athlete compensation rules. Hubbard vs. the NCAA and Carter vs. the NCAA are also currently in front of judges in the Northern District of California.A fourth case, Fontenot vs, NCAA, creates a potential complication as it remains in a Colorado court after a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-3e26c017980afe0ee1c6a28f77abcf5a">denied a request</a>&nbsp;to combine it with Carter. Whether Fontenot becomes part of the settlement is unknown and it matters because the NCAA and its conferences don't want to be on the hook for more damages should they lose in court.“We’re going to continue to litigate our case in Colorado and look forward to hearing about the terms of a settlement proposal once they’re actually released and put in front of a court,” said George Zelcs, a plaintiffs' attorney in Fontenot.COLLEGE ATHLETICS OVERHAULThe solution agreed to in the settlement is landmark, but not surprising. College sports has been trending in this direction for years, with athletes receiving more and more monetary benefits and rights they say were long overdue.In December, Baker, the former Massachusetts governor who has been on the job for 14 months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-baker-nil-c26542c528df277385fea7167026dbe6">proposed creating a new tier of Division I athletics</a>&nbsp;where the schools with the most resources would be required to pay at least half their athletes $30,000 per year. That suggestion, along with many other possibilities, remain under discussion.The settlement does not make every issue facing college sports go away. There is still a question of whether athletes should be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1095US1095&amp;oq=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCjEzMTU2ajFqMTWoAgiwAgE&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">deemed employees</a>&nbsp;of their schools, something Baker and other college sports leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-nil-charlie-baker-hearing-senate-83ed8f9e1fb267db1ce5e24d6b79617a">are fighting against.</a>Some type of federal legislation or antitrust exemption is likely still needed to codify the terms of the settlement, protect the NCAA from future litigation and pre-empt state laws that attempt to neuter the organization's authority. As it is,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-legal-problems-fe7bce9289ac1a017c3ad3bcc9f1ee8e">the NCAA is still facing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;that challenge its ability to govern itself, including setting rules limiting multiple-time transfers.“This settlement is also a road map for college sports leaders and Congress to ensure this uniquely American institution can continue to provide unmatched opportunity for millions of students,” the joint statement said. "All of Division I made today’s progress possible, and we all have work to do to implement the terms of the agreement as the legal process continues. We look forward to working with our various student-athlete leadership groups to write the next chapter of college sports.”Federal lawmakers have indicated they would like to get something done, but while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-congress-nil-f8b4d71460b9950694bfc66e2e6479e2">several bills have been introduced</a>&nbsp;none have gone anywhere.Despite the unanswered questions, one thing is clear: Major college athletics is about to become more like professional sports than ever before.

Pay-for-play is nearly a done deal for major college sports

On this the Memorial Day weekend, supporters of Chadron State College and its athletics and will celebrate the 30th&nbsp;anniversary of the CSC Don Beebe Golf Classic Tournament at Ridgeview Golf Course south of town.&nbsp;

The tournament will begin Friday evening with the annual Par-Three Shootout at hole two. Nearly 140 golfers will take part in the four-person team scramble Saturday and Sunday. This year they’ll come from 10 states, some as far as Florida, Arizona and Tennessee. Among the golfers signed up are lots of local residents as well as numerous CSC alums, many of them former athletes.

The 34 teams will split tee-times between morning and afternoon on Saturday. Championship rounds in four flights will take place Sunday. Returning champions Trevor Berry, Tyler Westlake and Jacksyn Behrends, all of Chadron, and Dom Yates, of Lander, Wyo., will defend their title for the second year, having won the tournament in both 2022 and 2023.

Among those likely to challenge for the championship are Alpine Hickstein of Chadron, Kinsey Smith of Windsor, Colo., Jordan Grasis, of Yuma, Ariz., and Brooke Kramer of Aurora, Colo. All are recent CSC golfers who have spent hours improving their game at Ridgeview. Hickstein’s final season as a CSC golfer was 2022-23 while the others were seniors this year.

By: Brandon Davenport, CSC FoundationOn this the Memorial Day weekend, supporters of Chadron State College and its athletics and will celebrate the 30th&nbsp;anniversary of the CSC Don Beebe Golf Classic Tournament at Ridgeview Golf Course south of town.&nbsp;The tournament will begin Friday evening with the annual Par-Three Shootout at hole two. Nearly 140 golfers will take part in the four-person team scramble Saturday and Sunday. This year they’ll come from 10 states, some as far as Florida, Arizona and Tennessee. Among the golfers signed up are lots of local residents as well as numerous CSC alums, many of them former athletes.The 34 teams will split tee-times between morning and afternoon on Saturday. Championship rounds in four flights will take place Sunday. Returning champions Trevor Berry, Tyler Westlake and Jacksyn Behrends, all of Chadron, and Dom Yates, of Lander, Wyo., will defend their title for the second year, having won the tournament in both 2022 and 2023.Among those likely to challenge for the championship are Alpine Hickstein of Chadron, Kinsey Smith of Windsor, Colo., Jordan Grasis, of Yuma, Ariz., and Brooke Kramer of Aurora, Colo. All are recent CSC golfers who have spent hours improving their game at Ridgeview. Hickstein’s final season as a CSC golfer was 2022-23 while the others were seniors this year.

30th Annual Don Beebe Golf Classic in Chadron over Memorial Day Weekend

Brett Sears and Drew Christo combined to toss a two-hitter, as the duo retired 19 of the last 20 Boilermakers in Nebraska’s 6-2 win over Purdue on Wednesday night at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.&nbsp;

Nebraska (35-20) scored six runs on 12 hits and an error, while Purdue (33-24) totaled two runs on two hits to end the Boilermakers’ season on a seven-game losing skid.

Case Sanderson had a 3-for-5 night with a double and an RBI. Gabe Swansen was 2-for-4 with a double, home run and two runs scored. Josh Caron had a two-hit night with a solo homer, while Dylan Carey turned in a pair of hits, including a double. Ben Columbus, Cole Evans and Joshua Overbeek recorded one hit apiece.

Brett Sears became the first NU pitcher since at least 1999 to post a 9-0 record on the mound after dealing his 12th quality start of the season. The senior held Purdue to just two hits and allowed two runs, one earned, while striking out nine Boilermakers. With the nine punchouts, Sears climbed to 10th in program history with 96 strikeouts on the season.

Drew Christo collected his first save of the season after working three hitless innings. The junior faced on batter over the three-inning minimum and recorded four strikeouts.

A two-out solo homer in the bottom of the first broke the scoreless tie to give the Boilermakers a 1-0 lead through the opening frame.

Swansen’s 12-pitch plate appearance to being the second inning ignited a four-run rally from the Huskers to give Nebraska a three-run advantage. The junior led off the inning with a full-count walk after fouling off six consecutive pitches with a 3-2 count. A single from Carey had runners on first and second, while Evans laced the first pitch for an RBI double to left, scoring Swansen.

An RBI fielder’s choice to shortstop by Silva brought home Carey to give the Huskers a one-run lead. Overbeek kept it rolling for the NU offense, lining a first-pitch RBI double to center, plating Silva all the way from first base. Overbeek moved to third on a groundout, before Sanderson ripped a 2-1 pitch back up the middle for an RBI single to make it a 4-1 game.&nbsp;

Purdue got one of the three runs back in the bottom of the second with an RBI groundout after an NU fielding error extended the inning to bring the Boilermakers within 4-2 after two innings.

Swansen smashed a solo homer into the left-field bleachers to open the third inning, while Sears hung his first scoreless frame in the bottom half to maintain the three-run lead for the Big Red.

Sears retired the Boilermakers in order in the next three innings to preserve his 12th quality start of the season, becoming the fourth NU pitcher to since 2000 to record 12-or-more quality starts in a season.

Christo replaced Sears on the mound following the seventh-inning stretch and picked up right where the Huskers’ ace left off, sitting down Purdue in order with a pair of strikeouts.

Caron drilled a leadoff homer to start the ninth inning and stretch the lead to 6-2, snapping a string of five consecutive scoreless innings between the two teams. The junior sent an 0-1 pitch into the bleachers in left field for his team-leading 12th home run of the season.

Christo plunked the first batter in the bottom of the ninth, before a flyout and back-to-back strikeouts ended the bottom of the ninth and clinched Nebraska’s 6-2 win on Wednesday night.

Nebraska advances to play the loser of Indiana vs. Ohio State on Friday, May 24 at 1 p.m. (MT) at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy: Husker AthleticsBrett Sears and Drew Christo combined to toss a two-hitter, as the duo retired 19 of the last 20 Boilermakers in Nebraska’s 6-2 win over Purdue on Wednesday night at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.&nbsp;Nebraska (35-20) scored six runs on 12 hits and an error, while Purdue (33-24) totaled two runs on two hits to end the Boilermakers’ season on a seven-game losing skid.Case Sanderson had a 3-for-5 night with a double and an RBI. Gabe Swansen was 2-for-4 with a double, home run and two runs scored. Josh Caron had a two-hit night with a solo homer, while Dylan Carey turned in a pair of hits, including a double. Ben Columbus, Cole Evans and Joshua Overbeek recorded one hit apiece.Brett Sears became the first NU pitcher since at least 1999 to post a 9-0 record on the mound after dealing his 12th quality start of the season. The senior held Purdue to just two hits and allowed two runs, one earned, while striking out nine Boilermakers. With the nine punchouts, Sears climbed to 10th in program history with 96 strikeouts on the season.Drew Christo collected his first save of the season after working three hitless innings. The junior faced on batter over the three-inning minimum and recorded four strikeouts.A two-out solo homer in the bottom of the first broke the scoreless tie to give the Boilermakers a 1-0 lead through the opening frame.Swansen’s 12-pitch plate appearance to being the second inning ignited a four-run rally from the Huskers to give Nebraska a three-run advantage. The junior led off the inning with a full-count walk after fouling off six consecutive pitches with a 3-2 count. A single from Carey had runners on first and second, while Evans laced the first pitch for an RBI double to left, scoring Swansen.An RBI fielder’s choice to shortstop by Silva brought home Carey to give the Huskers a one-run lead. Overbeek kept it rolling for the NU offense, lining a first-pitch RBI double to center, plating Silva all the way from first base. Overbeek moved to third on a groundout, before Sanderson ripped a 2-1 pitch back up the middle for an RBI single to make it a 4-1 game.&nbsp;Purdue got one of the three runs back in the bottom of the second with an RBI groundout after an NU fielding error extended the inning to bring the Boilermakers within 4-2 after two innings.Swansen smashed a solo homer into the left-field bleachers to open the third inning, while Sears hung his first scoreless frame in the bottom half to maintain the three-run lead for the Big Red.Sears retired the Boilermakers in order in the next three innings to preserve his 12th quality start of the season, becoming the fourth NU pitcher to since 2000 to record 12-or-more quality starts in a season.Christo replaced Sears on the mound following the seventh-inning stretch and picked up right where the Huskers’ ace left off, sitting down Purdue in order with a pair of strikeouts.Caron drilled a leadoff homer to start the ninth inning and stretch the lead to 6-2, snapping a string of five consecutive scoreless innings between the two teams. The junior sent an 0-1 pitch into the bleachers in left field for his team-leading 12th home run of the season.Christo plunked the first batter in the bottom of the ninth, before a flyout and back-to-back strikeouts ended the bottom of the ninth and clinched Nebraska’s 6-2 win on Wednesday night.Nebraska advances to play the loser of Indiana vs. Ohio State on Friday, May 24 at 1 p.m. (MT) at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

Sears silences Boilermaker bats as Nebraska advances in Big 10 Tournament

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Ryan McMahon hit a two-run home run in the 12th inning and the Colorado Rockies hung on to beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Elias Díaz had three hits including a two-run home run, while Brendan Rogers and Hunter Goodman each added a pair of hits to help Colorado snap a four-game losing streak. Before the skid, the Rockies had won seven consecutive games for their longest streak in nearly five years.

“After that winning streak all the guys in here feel a bit differently,” McMahon said. “I think they know we’re in every game, and then having some success to do it leads to better results.”

Jake Cave began the 12th inning at second base and advanced to third on Ezequiel Tovar’s groundout. McMahon then hit his ninth homer of the season on a 2-2 slider from Kyle Muller (0-1).

That capped what had been a frustrating offensive night for Colorado. The Rockies had multiple chances to break the game open but stranded seven runners in scoring position before McMahon’s winning hit.

“Just finding a way to win,” said McMahon after homering in his third consecutive game. “If you find ways to win you can kind of lean on that memory. Like, ‘Hey, we’ve done this before.’ Just always gives you hope, which is a lot better to have than no hope.”

The A’s scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 12th and had two runners on base before Matt Koch got Max Schuemann to fly out for his first save of the season.

Nick Mears (1-3) retired four batters for the win.

JJ Bleday homered for the A’s, who have lost 11 of 13.

The game drew a crowd of 3,617, the fifth-lowest at the Oakland Coliseum this season.

One day after rallying from three runs down late to beat the Rockies 5-4, the A’s nearly pulled off another comeback when Zack Gelof hit a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning to force extras.

The Rockies got the potential go-ahead run to third in the 10th then struck out three times in the 11th before coming through in the 12th.

Oakland reliever Lucas Erceg made a stellar defensive play in the top of the 10th to keep the game tied when he barehanded a comebacker by Brenton Doyle and threw to first for the final out of the inning.

Díaz fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. The Rockies’ catcher got Colorado rolling when he hit a hanging slider from A’s starter Mitch Spence in the first inning, his first home run since May 8.

Díaz also singled in the third and doubled in the fifth before striking out swinging and grounding into a double play in his final two at-bats. It was his 16th multi-hit game of the season, tying Tovar for the team lead.

Rockies starter Austin Gomber had six strikeouts and allowed one run and five hits in eight innings. In four May starts, Gomber has allowed two runs in 26 2/3 innings for a 0.67 ERA.

“He was brilliant, changing speeds, ball-strike ratio off the charts,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Efficient eight innings. You don’t see that a lot in today’s game.”

Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland, on the injured list with a left elbow strain, threw a 15-pitch bullpen session and will throw again on Thursday.

Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-5, 5.69 ERA) faces the A’s on Thursday for the first time in his career. Oakland counters with RHP Joey Estes (1-1, 9.35), who is also making his first start against Colorado.

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 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Ryan McMahon hit a two-run home run in the 12th inning and the Colorado Rockies hung on to beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Wednesday night.Elias Díaz had three hits including a two-run home run, while Brendan Rogers and Hunter Goodman each added a pair of hits to help Colorado snap a four-game losing streak. Before the skid, the Rockies had won seven consecutive games for their longest streak in nearly five years.“After that winning streak all the guys in here feel a bit differently,” McMahon said. “I think they know we’re in every game, and then having some success to do it leads to better results.”Jake Cave began the 12th inning at second base and advanced to third on Ezequiel Tovar’s groundout. McMahon then hit his ninth homer of the season on a 2-2 slider from Kyle Muller (0-1).That capped what had been a frustrating offensive night for Colorado. The Rockies had multiple chances to break the game open but stranded seven runners in scoring position before McMahon’s winning hit.“Just finding a way to win,” said McMahon after homering in his third consecutive game. “If you find ways to win you can kind of lean on that memory. Like, ‘Hey, we’ve done this before.’ Just always gives you hope, which is a lot better to have than no hope.”The A’s scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 12th and had two runners on base before Matt Koch got Max Schuemann to fly out for his first save of the season.Nick Mears (1-3) retired four batters for the win.JJ Bleday homered for the A’s, who have lost 11 of 13.The game drew a crowd of 3,617, the fifth-lowest at the Oakland Coliseum this season.One day after rallying from three runs down late to beat the Rockies 5-4, the A’s nearly pulled off another comeback when Zack Gelof hit a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning to force extras.The Rockies got the potential go-ahead run to third in the 10th then struck out three times in the 11th before coming through in the 12th.Oakland reliever Lucas Erceg made a stellar defensive play in the top of the 10th to keep the game tied when he barehanded a comebacker by Brenton Doyle and threw to first for the final out of the inning.Díaz fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. The Rockies’ catcher got Colorado rolling when he hit a hanging slider from A’s starter Mitch Spence in the first inning, his first home run since May 8.Díaz also singled in the third and doubled in the fifth before striking out swinging and grounding into a double play in his final two at-bats. It was his 16th multi-hit game of the season, tying Tovar for the team lead.Rockies starter Austin Gomber had six strikeouts and allowed one run and five hits in eight innings. In four May starts, Gomber has allowed two runs in 26 2/3 innings for a 0.67 ERA.“He was brilliant, changing speeds, ball-strike ratio off the charts,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Efficient eight innings. You don’t see that a lot in today’s game.”TRAINER’S ROOMRockies: LHP Kyle Freeland, on the injured list with a left elbow strain, threw a 15-pitch bullpen session and will throw again on Thursday.UP NEXTRockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-5, 5.69 ERA) faces the A’s on Thursday for the first time in his career. Oakland counters with RHP Joey Estes (1-1, 9.35), who is also making his first start against Colorado.

McMahon's blast sends Rockies to 12th inning victory in Oakland

Nebraska High School State Golf - Complete

Two-Day Tournaments, Monday-Tuesday, May 21-22

Class B - Scottsbluff Country Club Local Teams: Scottsbluff - 2nd Place Finish, Top Individual is Thomas Dredla - 2nd Place. Local Schools With Individual Entries: Gering - John Maser - 41st Place, Ogallala - Caleb Castillo - T-21st Place. <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4805356">RESULTS LINK</a> STATE CHAMPION: Norris

Class C - Elks Country Club, Columbus, NE Local Teams: Chadron - 12th Place Finish, Top Individual is Broc Berry - T-32nd&nbsp; Place. Local Schools With Individual Entries: Mitchell - Kael Peters - T-9th Place. <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4805369">RESULTS LINK</a> STATE CHAMPION: Kearney Catholic

Class D - Lake Mahoney Golf Club, North Platte, NE Local Teams: Hemingford - T-8th Place Finish, Top Hemingford Individual - Dax Powell - 16th Place.&nbsp; Kimball - 11th Place Finish - Top Kimball Individual - Kyler Lusche - T-7th Place. Local Schools With Individual Entries: Crawford - Rhett Flack - T-47th Place, Garden County - Gavin Hunt - T-29th Place,&nbsp; Mullen - Jacob Walker - T-44th Place. <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4805394">RESULTS LINK</a> STATE CHAMPION: Overton

By: Dave Collins Sports Director<h2>Nebraska High School State Golf - Complete</h2>Two-Day Tournaments, Monday-Tuesday, May 21-22Class B - Scottsbluff Country Club Local Teams: Scottsbluff - 2nd Place Finish, Top Individual is Thomas Dredla - 2nd Place. Local Schools With Individual Entries: Gering - John Maser - 41st Place, Ogallala - Caleb Castillo - T-21st Place. <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4805356">RESULTS LINK</a> STATE CHAMPION: NorrisClass C - Elks Country Club, Columbus, NE Local Teams: Chadron - 12th Place Finish, Top Individual is Broc Berry - T-32nd&nbsp; Place. Local Schools With Individual Entries: Mitchell - Kael Peters - T-9th Place. <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4805369">RESULTS LINK</a> STATE CHAMPION: Kearney CatholicClass D - Lake Mahoney Golf Club, North Platte, NE Local Teams: Hemingford - T-8th Place Finish, Top Hemingford Individual - Dax Powell - 16th Place.&nbsp; Kimball - 11th Place Finish - Top Kimball Individual - Kyler Lusche - T-7th Place. Local Schools With Individual Entries: Crawford - Rhett Flack - T-47th Place, Garden County - Gavin Hunt - T-29th Place,&nbsp; Mullen - Jacob Walker - T-44th Place. <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4805394">RESULTS LINK</a> STATE CHAMPION: Overton

⛳ Scottsbluff churns out 2nd place finish at State Golf, local & full results

The Big Ten Conference and FOX have announced details of the network’s Friday Night Football package for the 2024 season, including Nebraska’s home matchup at Memorial Stadium against Illinois.

The Huskers’ game with the Illini will be played on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. CT, with the game televised to a national audience on FOX. The two schools were originally scheduled to play on Saturday, Sept. 21 in Lincoln.

This is the second Nebraska home game selected for prime-time national coverage in the season’s first four weeks. Earlier this month, NBC announced it would televise Nebraska’s game against Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 7 with kickoff at 6:30 p.m.

Nebraska and Illinois will be meeting on Friday night for the second straight season and for the third time since 2017. Nebraska was victorious in games in Champaign in both 2017 and 2023. It is also the third consecutive season Nebraska has played a Friday night game after winning at Rutgers in 2022.

Aside from its traditional Black Friday games at Memorial Stadium, this will be Nebraska’s first weekday home game since Sept. 20, 2001, when Nebraska hosted Rice. The game was postponed for five days following the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

The Big Ten and its television partners are expected to announce additional game times and broadcast information before the end of May.&nbsp;

The Big Ten Conference and FOX have announced details of the network’s Friday Night Football package for the 2024 season, including Nebraska’s home matchup at Memorial Stadium against Illinois.The Huskers’ game with the Illini will be played on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. CT, with the game televised to a national audience on FOX. The two schools were originally scheduled to play on Saturday, Sept. 21 in Lincoln.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699768368210.jpeg" alt="Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule yells at an official arguing for pass interference following a Maryland interception during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule yells at an official arguing for pass interference following a Maryland interception during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)</figcaption>
 </figure>This is the second Nebraska home game selected for prime-time national coverage in the season’s first four weeks. Earlier this month, NBC announced it would televise Nebraska’s game against Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 7 with kickoff at 6:30 p.m.Nebraska and Illinois will be meeting on Friday night for the second straight season and for the third time since 2017. Nebraska was victorious in games in Champaign in both 2017 and 2023. It is also the third consecutive season Nebraska has played a Friday night game after winning at Rutgers in 2022.Aside from its traditional Black Friday games at Memorial Stadium, this will be Nebraska’s first weekday home game since Sept. 20, 2001, when Nebraska hosted Rice. The game was postponed for five days following the events of Sept. 11, 2001.The Big Ten and its television partners are expected to announce additional game times and broadcast information before the end of May.&nbsp;

Husker Football to Host Illinois in Friday Evening Contest

Nebraska opened play in the Big Ten Tournament with a 15-2 loss vs. Ohio State on Tuesday night at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

Nebraska (34-20) scored two runs on four hits, while Ohio State (29-24) totaled 15 runs on 15 hits.

Josh Caron went 1-for-2 with a solo homer, while Dylan Carey had a 1-for-3 night with an RBI single. Gabe Swansen and Garrett Anglim recorded a double each for the Husker offense.

Jackson Brockett dropped to 2-2 on the season, surrendering three runs on seven hits in three innings. The southpaw struck out three Buckeyes without issuing a free pass. Bobby Olsen and Caleb Clark combined for one inning in relief.

Tucker Timmerman worked a scoreless inning, while Ty Horn picked up four strikeouts in two hitless innings.

Ohio State took the first lead of the night with a pair of runs behind three hits in the second inning. A solo homer into the Husker bullpen broke the scoreless tie, while a two-out RBI double doubled the advantage to 2-0 through two innings.

A trio of hits in the third added another run for the Buckeyes, while an eight-run frame in the fourth extended the lead to 11.

Nebraska plated its first run of the night with Caron’s solo home run to right-center in the bottom of the fourth.

The Buckeyes tacked on four more runs in the fifth to build the lead to 15-1, while the Huskers scored their second run with Carey’s RBI single to left field.

Horn struck out a pair of Buckeyes in the top of the seventh to pick up his third and fourth strikeouts of the game to preserve the shutout two-inning performance.

NU had a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the seventh after Anglim’s pinch-hit one-out double and a two-out walk to Rhett Stokes, but the Huskers couldn’t cut into the deficit, leading to Ohio State’s 15-2 run-rule win in seven innings on Tuesday night.

Nebraska takes on sixth-seeded Purdue tomorrow (Wednesday) in an elimination game tomorrow night at 6 p.m. MT at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716384415290.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy: Husker AthleticsNebraska opened play in the Big Ten Tournament with a 15-2 loss vs. Ohio State on Tuesday night at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.Nebraska (34-20) scored two runs on four hits, while Ohio State (29-24) totaled 15 runs on 15 hits.Josh Caron went 1-for-2 with a solo homer, while Dylan Carey had a 1-for-3 night with an RBI single. Gabe Swansen and Garrett Anglim recorded a double each for the Husker offense.Jackson Brockett dropped to 2-2 on the season, surrendering three runs on seven hits in three innings. The southpaw struck out three Buckeyes without issuing a free pass. Bobby Olsen and Caleb Clark combined for one inning in relief.Tucker Timmerman worked a scoreless inning, while Ty Horn picked up four strikeouts in two hitless innings.Ohio State took the first lead of the night with a pair of runs behind three hits in the second inning. A solo homer into the Husker bullpen broke the scoreless tie, while a two-out RBI double doubled the advantage to 2-0 through two innings.A trio of hits in the third added another run for the Buckeyes, while an eight-run frame in the fourth extended the lead to 11.Nebraska plated its first run of the night with Caron’s solo home run to right-center in the bottom of the fourth.The Buckeyes tacked on four more runs in the fifth to build the lead to 15-1, while the Huskers scored their second run with Carey’s RBI single to left field.Horn struck out a pair of Buckeyes in the top of the seventh to pick up his third and fourth strikeouts of the game to preserve the shutout two-inning performance.NU had a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the seventh after Anglim’s pinch-hit one-out double and a two-out walk to Rhett Stokes, but the Huskers couldn’t cut into the deficit, leading to Ohio State’s 15-2 run-rule win in seven innings on Tuesday night.Nebraska takes on sixth-seeded Purdue tomorrow (Wednesday) in an elimination game tomorrow night at 6 p.m. MT at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

⚾ Big Ten Beatdown: Huskers stomped by Ohio State 15-2 in tournament's opening round

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Finally a regular player in the big leagues, Abraham Toro hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth after Seth Brown hit a tying two-run drive the previous inning, and the Oakland Athletics snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.

“When the manager trusts you and puts you there every day it just gives you confidence as a player and you play more relaxed,” Toro said. “I was thankful I was able to play good the last couple days so I just want to take this opportunity and keep going for the rest of the year.”

Colorado's Ezequiel Tovar hit a pair of solo home runs for his first career multi-homer game and Ryan McMahon added a two-run drive before the A's rallied against Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley (2-1).

Lucas Erceg (2-2) pitched the eighth before flame-throwing closer Mason Miller struck out the side in order in the ninth for his ninth save in as many chances.

J.D. Davis also homered as Oakland avoided matching the longest losing streak in the majors this year. Miami lost nine in a row from March 28-April 6. The A’s, who drew an announced crowd of 4,005, had been swept in consecutive series.

Oakland held a team meeting in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/athletics-royals-score-f7bce10dcf5adfceccffdc14d8bb2da4">Kansas City after Sunday's 8-4 loss</a>. Everybody hopes Tuesday was a start to getting back in a groove.

“It's momentum,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “Saturday, Sunday in K.C., we had 11 hits each day and we didn't come up on the winning side. Tonight, even though we were down you felt the energy still in the dugout that we still had some outs left, we still had some at-bats, and that was a good sign.”

Kris Bryant returned from the injured list to go 0 for 4 with a strikeout for the Rockies as they continued an almost weeklong stay in the Bay Area after playing a three-game series at San Francisco over the weekend. It was the Rockies’ first visit to the Coliseum since July 28-29, 2020, during the pandemic-shortened 60-game season.

Colorado starter Cal Quantrill struck out eight — his second-most in a game this season — and walked one over six innings, allowing two runs on three hits but didn’t end up with a decision.

McMahon connected in the first after A's starter Aaron Brooks hit Charlie Blackmon with a pitch to start the game.

Brooks allowed three runs on six hits over six innings.

Rockies: Bryant had been sidelined since April 14 with a strained lower back. The Rockies had hoped OF Nolan Jones also would return but he jammed his right knee sliding into second base trying to stretch a single into a double playing a rehab game with Triple-A Albuquerque. He returned to Denver to be examined by team orthopedist Dr. Thomas Noonan. The injury wasn't considered serious but he will need some rest. ... Colorado optioned OF Sean Bouchard to Triple-A and outrighted INF Julio Carreras to Albuquerque and he had been designated for assignment on Sunday.

Athletics: RHP Luis Medina (sprained right knee) will make another rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A Las Vegas, while RHP Joe Boyle (low back strain) is set to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A in the coming days. ... INF/OF Miguel Andujar still needs more at-bats in rehab games as he works back from meniscus surgery in his right knee.

LHP Austin Gomber (1-2, 3.02 ERA) pitches the middle game for Colorado on Wednesday night againat RHP Mitch Spence (3-2, 3.90).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716384288168.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Finally a regular player in the big leagues, Abraham Toro hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth after Seth Brown hit a tying two-run drive the previous inning, and the Oakland Athletics snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.“When the manager trusts you and puts you there every day it just gives you confidence as a player and you play more relaxed,” Toro said. “I was thankful I was able to play good the last couple days so I just want to take this opportunity and keep going for the rest of the year.”Colorado's Ezequiel Tovar hit a pair of solo home runs for his first career multi-homer game and Ryan McMahon added a two-run drive before the A's rallied against Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley (2-1).Lucas Erceg (2-2) pitched the eighth before flame-throwing closer Mason Miller struck out the side in order in the ninth for his ninth save in as many chances.J.D. Davis also homered as Oakland avoided matching the longest losing streak in the majors this year. Miami lost nine in a row from March 28-April 6. The A’s, who drew an announced crowd of 4,005, had been swept in consecutive series.Oakland held a team meeting in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/athletics-royals-score-f7bce10dcf5adfceccffdc14d8bb2da4">Kansas City after Sunday's 8-4 loss</a>. Everybody hopes Tuesday was a start to getting back in a groove.“It's momentum,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “Saturday, Sunday in K.C., we had 11 hits each day and we didn't come up on the winning side. Tonight, even though we were down you felt the energy still in the dugout that we still had some outs left, we still had some at-bats, and that was a good sign.”Kris Bryant returned from the injured list to go 0 for 4 with a strikeout for the Rockies as they continued an almost weeklong stay in the Bay Area after playing a three-game series at San Francisco over the weekend. It was the Rockies’ first visit to the Coliseum since July 28-29, 2020, during the pandemic-shortened 60-game season.Colorado starter Cal Quantrill struck out eight — his second-most in a game this season — and walked one over six innings, allowing two runs on three hits but didn’t end up with a decision.McMahon connected in the first after A's starter Aaron Brooks hit Charlie Blackmon with a pitch to start the game.Brooks allowed three runs on six hits over six innings.TRAINER'S ROOMRockies: Bryant had been sidelined since April 14 with a strained lower back. The Rockies had hoped OF Nolan Jones also would return but he jammed his right knee sliding into second base trying to stretch a single into a double playing a rehab game with Triple-A Albuquerque. He returned to Denver to be examined by team orthopedist Dr. Thomas Noonan. The injury wasn't considered serious but he will need some rest. ... Colorado optioned OF Sean Bouchard to Triple-A and outrighted INF Julio Carreras to Albuquerque and he had been designated for assignment on Sunday.Athletics: RHP Luis Medina (sprained right knee) will make another rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A Las Vegas, while RHP Joe Boyle (low back strain) is set to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A in the coming days. ... INF/OF Miguel Andujar still needs more at-bats in rehab games as he works back from meniscus surgery in his right knee.UP NEXTLHP Austin Gomber (1-2, 3.02 ERA) pitches the middle game for Colorado on Wednesday night againat RHP Mitch Spence (3-2, 3.90).

Oakland steals win from Rockies deep into the night

DENVER (AP) — As the shock of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timberwolves-nuggets-score-nba-playoffs-377332a8eee6a516d9bb30cea2a371dd">blowing their 20-point Game 7 lead</a>&nbsp;settled in, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone repeated what had become somewhat of an underlying mantra for his talented but thinned team.

“I consider the San Antonio Spurs a dynasty, and they never won back-to-back,” said Malone, saluting the franchise that won NBA titles every other year between 2003 and 2007.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716310126766.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — As the shock of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/timberwolves-nuggets-score-nba-playoffs-377332a8eee6a516d9bb30cea2a371dd">blowing their 20-point Game 7 lead</a>&nbsp;settled in, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone repeated what had become somewhat of an underlying mantra for his talented but thinned team.“I consider the San Antonio Spurs a dynasty, and they never won back-to-back,” said Malone, saluting the franchise that won NBA titles every other year between 2003 and 2007.The Nuggets will have to try to follow that formula now that their quest to become the first repeat champion since Golden State in 2018 came to a screeching end Sunday night with their 98-90 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and their rising superstar Anthony Edwards.Jamal Murray bounced back from an elbow injury and a bad Game 6 with 35 points and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic had 34 points and 19 rebounds.The duo combined for 32 second-half points but they got just five points from their supporting cast — a 3-pointer by Michael Porter Jr. and a bucket from Christian Braun, as the Wolves won for the third time in four games at Ball Arena.Porter in particular was stifled by Minnesota's stellar defense. After averaging 22.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers, MPJ was held to 11.3 points and 5.4 boards in Round 2.Porter blamed himself for the Nuggets having to make earlier-than-expected summer vacation plans.“There are a lot of things we could’ve done differently as a team,” Porter said. “But I know if I would’ve played my part, we would’ve won this series. And I’ve got to live with that.”Porter entered these playoffs with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-nuggets-porter-brother-nba-cd53c902d10e93f9df205d0ec5c0a619">heavy heart</a>&nbsp;after one brother was sentenced to six years in jail for vehicular homicide and another brother was banned from the NBA for life for his role in a gambling scandal.“I’m not going to sit here and act like it wasn’t a burden and I wasn’t thinking about it all day every day,” Porter said. “But that’s still no excuse. I’m a better player than I played in this series. I’m a better shooter than I shot in this series. In the NBA, you have to be able to separate your off-the-court matters with your on-the-court-play.”Had he been able to better deal with that — not to mention the Wolves' swarming defense — Porter argues the Nuggets would be the ones preparing to host the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals this week instead of Minnesota.Instead, they're the fifth consecutive NBA champion to fail to make it out of the second round in their quest to defend their title.“We knew it was hard,” Malone said. “It was something I talked to our team in training camp. The last team to do it was the ‘17-18 Warriors and with the rules being what they are now I think it’s going to become even harder and harder to repeat as champions.”After losing key veterans Bruce Brown and Jeff Green in free agency following the franchise's first NBA title last summer, general manager Calvin Booth's options to restock the team were limited by new rules in the collective bargaining agreement that make it harder for high-priced teams such as the Nuggets to keep their core intact and also acquire veteran free agents.Denver's starting five made a combined $151.6 million this season, well over the $136 million salary cap before even accounting for the rest of the roster. So, instead of restocking with experienced veterans, the Nuggets decided to give minutes to young players such as Christian Braun and Peyton Watson while working in rookies Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson.Meanwhile, all their pursuers got better, mainly through trades and free agency signings. Nine of the top 10 teams in the Western Conference won more games this season than they did a year ago, including the Nuggets, who tied a franchise record with 57 wins, four more than they had a year ago, but still slipped from the No. 1 seed to the No. 2.Braun came on strong down the stretch and was a key player off the bench in the playoffs. Watson's defensive prowess led to spectacular stretches but he didn't earn Malone's trust enough to be part of the playoff rotation.Veterans Justin Holliday, Reggie Jackson and DeAndre Jordan got postseason cameos while Strawther, Pickett and Hunter logged meager minutes against Minnesota.The biggest difference in the series was Minnesota's superior bench featuring Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid along with Kyle Anderson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.Denver's starters outscored Minnesota's starters (565-551) in the series, but Minnesota's reserves outscored Denver's by a whopping 50 points — 168-118.The Nuggets simply couldn't buck the trend of the NBA producing a new champion every year since 2019. Being the hunted, Aaron Gordon noted, “is exhausting," and Jokic worked so many taxing minutes against the Wolves' three-center rotation that he mused about cloning himself.Jokic said he'll have to think long and hard about suiting up for Serbia at the Paris Olympics this summer. But Murray, who dealt with knee, calf, ankle, shin and elbow injuries this season, missing 23 games, said he'll suit up for Team Canada.Beyond that, Murray is already looking at chasing the NBA title again next season.“It's back to being the hunter,” he said.