Jazz Chisholm Jr. was ejected during the top of the seventh inning during the New York Yankees 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. Chisholm struck out looking on a full count and vehemently disagreed with the call.
As the announcers quickly noted, the pitch was not in the strike zone and seemed like a make-up call. Indeed, Chisholm did appear to be avoid what looked like strike three on the 2-2 pitch when Mason Montgomery painted the outside corner and home plate umpire John Bacon called it a ball. Not that it mattered to the Yankees infielder who was only focused on the call that went against him.
The at-bat that got Jazz Chisholm ejected. / MLB.com
Aaron Boone tried to intervene, but there was nothing that he could do to cool his player off in the moment. When Chisholm got back to the locker room he jumped on X and tweeted, "Not even f—— close!!!!" The post wasn't up long before it was deleted, but plenty of his 75,000 followers saw it.
Chisholm left the game after going 0-for-3. If there's a silver lining here it's that when he doesn't hit, he doesn't bite anyone. Maybe he was just hangry?
The last time Baylor reached a men's Final Four in 1950, the tournament included just eight teams and was won by the City College of New York Beavers.
For Houston, it has been a mere 37 years since the Cougars last were on college basketball’s biggest stage. Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon were Houston stars the last time UH basketball was this big. It has been so long since that was the case that Drexler tried, and failed, to bring Houston back to prominence as its head coach … more than 20 years ago!
While there are still two more tickets to punch to this year’s Final Four, it’s obvious that this year’s last teams standing will have a unique flavor compared to past tournaments. Perhaps that’s not shocking in a year that saw Kentucky, Duke and Louisville miss the men's NCAA tournament altogether and Michigan State and UNC spend much of the season on the bubble. Simply based on 2020–21, there’s nothing surprising about Baylor and Houston dancing into the tournament’s third weekend. But based on each program’s past, it’s quite the story.
That trend will continue Tuesday no matter who wins the Gonzaga-USC and Michigan-UCLA matchups. While the Bruins and Wolverines are historically excellent programs with great tradition, neither has won it all in the last 25 years. Each has a second-year coach that many bet against: Mick Cronin for not winning enough in March at Cincinnati and Juwan Howard for not coaching at all in college before arriving in Ann Arbor. USC, a football school through and through, hasn’t been to a Final Four since 1954. And then there’s Gonzaga, once a plucky Cinderella that now looks an awful lot like a blueblood, just three wins away from the first undefeated men's national championship since Bob Knight’s 1975–76 Indiana Hoosiers—and what would be the program's first national title, period.
So while it’s still possible (perhaps even likely) that the Final Four will feature three No. 1 seeds and a No. 2, there’s nothing chalky about the teams still competing for the national title. In a tournament with as many NCAA-defined upsets (five or more seed lines apart) as the event has ever seen, there’s another underdog story to tell through the lens of these new-school favorites.
Just take the two teams that have already locked in their seats at the table. The Baylor program, one with no history of success, rose from the ashes of a national scandal and NCAA punishments to become respectable and now elite under Scott Drew. Houston gave Kelvin Sampson another shot at college coaching after he was run out of Bloomington due to NCAA violations. Sampson, in his seventh year, has brought UH to the Final Four after inheriting a program that had not won an NCAA tournament game since Phi Slama Jama.
These may not be underdogs by seed. But these programs certainly are. And in a sport that hadn’t seen three straight men's Final Fours without one of Duke, Kentucky or North Carolina since 1962, that’s a sign of progress in and of itself.
Either Florida Atlantic or San Diego State is going to play for the national championship Monday night. In men’s basketball. Not beach volleyball nor water polo. March has indeed been Madness.
They’re going crazy in La Jolla and Boca Raton, presumably. If the folks there can tear themselves away from the beach.
Neither school has been to a Final Four until now. Neither school’s conference—Conference USA for the Owls, the Mountain West from the Aztecs—has put a team in the title game. But here we are, preparing for a barrier-breaking Final Four semifinal.
While this is, indeed, an improbable development, let’s not consider either team a fluke. Both won their league’s regular-season and tournament titles. FAU has 35 victories in 38 games; SDSU has 31 wins in 37 games. They’ve been consistently excellent all season, and this should be a very good game.
How they got here
Florida Atlantic was given a disrespectful No. 9 seed by the selection committee, despite being the No. 13 team in the NCAA’s own NET rankings, No. 23 in the Pomeroy ratings and No. 25 in the AP poll. But that seed turned out to be more of a problem for the teams in the Owls’ path than the Owls themselves.
Given a tough opening matchup with Memphis (which also deserved better than its No. 8 seed), FAU pulled out a one-point win that went down to the wire and was not without late controversy over a timeout that was granted instead of a jump ball. From there, the Owls were blessed with a second-round game against No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson, which had slayed No. 1 Purdue—that game was in doubt as well until a late 12–2 FAU run.
It wasn’t until the Owls got to Madison Square Garden that they began playing their best basketball of the tournament. They exerted their will on Tennessee in the late stages of a grinding, seven-point victory, before outlasting Kansas State in a 79–76 thriller to reach the Final Four.
Fifth-seeded San Diego State also had to win a tight first-round game against dangerous College of Charleston, leading most of the way but then winding up in a tie game with less than three minutes to play. The Aztecs held Charleston without a field goal from 3:27 until 19 seconds remained to pull that out, then got their own upset break when second-round opponent Furman took down No. 4 Virginia. SDSU rolled over the Paladins and into the Sweet 16 in Louisville.
That’s when San Diego State sent the tournament into a tizzy by knocking off the overall No. 1 seed, Alabama. Down nine in the second half, the Aztecs mounted a gritty rally that shocked the Crimson Tide. In an inartistic but tense regional final against Creighton, the Aztecs overcame a seven-point second-half deficit, winning on a controversial foul call and free throw with 1.2 seconds left.
Best individual matchup
Both these teams win by committee, going nine-deep and substituting players in bunches, so there aren’t any superstars on either side. SDSU’s leading scorer, Matt Bradley, averages just 12.5 points per game. FAU’s top guy, Johnell Davis, averages 13.9.
Bradley has played a total of 971 minutes for the Aztecs so far this season. :: Jordan Prather/USA TODAY Sports
The 6'4" Davis is the guy who can make the toughest baskets for FAU, able to finish off the dribble with either hand or post up. He shot poorly from the perimeter in Madison Square Garden, going 0–7 from three-point range, but he also draws a lot of fouls (37 of 41 at the free throw line in the C-USA and NCAA tourneys so far). San Diego State could counter with length (6'6" Micah Parrish and 6'7" Keshad Johnson) or strength (6'4", 220-pound Bradley). Bradley really struggled offensively in Louisville, scoring eight points in two games, and he hasn’t made a three since the Charleston game. He could be due to break out—but if he doesn’t, SDSU still has other options.
Coaching strategy
It will be an interesting matchup of teams that count on their depth to wear down opponents as games progress; that advantage should be nullified both ways.
San Diego State hangs its hard hat on stopping offenses. The Aztecs are fourth nationally in defensive efficiency per Ken Pomeroy, locking up opponents on the perimeter. They allow just 27.8% accuracy from three, the second-lowest percentage in the nation. Their last eight opponents have failed to score 65 points. As the message read on the whiteboard in the team’s locker room in Louisville, .
Offense is a chore, with points often generated via offensive rebounds and defensive turnovers. Brian Dutcher’s team is perfectly happy to grind away in a methodical half-court game, one physical possession at a time.
Florida Atlantic would prefer to go a little faster offensively, aggressively pushing the ball upcourt and hunting early shots. Forty-four percent of their shots are from three (one of the higher percentages in the nation), which will be in conflict with SDSU’s strong perimeter defense. The Owls’ 22-turnover game against Kansas State was an outlier for a team that is usually better than that protecting the ball.
Defensively, Dusty May’s team has improved as the season has progressed. Opponents are making just 44.8% of their two-point field goals and not getting many second-chance opportunities despite FAU’s lack of size. Center Vladislav Goldin, the 7'1" exception to the Owls’ short rule, was a huge presence inside against K-State and will be needed for 25-plus minutes against San Diego State.
The New York Yankees will be without closing pitcher Luke Weaver for at least four to six weeks after he suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday while he was warming up for the game vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported.
Weaver underwent an MRI on Monday, which determined that he would need to be placed on the injured list. A return timeline for Weaver will be figured out on Tuesday.
The closer was supposed to enter Sunday's game in the ninth inning vs. the Dodgers, but he "felt something" in his hamstring, so the Yankees brought in Tim Hill instead.
In 24 game appearances this season so far, Weaver has produced a 1.05 ERA through 25.2 innings pitched. He's thrown 24 strikeouts and walked seven batters, while he's had 11 hits and three runs scored on him.
Weaver isn't the only player the Yankees who ended up injured on Sunday. Left fielder Jasson Dominguez exited the game with a left thumb contusion after attempting to steal second base. His status is questionable at this time.
Jen Pawol is set to make Major League Baseball history this weekend.
The 48-year-old will become the first woman to work as an umpire during a regular-season MLB game. She will umpire three games during the series between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves. That will include both games of a doubleheader on Saturday and the series finale on Sunday. She will be behind the plate calling balls and strikes on Sunday.
Due to the doubleheader, the umpiring crew needed to add a fifth umpire, which led to Pawol getting the assignment.
Pawol began umpiring professionally in 2016 at rookie ball, then steadily began climbing up the ranks. In '23, she became the first woman to umpire at the Triple A level in 34 years. She was behind the plate during the Triple A championship that fall.
In 2024, Pawol was the first woman to umpire a spring training game since '07, and she was a Triple A crew chief that season. She has a long track record during a steady climb to the big leagues.
Pawol played softball at Hofstra and was a member of the U.S. women's national baseball team that won the inaugural Baseball Women's World Series in 2001.
She has already broken barriers in her career as an umpire. She's set to make more history this weekend.
Aaron Judge made history on Saturday by becoming the fastest player in MLB history to reach 350 career home runs, but he wasn't much in the mood to celebrate after his New York Yankees fell to the Chicago Cubs 5-2.
On a day in which the Yankees couldn't get much of anything going until the end of the game, Judge was the bright spot, recording three hits, one run, two RBIs and the 350th home run of career, but it didn't matter much to the star Yankees outfielder as they endured the loss.
"I got nothing, to be honest," Judge told reporters after the game. "It would've been great if we had gotten a win today, you do something like that. I've been surrounded by a lot of great teammates, been on some good teams, they've really put me in the best position to go out there and perform at my best. So it's really just a shoutout to all the teammates I've had over the years."
Outside of wishing the Yankees won, Judge's primary comments on the monumental feat were simply to give credits to the teammates that have helped him along the way. Though Judge reached 350 home runs in nearly 200 fewer games than any other player, he appeared less than impressed without a win also in hand.
Judge now has 35 home runs on the season, only behind Seattle Mariners' catcher Cal Raleigh's 38. The Yankees fell to 53-42 on the year, and trail the Blue Jays by 2.5 games in the AL East.
Alex Rodriguez wasn't playing in Bucknell's basketball game against Army on Sunday, but he still provided the biggest assist of the contest.
During halftime of the Bison's game against Army, Rodriguez was invited onto the court where he took a promotional half-court shot in hopes of winning one lucky student $10,000. A-Rod stepped to the line confidently and unloaded the ball from the half-court line and proceeded to bank the ball in off the backboard.
Pandemonium ensued, as Rodriguez and the student began excitedly celebrating. A-Rod was then mobbed by a group of students from the student section of Sojka Pavillion, who huddled around him while jumping around in celebration of his half-court shot.
Rodriguez was in attendance for Bucknell's game on Sunday after he, entrepreneur Marc Lore and Bucknell Trustee Jordy Leiser spoke on campus at a Bucknell Forum special event earlier in the day. Lore and Rodriguez have long been in the process of purchasing the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx from Glen Taylor.
The bank was certainly open for A-Rod, who helped win the student $10,000 with his half-court shot off the backboard.
The Los Angeles Dodgers enjoyed a comfortable 15–2 lead entering the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night so Dave Roberts gave the people what they wanted and sent utility man Kikè Hernandez out to the mound to get the final three outs. There is no joy like seeing a position player trot out to the mound to do something goofy or, as happens somewhat frequently, effectively shut down an offense with stuff that probably wouldn't play in a local rec league.
Hernandez was able to work around two hits to emerge with a scoreless frame. And he also took the opportunity to entertain the Dodger Stadium crowd with some quirky antics. Like wearing a pitcher's protective helmet and bonking himself in the head.
Tremendous stuff. If you're going to have some fun, really have some fun.
The John Olerud-inspired look is not something baseball fans see every day but even the briefest of considerations leads to the conclusion that all pitchers should probably be wearing some brain protection considering that balls are coming back their way pushing 115 MPH before they can even ready themselves to mount any defense.
Perhaps Hernandez looking pretty cool while staying safe will help the look catch on. Or we'll see it again in a few years.
The result was tough on England allrounder Nat Sciver who made 95 off 57 balls then claimed 2 for 26
ECB Reporters Network31-Jul-2018
Harmanpreet Kaur celebrates her winning boundary•Getty Images
ScorecardIndia’s Harmanpreet Kaur held her nerve to secure a third successive Kia Super League win for Lancashire Thunder as they squeezed past Surrey Stars by five wickets with one ball to spare at The Oval.In front of a crowd of 2257, Surrey looked favourites when the last over began with Thunder needing 11 to win, especially when Laura Marsh ran out Ellie Threlkeld off the second ball. But Harmanpreet was now on strike and after taking two from the third delivery she hammered the fourth ball back over Marsh’s head to the boundary before launching the next delivery over the midwicket rope for six.Harmanpreet finished on 34 not out from 21 balls but Thunder’s win owed much to Australian left-hander Nicole Bolton who scored a superb 87 before she was dismissed in the 19th over when Surrey captain Nat Sciver also bowled Emma Lamb to drag her side back into contention.Bolton, who was dropped on 69, was leg before to a full toss before Lamb fell reverse-sweeping, but Harmanpreet’s power in her debut innings eventually got Thunder over the line.Sciver certainly didn’t deserve to finish on the losing side. Having earlier made an unbeaten 95 from 57 balls with two sixes and nine fours in Surrey’s 148 for 5 she took 2 for 26.She led an impressive fightback by the Stars who were 7 for 2 when she came in during the second over and quickly slumped to 17 for 3.The England allrounder enhanced her reputation as one of the most powerful hitters in the women’s game, striking nine fours and two sixes only to finish tantalisingly short of a deserved century.She wasn’t fazed by a sluggish pitch or some accurate spin bowling by Thunder, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 74 in 11.2 overs with Dane van Niekerk before accelerating towards the end of the innings, putting on 41 off just 20 balls with Sophie Dunkley for the fifth wicket, of which her partner contributed five.It was just the response Surrey needed after their top three all went cheaply. Lizelle Lee edged the fourth ball of the innings from Kate Cross to wicketkeeper Threlkeld before offspinner Lamb picked up wickets in successive overs. Sarah Taylor came down the pitch looking to hit over the top only to send a leading edge to cover while Bryony Smith mis-hit to mid-on. Thereafter Sciver dominate, twice hitting Danni Hazell over mid-wicket during the 18th over.But Surrey’s total looked no more than competitive and Bolton and Eve Jones gave Thunder a solid platform in their chase by adding 62 in ten overs for the first wicket. Jones, dropped earlier in the over on 20, fell to legspinner Dunkley’s fourth ball without addition after she mis-timed a drive to mid-off.When Amy Satterthwaite holed out to long on off van Niekerk, Lancashire needed 79 off 8.3 overs.But Bolton was well and truly into her stride by now, reaching 50 from 42 balls before accelerating, although the outcome could have been different had Eva Gray held onto an easy chance at short third-man when Bolton was on 69. She hit 13 fours in 61 balls faced and also picked up the player of the match award.
Exclusive: The Bangladesh batsman on how the plan for him to return to bat in the Asia Cup opener, bandaged hand and all, came about
Mohammad Isam16-Sep-2018
Tamim Iqbal comes out to bat with a fractured left hand•Associated Press
Faced with Suranga Lakmal steaming in, and with a heavily strapped injured left hand behind his back leg, Tamim Iqbal felt only one thing on Saturday.”I felt very brave in those ten seconds when the bowler was running in,” Tamim told ESPNcricinfo. “I was very pumped up after hearing the roar in the stadium. I could have got out or anything else may have happened, but in that moment, I was very, very committed to the team and nation.”It was quite risky now that I think about it. My injured hand was behind me but when I played the ball, you’d notice that the hand had come in front. If I had missed the ball, it would have hit my hand.”Emotions were running high from the moment Tamim returned to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium from the hospital where he had gone after being struck on the hand – by Lakmal – in the second over. Scans revealed a fractured wrist, which usually takes six weeks to heal fully. On the field Bangladesh had recovered somewhat from a disastrous start.Still, sensing every run would be vital in the Asia Cup opener against Sri Lanka, captain Mashrafe Mortaza put forth the plan in the dressing room. “I thought Mashrafe was joking when he said I should go out to bat. The initial decision was for me to go to bat in the last over, if I am off strike. I would just have to stand there,” said Tamim.As it turned out, Bangladesh lost Mahmudullah, Mashrafe and then Mehidy Hasan. As Tamim had to get ready, there were moments of comedy in the dressing room.”I started padding up when Rubel [Hossain] was at the crease. Mashrafe cut open my gloves. For the first time in my life, someone had to put on my abdomen guard,” Tamim laughed. “Mominul [Haque] and the others helped me put on my pads. My bandage got meshed with another glove. Everyone was helping me.”When Mustafizur Rahman, the designated No.11, fell, there was one ball left in the 47th over with Mushfiqur Rahim, batting on 112, at the non-striker’s end. So, the plan changed. Tamim decided that he would face the last ball of that over.”When the moment arrived, it was still undecided what was going to happen. I didn’t think of anything. I just walked out. The moment Mustafizur got out I didn’t have a second thought. I was asked if I was sure of doing this. I said I was quite sure,” he said.Tamim felt that even if 10 runs could be added because of him, it was worth the risk. That Mushfiqur would blast 32 runs till he got out in the last over wasn’t expected.”I had a lot of high hopes with the Asia Cup and I was overcome with emotions at that moment,” he said. “I felt that if by playing this one ball the team can get five or 10 runs, it’d help the team. I thought that if I had to play one ball, then why not?”Nobody expected that I’d play that one ball and 32 runs will come from the other end. Mushfiqur batted in an extraordinary manner.”When he was in the process of walking out with his bandaged hand to help out Mushfiqur and Bangladesh, Tamim didn’t know what kind of reaction he would get, and it wasn’t playing on his mind.”I don’t think I have experienced such a thing in my life,” he said. “I can see all the reactions [now], but when I was going out to bat or facing that delivery, I didn’t think of what might happen afterwards. I just went there for the team and country.”The Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Sunday that it would wait for a second scan before taking any decision on a replacement for Tamim.