Saturday’s Report: GIAA playoffs/FPD, Mercer, Signings: Gatewood; UGA baseball/football/softball, Dream, Braves;Kyle Busch, NBA playoffs, MLB, World Cup, WNBA, college ⚾/🥎, NFL, golf, college 🏈
📰S📰C📰O📰R📰E📰B📰O📰A📰R📰D
High Schools
(Teams: Please post first and last names, and names are preferred over social media handles (they know who they are, most people don’t) and post team names, not mascots)
⚾ ⚾ ⚾ Baseball ⚾ ⚾ ⚾
GIAA playoffs
FPD 10, Athens Christian 2
Harrison Keenan’s 2-run bomb sparked a 6-run first inning to pace the Vikings in the first game of the semifinal series. Game 2 fell victim to weather, and the teams will try for Game 2 at 11 a.m. Saturday. Brady McHugh and Tinsley Lewis had RBI hits in the first, with two more runs coming in on an error. That was a theme: Athens Christian had 5 errors, leading to 8 unearned runs, the Vikings needing only 4 hits. Conner Strandmark threw 100 pitches in the complete-game win, fanning 7 with 2 walks and 4 hits.
Stratford at Brookstone
The Eagles led 8-4 when the game was stopped for weather Friday in the top of the fifth. The game is scheduled to be resumed Saturday, although neither school posted an update on social media.
⚽ ⚽ ⚽ Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽
Girls
GIAA playoffs
FPD 6, King’s Academy 1
The Vikings (15-2) marched out to a 5-0 lead quickly and cruised into the state championship. Elcee Leslein and Bowen Matthews – whose final high school game is the championship as she plans to enroll early next January for soccer at Auburn – each had 3 goals and 2 assists.
🏫🏫🏫College🏫🏫🏫
(Colleges: Please post links to stories with social media posts, and team names instead of logos in graphics)
⚾ ⚾ ⚾ Baseball ⚾ ⚾ ⚾
The Citadel 14, Mercer, SoCon Tournament
Pro
⚾ ⚾ ⚾ MLB⚾ ⚾ ⚾
📰C📰O📰V📰E📰R📰A📰G📰E📰
Signings
Gatewood’s Ben Brannen has signed with Shorter to play baseball. Mikey Padula III will play golf at Shorter, and Mason Sinclair has signed to play football at Erskine College.
Around/About Central Georgia
Mercer hammered again by The Citadel, ousted from SoCon tourney
Robards, Mercer end Day One of National Golf Invitational in fifth
Around/About Georgia
Georgia's big-swinging Diamond Dogs are powered by the Rhino that is Daniel Jackson
Georgia receives largest single donation in UGA athletics history to support basketball program
Tromp’s RBI single in 11th inning lifts Braves past Nationals
Howard scores 25 points, Dream close on 23-5 run to beat Wings
Georgia, Clemson 'in talks' to move home-and-home series to neutral site
SB-Tennessee nips UGA in Super Regional, ends Bulldogs season at 41-20
A Worthy Read
Michael Jordan surprises former Laney High School teacher in hospice care
Kyle Busch, 1985-2026
Busch 911 call: NASCAR star coughing up blood day before death
RCR won't run Busch's No. 8 anymore, will hold car for his son, Brexton
Track holds moment of silence for Busch ahead of NASCAR Trucks race
Busch mourned by NASCAR fans, 'Rowdy Nation' at RCR headquarters
Corey Day to drive Busch's truck: 'Just a terrible situation'
Busch's last tweet will break your heart
College Sports, the changing landscape
CEO of NIL enforcement reminds frustrated schools: These are your rules, we just enforce them
NBA Playoffs
Gilgeous-Alexander, bench propel Thunder past Spurs after historic slow start for 2-1 lead
Cavaliers are in trouble in the East finals, especially if Mitchell is not fully healthy
West finals shift to San Antonio, while Spurs and Thunder deal with multiple injury concerns
Cavaliers seek more from Evan Mobley as East finals shift to Cleveland for Game 3
Winfield: James Harden's playoff disappearing act was predictable -- except to the Cavs
NBA/Men’s Basketball
Miami’s Bam Adebayo wins NBA’s Social Justice Champion award
San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama unanimous pick for NBA’s All-Defensive team
MLB/NL
Laureano, Machado, Castellanos homer in the Padres’ 7-3 win over the Athletics
Chandler strikes out career-high 11 batters, but 3 errors cost Pirates in loss to Blue Jays
MLB/AL
Holliday’s odd 337-foot homer sneaks under the foul pole in Orioles’ win
Cole throws 6 scoreless innings in return, Rays rally past Yankees for 16th win in 19 games
Sánchez, Williams shine in pitchers’ duel. Manzardo’s pinch-hit HR lifts Cleveland past Phillies
MLB/Baseball
A’s $2B Las Vegas Strip stadium on schedule to open before 2028 season, officials say
Mets designate veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel for assignment
Roundup: Rays top rival Yankees to spoil Gerrit Cole’s return
NHL/Hockey
Barbashev, Eichel score in 2:07 span, Golden Knights stun Avs 3-1 to take 2-0 series lead
Soccer/World Cup
Lalas says US players citing World Cup pressure are a ‘bunch of whiners’
US defender Chris Richards has ankle ligament damage ahead of World Cup
Kansas City small businesses whipping up World Cup flavors and merch for fans this summer
Gutiérrez and Martinez lead Mexico to victory over Ghana in a World Cup warm-up
WNBA/Women’s Basketball
Betts’ scoreless WNBA debut came with blunt (but honest) advice
Cooke and Johnson have career games as the Storm beat the Sun
College Baseball
Auburn baseball shuts out Texas A&M in SEC tournament quarterfinals
UAB baseball knocks off Rice with thrilling ninth-inning rally at American tournament
College Softball
Alabama earns explosive start over LSU
Epic homecomings, head-turning upsets headline full day of college softball super regionals
Texas Tech starts strong; Oklahoma's win streak ends
NBA legend kicked out of daughter’s softball game during NCAA Super Regional
NFL/USFL/UFL/Football
Pittman Jr. reveals he turns to boating and fishing for his mental health
Interest in buying Seahawks not 'soft,' says NFL commissioner
Dart says he’s ‘not like Tim Tebow,’ but the Giants QB has worked to get leaner
Auto Racing
Indianapolis 500 TV info, starting grid, weather and more
O’Ward is looking to put Palou’s dominance on hold and become an Indianapolis 500 champion
Tennis
Sinner opens French Open against wild card as he chases a career Grand Slam
FRENCH OPEN ’26: Coco Gauff has a new mindset for title defense and more confidence on her serve
Golf
Kim just misses history at Byron Nelson, settling for 60 after a bogey on the final hole
Spieth shoots 62 but has uphill climb at his hometown Byron Nelson
College Sports
NCAA tennis served up a dose of uncertainty as colleges face growing financial strain, program cuts
Tax filings: ACC paid average of $47.1M to full-share member schools, Big 12 paid average of $39.5M
College Football/SEC/ACC/South
Girlfriend demands CBS News release 'unedited footage' of controversial 2025 Belichick interview
Orgeron contract: LSU to pay ex-head coach $100,000 for one-year deal
Sumrall opens up on personal conversations he had about leaving Tulane for Florida
Kiffin reveals what he would change about ugly Ole Miss exit
College Basketball/Women
As NCAA weighs ‘5-in-5’ rule, Clemson fights for eligibility for women’s basketball player
College Basketball/Men
Will Wade's latest manuevers at LSU show the circus will follow wherever he coaches
Scoreboards