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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
College World Series winners and losers: The best and worst from Day 3 in Omaha
College World Series winners and losers: The best and worst from Day 3 in Omaha Show Caption Hide Caption Which NCAA baseball teams could blow up the bracket The Montgomery Advertiser's Adam Cole and The Southwest Times Record's Jackson Fuller break down who could wreck the tournament bracket. OMAMA, NE ― Day 3 of the 2024 College World Series saw Coastal Carolina become the first team to punch its ticket to the semifinals. The Chanticleers rode a strong start from Jacob Morrison to a 6-2 win over Oregon State. Meanwhile, Louisville stayed alive with an 8-3 win over Arizona in a game that was closer than it seemed, as the Cardinals scored six runs in the eighth inning after facing a 3-2 deficit. Louisville will face the Beavers in an elimination game June 17 (2 p.m. ET), with the winner advancing to the semifinals and needing to beat Coastal Carolina twice. Here were the winners and losers from Day 3 at Charles Schwab Field: WINNERS Small ball There were three home runs hit during Day 3 in Omaha: one by Arizona and two for Oregon State. Both of those teams lost. Louisville, which won the first game, had just one extra-base hit, a double. Coastal Carolina, the winner of the second game, had two doubles. The Chanticleers had two sacrifice bunts; Louisville had one sac and a bunt hit. The Cardinals also stole three bases and took advantage of errors. Mid-majors Unlike in basketball, where mid-major powerhouses often make the Final Four or even win titles, it's become increasingly difficult for mid-majors to do well in the College World Series. Before Coastal Carolina's run, the last mid-major to compete in the semifinals in Omaha was also the Chanticleers in 2016, when they won the national title. Before that, the last teams to do it were Fresno State and San Diego in 2008, the former of which won the national title. Paul Skenes For a player who is notably playing in MLB currently and whose former team didn't play, Paul Skenes got some airtime on Day 3. First came the reports that Skenes, the former LSU pitcher and 2023 College World Series Most Outstanding Player, would be attending the Tigers' winners bracket game on June 16. Then, a graphic on the ESPN broadcast compared Coastal Carolina pitcher Jacob Morrison to Skenes. According to the graphic, those two pitchers had the most starts with six or more innings pitched and one or fewer runs allowed in the last five seasons. Morrison pitched 7⅔ innings of one-run ball against Oregon State. LOSERS Defense In the pitcher-friendly Charles Schwab Field, the impact of any defensive mistake is magnified. Oregon State and Arizona learned that lesson the hard way. The Wildcats committed two errors and allowed four unearned runs amid a six-run eighth inning for Louisville. That included a throwing error by the shortstop on a routine play and the pitcher dropping the ball on a rundown at home plate. The Beavers also allowed four unearned runs thanks to two different errors, one that allowed Caden Bodine to reach to lead off the game and a second when Bodine hit what should've been an inning-ending double play in the fourth inning, but the second baseman booted the ball, leading to one run, and another run scored on a wild pitch afterwards. Hot mics During the College World Series, umpires are mic'd up. That helps make calls more clear, but several players didn't realize the mics were on and were audibly heard shouting expletives after at-bats that didn't go their way. Program loyalty: Oregon State, Coastal Carolina baseball led by former players in College World Series 2025 The (former) Pac-12 The league formerly known as the Pac-12 made waves by getting three teams into Omaha, now in two different conferences and one independent, something that the actual Pac-12 hadn't done in decades. But one of those teams, Arizona, has already been eliminated, and Oregon State will face elimination after falling to Coastal Carolina. UCLA is in the winner's bracket, but will be a heavy underdog to LSU. Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@ or on X @aria_gerson.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Women's College World Series Game 3 draws highest audience ever for college softball game at 2.4M viewers
Friday's Game 3 of the Women's College World Series on ESPN drew the highest rating ever for a women's college softball game. Texas' 10-4 win over Texas Tech in a winner-take-all final drew an average audience of 2.4 million viewers, the network announced on Monday. The Game 3 rating continued a strong trend for the WCWS on TV. Featuring two programs pursuing their first national championship and the star appeal of Texas Tech pitcher (and $1 million NIL sensation) NiJaree Canady, Games 1 and 2 each drew 2.1 million viewers, the highest audience for the first two games of a Women's College World Series. Game 1's number was an 11% increase over the previous year, while Game 2 was up 5% from 2024. Both audiences were the fifth-largest for a women's softball broadcast across ESPN platforms. Advertisement The Longhorns won the national championship after splitting the first two games of the championship. Texas won the opener, 2-1, on a two-run single from Reese Atwood, hitting a pitch that Canady was trying to throw for an intentional walk. The Red Raiders evened the series with a 4-3 win in Game 2, capitalizing on a wild pitch and throwing error to score the key runs. In the decisive Game 3, Texas was ready for Canady in facing her for the third consecutive game. The Longhorns jumped out to a 5-0 lead with four straight singles and a three-run homer by Leighann Goode. Viewers continued to tune in even though a 10-0 Texas lead was close to invoking the NCAA mercy rule with a lead of eight or more runs after five innings. But Texas Tech scored three runs in the fifth to keep the game going. Advertisement Eventually, the game went the full seven innings with the Longhorns' Teagan Kavan pitching the entire game and winning Most Outstanding Player honors, leading Texas to its first women's softball national championship. ESPN will release viewership numbers for the entire Women's College World Series slate of broadcasts on Tuesday.
Global News
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Global News
Calgary Stampeders set to start new CFL season with Vernon Adams Jr. at QB
The road back to the CFL playoffs goes through Vernon Adams Jr. in Calgary. The Stampeders acquired the quarterback from the B.C. Lions a month after their worst season in two decades concluded in 2024. Calgary finished last in the CFL with a 5-12-1 record. 5:05 New Stampeders quarterback The Lions choosing Nathan Rourke their No. 1 pivot, and Calgary looking for an upgrade after two and a half seasons of Jake Maier brought the 32-year-old Adams to a team looking for a turnaround in 2025 after missing the post-season for the first time in 19 years. Story continues below advertisement 'He's Vernon Adams, he's Big-Play VA, so he's going to bring Calgary back to where it used to be,' predicted receiver Dominique Rhymes. 'He's used to being a winner, so he is going to be bringing that winning culture, and I think it's going happen immediately.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He's used to being a winner, so he is going to be bringing that winning culture, and I think it's going happen immediately." Adams denies B.C.'s preference for Rourke injects extra motivation into him as a Stampeder. 'No, not at all. I'm blessed, I'm grateful,' the Californian declared. 'I'm happy a team wants me and I'm here. It's the start of a new journey and it's great.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The five-foot-11, 195-pound pivot led the CFL in passing yards in 2023 (4,769) and ranked second in touchdowns (31). He was in the conversation for Most Outstanding Player in 2024 with B.C. before he was sidelined with injury in August. CFL quarterbacks often get disproportionate credit for wins and blame for losses in a team game, but there's no denying the position's importance in a three-down league. 'One twelfth, but quarterback play is vital,' said Stampeders coach and general manager Dave Dickenson, a former CFL quarterback himself. 'I don't need fancy plays. Make plays, sure, but do what is required to win. He's done that in his career. He is definitely a guy that is a winner and finds ways to win ball games even sometimes when he maybe he's not having his best stuff. Story continues below advertisement 'I really believe halfway through the year, he was odds-on favourite to win the MOP last year and injuries kind of derailed it. Careers are weird that way. They definitely take you from one city to the other. I think he's happy to be here and we just got to provide him the support so he can be Vernon.' New Stampeder quarterbacks coach Dakota Prukop has had a close view of Adams' career since Prukop played for Montana State and Adams for Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Conference. Both men eventually transferred to Oregon, with Prukop a Duck a year after Adams. The two men continued to circle each other in the CFL before crossing paths at Lions training camp last year. 'Vernon's a veteran in the CFL, but this is his first year in this playbook,' Prukop said. Story continues below advertisement 'His ability to pick up this playbook in the way he has and have the details in this play book has been something really impressive. That has not surprised me. I saw his professional habits when we were together in B.C. 'I don't want to say he's a gamer in the sense that he does not do well outside of a game, but he has an extra gear on game day. When you couple that with his professionalism and being a true pro, and then he has that extra gear in game day, if the pressure is on, if the score is tight, he's the guy you want in your huddle.' Since throwing his first CFL pass for the Montreal Alouettes in 2016, Adams has amassed 16,190 career passing yards with a 64-per-cent completion rate. He's thrown 86 touchdown passes, as well as 54 interceptions, while rushing for 24 touchdowns. 'My thing was I threw too many interceptions,' Adams said. 'Just want to make sure I'm protecting the ball and getting my playmakers the ball. Let them do the rest.'
Hamilton Spectator
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Feelings come 'roaring back' for former CFL star quarterback Doug Flutie in Calgary
CALGARY - Doug Flutie expects to feel the itch Saturday. One of the greatest CFL quarterbacks of all time will be on the sidelines of the Calgary Stampeders' season-opener against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as Flutie and other alumni celebrate the Stampeders' 80th anniversary. 'That's the problem. If I'm on the sideline, I want to pick up a ball and throw it. I don't want to get hit anymore though,' the 62-year-old Flutie said Friday at McMahon Stadium. Knowing he would attend a reunion of sorts, Flutie says he watched some of the games he played with the Stampeders from 1992 to 1995 when he won three of his record six awards for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player, and led Calgary to a Grey Cup victory in '92. The frigid '92 Western final at McMahon also stands out for Flutie. His shoe flew off while scoring the winning touchdown on a quarterback sneak with half a minute remaining in the game. 'So many fond memories, so emotional too,' said Flutie. 'I went and re-watched some parts of games just to remember all the guys for sure and the emotions come right back and seeing the hugs on the sideline, the joy or the passion to try to win it all. 'It all comes roaring back. How close that team was, all the hugs on the sideline, the emotion of the guys, the scene in the locker room afterwards, all that type of footage.' The NFL's initial disinterest in the undersized Boston College star pivot sent Flutie north of the border where he played for the B.C. Lions, the Stampeders and the Toronto Argonauts. Flutie won a pair of Grey Cups with the Argonauts. He still holds the record for the most passing yards in a single season with 6,619 in 1991 with the B.C. Lions. He threw for over 5,700 yards in five of his eight CFL seasons. Flutie's CFL exploits revitalized the NFL's interest and he went on to play for the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots. 'I am forever grateful to the CFL for kind of rekindling my career and getting me going and rebuilding my confidence, and it was fun,' Flutie said. 'When I was in the NFL, I was always fatigued. You're up early, you're in the office, extra long meetings all day, 12, 14-hour days. Because of the way this is set up, it's not like that. 'You had time on your own to go in and watch extra film if you felt like it. You hung out with the guys a lot more, so it was pure fun for eight years and I wouldn't change a thing.' Flutie was the first non-Canadian inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and entered the Canadian Football Hall of Fame the following year. Calgary's current special advisor John Hufnagel was Flutie's offensive co-ordinator during the quarterback's Stampeder days. 'He taught me the CFL game, the passing game,' Flutie said. 'In a lot of interviews, I'll talk about how I called my own plays and then I got back to the NFL and was back to having a radio in your helmet. 'Well, I could call my own plays because I stole Huff's offence and went to Toronto with it, right?' Flutie will join Marcus Crandell, who signed a one-day contract this week to officially retire as a Stampeder, kicker Mark McLoughlin, receivers Nik Lewis and Jeremaine Copeland, running back Jon Cornish and linebacker Alex Singleton among Stampeders alumni Saturday. Head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson was Flutie's successor as the team's quarterback after the latter departed for the Argonauts in 1996. 'Happy to have a bunch of the guys here, but Doug to me is still the tops in the CFL ever,' Dickenson said. Flutie, who lives in Florida and says he surfs a lot, addressed Dickenson's team Friday ahead of its first game of the 2025 season. 'My words of advice, different perspective, I'm 62 years old now, it's a short window of time, enjoy it, get to know each other,' Flutie said. 'Don't be lazy, be prepared and take advantage of the situation because it doesn't last long.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Feelings come "roaring back" for former CFL star quarterback Doug Flutie in Calgary
CALGARY — Doug Flutie expects to feel the itch Saturday. One of the greatest CFL quarterbacks of all time will be on the sidelines of the Calgary Stampeders' season-opener against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as Flutie and other alumni celebrate the Stampeders' 80th anniversary. Advertisement "That's the problem. If I'm on the sideline, I want to pick up a ball and throw it. I don't want to get hit anymore though," the 62-year-old Flutie said Friday at McMahon Stadium. Knowing he would attend a reunion of sorts, Flutie says he watched some of the games he played with the Stampeders from 1992 to 1995 when he won three of his record six awards for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player, and led Calgary to a Grey Cup victory in '92. The frigid '92 Western final at McMahon also stands out for Flutie. His shoe flew off while scoring the winning touchdown on a quarterback sneak with half a minute remaining in the game. "So many fond memories, so emotional too," said Flutie. "I went and re-watched some parts of games just to remember all the guys for sure and the emotions come right back and seeing the hugs on the sideline, the joy or the passion to try to win it all. Advertisement "It all comes roaring back. How close that team was, all the hugs on the sideline, the emotion of the guys, the scene in the locker room afterwards, all that type of footage." The NFL's initial disinterest in the undersized Boston College star pivot sent Flutie north of the border where he played for the B.C. Lions, the Stampeders and the Toronto Argonauts. Flutie won a pair of Grey Cups with the Argonauts. He still holds the record for the most passing yards in a single season with 6,619 in 1991 with the B.C. Lions. He threw for over 5,700 yards in five of his eight CFL seasons. Flutie's CFL exploits revitalized the NFL's interest and he went on to play for the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots. Advertisement "I am forever grateful to the CFL for kind of rekindling my career and getting me going and rebuilding my confidence, and it was fun," Flutie said. "When I was in the NFL, I was always fatigued. You're up early, you're in the office, extra long meetings all day, 12, 14-hour days. Because of the way this is set up, it's not like that. "You had time on your own to go in and watch extra film if you felt like it. You hung out with the guys a lot more, so it was pure fun for eight years and I wouldn't change a thing." Flutie was the first non-Canadian inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and entered the Canadian Football Hall of Fame the following year. Advertisement Calgary's current special advisor John Hufnagel was Flutie's offensive co-ordinator during the quarterback's Stampeder days. "He taught me the CFL game, the passing game," Flutie said. "In a lot of interviews, I'll talk about how I called my own plays and then I got back to the NFL and was back to having a radio in your helmet. "Well, I could call my own plays because I stole Huff's offence and went to Toronto with it, right?" Flutie will join Marcus Crandell, who signed a one-day contract this week to officially retire as a Stampeder, kicker Mark McLoughlin, receivers Nik Lewis and Jeremaine Copeland, running back Jon Cornish and linebacker Alex Singleton among Stampeders alumni Saturday. Advertisement Head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson was Flutie's successor as the team's quarterback after the latter departed for the Argonauts in 1996. "Happy to have a bunch of the guys here, but Doug to me is still the tops in the CFL ever," Dickenson said. Flutie, who lives in Florida and says he surfs a lot, addressed Dickenson's team Friday ahead of its first game of the 2025 season. "My words of advice, different perspective, I'm 62 years old now, it's a short window of time, enjoy it, get to know each other," Flutie said. "Don't be lazy, be prepared and take advantage of the situation because it doesn't last long." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025. Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
