×

SPORTS BRIEFING

Zuchowski helps Shawnee State

PORTSMOUTH — Shawnee State University forward and 2018 West Branch graduate Natalie Zuchowski put together a solid sophomore year off the bench for the Bears, who had their season cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Zuchowski saw action in 29 games for NAIA Shawnee State and finished with 5.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. Her team went 29-4 and won the Mid-South Conference championship with an 81-72 victory over Thomas More (Ky.) University on March 9. Zuchowski played three scoreless minutes in the conference title game.

The Bears earned a No. 2 overall seed in the NAIA Div. I tournament, but the NAIA announced on March 12 that all remaining winter sports championships were cancelled due to growing concerns over COVID-19. Shawnee State’s first-round tournament matchup against William Woods (Mo.) was slated for March 19. The Bears finished eighth in the final NAIA Div. I poll.

In her two years at Shawnee State, Zuchowski has played in 60 games and is averaging 5.2 points per game for her career so far. Zuchowski was a force in the low post at West Branch, helping lead the Warriors to the third unbeaten regular season in school history as a senior on her way to earning second-team All-Ohio honors. She left West Branch with 1,102 career points and set a school record with 209 career blocked shots.

Relive Jacobs Field’s debut

CLEVELAND — Relive the debut of Jacobs Field today as SportsTime Ohio replays the first game there, the 1994 home opener.

Here is the upcoming Indians games that will be televised by STO:

Thursday, March 26

12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Indians vs. Mariners from April 4, 1994 — Jacobs Field’s debuts as the Indians win 4-3 in 10th inning on Wayne Kirby’s walk-off RBI that scores Eddie Murray.

4 p.m., 1997 All-Star Game — The AL wins 3-1 over NL. Sandy Alomar is the home town hero winning the MVP Award and hitting a 2-run HR off Shawn Estes in the bottom of the seventh inning.

——

Friday, March 27

4 p.m., Indians vs. Red Sox from Aug. 12, 2019 — The Indians win 6-5 as Carlos Santana hits a walk-off home in the ninthth. Jose Ramirez contributes a HR and three RBIs.

——

Saturday, March 28

2 p.m., 1981 All-Star Game — The All-Star Game at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium was the first game after the 1981 players strike. The NL wins 5-4 as Gary Carter slams two HRs. The Indians All-Stars were Len Barker and Bo Diaz.

5 p.m., 1997 All-Star Game.

8 p.m., Indians vs. Mariners from Aug. 5, 2001 — Down 14-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Tribe completes a thrilling 15-14 comeback win. Omar Vizquel went 4-of-6 with four RBIs, Marty Cordova was 4-5 with a HR and 2 RBIs and Jim Thome slugged two HRs.

——

Sunday, March 29

10 a.m., 1995 ALDS Game 1, Indians vs. Red Sox — This amazing 5-4 win is highlighted by Tony Pena’s late-inning HR. This five-hour classic also features Albert Belle’s HR and 3 RBI performance.

2:30 p.m., 1995 ALCS Game 6, Indians at Mariners –Kenny Lofton scores the game-winning run from second base on a passed ball in the eighth inning. Carlos Baerga led the Indians going 3-4 with a HR.

5:30 p.m., 1997 ALCS Game 6, Indians at Orioles — Tony Fernandez’s memorable solo HF in the 11th and Charles Nagy’s pitching performance propel the Indians to a 1-0 win.

Seven-inning doubleheaders?

TORONTO (AP) — If Major League Baseball needs to squeeze more games into a condensed season without exhausting pitching staffs, perhaps this idea could get tossed into play: seven-inning doubleheaders.

“Maybe that’s something we have to consider,” Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said on a conference call Wednesday.

Opening day has been postponed until at least mid-May because of the new coronavirus pandemic. The regular season had been scheduled to begin Thursday.

Minor league teams and college teams typically play seven innings in each game of a doubleheader. But twinbills are rarely planned in the majors — only a handful were originally scheduled over the last decade.

The final total of big league doubleheaders, most of them caused by makeup games, ranged from a low of 14 in 2014 to a high of 34 in both 2011 and 2018, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Golfer of the week

Dustin Johnson is the only golfer to win a PGA Tour event on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

NBA next for Dayton’s Toppin

DAYTON (AP) – Dayton’s Obi Toppin is headed to the NBA after leading the Flyers to a 29-2 record and No. 3 ranking as a redshirt sophomore.

Toppin tweeted his decision Wednesday, a day after he was honored as The Associated Press’ men’s college basketball player of the year. The Flyers’ Anthony Grant was voted coach of the year.

“Thank you Flyer Nation. Love you always,” Toppin tweeted.

The 6-foot-9 Toppin led the way in one of Dayton’s greatest seasons. He averaged 20 points and 7.5 rebounds.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today