NFL – QB Mendoza, edge rusher Bailey, running back Love go 1-2-3 in the NFL draft
Fernando Mendoza’s journey from overlooked two-star recruit to the top of the NFL draft is complete after the Las Vegas Raiders took him with the first pick on Thursday night. Turning the Raiders into a contender is the next challenge for the Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to its first national championship. The 22-year-old quarterback wasn’t in the Steel City for the festivities, choosing instead to celebrate with family and friends at home in Miami. Mendoza’s selection was expected for months. The intrigue began at No. 2 with the New York Jets, who selected Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey over Ohio State edge Arvell Reese. Arizona took Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third pick. Seahawks select running back Jadarian Price of Notre Dame with No. 32 pick in NFL draft
NFL – Lions take Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with No. 17 pick in NFL draft
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions selected Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with the No. 17 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday. Lions general manager Brad Holmes gave coach Dan Campbell a player who has a chance to play right away as a rookie. The 6-foot-7, 317-pound Miller started 54 games in college. Taylor Decker asked for his release, ending a 10-year run as the team’s starting left tackle. All-Pro Penei Sewell will likely replace Decker on the left side. Detroit signed Larry Borom to possibly take Sewell’s spot on the right side and now he has competition for the job.
NFL – Bears add secondary help, draft Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with No. 25 pick
The Chicago Bears got some secondary help, selecting Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 pick in the NFL draft. The Bears hadn’t drafted a safety in the first round since 1990, when they took Marc Carrier with the No. 6 pick out of USC. He is the first defensive player taken in the first round by Chicago since linebacker Roquan Smith in 2018. Chicago also lost its top four safeties, including three-time All-Pro Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. The Bears signed Coby Bryant, who helped Seattle win its second Super Bowl, to three-year, $40 million contract, but still had an opening at that position. Thieneman was first-team All-Big Ten in his lone season at Oregon. He played two years at Purdue and was honorable-mention, all-conference in 2024.
MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 5, Milwaukee Brewers 4
Chicago Cubs 8, Philadelphia Phillies 7 – 10 Innings
Chicago White Sox 4, Arizona Diamondbacks 1
Tigers 5, Brewers 4 – Spencer Torkelson hits walk-off home run to give Tigers 5-4 win over Brewers
Spencer Torkelson hit a walk-off home run and Riley Greene had two hits, including a two-run homer, to rally the Detroit Tigers to a 5-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. He blasted the solo shot to left-center off reliever Abner Uribe. It was the second straight game that Torkelson homered. Detroit tied the game at 4 in the eighth inning off Jahmai Jones’ second home run of the year. Reliever Brant Hurter shut down Milwaukee in the ninth to set up the Tigers’ win.
Cubs 8, Phillies 7 – F/10 – wanson’s hit in 10th gives Cubs 8-7 victory that extends Phillies’ skid to 9
Dansby Swanson had his first game-ending hit in five years, and the Chicago Cubs rebounded from a pair of blown leads to beat Philadelphia 8-7 in 10 innings for their ninth straight win and the Phillies’ ninth loss in a row. Chicago led 6-2 before Philadelphia closed with three runs in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Edmundo Sosa had a tying single off Jacob Webb in the eighth.
White Sox 4, D’Backs 1 – Benintendi’s tiebreaking 3-run homer in 9th lifts White Sox over Diamondbacks 4-1
Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth inning that lifted the Chicago White Sox over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 for their third win in four games. With the score 1-1, Chase Meidroth drew a four-pitch walk from Paul Sewald (0-3) and moved up on Tristan Peters’ sacrifice. Pinch-hitter Edgar Quero walked and Benintendi followed by hitting a 2-2 fastball 410 feet into the swimming pool area in right-center for his second homer this season.
Tonight
Detroit (Valdez 2-1) at Cincinnati (Abbott 0-2), 6:40 p.m. News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 6:15p
Washington (Mikolas 0-3) at Chicago White Sox (Hudson 0-0), 7:40 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (Taillon 1-1) at L.A. Dodgers (Sheehan 2-0), 10:15 p.m.
NBA – 2026 National Basketball Association Playoffs – First Round (best of seven)
Tonight
Atlanta Hawks 109, New York Knicks 108 ATL leads 2-1
Toronto Raptors 126, Cleveland Cavaliers 104 CLE leads 2-1
Minnesota Timberwolves 113, Denver Nuggets 96 MIN leads 2-1
Last Night
Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:00 p.m. Series tied 1-1
Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets, 8:00 p.m. LAL leads 2-1
San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trailblazers, 10:30 p.m. Series tied 1-1
NHL – 2026 National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoffs – First Round (best of seven)
Last Night
Buffalo Sabres 3, Boston Bruins 1 BUF leads 2-1
Carolina Hurricanes 3, Ottawa Senators CAR leads 3-0
Colorado Avalanche 4, Los Angenes Kings 2 COL leads 3-0
Tonight
Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens, 7:00 p.m. Series tied 1-1
Vegas Golden Knights at Utah Mammoth, 9:30 p.m. Series tied 1-1
Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks, 10:00 p.m. Series tied 1-1
Olympics – New cricket stadium heralds the sport’s Olympic return after 128 years
Cricket is set to return to the Olympics in 2028. Construction has begun on a new 10,000-seat stadium in Pomona, California, which will serve as the venue for men’s and women’s cricket. This marks a significant milestone for cricket in the U.S., aiming to capture a mainstream American audience. Despite challenges, including management issues within USA Cricket, investors remain optimistic. They view the stadium as a springboard for cricket’s future in the U.S., offering a chance to engage new fans. Local cricket fans, players and coaches hope this new-found visibility will help carve out new pathways for homegrown talent.
MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
Great Lakes Loons 13, Beloit Sky Carp 9
Lake County Captains 7, West Michigan Whitecaps 1
Quad Cities River Bandits 4, Lansing Lugnuts 3
South Bend Cubs 10, Dayton Dragons 4
Tonight
Great Lakes at Beloit, 2:05 p.m.
Lake County at West Michigan, 6:35 p.m.
Lansing at Quad Cities, 7:00 p.m.
South Bend at Dayton, 7:05 p.m.
MHSAA – Michigan High School Athletic Association
Yesterday
Girls Soccer
Fennville 1, Michigan Lutheran 0
Berrien Springs 2, Brandywine 1
South Haven 2, Dowagiac 2 – TIE
Comstock 5, Centreville 1
Holland Black River 8, Watervliet 0
Baseball
Michigan Lutheran 11, Fennville 1 – Game 1
Michigan Lutheran 9, Fennville 6 – Game 2
Bridgman 3, Berrien Springs 0 – Game 1
Bridgman 9, Berrien Springs 0 – Game 2
Paw Paw 14, Coloma 2 – Game 1
Paw Paw 6, Coloma 5 – Game 2
Sturgis 21, Dowagiac 12 – Game 1
Dowagiac 5, Sturgis 1 – Game 2
Edwardsburg 6, Schoolcraft 2
Hastings 5, Plainwell 4 – Game 1
Plainwell 14, Hastings 6 – Game 2
Brandywine 4, Watervliet 2 – Game 1
Brandywine 6, Watervliet 1 – Game 2
Bangor 13, Cassopolis 12 – Game 1
Cassopolis 6, Bangor 3 – Game 2
Marcellus 3, Decatur 0 – Game 1
Decatur 7, Marcellus 3 – Game 2
Hartford 9, Lawrence 2 – Game 1
Hartford 12, Lawrence 2 – Game 2
Girls Tennis
Bridgman/OLOTL 6, New Buffalo 2
Berrien Springs 6, Edwardsburg 2
Niles 6, Sturgis 2
Portage Central 6, Mattawan 2
Allegan 8, South Haven 0
Softball
Michigan Lutheran 3, Fennville 0 – Game 1
Fennville 8, Michigan Lutheran 5 – Game 2
Bridgman 10, Berrien Springs 5 – Game 1
Bridgman 9, Berrien Springs 8
Paw Paw 9, Coloma 0
Edwardsburg 17, Schoolcraft 2
Hastings 16, Plainwell 6 – Game 1
Hastings 6, Plainwell 0 – Game 2
Otsego 5, Wyoming 0 – Game 1
Otsego 10, Wyoming 0 – Game 2
Brandywine 13, Watervliet 12 – Game 1
Brandywine 12, Watervliet 11 – Game 2
Bangor 2, Cassopolis 1 – Game 1
Bangor 14, Cassopolis 4 – Game 2
Decatur 16, Lawrence 0 – Game 1
Decatur 21, Lawrence 0 – Game 2
Tonight
Girls Soccer
Lakeshore at Edwardsburg, 5:00 p.m.
New Buffalo at Coloma, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Kalamazoo Central, 6:00 p.m.
Gull Lake at DeWitt, 7:00 p.m.
Hopkins at Allegan, 6:30 p.m.
Bangor at Lawton, 6:00 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Marcellus, 5:00 p.m.
Baseball
Berrien Springs at St. Joseph, 4:15 p.m. (DH)
Buchanan at River Valley, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
South Haven at Zeeland East, 4:15 p.m. (DH)
Softball
Berrien Springs at St. Joseph, 4:15 p.m. (DH)
Sturgis at Battle Creek Central, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Kalamazoo Hackett at Allegan, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
South Haven at River Valley, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
