MONDAY SPORTS, APRIL 20, 2026
MITCHELL KERNELS
—Mitchell baseball split a doubleheader on the road Sunday against No. 2 Yankton, winning the opener 6-1 before dropping the game two 5-3. The split moves Mitchell to 8-2 on the season. In Game 1, Mitchell controlled early and leaned on a strong offensive outing from Kaiden Allen, who went 4-for-4 with four singles. The offense struck first in the third inning when Jaxson Hartman delivered an RBI single. Mitchell finished with 11 hits in the win. Jacob Ebert earned the victory on the mound, allowing one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings with five strikeouts. Ian Weber provided 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Stratton Forst drove in two runs, while Hartman and Lincoln Bottum each added multiple hits. Yankton’s Beck Ryken took the loss. Yankton responded in Game 2, overcoming an early Mitchell lead with a five-run sixth inning to secure the 5-3 win. Mitchell again opened the scoring in the third inning on an Allen RBI single and held a 1-0 lead before the late surge. Tyler Christensen started for Mitchell and allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits over six innings, striking out six. Yankton starter Samuel Gokie went six innings, allowing one run on six hits with three strikeouts. Mitchell finished with seven hits in the nightcap, with Allen, Weber and Carter McCormick each driving in a run. Yankton’s Kaden Hunhoff went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, including key hits during the sixth-inning rally. Mitchell travels to top-ranked Sioux Falls Jefferson on Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader.
— Mitchell Kernels softball will be at home on Monday against Aberdeen Central at 5:30 pm.
— Mitchell Kernels boys tennis returns to action Monday for a triangular in Sioux Falls against Lennox and Sioux Falls Christian at 1 pm at Tomar Park.
— Mitchell track and field is back in action on Friday at the Pierre Invitational at 11 am.
DAKOTA WESLEYAN
— Dakota Wesleyan softball saw its school-record 15-game winning streak come to an end as Midland split a doubleheader on Sunday in Mitchell. DWU held on for a 4–2 win in Game 1 behind RBIs from Elle Feser, Jordyn Blogg, and Avery Perkins. Midland responded in Game 2 with a 7–0 shutout, limiting DWU to just one hit while breaking the game open with a five-run fifth inning. With the split, Dakota Wesleyan moves to 33–12 overall and 16–2 in the GPAC, still holding a two-game lead in the conference standings over Midland and Morningside. The Tigers will be at Dordt on Thursday for a doubleheader at 4 pm.
— Concordia (Neb.) completed a doubleheader sweep of Dakota Wesleyan on Sunday, winning 11-7 and 12-6. Dakota Wesleyan fell to 17-24 overall and 8-16 in the GPAC. In Game 1, Concordia used a five-run fifth inning to erase an early deficit. In Game 2, Jackson Jarding hit two home runs and drove in four runs for Dakota Wesleyan. The Tigers will be at Mt. Marty on Friday for a doubleheader at 5 pm.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
— South Dakota State softball fell 5–1 at Omaha on Sunday, getting swept in the three-game series vs. the Mavericks. Omaha struck early with a two-run homer in the first inning and added a three-run blast in the sixth. SDSU drops to 23–27 overall and 5–7 in Summit League play. The Jackrabbits return home next weekend to face St. Thomas.
— South Dakota State baseball fell 10–2 to Oral Roberts on Sunday, completing a Summit League series sweep for the Golden Eagles. ORU broke the game open with a six-run third inning. SDSU drops to 12–24 overall and 6–9 in league play, while ORU improves to 23–14 and 14–1 in the Summit League. The Jackrabbits host Briar Cliff in a nonconference game Wednesday.
SOUTH DAKOTA
— USD softball fell 9–1 in five innings at North Dakota on Sunday in Game two of their series in Grand Forks. The Coyotes managed just one hit and dropped to 11–30 overall and 3–8 in league play. North Dakota evens the series at one game apiece. Game three is set for Monday at 1 p.m.
MINNESOTA TWINS
— TJ Friedl hit a go-ahead, three-run double in the ninth inning, while Rece Hinds added a two-run double in the 10th as the Cincinnati Reds rallied past the Minnesota Twins 7-4 for a three-game sweep. Cincinnati scored six runs over the final two innings to win its third extra-inning game this season. The NL Central-leading Reds are 11-0 in games decided by three or fewer runs, including 6-0 in one-run games. Cincinnati trailed 3-1 entering the ninth. Bailey Ober allowed one unearned run in 6 1/3 innings for the Twins. Minnesota’s starters gave up three earned runs over 18 1/3 innings in the series, but the Twins’ batters went 6 for 35 with runners in scoring position. Minnesota is off today before taking on the New York Mets on Tuesday at 6:10 pm.
NBA
— Jayson Tatum had 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first playoff game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon last season as the Boston Celtics rolled past the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. Jaylen Brown added 26 points for Boston, while Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and eight assists for the 76ers. Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston.
— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder began their title defense with a 119-84 rout of the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series. The reigning league MVP made just 5 of 18 field goals but went 15 of 17 at the foul line before sitting out the fourth quarter.
— Paolo Banchero had 23 points and nine rebounds to lead the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic to a 112-101 win over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in Game 1 of their first-round series, extending the longest home playoff losing streak in NBA history. Detroit has dropped 11 straight home games in the postseason, a drought that dates to 2008. The Pistons will get another chance against Orlando on Wednesday night in Game 2. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham scored a playoff career-high 39 points.
— Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points in his playoff debut as the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series Sunday night. Wembanyama’s 35 total points set a Spurs franchise record for the most in a playoff debut, surpassing Tim Duncan’s 32 in 1998.
— The NBA’s MVP award will once again go to an international player, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama named as finalists. Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP from Canada, is joined by Serbia’s Jokic, seeking his fourth MVP, and France’s Wembanyama, who is a finalist for the first time and also up for Defensive Player of the Year. It marks the eighth straight season an international player will win MVP, continuing a stretch that includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Gilgeous-Alexander. The NBA will begin announcing award winners this week, starting with Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.
NFL
— The Cincinnati Bengals acquired three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants for the 10th pick in this week’s NFL draft. The teams announced the deal Sunday. Cincinnati then signed Lawrence to an extension that pays him an average of $28 million through the 2028 season. The Giants now have the fifth and 10th picks for the draft that begins Thursday night.
NBA PLAYOFFS – MONDAY
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors, 6 pm on Peacock/NBC Sports Network – Cleveland leads 1-0
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks ,7 pm on NBC – New York leads 1-0
No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, 9:30 pm on NBC – Denver leads 1-0
NHL – MONDAY
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 6 pm on ESPN – Philadelphia leads 1-0
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Ottawa Senators, 6:30 pm on ESPN2 – Carolina leads 1-0
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild, 8:30 pm on ESPN – Minnesota leads 1-0
Edmonton Oilers vs. Anaheim Ducks, 9 pm on ESPN2 – Game 1
MLB
— Nico Hoerner hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the Chicago Cubs sent the New York Mets to their 11th consecutive loss by rallying for a 2-1 victory. Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto tied it for Chicago in the ninth with an RBI double off Mets closer Devin Williams.
— Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the first inning, while Ben Rice went deep for the fourth straight game in the second as the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 7-0 to complete a three-game sweep.
— Mickey Moniak hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh as the Colorado Rockies held on to beat Los Angeles 9-6. L.A. won 11 of 13 before dropping the last two in Denver. Shohei Ohtani doubled twice to extend his on-base streak to 51 games.
— Michael Harris II homered and had three hits as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 to complete a three-game sweep. Ozzie Albies had an RBI double and Austin Riley also drove in a run for the Braves, who have won five in a row and nine of 11.
— Mason Miller closed out a combined two-hitter for San Diego to extend his scoreless streak to 32 2/3 innings as the Padres got RBI singles from Xander Bogaerts and Bryce Johnson in a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
— Eury Pérez allowed three hits in six innings after Miami scores three runs against Jacob Misiorowski in the first as the Marlins beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3.
— Masyn Winn cleared the bases with a double down the third base line as the St. Louis Cardinals won their fifth straight game, beating the Houston Astros 7-5 in 10 innings. It’s the Cardinals’ first sweep of the Astros in a three-game series in Houston since 2004.
— Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo homer and had three RBIs, while Nathan Lukes added a three-run double as the Toronto Blue Jays used an eight-run first inning to cruise past the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4.
— José Ramírez homered twice and Brayan Rocchio had three hits, along with three RBIs as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Orioles 8-4 to take three of four from Baltimore.
— Rookie Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas hit two of Chicago’s four home runs as rookie Noah Schultz allowed one hit over five innings for his first major league win as the Chicago White Sox beat the Athletics 7-4.
— Bryan Reynolds drove in three runs, while Mitch Keller allowed two runs over seven innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3.
— Bryan Woo pitched seven innings and Rob Refsnyder homered on the first pitch of the bottom of the first as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Texas Rangers 5-2. J.P. Crawford and Randy Arozarena each hit two-run homers for the Mariners.
— Dillon Dingler hit a three-run homer during Detroit’s four-run fifth inning, leading the Tigers to a 6-2 victory over the Red Sox.
— Curtis Mead hit a two-run homer and Andrew Alvarez worked 4 1/3 shutout innings in relief and the Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants 3-0.