THURSDAY SPORTS, APRIL 30, 2026
MITCHELL KERNELS
— Mitchell Kernels girls golf returns to action Thursday at the Hub City Invitational in Aberdeen in 10 am.
— Mitchell track and field hosts a triangular vs. Huron and Aberdeen Central on Thursday at 4 pm at Joe Quintal Field.
— Mitchell boys tennis will host Aberdeen Central and Sioux Falls Washington for a triangular at Hitchcock Park on Friday at 11 am.
— Mitchell Kernels softball will travel to Harrisburg on Friday at 5:30 pm.
— Mitchell baseball will travel to Brookings for a doubleheader on Friday at 6 pm.
DAKOTA WESLEYAN
— Dakota Wesleyan opened the GPAC baseball tournament with a 12-9 win over No. 3 seed Morningside on Wednesday in Lincoln, Nebraska. The sixth-seeded Tigers jumped ahead early with a four-run third inning, then broke the game open in the fifth with a six-run rally to build a 10-1 lead. DWU extended the lead to 12-4 heading into the ninth. The Mustangs made things interesting with a five-run final inning, but Dakota Wesleyan closed it out to secure the victory and advance in the winner’s bracket. DWU moves on to face either Concordia on Thursday at noon, needing just one win to reach the GPAC championship round.
— Dakota Wesleyan split its opening games at the GPAC softball tournament Wednesday in Fremont, Nebraska, and set a school record in the process. The fourth-seeded Tigers defeated No. 5 Northwestern 7-6 in the opener, earning their 35th win of the season, the most in school history. Dakota Wesleyan then fell 7-6 to No. 8 Hastings in the second game. The Tigers led early, but Hastings scored five runs in the fifth inning to take control. Dakota Wesleyan scored four runs over the final two innings and brought the tying run into scoring position, but could not complete the comeback. With the split, Dakota Wesleyan moves into the elimination bracket and will need multiple wins Thursday to remain in contention for the GPAC title. The Tigers face the No. 1 seed Midland on Thursday at Noon.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
— South Dakota State women’s golf were selected Wednesday as the No. 11 seed in the Stanford Regional, marking the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship. The bid comes one day after SDSUcaptured its first Summit League championship. The regional will be played May 11-13 at Stanford Golf Course in California. The Jacks are one of 12 teams in the field, which includes top-seeded Stanford, along with Pepperdine, Vanderbilt and Arizona State. The 54-hole tournament will be contested over three days. The top five teams and the top individual not on an advancing team will move on to the NCAA Championships, set for May 22-27 in Carlsbad, California.
— South Dakota State volleyball will host a pair of high-profile nonconference matchups this fall at the Pentagon in Sioux Falls. The Jackrabbits will face Washington and Minnesota as part of a two-day, four-team event scheduled for Sept. 18-19. USD will also compete in the event. SDSU opens the showcase Friday against Washington, while the Coyotes faces Minnesota. On Saturday, the Jacks will take on Minnesota following a matchup between USD and Washington. Game times and broadcast details will be announced later.
— South Dakota State baseball rolled to a dominant nonconference win Wednesday, routing Minnesota Morris 19-1 in seven innings at Erv Huether Field. The Jackrabbits hit a season-high five home runs and finished with 15 hits, improving to 16-25 overall. Nate Wachter led the offensive, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBIs, finishing just a triple shy of the cycle. Grant Sorensen added three hits and six RBIs, including a two-run homer. SDSU broke the game open with a four-run third inning, added four more in the fourth and pulled away with a six-run fifth. The Jackrabbits return to Summit League play this weekend with a three-game series at North Dakota State starting on Friday at 6:30 pm.
— South Dakota State softball will close the regular season on the road with a three-game series at North Dakota State beginning Thursday at 4 pm. The Jackrabbits are fifth in the conference with a 5-9 record, a half game behind USD for fourth.
SOUTH DAKOTA
— USD softball ends the regular season vs. Omaha with a three-game series starting on Thursday at 3 pm in Vermillion.
MINNESOTA TWINS
— Seattle’s Cole Young had three late-inning RBIs for the Mariners, including the go-ahead two-run single in the ninth that fueled a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins. The Twins went 3 for 22 with runners in scoring position while losing the last two games of the series. Taj Bradley allowed only four hits and two walks over seven innings with seven strikeouts on 114 pitches. The Twins host Toronto for a four-game series starting Thursday at 6:40 pm.
NBA
— Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points as the Houston Rockets avoided playoff elimination for the second straight game with a 99-93 victory over the Lakers, trimming L.A.’s lead in the first-round series to 3-2. Alperen Sengun had 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the fifth-seeded Rockets, who sent the series back to Houston for Game 6 on Friday night.
— Cade Cunningham scored a franchise playoff-record 45 points as the top-seeded Detroit Pistons beat the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic 116-109 in Game 5 of their first-round series to stave off elimination. Orlando leads the series 3-2 and will get a second chance to advance at home on Friday night. The Magic fell to 0-10 in franchise history on the road in a Game 5. Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 45 points.
— Dennis Schroder scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, while Evan Mobley hit a pair of pivotal 3-pointers in the final period and finished with 23 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied for a 125-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Cleveland leads the series 3-2. Game 6 is Friday night in Toronto.
— The NBA and FIBA are moving through ownership bids for a planned new European basketball league, with strong interest coming from all 12 targeted cities. The league is targeting a potential launch in October 2027 and officials are now working to narrow proposals into a short list of preferred ownership groups. NBA, FIBA and EuroLeague officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Tuesday as discussions continue over structure and cooperation between existing European basketball systems. The proposed league is expected to include franchises in major European cities such as London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Rome, Athens, and Istanbul.
NBA PLAYOFFS – THURSDAY
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks, 6 pm on ESPN – New York leads 3-2
Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics, 7 pm on Peacock/NBC Sports Network – Boston leads 3-2
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets, 8:30 pm on ESPN – Minnesota leads 3-2
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS – WEDNESDAY
Montreal Canadiens 3, Tampa Bay Lightning 2 – Montreal leads the series 3-2
Philadelphia Flyers 1, Pittsburgh Penguins 0 (OT) – Philadelphia wins the series 4-2
Vegas Golden Knights 5, Utah Mammoth 4 (2 OT) – Vegas leads the series 3-2
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS – THURSDAY
Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars, 6:30 on TNT – Minnesota leads 3-2
Anaheim Ducks vs. Edmonton Oilers, 9 pm on TNT – Anaheim leads 3-2
NFL
— Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens has signed his $27.3 million franchise tag, ensuring he will remain with the team for the 2026 season and participate in offseason workouts. Pickens, who was acquired in a trade last year with Pittsburgh, is coming off a career season with 93 receptions, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns. While the Cowboys have not committed to a long-term extension, team leadership says Pickens remains part of their future plans.
— The Carolina Panthers have signed the fifth-year option on quarterback Bryce Young’s rookie contract, keeping him under team control through the 2027 season. The move guarantees Young a $29.5 million salary for the 2027 season. Young is coming off his best NFL season, setting career highs with 3,011 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and a 63% completion rate, leading the Panthers to their first playoff appearance since 2017.
— Former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons has announced his retirement after a nine-year NFL career. Simmons, a two-time Pro Bowler and four-time second-team All-Pro, spent most of his career in Denver after being drafted in the third round out of Boston College in 2016. He finished his career with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024. He retires with 32 career interceptions, including an NFL-leading six in 2022.
MLB
— Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his third home run of the season and drove in three runs to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 5-4 win over the San Diego Padres. The Cubs have won 12 of their last 15 games.
— Atlanta’s Matt Olson hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off Kenley Jansen, rallying the Braves to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Tarik Skubal ended with a no decision for Detroit, throwing seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.
— Nathan Eovaldi allowed four hits over seven scoreless innings, while Josh Jung had a two-run single as the Texas Rangers beat the New York Yankees 3-0 to avoid a three-game sweep.
— Ernie Clement hit a two-run home run as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 8-1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3 for 3 with a walk as the Blue Jays took two of three from the Red Sox. It was Toronto’s third straight series win.
— Javier Sanoja singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth inning, giving the Miami Marlins a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2. Liam Hicks and Esteury Ruiz hit solo homers for the Marlins, who took two of three from the Dodgers for the first time in Los Angeles since 2018.
— Cleveland rookie Chase DeLauter had two hits and drove in a pair of runs, while Gavin Williams allowed one unearned run and struck out nine in 7 2/3 innings as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1. Tampa Bay had its six-game winning streak snapped.
— Washington’s Brady House capped a seven-run fourth inning with his first career grand slam as the Nationals routed the New York Mets 14-2.
— Lawrence Butler hit a three-run home run, while Luis Severino gave up one run and struck out eight in seven innings, as the Athletics beat Kansas City 5-2. Nick Kurtz hit an RBI double and walked, his 18th consecutive game with a walk, extending his franchise record and tying him with Barry Bonds for the longest such single-season streak in nearly 80 years.
— Rookie Sam Antonacci hit a tying triple with two outs in the ninth inning and Colson Montgomery had a winning single in the 10th, lifting the Chicago White Sox over Los Angeles 3-2 for a three-game sweep that extended the Angels’ losing streak to six. Mike Trout hit his 10th home run of the season for the Angels, who have lost 10 of 11 and dropped to 12-20.
— Cardinals rookie Nathan Church ended the game by robbing Nick Gonzales of what would have been a walk-off, two-run homer by making a leaping catch at the left-field wall, giving St. Louis a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
— Nolan Arenado hit a three-run homer, while Ildemaro Vargas extended his hitting streak to 25 games as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-2.
— Hunter Goodman homered twice, while Brett Sullivan hit a three-run double as the Colorado Rockies beat the Cincinnati Reds 13-2.