THURSDAY SPORTS, JUNE 11, 2025
LEGION BASEBALL
— Officials from the South Dakota American Legion and the Mitchell Baseball Association are set to meet Thursday in Pierre behind closed doors to discuss reinstating Mitchell’s varsity-level summer baseball team. The team’s 2024 season was canceled after serious criminal charges involving players, and the Legion set conditions for the team’s return—including dissolving the Mitchell Baseball Association board and removing longtime coach Luke Norden. The MBA has pushed back, supporting Norden and adopting new safety measures. With many deadlines for the 2025 season already passed, it’s uncertain if the varsity team will return this year. Meanwhile, MBA is continuing summer baseball for younger age groups, including an 18-and-under team coached by Norden.
BASEBALL
— Mitchell Gold’s 16-and-under baseball team swept a doubleheader against Watertown Tuesday, winning 16-6 and 13-3. In the first game, Mitchell rallied with a nine-run fifth inning. In Game 2, Ian Weber struck out 10 to earn the victory Mitchell Gold improves to 6-4 on the season. Mitchell hosts Tea next Tuesday at 4 pm for another doubleheader.
AMATEUR BASEBALL – THURSDAY
Winner/Colome 4, Parkston Rays 2 – Wednesday
Platte vs. Parkston Rays
Dimock/Emery vs. Mitchell
Parkston Mudcats vs. Mt. Vernon
Corsica vs. Alexandria
Colome vs. Plankinton
Kimball/White Lake vs. Burke
1st Annual Blarney’s Baseball Classic – Saturday, June 14th at Cadwell Park
Canova vs. Mt. Vernon, 10 am
Platte vs. Wynot (Neb.), Noon
Kimbal/White Lake vs. Parkston Rays, 2 pm
Alexandria vs. Crofton (Neb.), 4 pm
Mitchell Aces vs. Sioux Falls Brewers, 6 pm
Dimock/Emery vs. Wessington Springs, 8 pm
MINNESOTA TWINS
— Byron Buxton hit a 479-foot home run, the second-longest in the majors this season, as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Texas Rangers 6-2. Buxton’s three-run shot to center field off starter Jack Leiter was the longest of his 144 career homers, and it gave Minnesota a 3-2 lead in the third inning. The only home run hit farther this year was a 484-foot drive by the Angels’ Mike Trout on April 19. The Twins and Rangers wrap up their three-game series today at 12:10 pm
NBA
— Bennedict Mathurin scored 27 off the bench, while Tyrese Haliburton scored 22 as the Indiana Pacers reclaimed the lead in the NBA Finals by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 in Game 3 on Wednesday night. Haliburton also had 11 assists and nine rebounds for the Pacers, who got 21 points from Pascal Siakam and had a 49-18 edge in bench points on their way to a 2-1 lead in the series. Jalen Williams scored 26 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 and Chet Holmgren had 20 for the Thunder, who led by five going into the fourth.
STANLEY CUP FINALS
Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers, Thursday at 7 pm on TNT – Florida leads the series 2-1
NBA
— The New York Knicks have been blocked from interviewing Dallas’ Jason Kidd, Houston’s Ime Udoka, and Minnesota’s Chris Finch as potential replacements for recently fired Tom Thibodeau. All three coaches remain under contract and their teams declined to make them available. The Knicks also faced a similar denial from Atlanta regarding Hawks coach Quin Snyder.
— The Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant’s business partner, Rich Kleiman, are actively discussing trade scenarios for Durant, according to sources. Teams showing interest include the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks. Talks are expected to pick up ahead of the NBA Draft later this month. Durant, who will turn 37 in September, is under contract for $54 million next season.
COLLEGE
— Eight female college athletes have appealed a $2.7 billion NCAA settlement, arguing it violates federal law by shortchanging women in the distribution of money earned from athletes’ name, image, and likeness rights. The settlement ends the NCAA’s amateurism model and allows direct payments to athletes. However, the women claim the deal ignores Title IX, which prohibits gender discrimination in education, and would deprive female athletes of $1.1 billion in damages. The NCAA and the settlement’s plaintiffs say the appeal will delay payments to thousands of athletes. The case will now be reviewed by a federal appeals court.
— Colorado football coach Deion Sanders reassured fans on social media that “everything is OKAY” following his absence from spring football camps in Boulder. Sanders thanked supporters for their well wishes and said he’s “excited to get back” to Colorado soon. The school hasn’t commented on his absence, but reports say Sanders has been ill and is currently at home in Texas.
NFL
— A Seattle man has been charged with a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent current and former football and baseball players, marking the latest example of well-known athletes being targeted in these types of thefts. 21-year-old Earl Riley IV was charged Friday with several counts of residential burglary in both occupied and unoccupied homes, along with first-degree robbery. Prosecutors say Riley was the ringleader in a series of burglaries that started in February and involved thefts from the homes of such players as Seattle Mariners Luis Castillo and Julio Rodriguez and former Seattle Seahawk Richard Sherman.
MLB
— The Texas Rangers have signed veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel to a minor-league contract. The 37-year-old nine-time All-Star will report to Triple-A Round Rock this week. Kimbrel was recently designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves and chose free agency over a minor-league assignment. He has 440 career saves over 16 MLB seasons with eight teams.
COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES
No. 13 Coastal Carolina vs. Arizona, Friday at 1 pm on ESPN
No. 8 Oregon State vs. Louisville, Friday at 6 pm on ESPN
No. 15 UCLA vs. Murray State, Saturday at 1 pm on ESPN
No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 6 LSU, Saturday at 6 pm on ESPN
MLB
— The Minnesota Twins have traded struggling reliever Jorge Alcala to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor leaguer Andy Lugo. The 29-year-old Alcala has an 8.88 ERA in 22 appearances for the Twins this year. His final outing with Minnesota came Tuesday when he gave up five runs in a 16-4 loss to Texas.
— David Peterson threw his first nine-inning complete game, allowing just six hits as the New York Mets shut out the Washington Nationals 5-0. Brandon Nimmo hit two home runs and Juan Soto added a solo shot against his former team.
— Teoscar Hernández hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning as the Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 5-2, taking two of three games in their first series this season.
— Aaron Judge homered for the third consecutive game and Clarke Schmidt allowed just two hits over six innings as the Yankees cruised to a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
— Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach threw his first career complete game, allowing just five hits and striking out nine as the Braves defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 6-2.
— Kyle Schwarber and Alec Bohm both went deep, while Jesús Luzardo struck out 10 over six innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.
— Mike Yastrzemski’s two-run double in the eighth inning keyed a San Francisco rally as the Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 10-7 for their seventh straight victory.
— Jordan Westburg’s three-run homer in a seven-run eighth inning powered the Baltimore Orioles to a 10-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
— Boston rookie Marcelo Mayer hit two solo home runs to help the Red Sox hold off the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3. Walker Buehler pitched seven innings for Boston, earning the win, while Aroldis Chapman recorded his 12th save.
— Christian Walker homered among his three hits and had a season-high four RBIs to lead the Houston Astros over the Chicago White Sox 10-2. Jose Altuve added two hits to give him 2,300 in his career.
— Carlos Santana hit a grand slam in the third inning, helping the Cleveland Guardians snap a five-game losing streak to the Cincinnati Reds with an 11-2 victory.
— Eugenio Suárez hit his third grand slam of the season to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-2 win over the Seattle Mariners, completing a three-game sweep.
— Ernie Clement’s solo homer helped the Toronto Blue Jays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2, completing a three-game sweep.
— Andrew McCutchen hit a milestone three-run homer in the fifth inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-2 win over the Miami Marlins. The homer was McCutchen’s 241st with the Pirates, moving him past Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente into third place on the franchise’s all-time home run list.
— Jo Adell hit a two-run homer in a six-run sixth inning as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 6-5, completing a three-game sweep. The A’s Brent Rooker hit two homers and had four hits. The Athletics have now lost 23 of their last 27 games.
DAKOTA WESLEYAN
Men’s Basketball: Elite Camp (Saturday, June 14)
A high-intensity camp for high school athletes (classes of 2025–2028) seeking to compete at the next level. Includes drills, skill instruction, and evaluations by DWU coaching staff.
Football Prospect Camp (June 22) Sunday
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Open to athletes in grades 9–12
This camp offers college evaluation and instruction, including a combine assessment. Includes lunch, dinner, and a camp T-shirt.
Girls’ Basketball: Tiger Team Camp (Monday, June 30)
A great opportunity for girls’ basketball teams to compete in multiple games in one day.
MITCHELL KERNELS
— Mitchell will host a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) football camp on Wednesday, June 25th from 9 am to 3 pm at Joe Quintal Field. Camp is for players entering grades 5-8 this fall and the cost is $20.