Video: Tuscola baseball uses big fourth inning to defeat Stuart Cramer in NCHSAA playoffs
Video: Tuscola baseball uses big fourth inning to defeat Stuart Cramer in NCHSAA playoffs
Tuscola baseball used a six run fourth inning to defeat Stuart W. Cramer in second round of NCHSAA 3A playoffs on May 8.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
34 minutes ago
- New York Times
When will the Penguins' rebuild will shift into a new gear? Mailbag
Good morning and welcome to Part 2 of my monthly Pittsburgh Penguins mailbag. If you missed Part 1, check it out here. We're merely 15 days from the NHL Draft and 19 days from the start of unrestricted free agency. Life comes at you fast, huh? Lots of great questions, as always. Away we go. I always felt next offseason (2026) would be the Pens' springboard. The hiring of Dan Muse, which I like, makes me feel it might not be until '27 or '28. What do you get the sense of? Is there anything that would accelerate Kyle's current timeline, like Gavin McKenna? — @MikeyFitzPGH First things first, if the Penguins get lucky next spring and win the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, that changes everything. Since Sidney Crosby came along in 2005, only two prospects have been in his neighborhood: Connor McDavid and McKenna. I'm not saying McKenna will be their equal. That's quite unfair to him. But … we are talking about that kind of talent. I despise 'generational' because it's arguably society's most overused word. By all accounts, however, McKenna could be hockey's next true superstar. If the Penguins get him, it changes everything, and they'll potentially become contenders in short order. Even if they don't get lucky — realistically, let's plan on this being the case — I still expect Kyle Dubas to escalate his team-building efforts next summer. The Penguins are currently projected to have around $54 million in cap space next summer, according to Puckpedia. That number will drop when they sign some players this summer. Even so, with so many contracts coming off the books next summer — and remember, they may trade veterans before then, giving them even more cap space — the Penguins will be able to go on a spending spree in 2026. Teams have to be careful about spending too much on July 1, of course, but by then, Dubas will have a much better feel for which of his prospects will become good NHL players. This will tell him where he needs to spend in free agency. Advertisement So, this summer is going to be really interesting. Next summer? Buckle up. Chances Dubas trades up or down with the 11th pick at the draft ? — @Euphoricdot I see very little chance of him trading down. The Penguins already have a ridiculous number of picks in each of the next three drafts. All of that quantity is wonderful, but I think quality is more what they're looking for moving forward. Might he trade up? Yeah, I think it's a real possibility. It's a top-heavy draft, and I could see them moving up for one of the top-tier centers or power forward Porter Martone. Sorry to be a buzz kill, but I'd still say it's better than 50-50 that Dubas stands pat at No. 11. But because this is a mailbag and we like to have fun here, I'll rank the possibilities: Of course, there is another scenario in play here … Do you think the Rangers hand the 2025 first to the Pens? — @DavidJ_Cole Ah, it's the million-dollar question we've been debating for months. No one at Penguins HQ, from Dubas on down, has a clue what the Rangers will do. From everything I can tell, it's a mystery. I've asked many people around the league and within the Penguins organization what they think will happen. I'd say the slight majority of people I've spoken with expect the Rangers to keep the 12th pick in this draft. So, my official guess is that the Rangers keep this pick. But I don't know. Would that change Dubas' strategy? I suppose it could. But I haven't been told it would. He's probably just as likely to move up or stand pat with the 11th pick, whether he has the No. 12 pick or not. Outside of the no-brainer picks for Sid, Mario, and Geno — is this the highest stakes draft for the Pens in modern era? If they get this one wrong, the rebuild really doesn't take off. — @ccontres I suppose we could say this about every draft when a team is rebuilding. They're all important. This one probably takes on added importance if indeed the Rangers do send the 12th pick to the Penguins. Advertisement Even though it's not a great draft, if you're picking at 11 and 12, one of those players had better become impactful and the other had better at least be a solid NHL player. That's my view of it, anyway. In all reality, I'd suggest next season's draft might be the one you're referring to. It is, according to the draft experts, a potentially spectacular draft. The Penguins (I'm so sorry to inform you) might not be very good next season, which is my way of saying that they might have a very high draft pick. Plus, maybe they'll have the Rangers' first-round pick. The Rangers are the ultimate high-ceiling, low-floor team. That could be a good pick next season. Additionally, in a very deep draft, the Penguins own three 2026 second-round picks. Remember, the Penguins are probably going to sell a veteran or two during this season, which will only add to their draft capital in 2026. So, I would suggest to you that 2026 is when Dubas has a chance to author a franchise-altering draft. Did you ever get a sense of how young they meant when the team source told you 'we're going young next year'? — @Flux_cc Oh, for sure. It's very simple. They're not going to be signing a bunch of 30-somethings in free agency. Maybe a guy or two for one year, but they want people who were in AHL Wilkes-Barre last season to start making their way to Pittsburgh more regularly. That's all it meant. And it strikes me as a wise move for this franchise. Do you see any chance the Penguins could add Sam Bennett in the off-season? I know it's a long shot but he would be the type of player they need. — @Hoagie7187 No. (I'm not being rude … this is just a one-word answer for maximum impact. Everyone needs him. And Florida won't let him get away.) How many points does 38-year-old Sidney Crosby put up with a young, elite, dynamic, and perfect left winger for him at this stage of his career, like Jason John Peterka? — @Jeffs_Penguins I like you willing this into existence, Jeff. And it's interesting to think about. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are top-notch NHL players and good linemates for Sid, but it would be interesting to see him play with some young legs. I love Rutger McGroarty's game, though I don't know if he's skilled enough to be effective with Sid. He'd be a good third-wheel on a line with Sid, perhaps. But he's not Jake Guentzel. Then again, who is? Advertisement And listen, when you're dealing with a team like the Sabres, you should be trying to get players like JJ Peterka. It makes no sense for him to be available, but hey, it's the Sabres. Doesn't hurt to inquire, and I believe the Penguins have. How many years do they wait before they retire Fleury's 29? — @neildbrown Impossible to answer because the Penguins don't have much history here. They retired Mario Lemieux's number in November 1997, only a few months after he retired for the first time. But that was Mario. It took seven years after Jaromir Jagr last played in the NHL, though that was for logistical reasons, because Jagr was still playing overseas. The weird thing is, the Penguins don't really have a boss at the moment — no one to make the final call on these kinds of decisions. I suppose Dubas has the ultimate power on these matters, but I'm pretty sure he's more concerned about the plight of the hockey team. That said, I think Marc-Andre Fleury's number will be retired at some point in the next few years. As it should be. Dubas told me in Sweden last month that it's extremely important to him that the Penguins and Fleury always have a strong relationship. What are some of the best things about summer in Pittsburgh? — @SaraSolnick Well, we have celebrities such as the First Couple of Pittsburgh: Paul Skenes and Livvy Dunne. Oakmont is hosting the U.S. Open this week (I guess it's still technically spring, but it still counts.) Al's Cafe has outdoor seating in the summer. Sandcastle has a solid lazy river. Oh … and Aaron Rodgers will be in Latrobe in July. We're all set. What's on the menu between overtime periods if Josh Yohe is in charge? Oreo blizzards still? — @OldDustyTraiI I think it's important to go healthy during overtime intermissions because everyone's blood pressure is up. Maybe a nice apple. Avoid salt. Advertisement (In reality, I'm full of crap and, like the Florida Panthers, I enjoy an evening voyage to Dairy Queen.) Hope you're all enjoying the Stanley Cup Final. It's been spectacular. Thanks, as always, for reading. Much, much coverage is on the way over the next few weeks. (Photo of Sidney Crosby: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
UNC Class of 2026 basketball recruit amongst best performers at Top 100 camp
UNC Class of 2026 basketball recruit amongst best performers at Top 100 camp Will this highly-touted Class of 2026 recruit don Carolina Blue in college? Despite UNC's inconsistencies from season-to-season since Hubert Davis took over as head coach, there's one area Hubert is proving to be a baller in: recruiting. Hubert signed at least one 5-star player – out of high school in each of North Carolina's past three recruiting classes. The Tar Heels snagged Elliot Cadeau in 2023, Drake Powell and Ian Jackson last season, plus they have power forward Caleb Wilson coming to Chapel Hill this year. UNC doesn't yet have a commitment in its 2026 recruiting class, but there are several outstanding offers. Recent efforts by the North Carolina coaching staff, though, show that a top goal is getting that first 2026 commitment. Hubert is directly recruiting 5-star point guard Taylen Kinney, the top-ranked player in Georgia and Class of 2026's 16th-overall ranked prospect. At the current NBPA Top 100 Camp in Rock Hill, S.C., which Tar Heel coaches are in attendance for, Kinney is being hailed as one of the top performers. "Day one saw Kinney dominate the competition," Trevor Andershock wrote. "The Kentucky native had his outside shot working in the two games, resulting in impressive production. With his size and athleticism, defenses have no chance to stop him when Kinney is hitting outside shots. That was the case on Wednesday. He has been traveling overseas for basketball events lately, but Kinney showed no ill effects of that jet lag on Wednesday." Keep in mind: Kinney is putting up these numbers against some of the top high school players in the country. Kinney is currently playing with Overtime Elite, which is an alternative to the pros, allowing high school players to prepare themselves for professional basketball. Can Hubert's strong recruiting efforts pay off yet again, this time in the form of landing Kinney? How the Tar Heels perform in their 2025-2026 season will go a long way towards shaping their 2026 class. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Misiorowski's promising debut hits speed bump. Plus: Youth movement in Anaheim
The Windup Newsletter ⚾ | This is The Athletic's MLB newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Windup directly in your inbox. It was the best of debuts for Jacob Misiorowski … until it ended early. Plus: The Angels call up (another) prospect, the Rangers offense is maybe not dead and Ken tells us why Ryan Yarbrough's a Yankee. I'm Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal. Welcome to The Windup! The news broke Tuesday: Milwaukee was calling up 23-year-old flame thrower Jacob Misiorowski to start against the Cardinals. In 63 1/3 innings at Triple-A Nashville, Misiorowski — No. 87 on Keith Law's top 100 prospects list and No. 5 on his Brewers list — had an ERA of 2.13, with 80 strikeouts and 31 walks. Here's how the debut went: First inning: 1-2-3 Advertisement Second inning: 1-2-3 with a strikeout Third inning: 1-2-3, sorta: a walk, a double play and a strikeout Fourth inning: two walks, but still no hits Fifth inning: 1-2-3, with two strikeouts Three pitches into the sixth inning: a minor disaster. After Misiorowski threw ball three to Victor Scott II, this happened (watch the right ankle). MUST SEE: Jacob Misiorowski's first three pitches to start his Major League career: 100 MPH 🔥102 MPH 🔥101 MPH 🔥 — MLB (@MLB) June 12, 2025 Misiorowski left the game — right calf and quad cramping, of all things — and while reliever Nick Mears kept the no-hitter intact for the rest of the sixth inning, Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras singled off Aaron Ashby to start the seventh inning. (Not to get too sidetracked, but Contreras then attempted to steal and was thrown out by his brother William, who catches for the Brewers. I await Jayson Stark's confirmation on how often this has happened in history.) Anyway, what a debut for Misiorowski, huh? Oh, by the way, the 37-33 Brewers won 6-0 to leapfrog the Cardinals for second place in the NL Central. All it took was for me to go and declare St. Louis this year's Plot Twist, and now they're mired in a five-game losing streak. Sorry 'bout it, Cardinals fans. More Brewers: Yesterday morning, the Brewers started their day on social media by wishing pitcher Aaron Civale happy birthday. Hours later, news broke that Civale — relegated to the bullpen for the first time in his career — had requested a trade. From my latest column: Right-hander Jacob Barnes and lefty Richard Lovelady are best described as journeymen. Most baseball fans would not even recognize their names. Yet, those are the two pitchers the Blue Jays chose over left-hander Ryan Yarbrough for their Opening Day roster, only to designate both for assignment less than a month later. Advertisement Yarbrough, after declining a revised offer from the Jays, opted out of his minor-league contract, became a free agent and signed with the New York Yankees. He started out in the Yankees' bullpen, then joined their injury-depleted rotation in early May and produced a stunning 2.08 ERA in his first five starts before faltering last Saturday against the Boston Red Sox. As the Jays await the return of righty Max Scherzer and ponder the regression of righty Bowden Francis, they can only wonder how Yarbrough, a pitcher who was firmly under their control, might have fit. The Jays, winners of 12 of their last 14 games and holding the top wild-card position in the American League, are not exactly suffering. Lefty Eric Lauer, signed to a minor-league deal in December, is proving a reasonable facsimile of Yarbrough. If Scherzer makes a successful return from his right thumb injury by the end of June, the team's decision on Yarbrough at the end of March might prove little more than a footnote. Yarbrough is the kind of pitcher who is easy to overlook. His fastball is among the slowest in the majors, averaging just 87.5 mph. Yet Erik Neander, his former president of baseball operations with the Tampa Bay Rays, describes him as 'absolutely fearless, incredibly savvy and somebody who gets the absolute most out of their abilities.' 'How do you know someone has special makeup?' Neander asked with a chuckle. 'They're getting guys out in the big leagues throwing 86 mph.' The Blue Jays, after acquiring Yarbrough last July 30 from the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder Kevin Kiermaier and cash, came to understand what makes the pitcher unique. They re-signed him on Feb. 21, and after he triggered his opt-out clause in late March, they had the ability to keep him by adding him to their major-league roster. Advertisement The Jays were willing to do that — with a catch. They asked Yarbrough to sign an advance-consent clause, allowing them to release him within the first 45 days of the regular season and terminate the rest of his $2 million guarantee. The Yankees, Yarbrough said, made him the same offer, but with a different incentive structure. Yarbrough was willing to accept that deal from the Yankees, a team he admired from afar for its ability to get the most out of pitchers. He wasn't willing to accept it from the Jays, for whom he had a 2.01 ERA in 31 1/3 innings after the trade, pitching in a variety of roles out of the bullpen. More here. There's quite the youth movement happening in Anaheim. This year, no fewer than 14 players age 25 or younger have suited up for the Halos. Six are currently on the active roster, and here are the numbers of minor-league games they've played: There are some 'normal' ones there, but that chart doesn't include Caden Dana (21 years old, 52 minor-league games), Ben Joyce (24, 47 minor-league games, currently on 60-day IL) or Ryan Johnson (22, five minor-league games) — all of whom have appeared in at least one game for the Angels this year. There's about to be another one. Twenty-two-year-old infielder Christian Moore, the No. 8 pick in last year's draft, is being called up to join the team in Baltimore. Moore was Law's No. 2 Angels prospect. After struggling in 34 Double-A games this year (.665 OPS), he was promoted to Triple A, where he hit .350/.424/.575 (.999 OPS) with four home runs in 20 games. Interestingly, while Moore has only played in 79 minor-league games, the call-up is actually later than expected — he was set to debut last September before a knee injury. The Angels aren't the only organization to do this sometimes — Wyatt Langford made the Texas Rangers' Opening Day roster in 2024 after just 44 minor-league games, for example — but they seem to have a more aggressive promotion philosophy than most. The story of the 2025 Rangers has been simple: great pitching; the offense stinks. We'll need a bigger sample size than six games against the Nationals and a struggling Twins rotation, but any time a team scores 16 runs twice in one series, it's worth raising an eyebrow and side-eyeing them a little bit. Advertisement Emblematic of both the struggle and the renaissance: second baseman Marcus Semien. Opening Day through May 28 (223 plate appearances): .173/.260/.224 (.485 OPS), three home runs May 29 through yesterday: (48 PAs) .429/.500/.786 (1.286), four home runs Semien isn't alone. Evan Carter has hit home runs in three out of four games. Josh Smith has been red-hot, and Jake Burger has looked like a different player since his short stay in the minor leagues. Six Rangers homered yesterday. Is it a flash in the pan? Maybe, but their next 18 games should give them a chance to lock in. They face the White Sox, Royals, Pirates, Orioles, Mariners and Orioles again. Every one of those teams is (like the 33-36 Rangers) below .500, save for the Royals (34-34). This is kind of a big deal: While MLB has previously refused to acknowledge any changes to the baseballs, this year, the league admits there's a difference in how the baseballs are behaving. MLB insists there have been no changes and it's just as confused as the rest of us. My favorite read of the day: Matt Gelb has a brilliant profile on the Phillies' one-of-a-kind starter Zack Wheeler, who does things his own way. Tyler Kepner's 'Sliders' column starts with MacKenzie Gore and ends with umpire impersonations. These days, we get heartwarming videos when a prospect is called up. Steve Buckley talked to a few guys whose call-ups happened in the pre-MySpace days. Mets starter Kodai Senga is headed to the IL with a strained hamstring. Welcome our new intern Dhani Joseph, who asks: What happens when the pope wears your hat? Last year's Tigers surprised people. This year, it's just who they are, says Britt Ghiroli. With a month and a half til the trade deadline, who needs what, and how urgently? It's the Trade Deadline Urgency Index 1.0. Advertisement Meanwhile, Jim Bowden gives us 20 deadline-related things he's hearing. And lastly, a correction. In yesterday's Windup, I mentioned a story in the Boston Globe. It was, in fact, the Boston Herald. Apologies. (At least I got the link right?) On the pods: The 'Rates and Barrels' crew asks if the Rangers might consider offers on Jacob deGrom, and highlights some overlooked hitters from this year. Most-clicked in our last newsletter: Keith Law's 2025 Mock Draft 2.0, with Oregon State shortstop Aiva Arquette at No. 1. 📫 Love The Windup? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters.
