logo
Jackson Van De Brake drives in five runs and North Carolina routs Clemson 14-4 for ACC championship

Jackson Van De Brake drives in five runs and North Carolina routs Clemson 14-4 for ACC championship

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Jackson Van De Brake drove in five runs, including a three-run home run in an eight-run fifth inning, highlighting North Carolina's 14-4 victory over Clemson on Sunday in the championship game of the ACC Baseball Tournament.
Hunter Stokely and Tyson Bass both hit two-run home runs with one out in the fifth inning, giving North Carolina an 8-0 lead but the Tar Heels weren't done. Kane Kepley delivered an RBI-single and Van De Brake followed with his blast to left center, making it 12-0.
North Carolina added two runs in the sixth on a fielder's choice and a groundout.
Tar Heels starting pitcher Ryan Lynch threw four scoreless innings, allowing two hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Clemson loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth inning, but Lynch got out of the jam with two strikeouts and an inning-ending grounder to second.
Cam Cannarella hit a two-run home run for Clemson in the seventh inning and the Tigers added single runs in the eighth and ninth innings.
The Tar Heels scored in each of the first three innings. In the first, Gavin Gallaher laced an RBI-double; in the second Kepley's sacrifice fly scored one run and Van De Brake added a run-scoring single; and in the third, Alex Madera drove in Gallaher with a single.
Olin Johnson (2-0) was credited with the win and B.J. Bailey (2-5) took the loss.
Gallaher and Madera had three hits each.
The Tar Heels (42-12) will be making their 37th appearance in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. They won the conference tournament for the third time since 2019.
The Tigers (44-16), seeking an at-large bid, would be making their 47th appearance.
Tournament selections will be announced on Monday. ___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Browns minicamp: QBs slowly making strides, Denzel Ward still in top form
Browns minicamp: QBs slowly making strides, Denzel Ward still in top form

New York Times

time28 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Browns minicamp: QBs slowly making strides, Denzel Ward still in top form

Save for a couple of passes thrown in the direction of tight end David Njoku and a few offensive snaps destroyed by all-world defensive end Myles Garrett, what we've seen through two days of mandatory minicamp for the Cleveland Browns is mostly what we saw in brief glimpses of rookie minicamp and voluntary organized team activities. Advertisement We've been largely tracking the quarterback competition. It's the most intriguing and important part of this early phase of the Browns' road back from 3-14, and it's what is easiest to watch in any non-contact spring setting. This year just happens to have the Browns trying to find something from a group headlined by the 40-year-old Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett on his third team in three years and two rookies drafted in April, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Flacco gets the fewest reps because he's the most experienced. He's been in the NFL since Sanders was in kindergarten. Pickett is usually first in the warmup lines and first up for a lot of drills. Gabriel goes first with the backups because he was drafted before Sanders. On each of the first two days of minicamp, Gabriel has taken snaps with the No. 1 offense in full-team situations against at least most of the No. 1 defense. Dillon dart 🎯 — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 11, 2025 What we've continued to hear from Browns coach Kevin Stefanski is that the quarterback order doesn't matter and, in many cases, the results don't, either. Stefanski has repeatedly said the Browns are installing plays, stressing fundamentals and just getting the quarterbacks ready for training camp this summer. Those are boring answers, but they match what we've seen on the field and what a normal May and June process would be for almost any team, even in this abnormal situation. From my view on the sidelines, these two minicamp practices have been Gabriel's best throwing days. He's finished both strongly after erratic starts. Sanders comes in and generally gets the ball out of his hand quickly and confidently. Flacco can still fling it when he's asked to, and Pickett has been unremarkable. But this is about process more than results — even if that line makes longtime Browns fans cringe — and that shows up in the work that's done on the practice field before reporters scramble to record certain throws for social media or chart each passer's daily performance. On Wednesday, for example, the quarterbacks went through extended work on shotgun handoffs and play-fakes. We've heard both rookies discuss leaning on Flacco in the meeting room for his experience on how to diagnose defensive concepts, and we've twice heard Flacco say the rookies even want to mimic his cadence as part of them trying to digest everything that's being taught at this early stage. Stefanski has said the team has now gone through seven different installation packages for the offense. Just by the natural order of things, the quarterbacks should be completing more passes than they were in mid-May. But sometimes the defense knows what's coming, too, and almost all of the true highlight throws and catches that end up on social media have been made in 7-on-7 settings. Advertisement To go full Allen Iverson, this is just practice. This is about the small stuff — details, brief introductions, little tips and tricks — that later can help with the big stuff. The quarterback competition that got bigger on the final day of the draft was never going to be super interesting until August. It's fair to say, too, that the addition of Sanders is actually what makes it intriguing. Not just his presence, but the accuracy and decisiveness he's shown this spring. The Browns having four quarterbacks has re-shaped everything about how they handled the offseason program, and it will be the headline story of the summer. From here, the belief is that Flacco is the clear favorite to win the first phase of that competition and the starting job. How the rest of it shakes out is anyone's guess, but Sanders has been good enough this spring to make coaches believe he's worthy of more chances this summer. I think he's earned that, and based on what we've seen to this point, Sanders has positioned himself to make the roster and eventually make the folks in charge think about where he might belong on the depth chart. That's all getting way ahead of things right now, so we'll defer to what Stefanski has repeatedly said and pump the brakes. Here at the end of what can fairly be called a three-week quarterback camp, Flacco is the best passer, and Sanders made enough impressive throws to make me think Cleveland might be on to something with him. A camp that features real football and ends with real decisions that could shape the future of the franchise starts in about six weeks. Let's save most of our overreactions for then. Last summer, the Browns rewarded Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward with a practice off on the last day of minicamp for his perfect attendance through every phase of the offseason program. Ward has had perfect attendance again this year. Advertisement Being present means something to Ward, who's now in his eighth season. Frankly, Ward's presence has prevented almost all of Cleveland's quarterbacks from having more completions in the open practices, and that's part of making everyone better. Ward said Wednesday what I thought was obvious: that 2024 was his best season. He appears to be in top form again, and the best version of Ward gives the Browns a chance to be good enough defensively to help the team collect some wins early in the season. The defense is going to greatly miss the presence of injured linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, but just getting a little more help from the offense and being better up front with first-round defensive tackle Mason Graham can help the Browns' defense create the kind of havoc it might need. Ward dropped several potential interceptions last season, and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has cited those as 'the difference between (Ward being) Pro Bowl and All-Pro, the game-changing plays.' Ward has taken that challenge, and he's the best player in an experienced secondary that has the team's No. 2 and 3 cornerbacks, Martin Emerson Jr. and Greg Newsome II, both signed only through 2025. In the grand scheme of things, I don't think Garrett and Njoku choosing not to participate in the voluntary OTA practices means much. But I do think the Browns are going to purposefully have a more competitive training camp than they had last year, and I think the search for stronger leadership and a hungrier overall outlook are going to be consistent themes. I think Schwartz heads to each week of the season believing he can count on Ward and Garrett to be among the best in the game, and that's a pretty good place to start. The wide receiver group has been short-handed with Cedric Tillman and Michael Woods II watching from the sideline with what are believed to be minor injuries. Tillman is a locked-in starter for this team if healthy, and Woods has a shot to make the roster and the wide receiver rotation, too. Thus far, it's been Jerry Jeudy and then everybody else in these spring practices. Given what the Browns pay Jeudy and the way he performed in the back half of last season, that's no surprise. .@jerryjeudy with room to run 🏃‍♂️💨 — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 11, 2025 But the Browns didn't draft a receiver. Two days after the draft, they signed Diontae Johnson to a one-year deal that includes no guaranteed money. Johnson is a proven producer, but he's been on five teams in the last 15 months and told reporters Wednesday that Cleveland was really the only team calling him earlier this spring. Johnson was clear he's focused on what's ahead, not the past, and not what he repeatedly said was just one bad year. Stefanski said much of the same, and something close to the best version of Johnson should be able to help the Browns. Second-year wideout Jamari Thrash seems to be making the most of the extra opportunities he's received this spring. The Browns loaded up on undrafted rookie receivers to make sure there were enough available players for the extra passing periods. Advertisement But unless either Thrash or Woods makes a big leap, the Browns still might be in the wide receiver market in August. And if Johnson doesn't work out or Tillman doesn't build on the momentum he created last year before missing the end of the season with a concussion, the team runs the risk of the receiver group reverting to what it mostly currently looks like: Jeudy and everyone else. Maybe Njoku is in for a big season. He's in a contract year, so he should be engaged and looking to re-find his form. I believe the Browns got a nice player for the future in third-round tight end Harold Fannin Jr., but Fannin's early role might depend on how quickly he can be trusted to block — and how much the coaches trust the other players in the pass-catching group.

Patriots stock report: Efton Chism and other risers and fallers after spring practices
Patriots stock report: Efton Chism and other risers and fallers after spring practices

New York Times

time40 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Patriots stock report: Efton Chism and other risers and fallers after spring practices

Before the New England Patriots adjourned for the quietest six-week stretch on the NFL calendar, with no practices or meetings until training camp begins on July 23, new coach Mike Vrabel stressed the importance of the time away. 'I don't think it's a downtime,' Vrabel said. 'It's time away from the facility. I think it's important. It's probably the five most important weeks of the offseason as far as I'm concerned. … It's critical that they come back in shape, that they're ready to go for training camp, that we're prepared as coaches with the schedule, the installation and what we're doing. The players have to hold up their end of the bargain to prepare for training camp.' Advertisement Still, the end of spring practices comes with some surprises. Roster cutdown day isn't going to be shaped much by organized team activities and minicamp, but those sessions do have an impact on where players stand heading into training camp. Today, let's look at the players who climbed the depth chart and fell the most this spring. We have to start here. No player's stock rose more than Chism's. He didn't just stand out to reporters at the sessions we watched. He drew praise from arguably the two most important people: Vrabel and Drake Maye. Maye said it felt like Chism 'had about 50 catches' during OTAs. Vrabel's remarks stood out, too. Perhaps it's just that people in these parts aren't used to the head coach praising any player, let alone an undrafted rookie who hasn't played a game, but Vrabel's comments turned a few heads. 'I think he's a talented player,' Vrabel said. 'I think he has a certain skill set. He's dedicated. He's studied extremely hard. He has a good feel for what we're asking him to do. I think the biggest thing for receivers is that there's trust from the guy that throws the football. … It doesn't take you long to figure out who the quarterback trusts. It's the ones they target (with passes). That's a good indicator.' Mike Vrabel on undrafted WR Efton Chism, a spring standout so far: 'I think he's a talented player. … He has a good feel for what we're asking.' — Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) June 10, 2025 Yes, they were only spring practices, and there is a long, long way to go. But at this point, it seems more likely than not that Chism makes the team. It may seem strange to include one of the league's best cornerbacks as a 'riser' based on spring practices, but Gonzalez looked like a true shutdown corner this spring, taking a step forward from his high level of play a year ago. Advertisement One day after Maye said he was going to challenge Gonzalez in practice, Maye had a receiver one-on-one downfield against Gonzalez, so he threw it up. But Gonzalez adjusted his body and came down with a great interception despite no safety help. In five practices open to reporters, Gonzalez had three picks. He looks primed for an incredible year that could solidify him as a top-five corner in the NFL. Part of practice is taking advantage of your opportunities. And while Rhamondre Stevenson was away from the team for a bit, dealing with a personal matter following the loss of his father, Henderson brought a juice to the team's backfield that it hasn't had in a few years. There were certainly fair reasons to be skeptical about a rebuilding team using its second-round pick on a running back. But Henderson's speed is obvious, and he'll be one of the most fun players for fans to watch in camp. The guess here is he ends up as the team's No. 1 back by the end of the season. It wasn't always clear whether Elliss would return to the Pats after he signed an offer sheet from the Las Vegas Raiders, but now he's got a chance to be a starting middle linebacker in New England. Jahlani Tavai suffered a leg injury in OTAs, and Elliss took advantage of the increased snaps. With a good camp, he'll be starting next to Robert Spillane. Amid the Patriots' overhaul on defense, the addition of Chaisson has gone slightly under the radar. But the 2020 first-round pick had some impressive moments this spring and could be looking at a meaningful role if he plays well in training camp. Chaisson is still just 25 despite already playing five NFL seasons and looks ready to build on the five sacks he had a year ago for the Raiders. Perhaps it's not fair to put injured players in this category. But as coaches often say, the best ability is availability, and Polk needs to stand out to this new coaching staff to earn a spot in a crowded wide receiver room. After a shoulder procedure in the offseason, Polk was limited to side-field activities this spring and couldn't do much with the team. The wide receiver competition will be fascinating to follow in training camp. Advertisement A year after recovering from an ACL tear, the Patriots would have liked to see more from Bourne than they did this spring. He was … fine. But they're likely only going to keep six receivers, and with Chism playing like he deserves a spot, the numbers get complicated quickly for Bourne. He needs a strong camp, or he could be a cut candidate. It hasn't been the start to his NFL career that Mapu hoped for after being a third-round pick in 2023. To simplify things for him, Vrabel has Mapu working at linebacker instead of both there and safety, where Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo used him. There's less depth at linebacker, which helps Mapu's chances of making the team. But I've got some concerns about a guy with durability issues suddenly playing a more physical position. Vrabel thinks Mapu can be a good blitzer, so he'll need to shine there in camp.

USMNT not worried about ‘outside noise' following former player criticism
USMNT not worried about ‘outside noise' following former player criticism

New York Times

time41 minutes ago

  • New York Times

USMNT not worried about ‘outside noise' following former player criticism

USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams has said that the squad are not worried about 'outside' criticism from former players after the team's recent poor form. Mauricio Pochettino's side were soundly defeated 4-0 by Switzerland in a friendly at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday. The loss was the team's fourth in a row after defeats in the Concacaf Nations League semi-finals against Panama and the subsequent third-place match against Canada, and in a friendly against Turkey on Saturday. The U.S. have now lost five of their 10 games under Pochettino, who was appointed in September 2024. Pochettino's side were without star player Christian Pulisic, as well as his Milan team-mate Yunus Musah, for the games against Turkey and Switzerland, with both players set to miss the summer's Gold Cup. The U.S. take on Trinidad and Tobago in their first fixture of the tournament on Sunday and will also face Saudi Arabia and Haiti in the group stage. Advertisement Former U.S. forwards Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan were among those to criticise the players, with Adams saying that the squad are tuning out the comments. 'We don't talk about that internally as a group,' Adams told the Associated Press. 'The noise on the outside is the noise on the outside. I think we need to focus on what we need to do as a group and continue to build.' Dempsey said last week that he did not 'understand' the move to miss the Gold Cup and pointed to his own experience appearing at tournaments for the U.S.. 'Whether it was Gold Cup, whether it was Copa (America), whether it was Confederations Cup, whether it was the World Cup, I wasn't going to miss competitions,' Dempsey said on the Men in Blazers podcast. 'For me, I don't understand it because that wasn't my mentality. I always wanted to play in those games.' Donovan, who is second on the U.S. all-time appearance charts and shares the goalscoring record with Dempsey at 57 each, brought up the situation while working as an analyst for FOX's coverage of the UEFA Nations League final, which saw Portugal defeat Spain on penalties. 'This is what it means to represent your country,' Donovan said after Portugal's victory. 'And if you don't want to take this, as a professional soccer player and someone who gets the opportunity to wear that jersey and take it seriously and responsibly, then don't come in. 'I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation right now not wanting to play in the Gold Cup.' Donovan also criticised the team in March, writing on X: 'I'm so sick of hearing how 'talented' this group of players is and all of the amazing clubs they play for. If you aren't going to show up and actually give a s*** about playing for your national team, decline the invite. Talent is great, pride is better.' Dempsey added that he was 'worried about the future of this U.S. men's national team.' Juventus' Weston McKennie and Tim Weah as well as Borussia Dortmund's Gio Reyna are also set to miss the Gold Cup due to their team's participation at the Club World Cup, which begins on Saturday. Adams missed the Switzerland match with an injury that he attributed to 'overload'. Advertisement 'A little turf toe-type injury,' said the 26-year-old. 'More of an overuse thing probably than anything — overload. It was something that I picked up when I came into camp. Progressing well right now, but just trying to be smart and manage it.' Adams, who plays for Bournemouth in the Premier League, made 32 appearances in all competitions last season as his side finished ninth in the table. ()

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store