San Francisco Giants pitcher Adrian Houser (12) pitched 5.1 innings gave up seven hits and one earned run in the Giants loss to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego on Wed… More
Oakland Ballers game wrap: Ballers get trounced 13-1 by Giants at Excite Ballpark Tuesday
Oakland Ballers vs. San Jose Giants Battle of the Bay exhibtion game at Excite Ballpark in San Jose on Tue Mar 31, 2026 (image from Oakland Ballers X)
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
By Lewis Rubman
Oakland Ballers 1 San José Giants 13
Attendance 2,800 (estimated)
SAN JOSE–It doesn’t take long for the Bay Area to establish a tradition. Last year’s Battle of the Bay 2.0 was such a success that it was inevitable that there’d be a repeat performance of the showdown between the San Francisco Giants’ Class A California League farm team and Your Oakland Ballers of the independent Pioneer Baseball League, classified as “partner” circuit with MLB. the successor to the big league franchise that deserted Oakland. San José defeated Oakland last year, 5-2, but the crew from Raimondi Field held their own. Tonight’s encounter was a different story. The B’s fell behind in the first inning and never recovered. The final score was a dismal 13-1
Both teams won their league’s championship in 2025, but the similarities end there.
The Giants had a month’s spring training under their belt. Tuesday night’s exhibition game was the first time the 2026 incarnation of the Ballers took the field together.
The game was played under this year’s MLB rules, which gave Oakland somewhat of a well needed boost because the most radical change in those rules this year has been their adoption of the Pioneer Baseball League’s challenge system. I don’t think anyone would argue that the East Bayers were a better team than their opponents, even though none of the little Giants is on the big team’s 40 player roster. Still, both squads were motivated by both pride and the need to prove themselves.
For a moment it looked as if the Ballers had a chance. Returning slugger Tyler Lozano matched Walker Martin’s round tripper matched Walker Martin’s homer that had given the Giants their early lead. That was Lozano’s only at bat for the chilly and drizzly night and the one bright spot in his team’s dismal performance.
Dario Reynoso led San José’s attack with a perfect three for three at the plate. Two of his hits were doubles, and he was walked a couple of times, drove four runs across the plate, and stole a base in the bargain. Two other Giants had perfect offensive nights; Martin’s blast in the opening frame came in his only at bat, and Cam Maldonado went two for two, with a triple, a walk,and a stolen base.
None of Oakland’s hurlers last more than a frame on the mound.
The box score hasn’t been released at this writing.
San José retained the Tom Pellack Memorial Bridge Trophy, made from the steel used in the original Bay Bridge.There’s a certain irony in that.
The Ballers will have plenty of time to recover.The reigning Pioneer Baseball League champions will open the defense of their title at Raimondi Fieldon Tuesday evening, May 19 at 6:35.
Opinion: Vitello’s Willingness to Experiment May Be Giants’ Biggest Strength
Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on March 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
San Francisco — The San Francisco Giants have had a tumultuous first week of the 2026 campaign, and we aren’t even two full series into the season.
After being swept at home by the New York Yankees to open the season at Oracle Park in San Francisco, the Giants went into Petco Park in San Diego and took the first two games of a three-game series against the Padres. Game three is scheduled for Wednesday, and as of this writing, that game is yet to take place. The Giants are now 2-3 on the season, and I have a few takeaways after being in attendance for the Giants’ home series and from my early observations in San Diego.
So, Giants fans, don’t panic. We have no idea what the 2026 Giants are yet.
Of course, following the sweep of the Giants at the hands of the Yankees, the city of San Francisco fell to its proverbial knees in agony as the team scored only one run over three games. The offense appeared to pick up right where it left off last season with a deep inability to perform situational hitting and score runs.
However, three games is, of course, not nearly enough of a sample size to understand what the Giants offense will be in the 2026 campaign, and the following two games proved just that.
Let Vitello Cook: Five Games, Three Different Lineups
While the Giants only scored one run against the Yankees in their three-game series, Tony Vitello tweaked his lineup for game three and again for game four.
The game three tweaks were highlighted by elevating Jung Hoo Lee to the leadoff spot and dropping Luis Arraez and Rafael Devers to the third and fourth positions in the order, respectively. Heliot Ramos was moved to the fifth spot, and Willy Adames was dropped to sixth on the card while Patrick Bailey remained at eight. Vitello’s final change was that Harrison Bader was elevated to seventh and Casey Schmitt dropped to ninth in the order.
This initial pivot from Vitello paid immediate dividends as the Giants went from tallying just four hits in the first two games to nine hits in the third game of the season alone. However, the Giants still only mustered one run with the new-look lineup and fell to 0-3 on the season.
So, Vitello pivoted again after the Giants’ off day on Sunday for their first game against the Padres on Monday. With Bader, Bailey, and Schmitt anchoring the seven-through-nine slots in the order, Vitello switched up his top six in hopes of finding something. Vitello elected to go with Willy Adames in the leadoff spot while also moving Rafael Devers up to the second spot and Heliot Ramos to the three-hole. By necessity, that meant Jung Hoo Lee fell to sixth and Luis Arraez and Matt Chapman slotted down to fourth and fifth, respectively. The offense didn’t erupt, but Willy Adames and Matt Chapman each recorded hits while the bottom three in the Giants’ lineup (Bader, Bailey, and Schmitt) each recorded an RBI and were responsible for the team’s runs. It was a sign of life for the club.
On Tuesday, Tony Vitello elected to go with the same lineup that netted him his first win as a big league manager, and it paid off big time in game two of the series.
The Giants secured their first series win of the season, defeating the Padres 9-3 behind a 16-hit performance from a lineup of Willy Adames leading off, followed by Rafael Devers, Heliot Ramos, Luis Arraez, Matt Chapman, Jung Hoo Lee, Harrison Bader, Patrick Bailey, and Casey Schmitt.
The Giants go for the sweep of the Padres on Wednesday, and you may already know the outcome when you read this.
Was it the lineup construction that clicked? Was it simply a team that was due to break out? Who knows. I’m not here to act like I or anyone else has a crystal ball to know exactly what or why it worked. However, you have to give the young manager credit for being willing to make drastic tweaks to his lineup so early in the season to do his best to spark the team. The inverse has been a complaint of recent Giants managers and their slow pace to change things up when it wasn’t working.
It’s obviously much too small of a sample size to tell anything significant, but Vitello appears up for the task, and his recent lineup tweak appears to have his guys in a better spot than even just a week ago. Will the Giants be 16-hit and nine-run scorers every game? Probably not. Will the Giants be a team that is one-hit and routinely shut out this season? Again, probably not. The team is too talented for that to become the norm on a daily basis. The Giants will inevitably fall somewhere in between those points, and it’s incumbent on the fans and the media to give them the chance to figure it out.
After the conclusion of the series in San Diego, the Giants will return home for a four-game series against the Mets and three games against the Phillies. That will be a big test to see what the 2026 Giants are made of.
Finally a Pulse in Atlanta A’s break through for season’s first win 5-2 at Truist Park
Sacramento A’s Denzel Clarke (1) rounds third base scoring a run in the top of the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tue Mar 31, 2026 (AP News photo)
Finally a Pulse in Atlanta A’s break through for season’s first win 5-2 at Truist Park
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento A’s finally gave their early season a heartbeat Tuesday night at Atlanta’s Truist Park. After opening the year with four straight losses and carrying the weight of a winless start into Atlanta, the green and gold answered with a crisp 5-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Unlike the previous four games, the A’s showed patience and timely hitting, steadier pitching, and just enough late-game authority to keep the door shut. It was not flawless baseball, they still collected strikeouts like a kid collects rookie cards, but this time the Athletics made their best swings count and backed them with clean defense when it mattered most.
Atlanta landed the first punch in the opening inning when Drake Baldwin drove a solo home run to center, giving the Braves a quick 1-0 lead and A’s fans an already familiar lump in their throats. For a team that had already been shut out the night before and had looked stuck in mud for much of the opening road trip, that could have been the start of another long evening. Instead, the Athletics pushed back in the second with their best inning of the young season.
Brent Rooker opened with a single, and although the Braves turned a double play behind José Suarez, the inning did not die there. Max Muncy worked a walk, moved to second on a balk, and scored when Andy Ibáñez lined a single to left.
That was the crack in the wall. Lawrence Butler and Denzel Clarke followed with walks, and then Jacob Wilson ripped a ground-rule double down the left-field line to bring home Ibáñez and Butler. Just like that, the Athletics had turned a one-run deficit into a 3-1 lead, and for the first time in several days, they looked like a club playing with desire.
Ibáñez was right in the middle of it all, and his night kept getting better. In the fourth inning, Muncy drilled a sharp double to left and came home when Ibáñez punched another single into left field. It was simple 101 baseball, but often times, that’s the type that wins most games. Ibáñez finished with two hits and two RBI, and both swings came at moments when the Athletics badly needed someone to settle the game down.
Then came Langeliers, who has been swinging like he showed up to March without ever putting his bat down all winter. After entering the night with three home runs in the season’s first four games, the Athletics catcher added another in the fifth, launching a solo shot to left that stretched the lead to 5-1. His home run gave the Athletics breathing room, and against a Braves happy bat lineup, that extra cushion mattered.
Aaron Civale, making his first start for the Athletics, deserved a large share of the credit. Aside from Baldwin’s first-inning homer, he kept Atlanta from stacking anything dangerous together for most of his five innings. He allowed four hits, walked one, struck out three, and gave up just two runs. The second Braves run came in the fifth after singles by Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubón, a wild pitch, and Ronald Acuña Jr.’s sacrifice fly. Even then, Civale avoided the big inning and kept the game from tilting back toward Atlanta.
From there, the bullpen did the job. Hogan Harris worked around two walks in the sixth. Justin Sterner handled trouble in the seventh and struck out Acuña and Matt Olson in a tense stretch that felt bigger than the inning number suggested. Scott Barlow breezed through the eighth. Mark Leiter Jr. gave up a pair of singles in the ninth, which made things slightly more uncomfortable than the Athletics would have preferred, but he got Acuña to strike out and Baldwin to pop out, ending the game with the tying run nowhere close to the plate.
Despite the much needed win, the Athletics still struck out 11 times. Nick Kurtz fanned three times, Rooker struck out three times, and the lineup also hit into two double plays. There is still work to do, plain and simple. But Tuesday night was a reminder that a season does not ask for perfection, just persistence and grit that will hopefully carry on over.
The A’s take on Atlanta for Game 3 of the series Wednesday at 9:15am PDT. Starting pitcher for Sacramento RHP Luis Severino (0-0 ERA 3.60) for Atlanta LHP Chris Sale (1-0 ERA 0.00).
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has covered sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for various magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, The Golden Bay Times. 2026 marks his 15th season covering Athletics baseball.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Adames Paves Way For Giants Win Over Padres 9-3; Giants have shot at a sweep Wednesday
San Francisco Giants Willy Adames runs the bases after hitting a first inning home run against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego on Tue Mar 31, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
The San Francisco Giants (2-3) won game two in their series with the San Diego Padres (1-4) 9-3 on Tuesday after winning game one Monday night. They now have the opportunity to sweep the series Wednesday in game three.
Willy Adames was on fire with four hits, two runs and two RBIs. Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee each had two hits. Adames and Chapman each had a home run. The Giants offense was fired up having 16 hits in this game.
Game wrap: The Giants went with the same starting lineup they had Monday night with Willy Adames lead-off batter. It worked last night so it was a go in this one. It was certainly a great call when Adames hit the second pitch of the game out of the park, his first home run of the year, 335 feet, giving San Francisco the early lead 1-0.
With two outs Matt Chapman doubled and San Francisco had runners on second and third with Jung Hoo Lee at the plate. Lee hit a double driving Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman home and just like that the Giants had taken a 3-0 lead.
Marquez got the third out but the Giants had three hits and a nice lead after the first inning, a great way to start the ball game. Logan Webb would take the mound in the bottom of the inning. The Padres also went with last night’s lineup. With two outs the Padres had Fernando Tatis and Jackson Merrill on base but Xander Bogaerts flied out and Webb got out of the inning.
San Francisco loaded the bases in the second inning with only one out. Casey Schmitt singled, Adames singled as did Rafael Devers but Ramos and Luis Arraez both flied out leaving them all stranded missing a great opportunity to extend their lead. The Padres stranded one runner in the bottom of the second. Webb struck out two hitters in the inning.
Chapman got the third inning going with the second home run of the game a solo shot and San Francisco had a 4-0 lead with 8 hits through three innings. San Diego would be looking to do some damage in the bottom of the third and that is exactly what they did. Both Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado walked and a Merrill single drove Tatis Jr. home. Bogaerts grounded out and Machado was able to score and the Padres had cut the Giants lead in half 4-2. Miguel Andujar singled Merrill home and as the inning came to an end the Padres trailed by a single run 4-3.
After pitching through three innings for San Diego Marquez was relieved by Kyle Hart. Marquez went three innings allowing eight hits four runs,(two home runs) and only one strikeout. Hart was perfect in the fourth inning going three and out. After four innings the score remained 4-3 in favor of the Giants.
With two outs in the top of the fifth inning Lee attempted to reach third base after doubling. A replay confirmed Lee was out and the game went into the bottom of the inning. The Giants had a solid fifth inning going three and out.
With two on and no outs in the sixth inning the Giants were again threatening. With a one-run ball game San Francisco needed to pump their lead back up. The Giants added another run when Adames singled Harrison Bader home from second and Patrick Bailey advanced to second.
Devers reached first base on an infield hit and San Francisco had the bases loaded and the opportunity to get more with only one out. Heliot Ramos singled Bailey and Adames home giving San Francisco a 7-3 lead. A sacrifice drove Devers home extending the Giant’s lead 8-3. As the top of the inning ended the Giants had put 4 more on the board and had 13 hits through six innings. It was a three and out bottom of the sixth.
It was a bit rocky in the third inning for Webb but that aside he pitched a pretty good game. He was relieved by JT Brubaker in the seventh inning. Webb finished the game going six innings allowing three hits, three earned runs, three walks and five strikeouts. He was behind in the count at times but figured it out and finished really strong. Brubaker got out of the inning only giving up a double and it was onto the eighth inning.
The Giants would add one more run in the top of the ninth when Lee singled pinch runner Jared Oliva home for the final score of 9-3 in favor of San Francisco.
The Giants offense was on fire in this game. Adames had four hits, Lee three hits, Chapman and Devers each had two hits. The team had 16 total hits a great night of offense for the team. Webb had a very good game despite struggling in the third inning. He found a way to finish off the last ten hitters he faced.
Game notes: Monday night the Giants won their first game of the season beating the Padres 3-2 in the first game of their three-game series at Petco Park. After a rough start to the season, the Giants turned up their offensive effort taking a 3-0 lead through eight innings. There was a bit of drama in the ninth inning when San Diego’s Jackson Merrill hit a home run with Jake Cronenworth on base cutting the San Francisco lead to one run 3-2.
Giant’s closing pitcher Ryan Walker held it together to get the third out and the Giants held on for the 3-2 win. Relief pitcher Keaton Winn was terrific in the eighth inning allowing no hits, no runs with three strikeouts. You just cannot ask for more.
Tuesday night the Giant’s starter Logan Webb got a far different result than the team’s first game of the season against the New York Yankees last Wednesday. Last Wednesday was a rough one for Webb who finished that game going five innings allowing 9 hits, 7 runs (6 earned) and 7 strikeouts.
In Monday night’s game the Giants not only got a number of runs up on the board but they put a number of players in scoring position. It was a relief to get that first win under their belt and Tuesday night they took game 2. German Marquez for the Padres on Tuesday pitched three innings giving up eight hits, four earned runs, one walk, one strike out.
The Giants head into game three Wednesday looking for a sweep. Starters Adrian Houser (0-0 ERA 0.00) will be on the hill for San Francisco. The Padres will start Nick Pivetta who comes into this game at (0-1 ERA 18.00). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM.
Golden State Warriors podcast David Zizmor: Next step for Curry scrimmage; Warriors host San Antonio Wednesday night
Stephen Curry the Golden State Warriors guard is still rehabbing and the next step is scrimmage before bringing him back for game action (AP News photo)
Golden State Warriors podcast David Zizmor:
#1 Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that Warrior guard Stephen Curry was doing well and health and performance vice president Rick Celebrini told Kerr that Curry had a good session.
#2 How much of Curry’s absence in the line up really have impacted the Warriors who’ve lost six of their last ten games.
#3 Up next for Golden State the San Antonio Spurs who are second in the Western Conference and have won six in a row. How much of wrestling match will this be for the Warriors to try and pull this one out against the Spurs.
Join David Zizmor Wednesdays for the Golden State Warriors podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Stars upend Barracuda in 2-1 win
San Jose Barracuda forward Egor Afanasyev (#11) skates with the puck along with his teammate defenseman Braden Hache (#86) while Texas Stars defenseman Tristian Bertucci (#3) defends in his own zone at Tech CU Arena on Tuesday MAR 31, 2026. (San Jose Barracuda)
by Marko Ukalovic
SAN JOSE — The Texas Stars scored two quick goals to open the third period as they defeated the San Jose Barracuda 2-1 on Tuesday evening at Tech CU Arena.
San Jose has lost four games in a row. Texas is .500 in its past four games.
San Jose (38-22-2-2-80 points) dominated play in the first period. Despite recording 12 shots in first 10 minutes of the period, none of them resulted in goals as Stars goalie Remi Poirier was perfect between the pipes to start the game.
Cuda goalie Laurent Brossoit had an uneventful opening 20 minutes as Texas (33-27-3-1-70 points) registered just five shots on goal.
The Barracuda drew first blood early in the second period. Filip Bystedt scored his 19th goal of the season when he beat Poirier with a quick wrist shot at the 5:37 mark. Lucas Carlsson set up Bystedt from the left wing with a centering pass for his 14th assist of the season. Bystedt leads the team with 51 points on the season as his extended his points streak to three games.
Texas evened the game early in the third period with an even strength goal. Cross Hanas gathered the rebound off a Matthew Seminoff shot and buried it beyond the reach of Brossoit for his 14th goal of the season at the 1:24 mark.
Then 16 seconds later on the next shift, Dylan Hryckowian rifled home a slap shot past Brossoit from the right wing for his first goal of the season. Ayrton Martino and Micheal Karow received helpers on the play.
Poirier (23-17-4) had one of his best games of the season stopping 43 of the 44 shots he faced to earn his 23rd win of the season. Brossoit (14-7-1) suffered just his seventh loss of the season as he made 32 saves on 34 shots.
GAME NOTES: San Jose finished 0-for-4 on the power play. Texas went 0-for-2.
The Three Stars of the Game: 1) Poirier 2) Brossoit 3) Hryckowian.
UP NEXT: San Jose continues its four-game homestand with a two-game weekend series with the Colorado Eagles on Friday April 3rd at 7:00pm at Tech CU Arena.
Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Renteria: Raptors tough to beat in Toronto; Kings will give it go Wednesday
Sacramento Kings Nique Clifford (5) defends against the Brooklyn Nets Nolan Traore (88) in the second half at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Sun Mar 29, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Renteria:
#1 How will the Raptors’ strong home record (21–16) impact the outcome against a struggling Kings team on the road (6–32)?
#2 Can the Kings overcome recent injuries and lineup instability to stay competitive in this game?
#3 Which Kings leading scorer—such as Maxime Raynaud or DeMar DeRozan—will have the biggest impact on the game’s outcome?
#4 Given the Raptors’ recent strong performances (winning 4 of their last 5 games), can they maintain momentum against a struggling Kings squad?
#5 What role will injuries and game-time decisions (GTD players on both teams) play in shaping the final result?
Tony Renteria does the Sacramento Kings podcast Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Ohtani returning to pitching duties for Dodgers; Rangers deGrom hoping to rebound from injury; plus more news
Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani gets a turn at bat slugs a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the first inning at Dodger Stadium on Thu Mar 26, 2026 (AP News photo)
That’s Amaury News and Commentary:
#1 How might Shohei Ohtani’s return to pitching impact the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation and early-season momentum?
#2 What are the expectations and risks surrounding Jacob deGrom’s 2026 debut after his recent injury scare with the Texas Rangers?
#3 What does the historic early-season performance of MLB rookies suggest about the league’s emerging talent pipeline in 2026?
#4 How significant is the reported record-setting contract for prospect Seattle Mariners Colt Emerson, and what does it indicate about teams investing in young talent?
#5 How important was it for former San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal to appear for Team Dominican during the World Baseball Classic it really inspired the players when he showed up.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
March Madness NCAA: Gamecocks overwhelmed the Horned Frogs 78-52, in Elite 8 Sacramento 4 Regional, Monday Night; Onto Phoenix F4
South Carolina Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson (25) is thrilled after hitting a three point shot against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second half of the Elite 8 to advance to the Final Four at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Mar 30, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Michael Roberson
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The South Carolina Gamecocks (35-3) punched their ticket to the Final Four the sixth consecutive time, after a blowout victory over the TCU Horned Frogs (32-6) 78-52 in the Capital City of California.
TCU opened the game with a 6-0 start, stunning USC early in the first. It took a while for the Gamecocks to recover, but they eventually gathered their faculties. The Horned Frogs led by as many as eight points in the initial 10 minutes of the tournament tussle.
Despite the nearly 10-point deficit, South Carolina managed to tie the game at 14, with 1:03 left in the quarter. Later they took their first lead with six seconds remaining in the period. At the end of one, USC led by two, 16-14.
In the second stanza South Carolina improved on their advantage and showed their prowess. Their shooting percentage went up six points and and so did their lead at quarter’s end. At recess, South Carolina held an eight point lead, 35-27.
Two players from the Gamecocks scored 10+ points, while one Horned Frog fit that criteria, Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards scored 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, while her teammate and senior guard Raven Johnson dropped 10 points and dished 4 assists. Olivia Miles represented TCU with 11 points for her squad.
Despite shooting a horrible 20% from the field, South Carolina maintained their 8-point cushion after three quarters, 49-41. TCU shot 36% and scored 14 points, as did their opponent. Something big was about to occur in the final quarter.
South Carolina demonstrated their championship pedigree in the fourth quarter, by shooting a scorching 72% from the floor and going on a 16-0 run within the last 10 minutes of the game. Their lead ballooned into a 26-point advantage, and total dominance was underway.
After the final horn was sounded, South Carolina had secured a 24- point victory (78-52) and advanced to the Final Four in Phoenix. The Gamecocks will be taking on the the Connecticut Huskies, in a rematch of last year’s National Championship game.
The last time the Gamecocks played an Elite 8 game in California was 2017 in Stockton. They went on and won Coach Dawn Staley’s and the University of South Carolina’s first National Championship, They both have won two more since then. Number two was in 2022 (Minneapolis), coincidentally against Connecticut. The third one was 2024 (Cleveland) ageist Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Connecticut will be going for their 13th title, and the 12th was last year against, South Carolina. Dawn will be going for number four, in which will improve on her pioneering status. Staley is the winningest Black coach (Either Gender) in college basketball history for National Championship titles.
Celebrini Makes History: Sharks pushed till final second with 5-4 Victory over Blues
Macklin Celebrini celebrates one of his power play goals at SAP Center on Monday Mar 30, 2026 (Sharks Media)
By Fernando Abarca
SAN JOSE –– The San Jose Sharks returned home with momentum and a clear objective: keep climbing and stay in the fight as the season pushes forward. Fresh off a strong win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night, San Jose welcomed the St. Louis Blues to SAP Center looking to build on that success and build they did indeed with a strong 5-4 win.
The first period delivered immediate intensity, featuring goals, penalties, and standout moments on both sides.
St. Louis struck first when Jake Neighbours capitalized on a rebound near the crease, controlling the puck along the boards before setting up Theo Lindstein, who found open space and fired home the opening goal.
San Jose responded quickly on the power play. Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli orchestrated a sharp passing sequence in the offensive zone, leading to Alexander Wennberg finishing with a deft touch in front of the net to even the score.
The Sharks kept the pressure on and took control of the period behind Celebrini’s standout performance. On another power play opportunity, Celebrini combined with Wennberg and Dmitry Orlov, patiently finding space between defenders before calmly burying his chance to give San Jose the lead.
Celebrini wasn’t done. Late in the period, he struck again—slipping between defenders and finishing off a quick setup from the right side—to extend the Sharks’ advantage to 3-2.
The Blues answered in transition after a defensive miscue by San Jose. Neighbours disrupted a pass and connected with Pavel Buchnevich, who capitalized to keep St. Louis within reach.
The second period brought a more physical edge from the Blues, but Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic delivered a series of key saves that helped maintain San Jose’s momentum. The Sharks rewarded that effort with another goal, as Toffoli created chaos in front of the net, allowing Wennberg to clean up the opportunity and extend the lead to 4-2.
St. Louis responded in the closing seconds of the period on the power play. Robert Thomas initiated the play through the neutral zone, linking up with Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway before the puck found Philip Broberg, who finished the sequence to cut into the deficit heading into the third.
The Blues even things out after a penalty called against the Sharks’ Yaroslav Askarov with a Power Play opportunity.In the final frame, the Sharks locked in defensively while continuing to generate chances on the counterattack. Ashkarov remained sharp between the pipes, turning away key opportunities as the Blues pushed for an equalizer. Despite the late pressure, San Jose held firm, managing the clock effectively and limiting high-danger chances.
In the closing moments, Adam Gaudette sealed the outcome as the Sharks secured a hard-fought victory at home.
The Sharks are now two points behind the Nashville Predators, the push continues on Wednesday night at home against the Anaheim Ducks
Sports Radio Service 