OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Kade Anderson pitched a three-hitter in his second straight dominant start, and LSU moved within a win of its second national championship in three years with a 1-0 victory over Coastal Carolina in Game 1 of the College World Series finals. The Chanticleers lost for the first time in 27 games and must win Sunday to force a third and deciding game Monday night. LSU made Steve Milam’s RBI single in the first inning stand up with Anderson getting stronger as the game progressed.
UNDATED (AP) — Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper is the headliner among the guards in the upcoming NBA draft. The son of former NBA guard Ron Harper is positioned to be the No. 2 overall pick behind Duke's Cooper Flagg. Harper is one of several one-and-done talents at the position in this draft. That include Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, Texas' Tre Johnson, Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears and Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis. They're all potential top-10 picks in the draft. Other notable players at the position include Michigan State's Jase Richardson, BYU's Egor Demin and international prospect Nolan Traore. The first round of the draft is Wednesday.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Though many athletic programs outside the power four conferences are expected to drop off competitively when scholarship limits are removed and revenue sharing begins July 1, College World Series finalist Coastal Carolina is committed to continue playing with the big boys in baseball. Rosters will be capped at 34 in Division I baseball going forward, and first-year athletic director Chance Miller told The Associated Press all 34 at Coastal Carolina will receive full scholarships and be in line for direct rev-share payments. Miller said he also believes the Chanticleers will be competitive for name, image and likeness opportunities.
UNDATED (AP) — There’s not much Patty Gasso hasn’t done in the softball world, but she’s found something new to try. The U.S. national coach who has led the University of Oklahoma to eight national titles will be on a broadcast team for the first time. She will assist Amanda Scarborough, Chuckie Kempf and Savanna Collins when the Talons play the Volts in an Athletes Unlimited Softball League game. Gasso is taking advantage of the fact that the AUSL is in a traveling format in its first year and is visiting Oklahoma’s home field for a series.
UNDATED (AP) — College sports was once rooted in tradition, school pride and loyalty, but those expectations are changing in a landscape where athletes have won the ability to transfer season to season, year to year. Some are painted as disloyal or selfish. Athletes like Hailey Van Lith and Ray Davis don’t see it that way. Both played at three schools on their way to the pros, Van Lith in the WNBA and Davis in the NFL. They said decisions are not always about money and noted that coaches and other team staff can also leave for new opportunities.
UNDATED (AP) — Varsity Spirit is starting a professional cheerleading league promising to pay athletes. The Pro Cheer League joins a crowded niche sports market that already includes softball, volleyball, 3-x-3 basketball, lacrosse, indoor football and more clamoring for both fans’ attention and their dollars. This new league is billed as the first professional cheerleading league for athletes 18 and older to give cheerleaders the chance to keep competing after college. Bill Seely is the president of Varsity Spirit in Memphis, Tennessee. He sees plenty of opportunity for all these sports to succeed. This cheer league’s advantage comes from the sport’s growth since the 1970s.
