AP National Sports

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Major League Baseball’s new limits on infield shifts are raising batter spirits this spring. They might be bosltering batting averages, too. Batting averages across the league are up slightly from last spring training, from .259 to .263. Left-handed hitters seem to be benefitting most,

MADRID (AP) — Osasuna has missed a chance to move closer to the European places after being held by Celta Vigo to 0-0 in the Spanish league. The setback left Osasuna in eighth place and extended its winless streak at home in the league to three matches. It was coming off losses to Atletico Madrid

LONDON (AP) — Brentford has strengthened its bid for Europe by winning a feisty west London derby against Fulham 3-2 in the English Premier League. Brentford is only a point behind Fulham, which is seventh in the standings. Brentford has extended its unbeaten run in the league to 12 matches. Ethan Pinnock opened with a

By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the Las Vegas Raiders have placed the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move hasn’t been announced. Jacobs will make $10.1 million next season under the franchise tag.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Yvonne Ejim had 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for her ninth career double-double, Brynna Maxwell made four 3-pointers and scored 18 and No. 16 Gonzaga beat BYU 79-64 to advance to the championship game of the West Coast Conference Tournament. Gonzaga was coming off a 58-51 win over BYU

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Justice Ethridge and Essence Booker scored 16 points apiece and No. 21 UNLV rolled to its 20th straight victory by beating Nevada 84-47 in the quarterfinal round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. The top-seeded Lady Rebels (29-2), who posted an 18-0 record in conference play, advance to Tuesday’s semifinals. Ethridge

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Derek Carr has proved repeatedly that he can produce as a passer. What the former Raiders quarterback hasn’t done is win in the playoffs, something he aims to change in New Orleans, where he’ll be reunited with Dennis Allen — his first NFL coach. Carr

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Chris Sale threw two scoreless innings for the Red Sox on Monday as the seven-time All-Star tries to bounce back from three straight injury-marred seasons. Sale gave up two hits and struck out two in his first outing this spring against the Detroit Tigers. Sale

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin has fired Tony Granato as men’s hockey coach after a second straight losing season. Granato posted a 105-129-16 overall mark and 65-87-2 Big Ten record during his seven seasons. Wisconsin ended a 13-23 season Saturday, losing to Michigan in the Big Ten quarterfinals. Granato played at Wisconsin from 1983-87 before

By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer Iowa taxpayers will pay $2 million to help the University of Iowa athletic department settle a lawsuit brought by former football players who alleged racial discrimination existed in coach Kirk Ferentz’s program, a state board decided in a vote Monday. The state’s Appeal Board voted 2-1 to approve the

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The NFL has suspended Carolina Panthers reserve safety Sean Chandler without pay for the first two games of the 2023 regular season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Chandler will become an unrestricted free agent on March 15. The fifth-year safety played in all 17 games last season, mostly

By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer It took until his third season for Alberto Rios to break into Stanford’s starting lineup. Days like Sunday will only help to keep him in the everyday lineup. He set the school record and tied the Pac-12 mark with 11 RBIs in a 24-9 win over Cal State Bakersfield.

By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — It had been a tumultuous weekend for Hendrick Motorsports when William Byron decided to do something he seldom does. He texted his boss. He told team owner Rick Hendrick that as poorly as the weekend began with Chase Elliott suffering a broken leg while snowboarding

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer Long before the NFL’s annual scouting combine became a prime-time football fix for fans ahead of free agency and the draft, Mike Mamula absolutely killed it as a combine trailblazer in 1995. He was among the first players to train specifically for the staple of tests he’d face

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Boston Red Sox infielder Justin Turner was taken to a hospital after leaving a game against the Detroit Tigers when he was hit on the face with a pitch. The 38-year-old fell to the ground after getting hit by right-hander Matt Manning. Medical personnel rushed to the plate, and Turner

By DANIELLA MATAR AP Sports Writer MILAN (AP) — Cremonese fought back from two goals down and fell short to Nedim Bajrami’s stoppage-time winner by Sassuolo for 3-2 in Serie A. Cremonese surprisingly beat Roma on Tuesday for its first league success of the season. Armand Laurienté and Davide Frattesi gave Sassuolo a 2-0 lead

By The Associated Press The men’s college basketball season is racing toward NCAA Tournament time. Conference tournaments this week will be capped by Selection Sunday on Sunday, March 12. Sweet 16 weekend will see games in New York City, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Missouri, and Louisville, Kentucky. The Final Four is in Houston. The semifinals

By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The NFL reinstated suspended receiver Calvin Ridley and cleared the way for him to join his new team in Jacksonville. The league says Ridley is eligible to participate in all team activities beginning immediately. He had been suspended indefinitely since March 2022 for violating

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Nevada judge will again be asked to decide which justice of the peace should handle a preliminary hearing in the case against former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who is accused of killing a woman in drunken car crash in 2021. Las Vegas Justice of the Peace

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Reliever Brad Hand is guaranteed $2 million in his one-year contract with the Colorado Rockies and the three-time All-Star would make $11.5 million over two years if he starts this season in the major leagues and pitches at least 60 games annually. The left-hander, who turns 33 on March 20, has