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Gibson Cup
Alex Roy’s goal in the second overtime period gave the Portage Lake Pioneers a 5-4 victory over the Calumet Wolverines Saturday night, and set up a deciding third game in the series on Tuesday. Coming off a 3-2 victory on game one on Friday, the Wolverines led 2-1 after the first period, and 4-3 after the second. Charlie Turner’s power play goal in the third period forced overtime.
The deciding game of the series will be played Tuesday night at 7:30 at Dee Stadium. Broadcast coverage will begin around 7:10 on KBear 102.3 and KBear102.com.
MTU
Michigan Tech’s hockey season ended Saturday afternoon with a 5-2 loss to top-ranked Denver in the opening round of the NCAA Division One Men’s hockey tournament. The Pioneers scored the first five goals of the game – four in the first period. Tech responded with tallies by Gavin Gould and Jake Lucchini late in the second period, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
See the Huskies’ post-game press conference here.
In the other Midwest regional semifinal, Penn State ripped Union College 10-3. The Pioneers and the Nittany Lions will meet in the title game this evening at 6:00. Notre Dame and Massachusetts-Lowell will play for the Northeast regional title this afternoon. In regional finals yesterday, Harvard edged Air Force 3-2 to take the East crown, and Minnesota-Duluth got past Boston University 3-2 to take the West title. The Crimson and the Bulldogs will meet in the tournament semifinals on April 6th.
Finlandia
The Finlandia University softball team completed a four-game sweep at North Central University Saturday, with 15-1 and 13-4 victories. The Lions scored seven runs over the first two innings to put the first game away early. Serena Jaime had three hits, scored twice, drove in three runs homered in her third straight game. The Rams took an early lead in the second game, but Finlandia scored seven times in the third and fourth innings to pull away. Emily Nguyen had four hits, scored three runs and drove in two.
The Lions swept their double-header at North Central Friday, winning 13-3 and 29-3.
The Finlandia baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader at the University of Northwestern Saturday, 5-2 and 7-0. Tyler Jacobson drove in Finlandia’s only runs of the day with a bases-loaded single in the second inning of the first game.
High School
The North Central High School boys basketball team exploded out of the gate in yesterday’s Class D state championship game, then hung on for a 78-69 victory over Buckley. The win was the 83rd straight for the Jets. It secured their third straight state crown. North Central hit its first 12 shots en route to a 38-20 lead after the first quarter. Dawson Bilski scored 18 of those points, but was soon sidelined by foul trouble. His absence for much of the rest of the game allowed the Bears to claw their way back. They closed the gap to five points in the fourth quarter, but, after an exhausting double-overtime win Thursday, the weary Jets found their second wind, and closed out the victory.
Flint Beecher won the Class C title with a 73-58 win over Grand Rapids Covenant Christian. New Haven took the Class B crown, with a 45-36 win over Ludington. Clarkston earned the Class A trophy by defeating Grand Rapids Christian 75-69.
NHL
The Detroit Red Wings will host the Minnesota Timberwolves this afternoon at 12:30.
NBA
The Detroit Pistons will face the Knicks in New York Monday evening.
MLB
In spring training baseball, Anibal Sanchez pitched six hitless innings, but the Detroit Tigers fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 Saturday. Sanchez struck out six and walked one. Since making an adjustment to his delivery, Sanchez has now thrown 14 straight shutout innings, and allowed just two hits. Mark Lowe and Kyle Ryan gave up all of Pittsburgh’s runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Tyler Collins homered for Detroit. The Tigers will face the Blue Jays this afternoon.
Miguel Cabrera may play in today’s game. The Tigers’ first baseman has been sidelined by back stiffness that he first experienced while playing in the World Baseball Classic.
Raul Mondesi’s home run in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the Kansas City Royals to a 1-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday. The loss spoiled an excellent start by Wily Peralta, who gave up three hits over 5-2/3rds scoreless innings. The Brewers will play the Athletics this afternoon.
NCAA
Oregon and Gonzaga advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Division One Men’s Basketball Tournament Saturday. Top-seed Gonzaga dispatched upstart Xavier 83-59 to earn the West regional championship. Third-seed Oregon surprised top-seed Kansas 74-60 to win the Midwest region. Today, seventh-seed South Carolina will face fourth-seed Florida for the East crown, and top-seed North Carolina will meet second-seed Kentucky for the South title. Hear all of the remaining tournament games on AM 1400 and FM 99.3, WCCY.
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