STEPHEN HAWKINS

AP Baseball Writer
Texas Rangers pitcher Tyler Mahle throws to the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Tyler Mahle strikes out 9 over 6 innings as Rangers beat Angels 4-0 to snap 3-game skid
Tyler Mahle struck out nine over six innings and the Texas Rangers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 win over the Angels. Mahle is 3-0 after holding Los Angeles to three singles and two walks.
 
From left, Garrett Hilbert, Coby Cotton, Tyler Toney, Cody Jones and Cory Cotton, the founding members of Dude Perfect, pose for a photo during an event at their new headquarters in Frisco, Texas, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
A sweet 16 for Dude Perfect, from college trick shots to trusted sports and entertainment brand
The five friends of Dude Perfect had no intention of creating a brand or even a business 16 years ago when they started making a video of basketball trick shots while attending Texas A&M.
 
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck blocks a shot by the Dallas Stars during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Hellebuyck gets NHL-best 8th shutout and Jets move closer to West top seed with 4-0 win at Stars
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for his NHL-leading eighth shutout and the Winnipeg Jets moved closer to the top seed in the Western Conference with a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars.
 
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (77) reacts to play in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Luka Doncic scores 45 points in Dallas return as Lakers clinch playoff spot with 112-97 win
Luka Doncic scored 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles, helping the Lakers wrap up a playoff spot with a 112-97 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday night.
 
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic becomes emotional as he watches a video on the large video board that was a tribute to the former Dallas Mavericks player before an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Emotional return for Luka Doncic and Mavericks fans in his 1st game at Dallas since trade to Lakers
Luka Doncic entered the court with the Los Angeles Lakers for his first game back in Dallas to cheers in an arena where draped over every seat was a T-shirt with the Slovenian phrase for thank you for everything. Then came the tribute.
 
Florida's Walter Clayton Jr., rear, knocks the ball away from Houston's Emanuel Sharp (21) during the second half in the national championship at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Houston on the wrong side of gritty and ugly finish against Florida in national title game
The end of national championship game was gritty and ugly, just the way Houston usually likes it. Except this time Florida was forcing bad shots and turnovers against Houston when it counted.
 
Houston forward J'Wan Roberts speaks during a news conference at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
After 149 wins over 6 seasons, J’Wan Roberts needs 1 more in last game for Houston’s 1st NCAA title
J’Wan Roberts has been at Houston for six seasons and played in 149 wins for the Cougars. Win one more time in his final game and the Cougars will be first-time national champions.
 
Florida guard Alijah Martin speaks during a news conference at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Alijah Martin’s emphatic impact for Florida in this Final Four comes after 2023 heartbreaker at FAU
Alijah Martin never really liked talking too much about his first Final Four experience because of the heartbreaking ending with Florida Atlantic two years ago.
 
Houston's Ja'Vier Francis (5) celebrates with teammates after Houston beat Duke in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Florida makes push all the way to NCAA title game, will face Houston team that pushes others around
Florida has gone from being picked to finish sixth in the rugged Southeastern Conference to playing for national championship. Now the Gators face Big 12 champion Houston, which just pushes teams around with its suffocating defense.
 
Florida forward Alex Condon and forward Thomas Haugh celebrate their win against Auburn in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Clayton leads Florida to NCAA title game, scoring 34 points in 79-73 victory over SEC rival Auburn
Walter Clayton Jr. scored 34 points and Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four on Saturday night, sending the Gators to the national championship game for the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007.
 
Workers make final preparations around the Men's NCAA Final Four college basketball court at the Alamodome, Monday, March 31, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
NCAA remembers the Alamodome, which is again a No. 1 spot for the Final Four
The NCAA has certainly remembered the Alamodome, which has again become a No. 1 spot. All four No. 1 seeds in this season’s NCAA Tournament made it to the Final Four.
 
Auburn forward Johni Broome and guard Miles Kelly talks during practice at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, April 4, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Auburn and Florida meet in the Final Four as last of the 14 SEC teams that packed March Madness
Auburn and Florida are the last two standing of a record 14 Southeastern Conference teams that made the NCAA Tournament. Only one of them will get to play for the national championship.
 
Auburn center Dylan Cardwell speaks in the locker room during media day at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Auburn goes from early turbulence with players in the air to landing in the NCAA Final Four
Auburn’s season began with some real turbulence on its first trip. It is still unclear exactly what happened in the air on Nov. 8, other than there being some kind of in-flight disturbance between players.
 
Texas Rangers' Adolis García follows through on a swing during an at-bat in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Adolis García’s 2-run double and go-ahead HR leads the Rangers to a 4-3 win over Red Sox
Adolis García put Texas ahead to stay with his first homer of the season after an earlier two-run double and the Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3. García went deep leading off the fourth for a 3-2 lead.
 
Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson (4) and Josh Jung (6) celebrate after Pederson scored on a Jake Burger double as Boston Red Sox's Connor Wong, second from left, holds the ball by the plate in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Rangers 3B Josh Jung has another early-season setback with neck spasms, then replacement gets hurt
Josh Jung is out of the Texas Rangers lineup because of neck spasms in another early-season setback for the third baseman.
 
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter throws to the Boston Red Sox in the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas Rangers rookie Jack Leiter gets 1st big league victory after taking a couple of ‘hits’
Texas rookie Jack Leiter took a couple of hits before getting his first big league victory. He first got hit on the head by a ball while in the outfield during batting practice on opening day.
 
Texas Rangers' Jonah Heim rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Jonah Heim homers twice and rookie Jack Leiter gets 1st career win as Rangers beat Red Sox 4-1
Jonah Heim hit two solo homers and rookie Jack Leiter allowed one run over five innings for his first big league win as the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1. Heim’s second homer put Texas up 2-1 in the fifth.
 
Boston Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu connects for a three-run homerun as Texas Rangers' Kyle Higashioka, right, looks on in the ninth inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Abreu dedicates 2-homer game for Red Sox to newborn twins after one for late grandmother last year
Wilyer Abreu dedicates this two-homer game to his newborn twin boys. Abreu went deep twice in Boston’s season-opening 5-2 win at Texas, including a tiebreaking three-run shot in the ninth inning Thursday.
 
Boston Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu celebrates with the team in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Abreu hits 3-run shot in 9th for his second homer in the opener to power Red Sox past Rangers 5-2
Wilyer Abreu hit a three-run shot in the ninth inning for his second homer of the opener, powering the Boston Red Sox past the Texas Rangers 5-2. Abreu had a part in every Boston run Thursday.
 
Boston Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks delivers in the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in Fort Myers, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Liam Hendriks opens season on IL, again delaying reliever’s debut with the Boston Red Sox
Liam Hendriks was placed on the 15-day injured list before Boston’s season opener at Texas because of elbow inflammation. The right-handed reliever spent all of last season on the Red Sox roster while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
 
TCU's Agnes Emma-Nnopu, left, and Donovyn Hunter (4) celebrate in the second half against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
‘Old’ Frogs have TCU women in NCAA Sweet 16 after roster was rebuilt with experienced transfers
A bunch of old Frogs have taken TCU deeper than it has ever been in March Madness. TCU’s roster has been rebuilt through the transfer portal since Mark Campbell became their coach two years ago.
 
UCLA coach Cori Close talks with center Lauren Betts (51) during the second half of a game against Richmond in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Betts, Lee and Prince are posting up in women’s March Madness. There are fewer players like them
AP All-America center Lauren Betts, Ayoka Lee and Sedona Prince are traditional post players. All have been in the middle of their teams making it to the Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA Tournament.
 
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. makes a catch during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez, file)
MLB free agency: Plenty of talent potentially available in ’25-26 class, likely none for $700M
There almost certainly won’t be a $700 million deal for any player in the baseball’s next free agency class, nothing like the record contracts for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and four-time All-Star slugger Juan Soto the past two winters.
 
Texas Rangers' Evan Carter follows through on a swing in the eighth inning of an exhibition baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, March 24, 2025, Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Rangers will start season with Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, but not Evan Carter
Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker have both made the opening day roster with the Texas Rangers, and the recent first-round draft picks will fill the final two spots in the rotation. The Rangers say Evan Carter will start the season in the minor leagues.
 
TCU head coach Mark Campbell, left, and Hailey Van Lith (10) celebrate after their win over Louisville in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Van Lith has double-double and TCU women going to 1st Sweet 16 after 85-70 win over Louisville
Agnes Emma-Nnopu scored 23 points with four 3-pointers, Hailey Van Lith had a double-double against her former team and second-seeded TCU advanced to its first NCAA Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA Tournament with an 85-70 win over seventh-seeded Louisville.
 
TCU guard Madison Conner (2) controls the ball as Fairleigh Dickinson's Abby Conklin, left, defends in the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Transfers with March Madness experience trying to get TCU women to 1st Sweet 16 against Louisville
Hailey Van Lith and Madison Conner are among eight TCU players who have been on teams that advanced past the opening weekend of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
 
Louisville head coach Jeff Walz, left, and guard Hailey Van Lith direct their team against Clemson in the third quarter of an NCAA college basketball game in Clemson, S.C., Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File)
Hailey Van Lith vs. Louisville when TCU guard faces team she went deep in March Madness with 3 times
Hailey Van Lith is hoping to go deep into the women’s NCAA Tournament with TCU like she did three times with Louisville. As fate would have it in the standout guard’s fifth and final March Madness, Van Lith faces her old team in the second round.
 
Nebraska guard Britt Prince (23) advances the ball upcourt as Louisville guard Jayda Curry, left, defends in the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Louisville women beat Nebraska 63-58 in March Madness and advance to face former guard Van Lith
Tajianna Roberts scored 16 points while Jayda Curry made two free throws and drew a charging foul in the final minute as seventh-seeded Louisville beat 10th-seeded Nebraska 63-58 in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
 
TCU's Donovyn Hunter (4), Hailey Van Lith (10), Madison Conner, second from right, and Sedona Prince, right, look to the bench in the second half against Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament game in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
March Madness at home for Frogs as TCU women win 73-51 over FDU when hosting for 1st time
Madison Conner had 23 points with four 3-pointers and Sedona Prince had 16 points and 10 rebounds as second-seeded TCU won 73-51 over FDU in the Horned Frogs’ first women’s NCAA Tournament game at home.
 
Hailey Van Lith (10), head basketball coach Mark Campbell, center, and Sedona Prince (13) celebrate their team's win against Baylor in an NCAA college basketball game in Waco, Texas, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
TCU women hosting March Madness for 1st time after Campbell got Prince, Van Lith to join him
Sedona Prince remembers the conversation with Mark Campbell right after he became TCU’s coach. He told the center they could do some special things and rebuild a program that had just gone 1-17 in Big 12 Conference games.
 
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