Landen Roupp allowed one hit in six innings and Matt Chapman had an RBI double to spark a three-run rally in the seventh and help the San Francisco Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Thursday.

Roupp (3-1) didnt allow a hit until No. 9 batter P.J. Higgins led off the sixth with a single. That ended up being the Reds only hit of the day.

Roupp hit TJ Friedl with a pitch, but Matt McLain struck out and Elly De La Cruz grounded into a double play to end the threat. Roupp walked two, struck out six and left after 87 pitches.

Ryan Walker pitched the seventh and Keaton Winn struck out two in the eighth. Erik Miller struck out the side in the ninth for his first career save.

The Giants rallied when Luis Arraez reached on an error by De La Cruz at short leading off the seventh against reliever Brock Burke (1-1). Arraez scored from first on Chapman's two-out double off the wall in left-center field. Jung Hoo Lee followed with an RBI single. Connor Phillips entered and walked Heliot Ramos before Casey Schmitt singled in a third unearned run.

Reds rookie Chase Burns allowed two hits and a walk, but still faced the minimum through six scoreless innings. He struck out four and left after throwing 87 pitches.

Phillips was ejected in the eighth for intentionally hitting Willy Adames with a pitch after Roupp plunked Spencer Steer in the second.

In the ninth, benches cleared after Giants reliever Erik Miller struck out Sal Stewart to end the game.

The win snapped a four-game skid and helped the Giants avoid a three-game sweep.

Giants RHP Logan Webb (1-2, 5.25) starts Friday's opener of a three-game series in Washington opposite Nationals RHP Zack Littell (0-1, 4.20).

Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (1-1, 5.28) starts Friday's opener of a three-game series in Minnesota opposite Twins RHP Joe Ryan (2-1, 3.80).

Different year, same draft priorities for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Director of player personnel Duke Tobin, coach Zac Taylor and their staffs will continue to look at ways to upgrade a defense that was 31st in the league last season, including last against the run and tied for 22nd in sacks.

The only area the defense excelled in during Al Golden's first year as coordinator was missed tackles. Their 171 missed tackles was the most by any team since the statistic was first tracked in 2007.

The Bengals signed edge rusher Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen at the start of free agency, but need to start hitting on some of their draft picks.

You always have to be flexible in terms of the positions. The draft is a big chance for us to really hit on guys that can be long-term contributors for us, Tobin said during the NFL scouting combine in February.

The Bengals have eight picks, including the 10th overall selection in the first round. They dont have any in the fifth round but two each in the sixth and seventh rounds.

Pass rushers, linebacker and cornerback. The Bengals got a preview of life without Trey Hendrickson last season after he played in only seven games and had four sacks. Mafe has potential as a pass rusher, but had only two sacks last season, and Shemar Stewart, last year's first-round pick, had a disappointing rookie season because of injuries. Miami's Rueben Bain would be a perfect option if he was available. The linebacker group is young after rookies Demetrius Knight Jr. (second round) and Barrett Carter (fourth round) were pressed into duty last season. Ohio State's Sonny Styles continues to ascend up draft boards. With Dax Hill and DJ Turner in the final year of their contracts, Golden could use a young cornerback, especially one that excels at covering slot receivers. LSU's Mansoor Delane would be a nice fit.

While defense is at the top of the priorities list, the Bengals will also be on the hunt for help on the offensive line. The primary need is for a swing tackle that can help bolster a unit that was near the bottom in pass block win rate last season according to metrics by Pro Football Focus and ESPN.

Don't be surprised if the Bengals look for a wide receiver, especially if Ohio State's Carnell Tate drops to the 10th pick. Even though the Bengals have one of the top two receiver duos in the league with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the group is thin after that. They are also lacking a slot receiver that could help take pressure off Chase and Higgins late in games.

A quarterback. The Bengals are one of the top teams in the league when Joe Burrow is on the field, but with three major injuries in six seasons including a toe injury that caused him to miss nine games last season keeping him healthy continues to be a concern. Joe Flacco did re-sign to be Burrow's backup after he was acquired from Cleveland.

Sal Stewart hit a pair of three-run home runs for a career-high six RBIs, Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz also homered, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Francisco Giants 8-3 on Wednesday night.

The 22-year-old Stewart has 12 career homers, the most by a Reds batter through his first 36 games since Aristedes Aquino hit 15 in 2018-19.

Stewart is the second-youngest Reds player with six RBIs in a game behind De La Cruz, who drove in six on Aug. 23, 2003 at the age of 21.

Rookie Rhett Lowder (2-1) allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings for Cincinnati.

Former Red Tyler Mahle (0-3) started for San Francisco and allowed eight runs with five walks and four homers in four innings, raising his ERA from 4.30 to 7.23.

With two runners on in the first, Stewart hit his sixth home run to right-center. Three pitches later, Suarez reached the first row of seats in right to make it 4-0.

It was Suarez's 192nd homer as a Red, moving him past Brandon Phillips into 12th place on the franchise's career list. Suarez had three hits in a game for the first time since rejoining the Reds.

Daniel Susac's two-run double in the second inning cut the Giants' deficit to 4-2.

Following a pair of two-out walks by Mahle, Stewart launched his team-leading seventh homer to make the score 7-2. It was his first career multi-homer game.

De La Cruz made it 8-2 in the fourth with his sixth homer of the season, which sailed an estimated 442 feet to center.

Giants RHP Landen Roupp (2-1, 3.24 ERA) will face Reds RHP Chase Burns (1-1, 3.31) in the series finale on Thursday.

Representatives from the Trump administration are briefing lawmakers about plans to secure the World Cup, now under two months away.

During a hearing on Capitol Hill, we heard senators being told that these high profile games will be secure and that they want to make it easy for international fans to get visas to come to the U.S. for the games.

Commerce Department officials told senators that the more people who visit, the better. Eleven cities stand to benefit from a huge economic windfall, with as many as 10 million fans coming to see World Cup games.

But there have been questions about whether ICE will be at the games conducting immigration enforcement.

"I am very concerned that because of statements made by the president and actions taken by the Trump administration, that we're going to be discouraging soccer fans from coming to games here," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

"There are many efforts being in place to ensure ease of travel and that people who want to come to the World Cup can come here, get the visa," said Robert O'Leary, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism at the Department of Commerce.

RELATED NEWS | ICE agents to support investigations during World Cup in Canada

In February, the acting ICE director said that ICE would be on hand at these World Cup games in a security capacity but did not give more details.

Scripps News has reached out again to the White House to ask for that today, and they still aren't commenting on exactly what ICE is going to be doing at World Cup matches.

The New York Times is reporting that top FIFA leadership is considering asking President Trump to have a total moratorium on ICE raids during the World Cup.

President Trump enjoys a friendly relationship with FIFA's president, who presented him months ago with the first ever FIFA Peace Prize.

Cincinnati Reds third baseman KeBryan Hayes doesnt take for granted the opportunity to wear No. 42 every April 15 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day.

Its special, Hayes told WCPO 9 Sports. Im glad its a thing where everyone in the whole league wears the same number. It shows unity and a respect for what happened in the past. It means everything to be able to wear '42.'

The late Robinson, a Baseball Hall of Famer, wore No. 42 for the Brooklyn Dodgers when he broke baseballs color barrier on April 15, 1947, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

Major League Baseball observes April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day to honor Robinsons lasting impact on baseball and society.

Without Jackie doing what he did (and) guys like Moses Fleetwood (Walker) I wouldnt be here today standing here and getting to do what I love to do, Hayes said.

Just being able to be a role model. Being able to be kind of at the top of where a lot of kids want to be. Its just very humbling for me.

Hayes, along with Reds outfielders Rece Hinds, Will Benson and Dane Myers, participated in a question-and-answer session Wednesday morning with the Wilberforce University and Kentucky State University baseball teams at the P&G Major League Baseball Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy.

All four players threw out the first pitches prior to the non-conference game between Wilberforce and Kentucky State Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

Wednesday is certainly a significant day for MLB across the country.

Its just awesome, Reds owner Phil Castellini said. Its a time in history. Its something that Id love to get to a time when we dont have to celebrate it. That its so kind of in the rear view. But its still very relevant. And the fact that we can celebrate Jackies role in helping us get to this place in our game is amazing. And the fact that were participating the way we are is special. Look forward to seeing all those guys on the major-league field wearing the 42 tonight, too.

The Reds host the Giants at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday at Great American Ball Park.

All players, managers and coaches will wear 42 jerseys to honor Robinsons historic debut. Hayes, formerly with the Pirates, enjoys celebrating April 15 each year.

It represents a sense of unity, Hayes said. The history of baseball. Being in Pittsburgh, we wore the 21 (for the late Roberto Clemente). It continues to shed light on the pioneers in baseball. Kind of how we progressed as a league. And just being able to wear '42' its super special.

British runner Clarke Reynolds completed the Brighton Marathon on Sunday using special glasses that helped the blind marathoner stay on course

Using Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and with assistance from volunteers who guided him via the Be My Eyes app Reynolds finished the race in 6 hours, 19 minutes, 41 seconds. Typically, blind runners rely on another runner to serve as a guide, which requires the guide to maintain the same pace.

The new technology allowed Reynolds to run at his own pace.

Reynolds told RNIB Connect Radio that volunteers rotated every 30 minutes to provide guidance through the app while he ran. In Sundays race, he also had a guide nearby in case the technology failed.

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But he didnt need the guide.

It was just a way of, how can I do this and push the boundaries of what the technology is out there, Reynolds said. And, you know, its not too far off that we could do daily-life, crazy stuff with technology.

Reynolds trained for 10 months to prepare for the race.

I want to blow away peoples expectations of what sight loss means and be a role model for people of all ages with a visual impairment, he said before Sundays event.

Reynolds also used the marathon to raise funds for the Richard Whitehead Foundation, which supports visually impaired runners.

RELATED STORY | Mom runner wins 100K ultramarathon, breastfeeding along the way

His experience with the Be My Eyes app is one of many ways the technology can be used. In March, the app reached 1 million users, along with a network of more than 10 million volunteers. The app advertises that it can assist visually impaired people by reading labels, troubleshooting devices and offering other types of help.

Reaching 1 million blind and low-vision users and 10 million volunteers is far beyond what I imagined when I first had the idea for Be My Eyes, said Hans Jrgen Wiberg, the apps founder. This community shows the incredible willingness of people around the world to help one another. Every day, millions of small acts of kindness happen through the app, and together they make the world more accessible.

Spencer Steer and Sal Stewart hit solo home runs and Brady Singer allowed one run in six innings as the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Singer (1-1), who lasted 2 2/3 innings in his previous start, needed just 75 pitches to get through six innings on Tuesday. He allowed one run and six hits with no walks and one strikeout.

Emilio Pagn pitched the ninth to earn his fifth save.

The two homers were the only hits allowed by Giants starter Robbie Ray (2-2), who had a 12-inning scoreless streak snapped. He issued four walks, struck out six and needed 94 pitches to get through five innings.

Ray had allowed two home runs in 19 1/3 innings before Steer's home run to lead off the third. It was the first run allowed by Ray since April 2.

Stewart's fifth homer of the season came on a 3-2 pitch in the fourth to make the score 2-0. He leads all NL rookies in homers.

Willy Adames hit a solo homer into the second deck of the left-field bleachers to make the score 2-1 in the fifth. It was his third homer of the season and 20th of his career against Cincinnati, the most against any opponent.

The Giants made a bid to tie the score in the ninth, but pinch hitter Daniel Susac's long drive to center was caught at the wall by Dane Myers for the final out.

San Francisco dropped to 1-10 this season when scoring three or fewer runs. Cincinnati improved to 4-0 in games decided by one run.

Reds RHP Rhett Lowder (1-1, 3.31) faces Giants RHP Tyler Mahle (0-2, 4.30) on Wednesday.

An Ohio Republican is proposing raising the sports betting tax to fund public stadiums and K-12 education.

"I have no apologies that I was going to the track and betting on horses when I was 5 years old, or that I had a bookie when I was 7 or 8," state Sen. Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) said.

For some, like DeMora, gambling starts early. And he doesnt like it when people mess with his vice.

"You want the most bang for your buck," the senator said. 

But he fears the state will take an even bigger cut of his winnings.

"If you have more taxes on it, you're gonna get less payout," he said.

State Sen. Bill Blessing (R-Colerain Township) has proposed S.B. 199, a bill that would put a 2% fee on sports wagers. Ohio would use that revenue to fund public sports stadiums and K-12 education. 

The legislation was originally introduced in 2025, when Blessing and Gov. Mike DeWine were attempting to find ways around funding the Cleveland Browns stadium that the legislative leaders were intent on supporting. Thus, this is a bill that is similar to DeWine's plan from last budget season.

This could be incredible cost savings, Blessing said. He added that, combined with the governors tobacco tax in the budget, a severance tax instituting a 25% excise tax on Kratom, as well as increasing the marijuana excise tax to 15%, Ohio would generate $1.5 billion per fiscal year.

"If we really do put school funding to bed for the foreseeable future it's a public good," Blessing said in an interview Tuesday. "And again, people forget that school funding is, in fact, property tax relief."

The 2% fee is in addition to Ohios existing 20% tax on sports gaming receipts. This could raise an additional $200 million per fiscal year, Blessing said.

"You raise revenue at the same time that you're discouraging bad behavior," he said.

While Blessing was testifying, DeMora was skeptical of how much revenue this would actually bring in.

"Everybody assumes that when you tax more, you're going to get more revenue from it," the Democrat said. "But other studies show that the more the tax, the less likely you are to do these forms of gambling."

Blessing said that DeMora doesnt need to worry, since the sportsbooks will be the ones paying the tax.

"What is to stop the sportsbooks from putting this 2% tax back onto the payees, back onto the sports bettors?" I asked Blessing.

"Well, if DraftKings and FanDuel are going against each other, they can't just pass everything on to the bettor," he responded. "To some degree, they have to eat that through lower profits because DraftKings [can say], 'Well, we can eat a little bit more of this to outcompete you guys.'"

We reached out to the leading sportsbooks, but none provided a comment. However, they may not need to worry. Select Committee on Gaming Chair Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) said it likely wouldn't move out of committee, as it may be a "better conversation" for next year's budget.

"I don't think raising taxes necessarily brings in more revenue all the time," Manning said. "I think that could do more harm than good."

Although DeWine has been supportive of finding innovative ways to avoid using public dollars to pay for a billionaire's new stadium, his team says he is newly reviewing the bill. He did, however, catch a stray from DeMora.

"Why are we just taxing gambling because some people don't like it, including the governor, who doesn't like anything fun," the Democrat said.

DeWine's team declined to respond to that remark.

The governor is opposed to gambling, marijuana, intoxicating hemp and tobacco and has pushed for restrictions on all.

Betting on gambling bills

This is the latest gaming bill to make waves in the Statehouse.

Last week, a group of House Republicans introduced two bills that would overhaul the state's sports gaming industry: banning online gambling, prohibiting wagers on college athletics, and restricting bet types.

RELATED: Ohio GOP lawmakers move to ban online sports gambling, betting on college athletics

The first bill, according to the lawmakers, bans in-game, parlay and prop bets, as well as wagers on all college athletics.

The second bans online gaming. It would prohibit the use of credit cards to make bets. It also limits bets to $100 and only allows up to eight wagers per 24 hours. It stops financial lures, which are deals that sportsbooks can offer to get a bettor to sign up, and bans ads during a live broadcast of an event.

These proposals received mass backlash online, which Manning noted to me.

"I saw your tweet about that has gotten a lot of traction both probably good and bad... I understand where they're coming from. I think it's a little short-sighted and would do more harm than good."

Blessing, Manning and DeMora were not fans of either of these bills. One of the House bill sponsors, state Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), was equally not interested in raising sports betting taxes.

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Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was placed on probation Tuesday for 18 months for a confrontation with his executive assistant soon after he was fired for having an inappropriate relationship with her.

Moore was facing a possible sentence of up to six months in jail after pleading no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecom device. But Judge J. Cedric Simpson ordered no time in custody.

A felony charge of home invasion, as well as stalking and illegal entry misdemeanors, were dropped.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Sherrone Moore jailed as police investigate situation that led to the fired Michigan coach's arrest

Moore, 40, was fired on Dec. 10 after leading the Wolverines for two seasons, following Jim Harbaughs move to the NFLs Los Angeles Chargers. It was a stunning dismissal at one of college footballs most prestigious programs.

Moore was accused that same day of confronting the woman with whom he had been having an affair and blaming her for his firing, even threatening to kill himself with butter knives in her apartment. Authorities said the woman had ended the affair and spoken to school officials about it.

Moore was charged with felony home invasion and two additional charges. But Washtenaw County prosecutors agreed to a deal in which he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors. The felony charge was dropped.

IN RELATED NEWS | Michigan football analyst resigns amid sign-stealing investigation

The agreement came after defense lawyer Ellen Michaels planned to aggressively challenge how police gathered information to get an arrest warrant.

Moore did not harm himself and was peacefully arrested in a parking lot away from the woman's apartment.

Seton sophomore quarterback Charlotte Holms smile says it all before a flag football practice last week at Delhi Park.

We have a great team, Holm said. Everyone is always happy. We are very successful.

Holm is a three-sport athlete at the school. She was on the Division I state champion volleyball team this past fall and the Division II district champion basketball team this past winter.

This month, Holm is in her second season as the Saints quarterback on the flag football team. She has thrown for 1,263 yards and 26 touchdowns in seven games for Seton (5-2). Holm has completed nearly 75% of her passes this season.

"She's a natural talent," Seton coach Bryan Cox said.

As a freshman, Holm threw for 2,301 yards and 34 touchdowns in 10 games.

Shes awesome in the fact that she wants to get better, Cox said. Definitely a coachable kid.

WATCH: We speak with Seton's coach and players about the rise of girls flag football

Seton junior wide receiver Ellie Wegman enjoys catching passes from Holm.

"It's like in the air forever, and then finally you catch it, and it feels great," Wegman said.

While Holm wants to play college basketball, she prioritizes volleyball and flag football, too. The balance of three sports can be challenging.

I do my best to make it to everything I can for all the sports, Holm said.

This season, Seton is poised to earn a deep tournament run after it was a 2025 state semifinalist. Holms leadership is key to that aspect.

I have to learn how to lift other people up, Holm said. And I have to learn how to always stay positive.

The Saints embrace that mentality in a sport that continues to experience significant growth. High school girls flag football teams have more than doubled (from 20 to 41) in Southwest Ohio since 2025.

There are 162 teams statewide, according to the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

I think its good its getting attention, Holm said. Its a pretty challenging sport; we should get credit for it.

Cox said that for a lot of the teams athletes, flag football has become their primary sport at the school.

I think youre just going to see the growth along with the high school and college level, Cox said. Opportunities are there, too. A few of our girls are already talking about getting scholarships from schools. I think long term five to 10 years its going to be one of those things where the state has it fully sanctioned playoffs. And across the country, too, there are a lot of rule changes. Our game might expand as far as the size of the field or the number of players that will come with growth, too.

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Azzi Fudd is on her way to Dallas as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft with a $500,000 payday waiting for the former UConn star. A record-setting six UCLA players followed her into the league.

Im not really sure I have words to describe that feeling, what that meant, Fudd said of getting drafted. I dont think its fully sunk in. It's nothing I could have imagined. The feeling of sitting with my family, with Morgan (Valley), hearing your name called, go up there. Such a surreal feeling,

Fudd will pair again with former Huskies teammate Paige Bueckers, who was the Wings' top pick last year. Bueckers who along with Fudd gave UConn a record seven No. 1 selections was in attendance at the draft along with Fudd's Huskies teammates.

Paige is an incredible player, everyone knows that, Fudd said. Shes someone that makes playing basketball with easy.

UCLA stars Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez went in the top five, a little over a week after leading the Bruins to their first NCAA championship.

Their teammate, Kiki Rice, went sixth to Toronto, the first pick for the expansion franchise. The Tempo chose to have the higher pick in the college draft after winning a coin toss, giving the Portland Fire the top choice in the expansion draft earlier this month.

UCLA broke UConns record of having four players drafted in the first round, a mark the Huskies set in 2002, when Angela Dugalic went ninth to Washington, teaming her again with Betts. And, Giannna Kneepkens was chosen by Connecticut with the last pick of the opening round.

RELATED STORY | WNBA players approve landmark 7-year collective bargaining deal

The Bruins later broke the mark for the most players drafted from one team when Charlisse Leger-Walker was selected by Connecticut with the third pick in the second round. Tennessee (1997, 2008), Notre Dame (2019) and South Carolina (2023) held the previous record with five players taken.

The new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified last month gave huge pay raises to rookies. Fudd will make nearly seven-times what Bueckers earned last season as the top choice. The No. 2 and No. 3 picks will get $466,913 and $436,016, respectively.

Second- and third-round picks will make $270,000 which is more than the previous maximum salary in the old CBA.

Im just blessed and grateful to come at this time, said No. 8 pick Flau'jae Johnson, who was drafted by Golden State before getting traded to Seattle. The 30th season. My goal is to leave it better than I found it. Its a gratitude thing, but also a responsibility thing. Im taking that with full force.

Minnesota took Olivia Miles of TCU with the No. 2 pick. Miles decided to stay in college last season instead of enter the WNBA draft. She transferred from Notre Dame to the Horned Frogs. She helped the team reach the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year.

RELATED STORY | WNBA approves expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia

Deep breath thats why I got emotional, Miles said of finishing her journey. Its finally here, finally heard my name. This is what this was for.

After Seattle took Spain center Awa Fam Thiam at No. 3, Washington selected the 6-foot-7 Betts before the Chicago Sky followed with Jaquez, who is the sister of Miami Heat player Jaime Jaquez Jr. She now has family bragging rights not only with a national championship, but also was picked higher than him. Jaime was taken 18th in the NBA draft in 2023.

Portland took Spanish guard Iyana Martin Carrion with its first-ever pick. Indiana took South Carolina's Raven Johnson with the 10th pick and Washington drafted Cotie McMahon of Ole Miss next.

Connecticut took French player Nell Angloma with the 12th pick. A second Gamecock went next with Madina Okot drafted by Atlanta. Seattle drafted Duke's Taina Mair with the 14th choice.

The Sun closed out the first round choosing Kneepkens.

International flavor

There were 11 international players taken in the draft who didn't play at a U.S. college, including three in the first round with Fam Thiam, Martin Carrion and Angloma.

Fam Thiam was the highest selected player from Spain ever drafted in the league. Three Spanish players were taken in all.

Incredibly excited for our country and the global game, said Marta Suarez, who was drafted by Seattle in the second round before getting traded to Golden State. The WNBA is growing, attracting talent from all over the world.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in her pre-draft press conference that the league planned to play either an exhibition game or a regular-season game overseas next year.

Mother-daughter combo

Fudd and her mother, Katie Smrcka-Duffy Fudd, became the second mother-daughter pair to have been drafted into the WNBA. Smrcka-Duffy Fudd was taken in 2001 by the Sacramento Monarchs in the fourth round, but never played a game. Pam McGee was taken second overall in the 1997 draft, also by Sacramento. Her daughter, Imani McGee-Stafford, was drafted 10th overall by Chicago in 2016.

Xavier University senior Madison Reemsnyder cant wait for the opportunity to compete in the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G next month.

Reemsnyder, who received an exemption to play in the LPGA event, said she's most looking forward to playing with professionals.

"Its going to be really awesome just seeing how they play, how their games are. And playing out here at (Maketewah Country Club), which I am so familiar with," Reemsnyder said.

The Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G is scheduled for May 14-17. Event officials and golfers spoke at the event's media day on Monday afternoon.

While its the fifth consecutive year for the tournament in Greater Cincinnati, it is the first year at Maketewah Country Club, located on Reading Road.

The event said 144 of the worlds best female pro golfers will compete for a share of the $2 million purse.

Reemsnyder is looking forward to the atmosphere around the country club.

My family has been to most of my events, Reemsnyder said. But, it will be pretty nerve-racking looking out and seeing all the fans out there, but fun. Its nice because I can visualize how I can play out here on a regular day. So that will be really good to have that experience.

Maketewah Country Club, the home of the XU mens and womens golf teams, gives a home course advantage to Reemsndyer and LPGA rookie Emma McMyler, a Xavier graduate.

McMyler was named the Big East Golfer of the Year three times in her career. She completed her XU career with a program-record career scoring average of 72.74. She earned her LPGA Tour Card in December 2025.

McMyler said, although she's learned a lot so far, there's still more to learn.

I think the biggest thing Ive learned is my game is good enough to compete and be out here week to week, contending for tournaments," McMyler said. "Just learning to get comfortable. I think thats the biggest thing for me. And once I do, I will be set on my way. Hopefully by the time this tournament rolls around, well be contending at the top of the leaderboard.

The Cincinnati Reds have traded Christian Encarnacion-Strand, the team announced Monday.

Encarnacion-Strand, better known as CES, is headed to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for cash considerations. Baltimore optioned Encarnacion-Strand to Triple-A Norfolk.

The move comes after he was designated for assignment April 8.

The 25-year-old has been with the Reds for the past three seasons, batting .233 with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs in his 128 games played.

Encarnacion-Strand entered the 2024 season regularly playing first base before struggling early in the season, averaging only .190 and two home runs. He then broke his wrist in May, ending his 2024 season. He returned as the Reds' starting first baseman in 2025, but fell out of the rotation due to a back injury.

Earlier on Monday, the Reds optioned outfielder Noelvi Marte to Triple-A Louisville.

Just days after his infamous wall catch was immortalized in bobblehead form, Noelvi Marte is being optioned down to Triple-A.

The Reds announced they're optioning the right fielder to Louisville after a tough start to the season. In 29 at-bats, Marte has produced just four hits with a .138 batting average.

Marte first debuted for Cincinnati in August 2023, batting .316 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 35 games played. However, the now-24-year-old was suspended for 80 games the following season after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.

RELATED | Cincinnati Reds infielder Noelvi Marte suspended for 80 games after testing positive for PED

When he returned, Marte struggled at the plate, with the Reds sending him down to Louisville during training camp in 2025. Despite the setback, he worked his way back to the big leagues and became a key figure in the squad that brought Cincinnati back to the playoffs most notably, when he robbed the Pirates of a game-tying homer in one of the final games of the season, bringing the Reds closer to the NL wild card.

RELATED | Mart robs Reynolds of tying homer in 9th, Reds beat Pirates 2-1 and close on Mets for wild card

While Cincinnati has not announced a corresponding move, multiple reports claim Rece Hinds will be called up from Louisville. Hinds, 25, was drafted by the Reds in the second round of the 2019 draft and made appearances in 24 games in 2024 and 15 games in 2025.

After 18 years, Randy Borchers is stepping down as Cooper High School's athletic director and head football coach.

Borchers, who has been with Cooper since the school first opened in 2008, told us in a statement that he is stepping down at the end of the school year and plans to take a different position in a different school district.

"Wouldn't change the past 18 years for anything, but I am looking forward to a new challenge," he said.

The Jaguars have had plenty of success under Borchers, reaching the Class 5A Championship Game three times including back-to-back appearances in 2023 and 2024. Most recently, Cooper lost to Scott County in the second round of the playoffs.

In a statement on its social media pages, Cooper Football thanked Borchers for his "leadership, vision and belief in the program and the people who make it special."

"His passion, dedication and commitment have left a lasting mark on Cooper, and his legacy will always be part of the Jaguar community," the statement says.

At this time, it is unclear who will take Borchers' place as both athletic director and coach.

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Pete Rose may not be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame yet much to the displeasure of many but he may be headed for the big screen.

Actor Mark Wahlberg announced on a podcast that he's working on a movie about the Cincinnati Reds legend and MLB all-time hit king, who died in September 2024.

Wahlberg talked about the film on an April 9 episode of the "Throwbacks" podcast, hosted by Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara.

"We're talking about doing Pete Rose, right now," Wahlberg said on the podcast.

Watch: We spoke with Film Cincinnati and the last person to interview Rose before his death

The Boston-born actor has done several sports-related movies, including "Invincible" and "The Fighter."

He said the biopic on Charlie Hustle would follow Rose's life when he's older, as well as his second stint in Cincinnati as a player and manager from 1984-1986. Rose managed the Reds after he retired from playing through the 1989 season.

Wahlberg, who has produced several films he's acted in, such as "Lone Survivor," "Deepwater Horizon" and more, said that a script has been written for the movie. He did not say if he planned on acting in the film or who he envisions playing Rose in the movie.

"We've been actively developing that right now and speaking to filmmakers, so we've got a script," Wahlberg said.

It's also unclear if the movie about the Cincinnati native would actually be filmed in the Queen City.

Cincinnati has been a popular filming city for the past few decades, with recent movies like "The Bikeriders," "Superman" and others filming in the area. A project believed to be the "Superman" sequel, "Man of Tomorrow," is expected to film in Cincinnati soon.

The Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit database currently does not have any listings with Rose's name or Wahlberg's.

Reds fans are already excited about the idea of the project.

"I mean, that's amazing. Pete Rose, one of the best of all time, the Hit King. How can you not be excited about that?" Reds fan Jack Von Kohorn said.

Von Kohorn said his great-great uncle Al Lakeman was a catcher for the Reds from 1942-1947.

"I'd hope to see just an honest story about (Rose's) managing days and his playing days," Von Kohorn said. "We all know that he bet on baseball, but he bet for his team to win, which is totally different than betting on your team to lose, right?"

We reached out to Film Cincinnati on Monday following Wahlberg's comments. President and CEO Kristen Schlotman said the podcast was the first time they'd heard of the project.

Should the movie move forward, Schlotman said she hopes it's filmed, at least in part, in Cincinnati. She said she reached out to Wahlberg's production company with information about Ohio's Motion Picture Tax Credit to laud the financial incentive of filming in the area.

And Wahlberg isn't the only one with a project about Rose in development. Cincinnati native and former sports broadcaster John Condit and his production company, Cradle Concepts, LLC, are set to release a documentary film next year.

Condit was the last person to interview Rose, sitting down with the baseball legend just 10 days before his death.

"It really became interesting when President Trump began to pressure baseball to reinstate (Rose). And he gets reinstated, and now he could get back into the Hall of Fame," Condit said. "So, it gets really interesting now. Does he get in or not?"

Condit said that vote will happen in December of 2027.

"I think there's going to be a drumbeat," Condit said. "It's going to start out quiet, but it's going to get louder and louder as we get into 2027... that's what my film is going to be about.

Condit said he's excited about the prospect of a major motion picture about Rose's life especially if Wahlberg is involved. He said the film would be "dynamic."

"I think Mark Wahlberg is amazing," Condit said. "If Wahlberg's interested, millions of baseball fans are going to be interested because it's a story like none other."

Jos Soriano struck out 10 over seven shutout innings to become the major leagues' first four-game winner, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Reds 9-6 Sunday for their first series victory at Cincinnati since 2007.

Soriano (4-0) allowed two hits and three walks, throwing 106 pitches and lowering his big league-best ERA to 0.33. He became the first Angels pitcher to win his first four games since Jered Weaver won six straight in 2011.

Los Angeles opened a 9-0 lead in the eighth inning and took two of three for its first series win at the Reds since winning two of three from June 12-14 2007.

Nolan Schanuel had three RBIs, putting the Angels ahead with a wo-run single in the three-run first that included Logan O'Hoppe's single.

Mike Trout, who scored three runs, had an RBI double in the second and scored on Jorge Soler's sacrifice fly. Oswald Peraza homered on the first pitch of the fourth.

Andrew Abbott (0-2) allowed seven runs, matching his career high, and seven earned runs for the first time. He gave up eight hits and a pair of walks in three innings.

Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer, his fifth home run this season.

Angels: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-2, 6.75 ERA) starts Monday at the New York Yankees, who go with RHP Will Warren (1-0, 3.07)

Reds: RHP Brady Singer (0-1, 7.71) starts Tuesday at San Francisco as the Giants, who start LHP Robbie Ray (2-1, 2.08).

Kenji Mboma Dem scored a short-handed goal two minutes into second-half stoppage time and FC Cincinnati earned a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday.

Mboma Dem subbed in for Bryan Ramrez in the 88th minute before using assists from Ayoub Jabbari and Samuel Gidi to score his first goal in his eighth career appearance all coming off the bench.

It was Jabbari's first assist in his 12th career match. Gidi has made 11 career appearances with all three of his assists coming this season.

Kvin Denkey left Cincinnati short-handed in the 71st minute when he was tagged with yellow cards one minute apart. It was the fourth straight match a Cincinnati player was sent off with a red card.

Things looked bleak after Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the 83rd minute on an own goal by defender Gilberto Flores.

Luka Gavran saved three shots for Toronto (3-2-2) in his 23rd career start. Gavran punched away a header by Matt Miazga off a short free kick in the final minute of stoppage time to keep it scoreless at halftime.

Roman Celantano totaled four saves for Cincinnati (2-4-1). Both keepers had two saves at the break.

Toronto is 4-0-7 in its last 11 home matches and won for the first time in Cincinnati earlier this season a 1-0 victory that ended a 7-0-1 overall run by Cincinnati in a series it leads 9-5-2. Toronto has gone 2-0-3 since that road win.

Toronto hasn't beaten Cincinnati at home since Sept. 29, 2021 a come-from-behind 3-2 victory.

Cincinnati: Hosts the Chicago Fire on Saturday.

Toronto: Hosts Austin FC on Saturday.

Jorge Soler hit a grand slam in a five-run eighth inning, Zach Neto and Josh Lowe also homered and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-2 on Friday night to snap a seven-game losing streak at Great American Ball Park.

Jack Kochanowicz (2-0) only allowed one run and two hits over seven innings.

Soler also had a two-out double in the third before scoring on Yoan Moncadas infield single for a 2-0 lead.

Netos fifth home run of the season made it 4-0 and Lowe, who was batting .091 (3 for 33) coming in, homered over the left-field wall in the sixth for a 5-1 lead.

Los Angeles improved to .500 or better after 14 games for a sixth straight season, and eighth of nine.

Cincinnati's Chase Burns (1-1) gave up five earned runs, seven hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Sal Stewart entered leading all rookies with 16 hits, eight extra-base hits, and 32 total bases before going 0 for 3 against the Angels.

Eugenio Surez had Cincinnati's only hit through four and he added the Reds' second hit on a single in the sixth. Elly De La Cruz hit his fourth homer of the season in the ninth.

Los Angeles last win in Cincinnati came on April 1, 2013, in the first interleague Opening Day game in MLB history.

Los Angeles RHP George Klassen (0-0, 6.75 ERA), who took a no-decision in his major league debut on April 5, goes against Cincinnati LHP Brandon Williamson (1-1, 4.76), who picked up his first major league victory on April 6.

More than 40 years after the Miracle on Ice, Team USA captain Mike Eruzione is reflecting on whats changed and what may be lost.

In this episode of "Connected with Alisyn Camerota," Eruzione reacts to Team USAs latest Olympic gold, shares emotional moments from the victory, and explains why todays young athletes may never get the same opportunity he had in 1980.

He also weighs in on what the American spirit looks like today.

From Olympic glory to todays challenges, this is a powerful conversation about sports, opportunity and what it takes to inspire the next generation.

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, a former Ohio State and Princeton High School star, is reportedly finalizing a one-year, $1.4 million supermax agreement to return to the team, according to a report from ESPN.

Mitchell, who was fifth in WNBA Most Valuable Player voting in 2025, is one of the first players in league history to agree to terms on the new supermax distinction, according to ESPN.

I couldnt be happier for Kelsey, Ohio State womens basketball coach Kevin McGuff told WCPO 9 Sports in a text message. Shes worked so hard and been such a terrific ambassador for the league. It is great to see her rewarded with this contract.

Mitchell, a 2014 Princeton graduate, is a three-time WNBA All-Star (2023-2025). She is starting her ninth season in the WNBA (all with Indiana) and was named one of the top free agents to watch this offseason by the league.

With Fever guard Caitlin Clark sidelined for much of the 2025 season due to injury, Mitchell nearly carried Indiana to the WNBA Finals last year. Mitchell averaged 20.2 points, 3.4 assists and 1.8 rebounds and earned the first All-WNBA First Team selection in her career.

This is the most deserved pay raise in WNBA history, former Princeton girls basketball coach Jill Phillips told WCPO 9 Sports in a text message. She carried the Fever for years and now they are on the best teams in the league and she has been loyal to them. Last year she was voted one of the five best players in the WNBA. She is the best and most selfless player I ever coached.

The WNBA collective bargaining agreement allows for a salary cap of $7 million (up from $1.5 million in 2025), according to ESPN. The supermax starts at $1.4 million after it was $249,244 in 2025, ESPN reported in March.

WNBA signings are officially allowed to start Saturday. Signings conclude before training camps open on April 19.

Indiana opens the season April 25 at the New York Liberty.

Mitchell, the No. 2 selection in the 2018 WNBA Draft by Indiana, became the first four-time All-American in Ohio State womens basketball history in March 2018. Mitchell completed her collegiate career as the NCAAs second all-time leading scorer with 3,402 points.

Mitchell was a McDonald's All-American among several other accolades at Princeton. Mitchell helped to lead Princeton to the Division I state title in March 2014.

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The WNBA is expanding, with new teams set to begin play in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.

The WNBA and NBA Board of Governors formally approved the expansion on Thursday.

Cleveland will begin play in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. The additions will bring the leagues total number of teams to 18.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | WNBA players approve landmark 7-year collective bargaining deal

The league said it selected the cities based on a variety of factors, including market viability and the potential to build strong local fan bases.

This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our leagues extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in womens professional basketball," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said when the expansion was initially announced.

Meanwhile, the WNBA will celebrate its 30th season this year, which tips off May 8. Throughout the season, the league will recognize those who built the WNBA.

"As we step into this next dynamic era together, Season 30 is tracking to be our most memorable yet celebrating both how far weve come while highlighting the limitless opportunities ahead as we continue to elevate womens basketball to new heights.

Woodward High School graduate Paul McMillan IV has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

The Portal Report reported the news on social media Thursday. WCPO 9 Sports confirmed the news Friday morning. McMillan is expected to make a college commitment soon.

McMillan took a redshirt year at Grambling State this past season. He has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining including the redshirt season and the graduate year.

McMillan starred as a Canisius University guard and announced in June 2025 his commitment to Grambling State.

McMillan, who averaged 20 points in the 2024-25 season, was voted to the All-Metro Athletic Conference Third Team March 10, 2025 while at Canisius. He became the first Canisius player to average 20 points or better for the season since 2013-14.

The 2022 Woodward graduate scored a team-leading 579 points in 29 games, highlighted by his career-high 31-point performances against St. Bonaventure and Fairfield. He scored in double-figures in all 29 games for Canisius (3-28 record).

McMillan finished the regular season ranked second in the MAAC and 21st in the nation in scoring average two seasons ago.

Prior to Canisius, McMillan scored 402 points (7.2 points per game), grabbed 104 rebounds and had 69 assists over a two-year career at Central Michigan and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).

McMillan was the Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Player of the Year his senior year of high school. McMillans 2,658 career points is No. 8 on the Ohio High School Athletic Associations all-time scoring list. He is 12 points ahead of NBA star LeBron James (Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary).

McMillan led Woodward (23-4) to the Division II regional final in 2022. It was Woodward's first regional final appearance since 1990.

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Purcell Marian High School named Michael Holmes on Thursday afternoon as its boys basketball head coach.

"I'm excited to be able to lead these young men at a program like Purcell," Holmes wrote in a text message to WCPO 9 Sports.

"I'm looking forward to restoring and elevating this program."

Holmes has more than 15 years of coaching experience. He has been an assistant men's basketball coach at Miles College in Alabama since 2024. That team has earned a combined 43-12 during his tenure.

Prior to his time at Miles College, Holmes was the head coach at Gamble Montessori from 2020-2024 where he had three straight 15-plus win seasons.

He was named a Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference Blue Division Coach of the Year in 2021 (shared with Cincinnati College Preparatory Academys Reggie Revels), 2022 and 2024. Holmes coached Gamble Montessoris Taron Patterson - the CMAC Player of the Year in 2024 - and led his student-athletes to earn 17 all-conference honors during his time at Gamble Montessori.

I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Coach Holmes back to Cincinnati and to Purcell Marian High School, Purcell Marian athletic director Jamar Mosley said in a news release. Throughout the process, Holmes not only demonstrated he was the best coach for this job, but the best person as well. Holmes is a proven winner, and his dedication not only to excellence on the court, but into developing well-rounded young men as well, made him the obvious choice to lead the Cavalier boys basketball program."

Holmes has also made coaching stops at Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy and Western Hills and also served time as an assistant coach at Roger Bacon and Woodward.

"Holmes' proven success in developing championship-caliber teams and fostering a strong culture aligns with the departments commitment to competing at the highest level while prioritizing the holistic growth of its student-athletes," Mosley said. "With experience building and sustaining winning programs, Holmes is well-positioned to lead the Cavaliers into their next phase of success. As a community, we are excited for this next chapter at The Castle as we continue to build on the foundation set by our proud past.

Purcell Marian, a member of the Miami Valley Conference and a Division V program this past season, had a 1-22 record overall in 2025-26.

"My vision is to improve the team," Holmes said. "I want our identity to be built on discipline, toughness, accountability every single day. My goal is to create a culture where players hold themselves accountable. Long term I want to create life-lasting relationships because it's bigger than basketball."

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Even a 13-time PGA Tour champion is not exempt from the Masters Tournaments strict ban on cellphones.

According to Golf Digest, Mark Calcavecchia was ejected from Augusta National Golf Club for using his cellphone during Tuesdays practice rounds. When contacted by Golf Digest about the incident, Calcavecchia said, Ive got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, so I think we should literally hang up right now, before ending the call.

IN OTHER GOLF NEWS | Tiger Woods says he'll seek treatment after rollover crash and DUI arrest

The club prohibits cellphones, tablets and laptops, among other devices. Still cameras are permitted during practice rounds but are banned for non-media during tournament play.

The tournament offers courtesy phones throughout the course.

As cellphones became common, many PGA Tour events began banning them from the course. Nearly a decade ago, most events relaxed their rules, allowing fans to use apps and take photos during play, though talking on phones or leaving ringers on is generally discouraged.

The Masters has not followed suit.

RELATED STORY | The history of the famous Masters green jacket

Unlike other tournaments that might struggle to draw fans without their phones, a ticket to the Masters is considered one of the toughest to obtain in sports. The tournament holds an annual lottery for tickets, with only a fraction of applicants securing them.

Calcavecchia, who won the Open Championship in 1989, finished second at Augusta in 1988. He last played in the Masters in 2008.

The Reds are going full ... well, red, for their newest City Connect uniforms.

After going all black in years past, Cincinnati will debut red jerseys and pants with dark red sleeves, black numbers and white lettering during Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels.

"Red is at the center of this next chapter in our City Connect story," Karen Forgus Bowman, the team's chief communications officer, said in a release. "Bringing it forward in this fresh new way speaks to the energy of todays players and fans being rooted in the eras of Reds baseball that continue through them."

The new uniforms include classic pinstripes in "a modern tone-on-tone style" with a sleeve graphic featuring the Tyler Davidson Fountain, which begins flowing every year in time for the Reds season opener.

While fans online were wondering if Cincinnati's jerseys would be a sleeveless version like in decades past, the Reds said they made this jersey's sleeve a darker shade with pinstripes intentionally cut off at the shoulder to nod to the popular vest styles.

Fans who love the "City Connect 1.0" uniforms fear not: The Reds will still wear those black jerseys and pants at Friday home games. Cincinnati will have "City Connect Weekends," with players wearing black on Friday and red on Saturday beginning this weekend.

Both City Connect uniforms will be available for purchase at the Reds Team Shop at Great American Ball Park or at select retail locations.

Learn more about Reds City Connect here.

The Masters got started beneath whispy white clouds and a bright blue spring sky Thursday when Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson once again struck the ceremonial tee shots down the first fairway at Augusta National.

Well, mostly down the first fairway.

After the 90-year-old Player hit his shot down the middle, and celebrated with a big leg kick, the 86-year-old Nicklaus stepped up. His son, Jackie, placed his ball on the tee, and the Golden Bear offered a tongue-in-cheek warning to the patrons lining the tee box Oh, boy, watch out, Nicklaus said, and I don't mean that facetiously and proceeded to hit a low hook right at them.

I said, Spread out on both sides because I dont want to kill anybody,' he relayed afterward. If it'd been a little closer I might have.

The ball cleared the heads of the patrons down the left side by a couple of feet.

Last up was the 76-year-old Watson, who used the tee Nicklaus had left stuck in the ground. May I use your tee, Watson asked? It's why I left it, the six-time Masters champion replied, and Watson proceeded to strike his drive right down the middle.

With that, the 90th edition of the Masters was underway.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Tiger Woods says he'll seek treatment after rollover crash and DUI arrest

The honorary starter has been a tradition at Augusta National since 1963, when Jock Hutchinson and Fred McLeod hit their opening shots of the tournament. The idea had come to club founder Bobby Jones years earlier, and over time, it has become a treasured part of the Masters mystique, with 11 dignitaries and past champions having served in the role.

Byron Nelson, Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead were the longest-serving, performing the duty throughout most of the 1980s and '90s, while Arnold Palmer was joined by Nicklaus and Player for many years. When the King died in 2016, it left just Nicklaus and Player in a twosome, so Watson was asked to join them, and the trio continues to this day.

When I first played the Masters as an amateur in 1970, I teed off early in the morning, playing with Doug Ford. I went to the honorary starters, and it was very special, Watson said. I remember seeing Gene Sarazen tee off. Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Jack and Gary. It's something very special. I thought it was just part of the aura of the tournament, and I wanted to witness it.

How much longer Player, Nicklaus and Watson take part is a big question surrounding the Masters these days.

So is who might take on the role next.

I was a little worried. I had carpal tunnel surgery about five, six weeks ago, and I was worried about being able to hold onto the golf club and hurt somebody," Nicklaus said. Im fortunate that I got it over somebodys head. I didnt hit it very well, but I got it over their heads and didnt hurt anybody. As long as I can still hit the golf ball.

Nicklaus said he doesn't really play anymore. He did once all of last year, and once more this past February.

But its such a nice ceremony, and its a real honor to be invited, he said. I hope to be able to do it as long as I can not kill anybody.

With streaming services now offering live sports, finding games on television has become a more expensive and burdensome process.

In addition to cable subscriptions, fans often need several streaming services to locate the games they want to watch. Amazon Prime Video holds rights to NFL and NBA games. Netflix has acquired rights to MLB and NFL contests. Peacock airs college football, college basketball, NFL, NBA and MLB games. Apple TV+ carries MLB and MLS matchups. ESPN+ and Hulu stream some NHL games.

RELATED STORY | Scripps launches free sports network featuring live games, womens leagues

In response to rising costs, two Democratic lawmakers asked the Federal Communications Commission to use its broad authority to protect the public interest and noted that Congress has previously directed the commission to actively promote economic competition.

We encourage the Commission to closely examine the trends that have directly contributed to the current state of sports streaming, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Patrick Ryan wrote to the FCC.

In March, the FCC requested public comment, seeking proposals to address concerns about television access to live sports.

For decades, Americans have enjoyed turning on their television sets and quickly finding the games they wanted to watch for free on over-the-air broadcasts, the FCC said. Many games are still available for free over broadcast TV, but there has been a surge in recent years of games going behind the paywalls of various streaming services. While this can increase the number of games and sports available to fans, many consumers today find it more difficult to locate the events they want to watch, and are now paying to sign up for one or more video distribution platforms that can be difficult to navigate.

RELATED STORY | MLBs 2026 opener highlights growing shift to streaming, costing fans more

The lawmakers cited examples of alleged anti-competitive practices that have increased costs for sports fans. Those include Fubos merger with Disney, parent company of ESPN, and forced bundling of cable and streaming services with channels or platforms sports fans dont use.

For sports fans, the cost of watching live sports on television or via streaming becomes more expensive every year, and the options for tuning in become even more complicated, Warren and Ryan wrote. Mergers involving already-dominant distributors, streamers, and sports leagues themselves threaten to make matters worse, leaving viewers spending more and more money to watch the sports they care about.

The lawmakers suggested the FCC take a more active role in reviewing transactions.

Griffin Conine and Connor Norby homered to lead the Miami Marlins past the Cincinnati Reds 7-4 on Wednesday night.

Xavier Edwards and Jakob Marsee each had two hits and an RBI for the Marlins, who snapped Cincinnati's five-game winning streak.

Miami starter Eury Prez (1-1) allowed four runs two earned and six hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked one as he shook off a difficult outing in his previous start, when he walked six and hit a batter with a pitch in four innings.

Ryan Gusto, Andrew Nardi and Lake Bachar followed Prez with an inning each. Michael Petersen pitched around two singles in a scoreless ninth for his first career save.

Run-scoring singles from Marsee and Edwards off Reds starter Brady Singer (0-1) in the second put Miami ahead for good at 4-2.

Conine expanded the lead with a two-run drive in the third. He drove a sinker from Singer over the wall in right field for his second homer this season.

Miami native Sal Stewart hit a two-run homer in the fifth to narrow the deficit to 6-4 before Norby connected off Connor Phillips in the seventh. Norbys homer ended a string of 10 2/3 scoreless innings by Cincinnati relievers in the series.

Singer gave up six runs, five earned, and 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings.

The Reds struck quickly with two unearned runs in the first. Elly De La Cruz scored from second when Miami third baseman Graham Pauley booted Stewarts two-out grounder. Stewart then scored on Eugenio Surezs RBI double.

The lead was short-lived, as the Marlins tied it in the bottom half on Agustn Ramrez's run-scoring double and Liam Hicks RBI single.

Reds RHP Rhett Lowder (1-0, 1.64 ERA) starts the series finale Thursday against RHP Max Meyer (0-0, 4.66).

A group of Ohio Republican lawmakers has introduced two bills that would overhaul the state's sports gaming industry: banning online gambling, prohibiting wagers on college athletics and restricting types of bets.

A slow pitch may just be a bad throw, but sometimes it's planned.

"Can you imagine the pitcher on the mound controlling the game to win bets?" state Rep. Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Ohioans dont need to imagine it. Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase pleaded not guilty to taking bribes and pitch-rigging to help bettors.

That and a state report showing an increase in gambling addictions helped to kickstart legislation overhauling the sports gambling system.

"We were going to put some common sense consumer protections in place to protect Ohio citizens," state Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery) said.

Click, Newman, state Reps. Riordan McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) and Kevin Ritter (R-Marietta) have introduced two bills dedicated to sports integrity. Neither of the bills was available to read through independently.

The first, according to the lawmakers, bans in-game, parlay and prop bets and bans wagers on all college athletics. 

"When you combine the addiction of gambling with the addiction of one of these devices," Click said, holding up a cell phone. "It's synergistic in a bad way."

The second prohibits the use of credit cards to make bets. It also limits bets to $100 and only allows up to eight wagers per 24 hours. It stops financial lures, which are deals that sportsbooks can offer to get a bettor to sign up, and bans ads during a live broadcast of an event.

The biggest change of all: it bans online sports gambling. This is the method of choice for many gamblers we've spoken to for years.

"I just use my phone," said Scott, a sports bettor. "It's a convenience factor for me, so instead of going somewhere, you just do it from the comfort of your own home."

The lawmakers said that the bill would not apply to Kalshi or Polymarket, just straight sportsbooks. 

Backlash came swiftly online after we posted about the idea. There are hundreds of angry, profanity-laden replies, slamming the lawmakers for government overreach.

"Big government telling us how to live! Again. What happened to conservatives?" one X user wrote.

One user even made a mock flag saying "COME AND TAKE IT" under the sportsbook's logo.

Some of the replies say that some of the provisions were alright.

"No ads during games is fine. No online bets is probably for the best. 100 max is insane. No parlays or props is also insane," a user wrote.

The minority of responders said that this was a good thing.

"Awesome stuff. We need this in all 50 states immediately. Online gambling is an epidemic," a user said.

Others online noted how addiction is hurting families.

"We are financing mental health issues here in Ohio, and everyone talks about, 'Well, it's going to be a tax benefit,' but not really when we're creating mental health issues for our friends and for our neighbors," Click said.

RELATED: Michigan woman issues warning to Ohio after losing $2 million in 6 months from internet gambling

Tamera Hunter at Townhall II, the Kent-based behavioral health organization that helps those with mental health and addiction conditions, said that the prevalence of online gaming is having a direct impact on people's health.

"Gambling addiction has severely escalated since then," she said. "Were definitely seeing through our screening an increase of 25%-30% since online sports betting has gone live."

The industry is booming in the state, bringing in record profits in 2025.

The lawmakers know how popular online betting is, and admit they are facing an uphill battle. McClain shared that he has received mixed results from his GOP colleagues, and even the very anti-gambling Gov. Mike DeWine disagrees with portions.

Another challenge the lawmakers would face is how this would be enforced, as banning an online system is legally challenging. The lawmakers have struggled to implement legislation restricting pornography and social media.

"We can set the standard for what's in here in Ohio, what Ohioans should have access to, and we hope that has an effect, obviously, on the broader picture," McClain said.

The lawmakers looked to Aaron Baer, a conservative lobbyist and executive director of the Center for Christian Virtue, for questions about the details inside the bill.

"The people are in charge, and they put in place some incredible leaders in the Ohio General Assembly who care about the future of our state, who care about exploitation, who care about children and just being able to enjoy a football game and not wondering, 'Is this rigged too?'" Baer said.

DeWine has said that if he could go back in time, he would not sign the bill that legalized sports betting.

Just a year after placing wagers on games became legal in 2023, the Ohio Casino Control Commission removed prop bets on college sports from the list of legal wagers. DeWine had pushed for this after there were threats against the University of Dayton basketball team players.

When the investigation began into Ortiz and Clase, DeWine began pushing for MLB and other sports leagues to take action. Last fall, the MLB and gaming companies agreed to restrict some micro-prop bets.

While these new bills look to clamp down on online gambling, there's also been a push to expand it.

Legislation being considered in the Statehouse would have brought iGaming virtual slot machines and virtual table games online.

Those for it argue it would bring in more than $600 million in new tax revenue to the state, and nearly every state around us already has it. Some of those against it worry about fueling addiction and killing brick-and-mortar casinos and racinos.

IGaming expansion had been stalled.

Moving forward

There is some appetite to regulate the market from DeWine and legislative leaders. Not allowing credit card payments and regulating ads seem like the most feasible, according to other lawmakers not involved with the bills.

But ending online gaming altogether? I wouldn't bet on that.

WEWS

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