SPORTS 6-2

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Oregon is getting set to head south for the Super Regional against Texas in Austin.

Head coach Mark Wasikowski said after the win over Oregon State Sunday how much it meant for the Ducks to compete against quality opponents in the Eugene Regional.

“To do it here at PK Park where the fans were just unbelievable and to be part of the growth of this program is really phenomenal.”

Over 25-thousand fans attended the six games over the weekend between UO, OSU, Washington State, and Yale.

The best of three series against the Long Horns is this weekend.

NBA:

Former Portland Trail Blazers coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Adelman has passed away.

In a statement, the Blazers called Adelman one of the most influential figures in franchise history.

He was on the team when it debuted in 1970, and played for four years.

Then became assistant coach in 1983 and as head coach guided the team to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992, and won one-thousand-42 games as an NBA coach… the 10th most in league history.

Rick Adelman was 79.

LOCAL:

High School Playoffs-

Baseball 5A semifinals today have Summit against Thurston at the Storm’s homefield, and Ridgeview is at Central High School.

Softball 5A Semis, Caldera has Crater visiting.

The Conquer the Canyon 10K, 5K and dog dash at Redmond’s Dry Canyon is Saturday. Sign up to race and volunteers opportunities are also available…at Bend Races dot com.

SPORTS 6-1

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Eugene-

Oregon defeated Oregon State 4 – 1 last night to win the regional and move on to the Super Regional playing Texas in Austin this weekend.

The Ducks went 3 – 0 to advance, also getting past Washington State and Yale.

The Beavers’ season ends while going 2 – 2 in the tournament, beating Washington State yesterday to advance to the final.

The U of O is in a Super Regional for the third time since 2023.

Of note, UCLA the overall number one seed was knocked out of the tournament yesterday.

The Ducks lost to the Bruins in the Big Ten championship.

LOCAL:

High School Playoffs-

Baseball 5A Summit and Ridgeview advanced to the semifinals, potentially setting up an all IMC final if they both can win tomorrow.

Softball 5A Caldera is in tomorrow’s semi-final.

The State Track and Field Finals, 5A Girls, Summit is first and Caldera takes second.

On the 5A Boys side, Summit was again on top of the podium. Caldera is 3^rd.

The Conquer the Canyon 10K, 5K and dog dash at Redmond’s Dry Canyon is Saturday.

OSU Football 

The Oregon State football team landed a pair of commitments on Sunday. Three-star wide receiver Landon White and unranked linebacker Teave Brown announced their pledges to the Beavers on Sunday. Both players took official visits to Corvallis over the weekend.

SPORTS 5-29

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Eugene regional…

Oregon State will be the 2^nd seed at PK Park playing 3 seed Washington State today.

OSU is playing in its ninth consecutive NCAA postseason.

The Beavers and Cougars went 1 – 1 this season with games in Pullman in April.

The Game is televised on ESPN U and ESPN+.

Mike Parker on the play by play is available on the Varsity sports audio network.

First pitch is at noon.

Number 11 overall seed Oregon plays Yale in the second game.

The Ducks have a regional at PK Park for the 5^th time in 15 years.

The game will be televised on ESPN+. Hear Joey Mac on the Varsity sports audio network.

First pitch at 5.

It’s a double elimination tournament.

Today’s winners play each other tomorrow night.

The losers play the afternoon loser-out game.

Sunday night will probably determine the regional winner but there could also be a deciding game on Monday.

LOCAL:

The Bend Elks season opens with a series against Springfield starting tonight at Vince Genna stadium.

High School Playoffs-

Baseball 5A Quarterfinals Summit and Ridgeview are in action. Sisters is in the 3A quarters

Softball 5A Quarterfinals has Ridgeview and Caldera playing today,

The State Track and Field Finals are this weekend. We’ll have local school results Monday.

UO HOF Class Announced:

The Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame announced its 2026 class.  The class is comprised of women's basketball player Jillian Alleyne, volleyball player Liz Brenner, cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, softball pitcher Cheridan Hawkins, track and field coach Vin Lananna and the 2016 Men's Golf NCAA Championship Team.  The class will officially be inducted in October.

Fire To Host Dream:

The Fire will try to keep their winning streak alive. Portland will face off with the Atlanta Dream tonight. This is the first of three meetings between the teams this season. The Fire have won three consecutive games to improve to five and three this season.

SPORTS 5-28

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Eugene regional…

Oregon State will be the 2^nd seed at PK Park playing 3 seed Washington State tomorrow.

Beavers’ coach Mitch Canham is keeping an eye on second baseman Cooper Vance who hurt his hamstring in practice last week.

The Beavers will shift infielders and back-up players if Vance can’t go against the Cougars.

OSU Pitcher Dax Whitney is a Baseball America pitcher of the year finalist. The Beavs sophomore ace is out for the rest of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Number 11 overall seed Oregon plays Yale in the second game as the regional’s host.  The Ducks are making their sixth straight post-season appearance.

Final Poll -a – palooza with only two publications voting this last week.

D1 Baseball ranked OSU 8^th and the Ducks 15^th.

The Coaches rate the Beavs 8^th and UO 12th.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL:

Kickoff times and TV networks for some the upcoming season’s games were announced by the Pac 12 and Big 10.

The Ducks open with a 12:30 kickoff against Boise State September 5^th on CBS. We don’t know too many other times and channels for the rest of the games. Although Friday November 20^th at Michigan State is at 5 on FOX.

OSU’s complete broadcast schedule is available.

It will be a 9 AM our time kickoff at Houston September 5^th on ESPN.

The Beavers play a bunch of games on the USA network, with two nationally televised contests September 12^th on CBS against Texas Tech, and against new Pac 12 foe Texas State November 7^th on the CW.

FIRE BEAT SUN:

The Fire extended their winning streak to three games. Portland beat the Connecticut Sun 71-61 at home. Carla Leite scored a game-high 20 points, while Bridget Carleton added 13 points and seven rebounds. The Fire will continue their homestand Friday against the Atlanta Dream.

SPORTS 5-27

COLLEGE FOOTBALL:

Oregon State and Oregon will renew the football rivalry with a four-game agreement beginning in 2028.

That September game will be in Corvallis. Then Eugene in 2029. There will be no Civil War played in 2030.

2031 will be at Autzen, and 2032 is at Reser.
The Ducks and Beavers have faced off 129 times, tied for the seventh most all-time among all college levels.

This year, Oregon State’s season in the renewed Pac 12 starts September 5^th at Houston.

The Ducks reload for another Big 10 and national championship run September 5^th against new Pac 12 member Boise State.

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Eugene regional…

Oregon is the number 11 overall seed in this week’s NCAA tournament first round playing Yale Friday afternoon.

Ducks coach Mark Wasikowski noted during his media availability Monday the stacked regional with former Pac 12 teams including the Beavs, and Washington State.

He said the team is glad they played well enough in the Big 10 tournament to clinch the home-field advantage.

Oregon State will be the 2^nd seed at PK Park playing 3 seed Washington State Friday before the Ducks and Bulldogs matchup.

Yesterday Beavers’ coach Mitch Canham said during the media availability his team was disappointed to not host a regional but is confident in the team’s abilities on the road.

NFL:

Seattle began Organized Team Activities yesterday. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald liked what he saw from his team on the first of 6 OTA’s over the next two weeks. The 3^rd year head coach says the team’s challenge is to focus on staying healthy physically and locked in mentally.

MLS Round Up:

The MLS season is on pause for the next couple months for the World Cup. The Timbers and Sounders will return to the pitch July 16 for a matchup against one another. Seattle is sixth in the Western Conference, while Portland sits in 13th place.

SPORTS 5-26

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

It’s a former Pac 12 showdown at the Eugene regional…along with an Ivy League stand-out.

Oregon is the number 11 overall seed in this week’s NCAA tournament first round.

The Ducks lost to UCLA in extra inning in the Big 10 Championship game but the run to Sunday’s final secured the host site and the Regional’s top seed.

Oregon State will be the 2^nd seed at PK Park playing 3 seed Washington State Friday afternoon.

The U of O plays Yale following the Beavs and Cougs game.

NFL:

Seattle begins Organized Team Activities today. Seahawks veterans will be at training facilities for workouts this week and next. One of the defending Champion’s top offseason priorities is re-signing Defensive Back Devon Witherspoon. Reports say the two sides are not yet close on a deal. Witherspoon, who was a candidate for Super Bowl MVP, is playing on his rookie contract. An extension is expected to happen later this summer.

LOCAL:

The Bend Elks season opens with a series against Springfield starting Friday at Vince Genna stadium.

There’s still time to sign up for the Conquer the Canyon 10K, 5K and dog dash at Redmond’s Dry Canyon next Saturday June 6^th.

Fire To Face Liberty:

The Fire will wrap up their road trip tonight. Portland is set to face off with the Liberty in the Big Apple. The Fire hosted New York twice earlier this season, splitting the matchups. Portland enters the matchup at 3-and-3 in its inaugural season.

Timbers Part Ways With Coach Neville:

The Timbers moved on from their coach on Monday. The club announced that it "'mutually parted ways" with Phil Neville after less than three seasons. Portland went 27-31-and-24 during Neville's tenure. The team is currently 13th in the Western Conference this season.

SPORTS 5-21

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

The Ducks are the number 3 seed in this week’s big 10 tournament with their first game tomorrow.

NBA:

Maybe all it took was for another team to be interested, but insiders are saying this week the Trail Blazers are warming up to the idea of keeping Tiago Splitter on as permanent head coach.

The Chicago Bulls have apparently been interested in Splitter filling their coaching vacancy.

WNBA:

The Fire lost their first ever away game. Portland was bested 90-73 to the Indiana Fever. Bridget Carleton scored a team-high 16 points in the setback. The Fire will continue their road trip Saturday against the Toronto Tempo.

College Football:
Oregon is recruiting LeGarrette Blount Jr, the son of the Ducks star running back in the late 00s.

Blount JR, who lines up at wide-receiver and safety is in the high school class of 2028.

Oregon State is scheduled right now to play Washington State November 28^th but the game may not be played in Pullman, according to the Oregonian.

he Cougars are looking to play at an alternate site, like Seattle since it’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The Beavs may not play Wazzu at all because depending how the conference standings shake out related to a possible college football playoff berth the top two teams in the Pac 12 have to play each other.

LOCAL:

Conquer the Canyon June 6^th in Redmond won’t be able to have the Half Marathon due to construction in the Dry Canyon. The 10K and 5K are still on. Sign up at Bend Races dot com.

SPORTS 5-20

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Eight Oregon players received Big Ten recognition including two first-team selections.

The eight all-league picks rank second in the conference, trailing only UCLA's 11.

Third baseman Drew Smith and relief pitcher Tanner Bradley both claimed first team honors.

The Ducks are the number 3 seed in this week’s big 10 tournament with their first game Friday.

Eugene is likely to host an NCAA regional after the regular season finale series win over USC, so there isn’t too much pressure to perform in the conference tourney.

The Ducks have a solid RPI of 16, one spot ahead of OSU. That very important metric is the only place Oregon is ranked ahead of the Beavers.

NBA:

Various media outlets report the Trail Blazers have slashed dozens of jobs from the business organization.

The Oregonian reports 70 people have been laid off as the team seeks to ‘restructure several areas’ under new owner Tom Dundon.

In other team news, interim coach Tiago Splitter is getting some interest from Chicago as the Bulls need a new head coach, according to Blazers Edge and NBA insiders.

LOCAL:

The Cascade Cycling Classic Criterium is in downtown Bend Sunday, June 21.  The pro racers and the junior racers need host housing for June 20th and 21st.  If you have space in your house to have riders stay with you, go to cascade cycling classic dot com.

SPORTS 5-19

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Final regular season Poll-a-palooza-

Oregon State is ranked 6^th by the sportswriters’, 7^th in D1 Baseball, the Coaches’, and Baseball America polls. Perfect Game ranks them 9^th.

The Beavers’ Jacob Galloway is a semi-finalist for the nation’s catcher of the year, the Buster Posey award.

Oregon is ranked 11^th in Perfect Game, 12^th in the Writers’ and Coaches poll, 14^th in D1 Baseball, and 18^th in Baseball America.

In regular season awards: Angel Laya was named Big 10 Freshman of the Year.

Burke-Lee Mabeus is a semi-finalist for the Buster Posey award.

The Ducks are the number 3 seed in this week’s big 10 tournament. It means they won’t have to play in the double elimination round starting tomorrow.

UO’s first game will be Friday.

NBA:

Portland Trail Blazers coaching search includes Minnesota assistant Micah Nori, Greg St Jean from the Lakers, and even former coach Terry Stotts.

WNBA:

The Fire got back in the win column. Portland beat the Connecticut Sun 83-82 at home. Bridget Carleton and Sarah Ashlee Barker led the team with 18 points apiece. The Fire will hit the road Wednesday to face the Indiana Fever.

LOCAL:

This summer, Haulin’ Aspen is introducing a three-person relay option for the Full Marathon; each runner gets their own section.

The trail race marathon, half-marathon, and half as’ start and finish at Wanoga Sno Park.

Haulin’ Aspen takes place August 8^th.

SPORTS 5-18

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Number 7 Oregon State won their series two games to one against Airforce Academy but Friday night’s loss likely hurt their chances to host a regional tournament at Goss Stadium.

The Beavers won every weekend series to go 43 - 12 on the season.

Their independent schedule means they have no conference tournament.

Meanwhile in Eugene, number 16 Oregon took two of three in their three-game series against 17th ranked USC.

That gives the Ducks the number 3 seed in this week’s big 10 tournament. It means they won’t have to play in the double elimination round starting tomorrow.

UO’s first game will be Friday.

SOFTBALL:

The Ducks are out of the NCAA Tournament after losing twice Saturday at their Eugene regional.

Fire To Host Sun

The Fire will wrap up their season-opening homestand. Portland will take on the Connecticut Sun tonight. The Fire are 1-and-2 to begin their inaugural season.

LOCAL:

It was the 50^th anniversary celebration of the PPP Saturday!

The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle saw thousands of racers, support staff, volunteers, and spectators.

Andy Krueger won the men’s elite for the second time in three years. Grace Perkins won her third straight women’s elite title.

The PPP is a benefit for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

SPORTS 5-15

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Number 7 Oregon State defeated the Airforce Academy at Goss Stadium 7 – 4 last night.

Number 16 Oregon plays game 2 of their three-game series against 17^th ranked USC tonight.

SOFTBALL:

The Ducks host the NCAA Tournament Eugene regional at Jane Sanders Stadium.

Oregon is the 14^th overall seed playing Idaho State at 7, ahead of that match up, Mississippi State takes on Saint Mary’s.

NFL:

The Seahawks will open the 2026 season with a Wednesday night game against the New England Patriots, in a Super Bowl LX rematch to kick off the season.

Seattle will six total primetime games, a Saturday afternoon contest in Philadelphia, and Friday on Christmas Day against the Rams at Lumen Field.

Fire Blown Out By Liberty

The Fire could not secure consecutive wins. Portland lost 100-82 to the New York Liberty at home. Megan Gustafson led the team with 14 points off the bench and Nyadiew Puoch paced the starters with 13 points. The Fire will wrap up their homestand Monday against the Connecticut Sun.

LOCAL:

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP!

The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is tomorrow (Sat).

Zoe Roy won the elite women’s category five times in a row and competed with her family for many years.

She says the race bring the community together.

The PPP is a benefit for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

The First wave starts from Mt Bachelor at 9:15

The finish-line celebration at River Bend Park starts at 11 and goes through the afternoon.

SPORTS 5-14

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

As it stands with the regular season winding down, NCAA regional tournaments would take place in both Corvallis and Eugene.

The Beavers have an RPI of 17, while the Ducks start the day right on the cut line at number 20.

Number 7 Oregon State welcomes the Airforce Academy to Goss for a series starting tonight.

The Beavs are looking for style points to convince voters and swing the metrics in their post-season favor.

Number 16 Oregon hosts a huge top 20 matchup against 17^th ranked USC starting tonight.

UO trails the Trojans by one game in the Big 10, with tournament seeding implications on the line.

SOFTBALL:

The Ducks are preparing to host the NCAA Tournament Eugene regional at Jane Sanders Stadium starting tomorrow as the 14^th overall seed with Mississippi State, Saint Mary’s, and Idaho State.

Fire To Host Liberty

The Fire will be back in action tonight. Portland will host their second straight games against the Liberty at home. Portland beat New York 98-96 Tuesday on a last-second shot by Sarah Ashlee Barker. In other news, the team signed former Oregon guard Holly Winterburn to a developmental contract on Wednesday. Winterburn played one season for the Ducks before returning to her home country of England.

MLS Round Up

The MLS season continued last night. The Timbers played Montreal CF to a two-two tie on the road. Kevin Kelsy and Cole Bassett each scored for Portland. The Sounders beat the San Jose Earthquakes three to two at home. Albert Rusnák scored on a penalty kick before Jesus Ferreira and Osaze De Rosario added a goal each.

LOCAL:

Lace up your sneakers and wear pink: the 3rd Annual Speak Up Pink Duck 5K is Sunday, June 7, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Athletic Club of Bend. It’s a benefit for IN OUR BACKYARD.

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP!

The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday.

Bend’s Jesse Thomas, 4 x elite winner and former pro-triathlete tells me the founders, Dave and Jenny Sheldon had insight in bringing the Pole Pedal Paddle to Central Oregon way back in 1976.

“Just a testament to the town too, you know, of just like keeping this very cool, very unique, very like bend, bend-ish event going for 50 years. I think it's just a, it's just a really cool deal, something to be super proud of as a community, I think.”

The Sheldon’s held the race as a fundraiser for the Skyliners Ski Club, now the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

Learn more about MBSEF and sign up to volunteer at PPP Bend dot com.

SPORTS 5-13

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Number 7 Oregon State got a win over Portland last night (Tu).

OSU needs all the wins they can get as they make a case to host a regional in Corvallis.

The Beavers continue the homestand with the Airforce Academy visiting for a series starting tomorrow.

Number 16 Oregon is readying for their top 25 matchup against 17^th ranked USC starting tomorrow.

UO trails the Trojans by one game in the standings heading into game one of the three game series.

Both teams are battling to stay in the top four in the Big 10 and claim a spot in the single-elimination bracket.

SOFTBALL:

The University of Oregon finished the regular season ranked 12^th by the coaches and 13^th in Softball America.

The Ducks are preparing to host the NCAA Tournament Eugene regional as the 14^th overall seed.

[It’s Ducks, Bulldogs, Gaels, and Bengals Friday from Jane Sanders Stadium. have Mississippi State, Saint Mary’s, and Idaho State at Jane Sanders Stadium starting Friday.

Oregon State’s Jaeya Butler has been named West Coast Conference Player of the Year.

Starting each of the Beavers' 53 games this season, Butler shattered the program's single season records for home runs (23), RBI (61), total bases (157) and slugging percentage (.882) and led the WCC in all of those categories.

Fire Win First Ever Game Over Liberty 

The Fire won their first game in franchise history. Sarah Ashlee Barker made a put-back as time expired to give Portland a 98-96 win over the New York Liberty. Bridget Carleton led the team with 26 points and Carla Leite added 21 of her own in the victory. The teams will face off again on Thursday.

LOCAL:

The Oregon High Desert Classics returns to Bend July 8 through 12 at J Bar J Boys Ranch.

This popular hunter-jumper show brings top riders from the U.S. and Canada for one week of competition, rather than the previous two-week event.

Spectators are welcome to enjoy the action, shop at local vendor booths, and support J Bar J Youth Services.

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP!

The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday.

7x winner Marshall Greene handicaps the men’s elite category.

Learn more about MBSEF and sign up to volunteer at PPP Bend dot com.

SPORTS 5-12

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Poll-a-palooza

Oregon State’s road sweep at Long Beach State and Portland sees them move as high as number six in the Writers’ poll, 7^th by D1 Baseball, The Coaches, and Baseball America. It’s five for five in the top 10 of the polls with a number 9 by Perfect Game.

The Beavs are back in Corvallis against Portland tonight (Tu).

Oregon’s quality showing against number 1 UCLA gave them a rankings boost.

Perfect Game likes them at 11^th, the Coaches and Writers have them 15^th, D1 Baseball ranking is 16^th, and its 23^rd in Baseball America.

The Ducks are back at PK Park this week for the regular season conference finale with another top 25 matchup against 17^th ranked USC starting Thursday.

SOFTBALL:

The University of Oregon hosts the NCAA Tournament Eugene regional. The 14^th seeded Ducks have Mississippi State, Saint Mary’s, and Idaho State at Jane Sanders Stadium starting Friday.

LOCAL:

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP!

The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday.

The race was a fundraiser for local youth outdoor sports from the beginning.

4-time PPP champion and former coach Dennis Oliphant talks about the impact the race has for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

“With all the other events they put on cycling events and ski races and stuff, it, it was a good driver.

It was a perfect fit for me as an organization to be a part of because it represented both kids and, you know, a rural economy.”

Learn more about MBSEF and sign up to volunteer at PPP Bend dot com.

Fire To Host Liberty:

The Fire are searching for their first ever victory.  Portland will welcome the New York Liberty to town tonight.  The Fire opened the season with a 98-83 home loss to the Chicago Sky last week.  Carla Leite scored a team-high 18 points in that matchup.  In other news, the team waived guard Jordan Harrison and activated forward Kamiah Smalls.

SPORTS 5-11

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

10^TH ranked Oregon State got a road sweep at Long Beach State slugging and pitching their way to three commanding wins.

The Beavs are back in Corvallis against Portland tomorrow (Tu).

Number 13 Oregon gave all unanimous number 1 UCLA wanted but came up short in yesterday’s series rubber-match giving up a five-run lead in yesterday’s game three.

The Ducks four straight series winning streak snaps but are still a respectable 18 – 9 in the Big 10.

The U of O is back at PK Park this week for the regular season conference finale with another top 25 matchup against 18^th ranked USC.

SOFTBALL:

Oregon State won two of three in Southern California to take down Loyola Marymount in the final series of the season, concluding the Beavers time in the West Coast Conference, going back to the Pac 12 next season.

LOCAL:

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP!

The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday.

Deadline to enter is today (Mon).

It’s a benefit for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

PPP Race Director Marieka Greene says plenty of course volunteers are needed, especially with replacing the opening skiing legs at Mt Bachelor.

“So, the first one will have some elevation gain. We're calling it the mountain run. It'll be a little bit harder, about 2.8 miles, and then the next one we're calling the fun run. It's, it's relatively flat. It's going to be 1.2 miles.

Sign up to race by today, or volunteer at PPP Bend dot com.

DUCK FOOTBALL:

The Big Ten announced its Friday night schedule for the fall. Oregon will face off with Portland State on September 18 and its lone Friday conference game will take place on November 20 at Michigan State. 

MLS Round Up:

The MLS season continued over the weekend. The Timbers crushed Sporting Kansas City 6-0 at home. Kevin Kelsy scored a pair of goals to lead Portland, while Kristoffer Velde, Cole Bassett and Ariel Lassiter added one each. The Sounders played San Diego FC to a 1-1 tie. Danny Musovski scored the tying goal for Seattle in the 80th minute.

SPORTS 5-8

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Number 13 Oregon is preparing for a big series at unanimous number 1 UCLA today (Fr).

The Ducks, are winners of four straight Big 10 series, and have lost only one in 17 series since joining the Big 10. However, the Bruins are undefeated at 24 – 0 in the conference and 44 – 4 overall.

The first of three games at Jackie Robinson stadium starts tonight.

10^TH ranked Oregon State is on the road for a series at Long Beach State starting this afternoon.

The Beavers will be without usual Friday starter Dax Whitney, out for the season with elbow surgery.

OSU will need to put together a good showing, that is lots of runs on the board, and keeping pitchers’ earned runs low to bump up its RPI against the 17 – 29 Dirt Bags.

SOFTBALL:

No. 11 ranked Oregon was upset yesterday coming in as the number two seed in this week’s Big 10 tournament. The Ducks lost by one run to seventh-seeded Wisconsin.

The U of O expects to have a decent seed in the NCAA tournament Regionals according to coach Melyssa Lombardi.

Oregon State beat Loyola Marymount in game one of their series.

U of O FOOTBALL:

The Oregon football team added to its 2027 recruiting class. Four-star offensive lineman Gus Corsair committed to the Ducks on Thursday. The Hays, Kansas native chose UO over offers from Miami and Vanderbilt, among others.

WNBA:

The Fire will play the first game in franchise history this weekend. Portland will face off with the Chicago Sky on Saturday at home. The WNBA returns to the Rose City for the first time since 2002, when the previous iteration of the Portland Fire completed their third season.

LOCAL:

The Happy Girls Bend race is tomorrow. The Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K races begin and end at Riverbend Park.  The day also includes the Happy Little Kids Run. Visit bendraces.com.

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP!

The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday the 16^th.

Bend’s Zoe Roy, an accomplished Nordic skier won the women’s elite category five times in a row, and had numerous other podium finishes, including one year with her mom, Muffy Roy, herself a two-time elite women’s winner.

It’s a benefit for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

Deadline to enter is Monday the 11^th.

Sign up to race or volunteer at PPP Bend dot com.

SPORTS 5-7

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

10^TH ranked Oregon State is up a spot in the RPI ranking this week to number 14 with two series left and no conference tournament for the Independent Beavers.

OSU continues on the road for a series at Long Beach State starting tomorrow.

Number 13 Oregon is preparing for a big series against unanimous number 1 UCLA tomorrow (Fr).

The Ducks, one of the top teams in the Big 10, have a 27 RPI.

SOFTBALL:

No. 11 ranked Oregon is the number two seed in this week’s Big 10 tournament.

The Ducks play today (Th) against seventh-seeded Wisconsin at 1:30 our time from College Park, Maryland.

Oregon State is in Southern California to take on Loyola Marymount for a series starting today.

MLS ROUNDUP:

The MLS season continues on Saturday. The Timbers will take on Sporting Kansas City at Providence Park. Portland is in 13th place in the Western Conference.

PORTLAND FIRE:

The Fire made a pair of trades ahead of the regular season. Portland sent forward Chloe Bibby to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for the rights to guard Julia Ayrault. The team also sent guard Maya Caldwell to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for a 2028 third round pick. The Fire begin their season Saturday with a home game against the Chicago Sky.

LOCAL:

Central Oregon Community College’s four-mile Jungle Run is today, and the two-mile, 465-step Storm the Stairs is May 19. Both are scholarship fundraisers for COCC. Register at cocc.edu/sports

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP! The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday the 16^th.

It’s a benefit for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

4 X Elite Winner in the early 80s, and multiple podium finisher Dennis Oliphant tells me the PPP was a hit right from the start. And quickly grew into a destination for adventure sport athletes

Deadline to enter is Monday the 11^th.

Sign up to race or volunteer at PPP Bend dot com.

SPORTS 5-6

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

10^TH ranked Oregon State got all they wanted from the Portland Pilots last night at the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark.

But the Beavers broke through in the 12^th inning to get the midweek win 6 - 4.

OSU continues on the road for a series at Long Beach State on Friday.

Number 13 Oregon is preparing for big series against unanimous number 1 UCLA starting Friday.

SOFTBALL:

No. 11 ranked Oregon is the number two seed in this week’s Big 10 tournament.

The Ducks play tomorrow (Th) against the winner of seventh-seeded Wisconsin and 10th-seeded Purdue.

NBA:

The Trail Blazers coaching search continues.

According to published reports Portland has a list of almost 20 candidates.

There were unsubstantiated rumors the team is looking to pay a salary of one-million dollars a year.

The NBA’s lowest paid coach is Sacramento’s Doug Christie at 2-million annually.

Interim coach Tiago Splitter has stated he intends to vie for the job; several players have vouched for the long-time assistant, and support making him the permanent leader.

According to league sources, owner Tom Dundon and GM Joe Cronin have not made a hiring timeline known.

Portland currently doesn’t have any picks in June’s NBA Draft.

LOCAL:

Central Oregon Community College’s four-mile Jungle Run is tomorrow, and the two-mile, 465-step Storm the Stairs is May 19. Both are scholarship fundraisers for COCC. Register at cocc.edu/sports

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP! The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday the 16^th.

It’s a benefit for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

Deadline to sign up for the race is Monday the 11^th.

Sign up to race or volunteer at PPP Bend dot com.

SPORTS 5-5

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Poll-a-palooza.

Oregon is ranked 8^th by Perfect Game, number 13 in the D1 Baseball dot com poll, 14^th in the Coaches poll, 15 by the Writers, and 23^rd in Baseball America.

The Ducks play unanimous number 1 UCLA in a series starting Friday.

Oregon State is ranked 7^th in Baseball America and the Writers’ poll, 8^th in the Coaches poll,10^th by D1 Baseball dot com and Perfect Game.

OSU has a midweek matchup with Portland tonight when the Beavers and Pilots meet at the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark

SOFTBALL:

No. 11 ranked Oregon has the conference player of the week in slugger Stefini Ma’ake.

The sophomore is the 2^nd Duck player to receive that honor this season. The U of O is the number two seed in this week’s Big 10 tournament starting Thursday.

NBA:

The Trail Blazers could trade Jrue Holiday this offseason according to various reports.

Holiday and Jerami Grant have two of the largest veteran contracts on the team.

LOCAL:

The Happy Girls Bend race is Saturday. The Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K races begin and end at Riverbend Park.  The day also includes the Happy Little Kids Run. Sign up at bendraces.com.

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP! The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday the 16^th.

It’s a benefit for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

Deadline to sign up for the race is Monday the 11^th.

Former race director Molly Kelly tells me moving from Drake Park to the Old Mill District in the early 2000s helped scale up the PPP

MBSEF is having a PPP Trivia Night tonight (Tu) at Crux Fermentation Project in Bend, co-hosted by Molly.

Attendees are encouraged to wear their favorite PPP T-shirt and bring their favorite PPP Mug starting at 5:30 this afternoon.

SPORTS 5-4

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Number 13 Oregon took two of three in Seattle to beat Washington and win another Big 10 series.

Number 6 Oregon State won their series over Cal State Northridge but received deflating news learning stand-out pitcher Dax Whitney will miss the rest of the season with elbow surgery.

SOFTBALL:

No. 11 Oregon won their series against No. 5 UCLA on the final weekend of the regular season, earning the Ducks the number two seed in this week’s Big 10 tournament.

MLS:

The MLS regular season continued over the weekend. The Timbers were shut out 2-0 by Real Salt Lake on the road. James Pantemis was forced to make 13 saves in the Portland setback.

LOCAL:

Central Oregon Community College’s four-mile Jungle Run is Thursday, and the two-mile, 465-step Storm the Stairs is May 19. Both are scholarship fundraisers for COCC. Register at cocc.edu/sports

It’s the 50^th anniversary of the PPP! The Selco Pole Pedal Paddle is Saturday the 16^th.   Bend local Jesse Thomas, former pro-triathlete, and 4-time men’s elite winner joked with me on just how much the PPP means locally.  It’s a benefit for the Mt Bachelor Sports Education Foundation. Deadline to sign up for the race is next Monday the 11^th.

SPORTS 5-1

NBA:

The Trail Blazers look forward to having Damian Lillard back in uniform next season. General Manager Joe Cronin spoke at length yesterday during the team’s exit interviews following Tuesday’s playoff ouster to San Antonio.

Cronin mentioned getting better on outside shooting, and continuing to develop the young players on the roster.

As far as the status on interim coach Tiago Splitter, Cronin indicated he is a candidate to keep the job, but said they are “casting a wide net to get to know a lot of different coaches”.

U of O MBB:

The Oregon men's basketball team added yet another transfer to its roster. Former Arizona forward Dwayne Aristode committed to the Ducks on Thursday. Aristode appeared in 35 games off the bench for the Wildcats, averaging three-point-eight points and one-point-seven rebounds in over 13 minutes.

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Number 6 Oregon State will try to shake off the mid-week split with UT – Rio Grande Valley when they host Cal State Northridge for a three-game series starting tonight.

The Beavers will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the program's 2006 National Championship.

Number 13 Oregon is on the road in Seattle to take on Washington for a three-game series beginning tonight.

SOFTBALL:

No. 11 Oregon visits No. 5 UCLA on the final weekend of the regular season with both teams in the hunt for the Big Ten title.

LOCAL:

The Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation (MBSEF) is having a Pole Pedal Paddle at a PPP Trivia Night this Tuesday, May 5, at 5:30 at Crux Fermentation Project in Bend.

Attendees are encouraged to wear their favorite PPP T-shirt and bring their favorite PPP Mug.

The Happy Girls Bend race is at Riverbend Park next Sat, May 9, The Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K races begin and end at Riverbend Park.  The day also includes the Happy Little Kids Run. Sign up at bendraces.com.

SPORTS 4-30

NBA:

The Trail Blazers enter the offseason after another first round playoff exit. The franchise recently got some social media roasting over some of the money-saving measures implemented by new team owner Tom Dundon, including reportedly low-balling contract negotiations with interim head coach Tiago Splitter.

Portland also has decisions in free agency with Robert Williams III as their most notable unrestricted free agent.

After his playoff performance, Big Rob may have played himself into a bigger contract than Dundon wants to pay.

The team is over the salary cap with the bulk of that going to Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant. Both could be traded.

The Blazers don’t have a pick, as of now, in June’s NBA Draft.

Then, there’s the anticipated return of Damian Lillard coming back from Achilles injury next season.

Lots of decisions for Dundon and whoever he has in the Blazers front-office.

COLLEGE:

In the continuing saga embroiling Oregon State’s Athletic department Kyle Bjornstad, former owner of Dam Nation, is suing Blueprint Sports, claiming the company owes him 155-thousand dollars from the sale of his NIL business.

The dispute follows Oregon State’s decision to end its contract with Blueprint.

Bjornstad is asking for payment and an apology.

U of O MBB:

The Oregon men's basketball team continues to add to next season's roster. The Ducks received a commitment from Boston College transfer guard Fred Payne. In 31 games with the Eagles this season, Payne averaged 15.8 points and four-point-two rebounds.

LOCAL:

Central Oregon Community College’s two long-running spring race events are happening on the Bend campus in May: the four-mile Jungle Run on May 7, and the two-mile, 465-step Storm the Stairs on May 19. Both are scholarship fundraisers for COCC. Register at cocc.edu/sports

SPORTS 4-29

NBA:

The Trail Blazers couldn’t keep pace with the Spurs last night, falling 114 – 95 and losing their first round series in San Antonio.

Portland’s season ends better than pre-season expectations, and certainly better than expected when their coach was arrested after their first game of the season.

They were also ranked 3^rd for most missed games due to injuries.

There are likely to be several off-season moves made by new team owner Tom Dundon, including the status of interim head coach Tiago Splitter.

We’ll unpack more of the Blazers options and outlook for next season the rest of this week.

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Number 13 Oregon got a nice win over Gonzaga yesterday afternoon at PK Park.

The Bulldogs came into the contest ranked 33^rd in the RPI metric used to determine playoff seeding.

Number 6 Oregon State beat UT – Rio Grande Valley.

The Beavers and Vaqueros play again tonight.

SOFTBALL:

Oregon is ranked 11^th in the latest coaches’ poll and 15^th by USA Softball.

The Ducks have a huge regular season series-finale at number 6 ranked UCLA starting Friday.

LOCAL:

The Cascade Cycling Classic Criterium is back in downtown Bend on Sunday, June 21.  The prize purse for the Pro Men and Women’s field is the biggest purse for a one-day race in the U.S.  Equal payout between the pro men and the pro women of $20,000.  The pro racers and the junior racers need host housing for June 20th and June 21st.  Race information including sponsorship, volunteer and host housing opportunities can be found at www.cascadecyclingclassic.com

The University of Oregon has Happy Hour with head football coach Dan Lanning on May 19^th at Worthy Brewing in Bend.

SPORTS 4-28

NBA:

The Trail Blazers are in a 3 – 1 hole to the Spurs in their best of 7 first-round playoff series.

Portland coach Tiago Splitter spoke to the media on the situation the team finds itself in:

‘We’ve been in situations like this before throughout this season. Of course now is the playoffs, but we’ve been in situations where we have to win every game that we have in front of us. And we’re going to fight, one by one.’

Game 5 is back in San Antonio tonight.

Tip-off set for 6:30.

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

Poll-a-palooza.

Oregon moved up in the rankings following the sweep of Penn State and a mid-week win over OSU.

They’re ranked 11^th in Perfect Game, 13 in D1 Baseball, the Writers poll has them 14^th, and the coaches slot them 21^st.

The Ducks play Gonzaga this afternoon at PK Park.

Oregon State is ranked 5^th by the Writers and Baseball America. D1 Baseball, Perfect Game, and the Coaches poll put them 6^th.

The Beavers host UTRGV for games today and tomorrow. That’s the Vaqueros from the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley.

FOOTBALL:

Former Oregon Running Back Noah Whittington went undrafted this past weekend but has signed a free-agent deal with the Houston Texans. Whittington was an honorable mention all-Big 10 Conference last season when he led the Ducks in rushing yards.

Tackle Isaiah World also signed an undrafted rookie free agent deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.

World was honorable mention all-Big 10 for the Ducks last season.

Also, the Pac 12 has released its updated logo.

The main difference in describing it for radio is the ‘A’ in Pac is now pointy at the top, where as the old one was leveled flat.

Otherwise, it’s mostly the same.

The conference press release says ‘new league, same legacy.’

The new Pac 12 conference with nine teams, eight that play football, officially launches July 1^st after the end of the current sports season.

SPORTS 4-27

NBA:

The Trail Blazers are in a 3 – 1 hole to the Spurs in their best of 7 first round playoff series.

Portland blew two big leads in both games 3 and 4, and let San Antonio take a commanding advantage.

Yesterday’s 114 – 93 loss had Deni Avdija lead the team with 26 points. Avdija got into an altercation with the Spurs’ Stephon Castle when he took exception to Castle shoving the ball into his chest.

Game four also set an NBA record for the biggest point swing in a loss with 38. Portland led by 17 at the half, and lost by 21.

Game 5 is back in San Antonio tomorrow night.

COLLEGE BASEBALL:

The 19^th ranked Ducks swept Penn State to win another Big 10 series.

6^TH ranked Oregon State swept Hawai’i.

SOFTBALL:

Number 12 Oregon won their three-game series with a win over Ohio State yesterday.

Oregon State got a win yesterday for a series win over Seattle U.

NFL DRAFT:

Oregon had seven players selected.

OL Emmanuel Pregnon went in the third round to Jacksonville, DB Jadon Canady and LB Bryce Boettcher were taken in the 4^th round. The 6^th round saw WR Malik Benson and OL Alex Harkey have their names called.

The Seahawks ended up with deals giving them eight picks after entering the draft with four.

NFL experts gave Seattle a B grade for their selections, noting they filled most of their needs.