WBSC PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine women’s baseball team recorded its first-ever win in the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup after blanking Cuba, 6-0, on Wednesday in Tainan, Taiwan.

A five-run fourth inning enabled the Filipina batters to pull away and register a breakthrough result after being handed a 3-0 defeat by defending champion Japan to begin their debut campaign the other night.

Madaelene Domaug, Chastene Jover, Veronica Velasco and Mae Langga each had an RBI in that decisive inning to give winning pitcher Maria Christine Bautista enough run support.

READ: PH falls to Japan to start Women’s Baseball World Cup campaign

Bautista allowed just two hits and struck out two batters in 4 2/3 innings for coach Saki Bacarisas’ squad.

Team Philippines improved to 1-1 in the group, with a game at hand against Great Britain being played as of posting time.

Martine Dominique Francisco put the Philippines on board in the bottom half of the first when she singled off losing pitcher Adriana Carrazana Urquiza to score Richelle Toledo from second.

Toledo scored after reaching base on a fielding error by third baseman Jessica Herrera before stealing second during Mary Nichole Padasas’ at-bat.

READ: Philippines chases Finals berth in Women’s Baseball World Cup

The Philippines began to pull away with one out in the fourth when Angel Kaye Bedano drew a walk, stole second, and advanced to third on Helga Campos’ fielder’s choice.

Domaug, at-bat, reached safely at first on a bunt that scored Bedano. Jover also got to first on a bunt that enabled Domaug, who earlier reached second on a fielder’s choice, to reach home to make it 4-0.

Jover would score on the next at-bat on a sacrifice fly by Velasco before Langga capped off the onslaught two batters late with a single to center to drive in Toledo.

The Big Ten has passed a rule after meeting Tuesday that forbids players from returning from the NFL to play for a Big Ten program. Any underclassmen who declared for the NFL Draft and did not withdraw, signed a contract with a pro sports league or was officially on a professional roster is prohibited from returning. 

“The Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday the unanimous adoption of a conference rule to prohibit football players who have signed a professional contract, were on a professional roster at any point or declared for the NFL Draft as an underclassman without withdrawing, from maintaining eligibility for athletic competition at a conference institution,” the conference said in a statement. “The conference continues to evaluate potential rules restricting professional athletes in other sports from conference competition.”

Sources confirmed to CBS Sports that the league and its athletic directors voted unanimously in its discussion concerning player eligibility. 

The decision arrives amid growing legal uncertainty and a recent push from former college players seeking another opportunity through the transfer portal. 

On the surface, the Big Ten’s stance protects roster stability and prevents college football from becoming a fallback option for professionals. .

Without federal legislation or a binding national standard, however, this issue will continue to surface in courtrooms. The Big Ten has made its position known, but the final answer remains beyond the conference’s control while college football waits for clarity.

Big Ten limiting its reign?

By choosing not to engage in discussions with NFL players seeking a return to the college ranks, some of the league’s top programs will not be competing for top-end talent against others in the championship conversation — namely LSU and Lane Kiffin.

Ohio State’s Ryan Day doesn’t like the idea of NFL athletes returning to college football, but he stopped short Monday of saying his program would not pursue them.

“I told myself I would stop saying this is crazy. So I’m not gonna say that,” Day said. “But to think that we’re in a situation where we’re this late in the season, and our rosters are not locked in is frustrating at the very least … So what does that mean for us? That’s the bottom line. In my opinion, the conferences have to decide if there’s a point where their rosters have to be locked in. Because once some of these guys become available, adding them to the roster is going to provide an advantage for certain teams. So we’re certainly having conversations; I’ve had conversations with (Big Ten Commissioner) Tony Petitti about this. I know he’s all over it and trying to do what’s best for the conference. 

“But we also — if there are teams that have some players out there who are cut from NFL rosters that are gonna be on other teams, we (Ohio State) have to at least consider it and look at it. Do I like anything about it? Absolutely not. But we gotta do what’s right for Ohio State. So it’s sort of a day-to-day thing right now. And like anything, we’re just gonna try to adapt.”

The Big Ten’s decision to shut the door on former NFL players returning to college could create a talent-acquisition disadvantage for its top programs. If courts continue granting eligibility and other conferences leave the option open, contenders elsewhere may have access to older, physically developed players with professional experience. 

That matters in the expanded playoff era, when depth and roster maturity often decide games in December. Ohio State, Oregon and the league’s other championship hopefuls will still recruit at an elite level, but voluntarily eliminating a potential player pool adds another restriction in an already competitive personnel market every offseason.

LSU taking advantage of broken system

Kiffin has defended LSU’s pursuit of players returning to the college ranks and has already added several pieces this week, including 6-8, 340-pound defensive tackle ZXavian Harris and potentially Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Harris, who also played for him at Ole Miss.

Kiffin’s job at LSU is to acquire talent, win football games and hunt championships, and his pursuit of Wright is another reminder that few coaches navigate college football’s lawless landscape better.

Wright’s decision to enter the transfer portal after reaching the NFL would have sounded absurd not long ago. Now, amid courtroom victories, temporary restraining orders and eligibility rulings that continue to erase the sport’s old boundaries, it represents another opportunity. 

Kiffin is not responsible for cleaning up the NCAA’s mess. He is responsible for building LSU’s roster, and if the rules — or a judge — allow him to pursue an NFL player, he likely sees it as negligent not to make the call.

“Through (players) winning injunctions and entry into the portal, they are available to recruit,” Kiffin said Monday. “Ourselves and many places around the country are recruiting them. Because of the rulings, they are going to play for you or someone else. We made the decision to recruit them.

“It’s wrong to be critical of these kids. They were granted a fifth year, and a judge said they were wronged. In general, should NFL players come back to college? I believe it doesn’t matter what I believe; the answer would be no. I think every circumstance should be looked at differently. This is a very unique circumstance.”

Oregon’s Dan Lanning takes firm stance

Like the Big Ten’s opinion, Lanning wants opposes recruiting former college players back to the sport.

“I think there are a lot of negatives that are involved around this,” Lanning told reporters this week. “One, once you go to the NFL, to me, you’re in the NFL. You don’t get the opportunity to come back. Two, most of us have built our rosters. You have a limited roster now. 

“So if you’ve invited somebody back to your team, that means you’re kicking somebody else off your team to match your roster limits. I don’t think that’s fair to players who worked all summer, all spring, and put themselves in position to be ready to work for a team.”

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer’s take on the matter closely resembles Day’s words surrounding possible roster enhancement.

“There’s a possibility out there. I can’t control that. I can’t worry about that. Just got to see how things work,” DeBoer said Monday, when asked about ex-Alabama players from the 2022 cycle who could theoretically return to the SEC.

Mike McCarthy wants the chance to work with Joey Porter Jr. When McCarthy gets that chance is anyone’s guess, the Pittsburgh Steelers coach included.

McCarthy said Monday that the club and the fourth-year cornerback are at an impasse as the two sides try to work out a new deal. The Steelers placed Porter on the physically unable to perform list when training camp opened with what the team described as a back issue that flared up during a mobility test.

It seems Porter’s back problems are just part of the reason he has yet to take the practice field with the season opener against Atlanta less than three weeks away.

“I learned this in my early years as a head coach, you have to separate the business from the football,” McCarthy said. “Sometimes it’s easier than others.”

Porter is in the final season of the four-year deal he signed after the Steelers selected him with the first pick of the second round in 2023. While Pittsburgh has locked up other members of that draft class — including outside linebacker Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington — Porter’s status seems a little more uncertain.

The 26-year-old is coming off his best season as a pro, and he said during minicamp in June that he long felt he’s one of the top players at his position and that he believes he will be paid that way.

The top of the cornerback market has been particularly hot of late, with Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon agreeing to a massive new deal and New England’s Christian Gonzalez getting offered one in recent weeks.

Though Porter, who has three interceptions across three seasons, might not be in that neighborhood yet, he also might not be far off. Though he has deep ties to Pittsburgh — he grew up in the city while his father, Joey Porter Sr., played and then later coached for the Steelers — he didn’t rush to sign his rookie deal in 2023, waiting until the eve of training camp to do it.

Porter essentially “held in” during minicamp, participating in individual drills but staying out of full 11-on-11 work, a not uncommon tactic by players seeking new contracts.

McCarthy described the situation as a challenge, in part because the entirety of Pittsburgh’s defensive staff is in its first season.

“Every one of us has a contract,” McCarthy said. “The organization, they have beliefs and so forth. So that’s where we are.”

While Porter remains out, veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey and rookie first-round offensive tackle Max Iheanachor returned to practice on Monday.

Ramsey has been on the PUP list since the start of camp because of a knee injury sustained during minicamp in June. The eight-time Pro Bowler said the defense is still getting up to speed and it’s important for the entire secondary to be available when the Falcons visit on Sept. 13.

“They need to pay Joey Porter,” Ramsey said.

Iheanachor, taken 21st overall in the draft, hadn’t practiced since hurting his upper body on Aug. 6. McCarthy didn’t rule out Iheanachor making an appearance when Pittsburgh wraps up the preseason on Thursday night in Buffalo.

“We got two padded practices (this week), so it’ll be a really good indication of how much he’ll be able to play personally,” McCarthy said. “We’ll see how it goes.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.

Evander Holyfield believes there is one active fighter that even he may have struggled against.

Holyfield is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, having began his career in the cruiserweight division and becoming undisputed.

Until Oleksandr Usyk repeated the feat in 2024, Holyfield was the only man to be undisputed at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, with his success in the banner division seeing him defeat the likes of Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, George Foreman and Larry Holmes.

Holyfield remains the only fighter in history to be a four-time world heavyweight champion, but despite all of his accomplishments, he believes that Usyk himself would prove very difficult for him to beat.

Speaking to Boxing Social, ‘The Real Deal’ explained why he thinks it would have been so tough.

“It probably [would have] been difficult for me [to beat him]. Guys that I was real good with were bullies. A guy that was aggressive. I handle very aggressive fighters real well.”

“If you ever want to know how a guy would give a guy a problem – find somebody just like yourself. People who [weren’t] aggressive were difficult.”

After his own undisputed reign at cruiserweight, Usyk has established himself as the best heavyweight of this generation, defeating Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois all twice each to become a two-time undisputed champion.

After an underwhelming performance against kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven last time out, Usyk has announced he will compete just one more time before hanging up his gloves, with a new surprise opponent recently emerging as the potential dance partner.

British heavyweight star Moses Itauma will look to turn his huge potential into world title glory when he faces Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, August 29.

At just 21, Itauma stands on the edge of boxing history as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career.

The vacant IBF heavyweight title will be on the line after Oleksandr Usyk gave up the belt earlier this year, giving Itauma a chance to become one of the youngest heavyweight champions in boxing history.

Itauma has made a perfect start to his professional career since turning pro in 2023. He has won all 14 of his fights, with 12 victories coming by knockout.

His impressive record includes stoppage wins over experienced fighters such as former world title challenger Dillian Whyte and American contender Jermaine Franklin.

But the Hrgovic fight will be a completely different test.

The Croatian has a strong amateur background, including an Olympic bronze medal, and has suffered only one defeat as a professional. He also has far more experience at the highest level than Itauma.

Hrgovic has questioned whether the young Briton is ready for the pressure of fighting for a world title, but Itauma has remained calm ahead of the contest.

The biggest question will be whether Itauma can handle a fight that goes beyond the early rounds. He has never gone past the fifth round as a professional, while Hrgovic has the experience and physical strength to take him into unfamiliar territory.

Beyond the world title, the fight also carries special interest in Nigeria because of Itauma’s family roots.

Born Enriko Itauma in Kežmarok, Slovakia, on December 28, 2004, he is the son of a Nigerian father and a Slovak mother. His family later settled in Chatham, Kent, where his boxing career began to take shape.

Itauma has spoken about the influence of his Slovak, Nigerian and British background, while his Nigerian heritage has helped him attract growing support from boxing fans in the country.

He is also the younger brother of professional boxer Karol Itauma, who competes in the light-heavyweight division.

A victory over Hrgovic would take Moses Itauma from one of boxing’s brightest prospects to a genuine world champion.

It would also strengthen his growing connection with Nigerian boxing fans and add another major name to the country’s proud heavyweight boxing history, which includes former world champions such as Dick Tiger and Samuel Peter.

With 12 knockouts from 14 fights, Itauma has already shown that he possesses serious power.

Now, against Hrgovic, he must prove that he has the skill, strength and experience to match it.

At the O2 Arena on August 29, Itauma will have the chance to make his biggest statement yet: that he is ready to rule the heavyweight division.

Left-arm spinners Abid Mushtaq and Nishant Sindhu took exactly 6.3 overs to polish off the West Zone tail as North Zone entered the Duleep Trophy semi-final with an impressive 52-run win duly completed here in the first hour of the final day. Chasing a tough target of 287 on a track that offered grip and turn, West started the final day at 220 for 7 with Urvil Patel (25) and the dependable Tanush Kotian (0) at the crease but were bowled out for 234 in 57.3 overs.

It was Mushtaq (4/60 in 22 overs), who cleaned up Kotian quickly to set the ball rolling and followed it up with the wicket of Tushar Deshpande (5), who resisted for 18 balls before being caught by Abdul Samad.

Mushtaq however was unlucky not to get his second five-wicket haul in the game as Sindhu found Urvil plumb in-front to finish off the proceedings in style.

Fittingly, the 29-year-old Mushtaq was adjudged player-of the match for his match figures of 9/99.

The turning point of this game certainly will be West Zone skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s (66 off 70 balls) run-out after a comfortable 111-run stand with Musheer Khan (96).

At that stage, West were cruising along at 195/3 in pursuit of 287 and it seemed like a cakewalk.

West lost four wickets including Gaikwad and Musheer in less than seven overs for an addition of 25 runs and were pushed to wall by the end of the third day’s play.

On a wicket where lot of deliveries kept low, scoring 67 with just three wickets in hand on the final day was akin to scoring more than ‘150’ if degree of difficulty had to be factored in.

North will now play South Zone, while East will take on Central in the semifinals starting at the COE from August 30.

While the East versus NorthEast was predictable lopsided contest due to gulf in quality, this quarter-final had all ingredients of a humdinger after North were bowled out for 251 in their first innings.

This was after North Zone coaches Ajay Sharma and Sarandeep Singh in a very controversial move dropped Ranji Trophy’s third highest run-getter Sanat Sangwan (828 runs) to accommodate Yash Dhull, whose tally of runs stood at an unimpressive 381 during the last Ranji Trophy season.

Dhull failed miserably with scores of 9 and 0. However having copped a lot of flak, it is expected that the controversial duo of Ajay-Sarandeep will do a course correction in the next game.

Brief Scores: North Zone 251 and 222. West Zone 187 and 234 all out (Musheer Khan 96, Ruturaj Gaikwad 66; Abid Mushtaq 4/60).

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Trainer David Payne is planning a campaign for Persian Wonder, a placegetter in the Baillieu, focusing on early season three-year-old features, starting with the Up And Coming Stakes at Rosehill.

The decorated trainer confirmed that the gelding would be nominated for next Saturday’s Group 3 Rosehill event, with his participation dependent on the final field composition and barrier draw.

“We’ll put him in and have a look at it,” Payne stated. “He’s had the two runs, so he will be pretty fit. He’s getting stronger all the time.”

An eye-catching fourth behind Warwoven in the Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) in March, Persian Wonder followed this with a solid second to Southend in the Group 3 Baillieu (1400m). He was spelled after finishing down the track in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) in April, but showed he had returned in good order with a gritty maiden win at Canterbury in July.

Stepped up to Saturday company against older horses, Persian Wonder carried equal topweight and turned in a game effort to be beaten two lengths by Avista.

With several horses likely to be resuming in the Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) on Saturday, Payne is hoping Persian Wonder’s fitness edge will be advantageous. However, the horse’s main goal will be the Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) a fortnight later.

“He ran here in a rating race last start and went well. He finished just behind them with top weight,” Payne commented. “I think 1400 will be his best distance. “We’ll look at the Up And Coming and then the Ming Dynasty. Those two will be his main targets because I don’t want to take the big boys on.”

The Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) is one of two black-type races at Rosehill, along with the San Domenico Stakes (1100m) which is expected to feature the return of Golden Slipper winner Guest House.

Payne’s promising filly Bangkok Hottie turned in an eye-catching performance in the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, motoring home from back in the field to beat all but the speedy Pembrey. She is likely to progress through the Princess Series with jockey Kerrin McEvoy expecting her to improve as she rises in trip.

“I rode her a bit quiet from that (wide) draw and ended up near the back-end,” McEvoy said. “I like the way she got out and finished very well. Out in trip is going to suit her.”

Check out the latest Australian betting sites for the Up And Coming Stakes.

Hello and welcome to the City transfer blog. We are less than a week away from the summer window shutting and the Blues still have plenty of business to do.

Bouaddi is expected to be their next arrival. Palmeiras winger Allan Elias is also close to arriving. City are pushing for Fernandez but Chelsea are keen to keep hold of the midfielder.

Outgoings are also anticipated after Savinho’s departure to Tottenham. Marmoush could follow his former teammate to north London. Meanwhile, Nico is closing in on a switch to Newcastle and uncertainty remains around Grealish in the final days of the window.

Stay tuned for updates…