Gonzaga Baseball Sets 14-Game Winning Streak Before Falling to No. 13 Oregon
Analysis Howard Woodard Analysis Howard Woodard

Gonzaga Baseball Sets 14-Game Winning Streak Before Falling to No. 13 Oregon

Like all good things, Gonzaga baseball’s (27-15, 15-3 WCC) miraculous stretch finally came to an end. Going nearly a month without a loss and coming off another weekend sweep – this time at home over LMU – the Zags’ 14-game winning streak was snapped by No. 13 Oregon (33-11, 15-6 Big Ten) on Tuesday in Eugene.

For solace, the Bulldogs weren’t outclassed against their second ranked opponent of the season, falling 4-3 in a tense contest where, after the opening frame, runs came at a premium. They were able to compete on the road and nearly extend their historic run, and clearly have firm stakes planted with 10 games remaining in the regular season.

So how did the longest winning streak in GU history conclude, and what is the outlook going forward?

Coming Up Just Short Against the Ducks

The contest got off to a ruckus start, as Ricky Sanchez smashed a leadoff triple past the diving centerfielder and then scored on a wild pitch two pitches later to put Gonzaga up early. The sequence seemingly set the tone that the Zags were going to control the pace.

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Projecting Storm Final Roster After First Cuts
News, Analysis Connor Benintendi News, Analysis Connor Benintendi

Projecting Storm Final Roster After First Cuts

The Seattle Storm made their first round of roster cuts on Thursday, waiving forward Beatrice Mompremier and guards Jalyn Brown and Elle Ladine, the team announced.

Seattle’s cuts bring their current roster down to 16 players, meaning the team only has to let go of two other players before the regular season begins. Under the new CBA, teams are required to keep 12 players on their active roster and now have access to two developmental roster spots.

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Storm’s Young Stars Shine in Decisive Preseason Victory vs. Fire
Game Day, Analysis Connor Benintendi Game Day, Analysis Connor Benintendi

Storm’s Young Stars Shine in Decisive Preseason Victory vs. Fire

The Storm’s young guards led the charge in a 91-81 victory over the Portland Fire in the first matchup between the two franchises since 2002 on Wednesday, April 29, at Climate Pledge Arena.

For the new Portland franchise, the Storm had the privilege of hosting their first-ever game — even if it was just an exhibition matchup. And after taking one of their players (Nika Muhl) in the expansion draft, the Storm spoiled the Fire’s debut after April’s expansion draft, free agency and the rookie draft.

The preseason means next to nothing in terms of how successful the Storm will be. But the individual performances do tell us what could be on the horizon for some of the team’s young players, which is especially important this season.

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Young Slugs RBI Double, Slaps Two-Run Single in Mariners’ Comeback Win over Twins
News, Analysis Callaghan Bluechel News, Analysis Callaghan Bluechel

Young Slugs RBI Double, Slaps Two-Run Single in Mariners’ Comeback Win over Twins

A .500 batting average and a .500 on-base percentage. 16 total bases in 22 at-bats. A 1.227 OPS. One home run, two doubles, and eight RBIs.

Those were Cole Young’s hitting stats over the Mariners’ 5-1 road trip to get back to .500 baseball by the end of April. Three of those RBIs came in the Mariners’ 5-3 win in their rubber match against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday and two were as timely as could be with the M’s down one in the top of the ninth.

What goes up must go down, but the second baseman’s offensive breakout has been the Mariners’ best friend more than once in the young season on plenty of different-color diamonds.

George Kirby kept the Twins to two runs despite a big fourth inning opportunity.

Just like Logan Gilbert on Tuesday, George Kirby didn’t get the defense behind him that he wanted, with uneasy outfield play extending a fourth inning that saw the Twins put a pair of runs on the board and ballooned his pitch count enough to end up nixing the quality start and adding some workload for the Mariners bullpen.

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Fishlock Likely to Return After Negative X-Rays, Reign Look to Bounce Back
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Fishlock Likely to Return After Negative X-Rays, Reign Look to Bounce Back

It was a moment no Seattle Reign fan wanted to see.

Mere days after the announcement of her retirement at the end of the 2026 season, star midfielder Jess Fishlock came down badly on her left ankle in Sunday's 3-0 loss to the Utah Royals to drop Seattle to 3-2-1 (10 points, fourth in NWSL).

Fishlock immediately signaled to the sideline for help and shouted in pain, only for the medical staff to place an aircast on her ankle. As she left the pitch on a stretcher with her face buried in her hands, fans and coaches alike couldn't help but think they had just watched the final minutes of the 39-year-old Welsh legend's career.

Fishlock was taken to a nearby hospital for an X-ray, with her football future hanging in the balance.

It came back negative, and that was enough for head coach Laura Harvey to start planning for Seattle's most consistent offensive force to return.

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Gonzaga Bulldogs Land ASU Transfer Massamba Diop, Bolstering Talented Frontcourt
News, Analysis, Recruiting Howard Woodard News, Analysis, Recruiting Howard Woodard

Gonzaga Bulldogs Land ASU Transfer Massamba Diop, Bolstering Talented Frontcourt

Bringing in a big fish from the transfer portal, the Gonzaga Bulldogs can cross a big item off their offseason checklist. 7-1 Senegalese center Massamba Diop is on his way to Spokane from Arizona State, picking to play for the Zags over St. John’s for his sophomore season. Diop’s commitment makes the second for GU so far this offseason, joining Houston transfer Isiah Harwell as the newest Zags on the block.

During his first year at the collegiate level, Diop averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks a game on 56.9% shooting in 33 starts with the Sun Devils. He was one of the top centers available in this cycle of the transfer portal and – like several of his new teammates – carries notable NBA Draft stock.

The move aligns Diop with the returning Braden Huff to form yet another strong big man duo for the Bulldogs, a season after Huff and third-team All-American Graham Ike were paired up together. Not to mention that the team’s likely starting small forward, 6-7 Davis Fogle, was also retained, giving Gonzaga one of the country’s most talented frontcourts heading into the fall.

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Washington Huskies Linebackers Confidence in Defense ‘Through the Roof’
News, Analysis Aaron Coe News, Analysis Aaron Coe

Washington Huskies Linebackers Confidence in Defense ‘Through the Roof’

At one point last fall, the linebacker situation for the Washington football team could have filled an orthopedic wing in a hospital.

Jacob Manu and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale wore heavy knee braces as they recovered from knee injuries at their prior schools. Starting inside linebacker Taariq Al-Uqdah suffered one of his own in the Apple Cup, leaving the position to be filled by the unknown quantities of Xe’ree Alexander and Deven Bryant.

Seven months later, most of the knee braces are gone, and inside linebacker is arguably the strongest unit on the team.

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Rodríguez, Naylor, Young Hack Timely Hits as Mariners Mash Minnesota Late
News, Analysis Callaghan Bluechel News, Analysis Callaghan Bluechel

Rodríguez, Naylor, Young Hack Timely Hits as Mariners Mash Minnesota Late

Here’s a stat: Julio Rodríguez has more triple doubles in the city of Minneapolis than Nikola Jokić does in the calendar year 2026. 

Well, adding a three-double baseball game into the widely accepted hoops definition of “triple double” allows that to be true. It’s also a testament to the defensive skill of one Rudy Gobert, who has finally and resoundingly managed to convince the world that he is actually good at basketball.

As far as Rodríguez is concerned, his three doubles - the baseball version - set a couple of tables for Seattle and cleared their last, and the center fielder accounted for two runs scored and two others knocked in during the Mariners’ 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

It wasn’t just Rodríguez, as Josh Naylor and Cole Young offered some timely hits of their own while starter Logan Gilbert wriggled himself out of enough pickles and jams to make some truly unique culinary concoctions, even while only going five innings. The M’s, after all their tribulations to start the season, are a game behind .500.

Logan Gilbert showed a bit of adjustment but still had to Houdini his way out of a five-inning start. 

It is often said that pitchers are crazy. Usually, this refers to intensity or the way the staff interacts with the rest of the players, and it is most stereotypically associated with the isolated (and thus mysterious) bullpen. 

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Seahawks 2026 Draft Class Superlatives
Analysis Nick Lee Analysis Nick Lee

Seahawks 2026 Draft Class Superlatives

The 2026 Seattle Seahawks draft class is in. John Schneider made his classic maneuvers and turned four original picks into eight total, like the classic Dai Vernon cups and balls magic routine.

Let’s break down this class of seven prospects using superlatives.

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Another “Rock” Detonation Raises Rotation Questions for Mariners
Analysis Callaghan Bluechel Analysis Callaghan Bluechel

Another “Rock” Detonation Raises Rotation Questions for Mariners

In Luis Castillo’s first start of the season, he blew down the New York Yankees with basically two pitches: his four-seamer and slider. 

Over the following five outings, Castillo has given up less than four runs just once and has not finished a single sixth inning. Over that time, he has given up 35 hits, 24 runs, and 20 earned runs in 22 ⅓ innings, an 8.06 ERA over that time. 

Five of those innings came on Monday night in rainy Minnesota. Although in his previous four starts (also struggles of outings, though not without bad defense behind him), he had struck out 16 and issued seven walks while giving up two homers - it was all hits in the field that had sunk him - Monday’s game was bad in the so-called three true outcomes and bad in the actual result. Castillo gave up two home runs, walked two batters, and struck out three. He gave up seven hits in total and just as many runs.

The Mariners’ loss on Monday started and ended, mostly, with Castillo’s bad start. Sure, debutant Alex Hoppe’s second inning of work fell off the rails as his control waned and hitters adjusted to his slider, but the M’s had essentially decided on pushing Hoppe as far as they could to mop up the game. Sure, the Mariners offense took quite a while to wake up, but they managed to put four runs on the board.

The question has to be raised: does Castillo’s slump warrant a change in outlook for the Mariners about how to utilize him for the rest of the season?

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Reign Lose Jess Fishlock, Get Pounded 3-0 By Utah in Lumen Field Opener
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Reign Lose Jess Fishlock, Get Pounded 3-0 By Utah in Lumen Field Opener

The Seattle Reign endured their toughest loss of the season on Sunday night, dropping their first game of 2026 at Lumen Field in a 3-0 drubbing to the Utah Royals to drop Seattle to 3-2-1 (fourth in NWSL)

The Reign conceded just 50 seconds in before giving up another goal in the seventh. The game slipped out of control in first-half stoppage time, as the Royals put away their third to pull away. Though Seattle put together some solid looks and hit the woodwork twice, its positive momentum came to a screeching halt when captain Jess Fishlock landed awkwardly on her left ankle midway through the second half.

The injury, which head coach Laura Harvey didn't have updates on postgame, was bad enough to warrant an aircast and a stretcher — a sign of a possible bone break for the 39-year Welsh star. Fishlock announced earlier this week that she would retire from football at the end of the 2026 season.

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What to Watch For in Storm’s Preseason Finale vs. Portland Fire
Analysis Connor Benintendi Analysis Connor Benintendi

What to Watch For in Storm’s Preseason Finale vs. Portland Fire

Almost nothing is the same about the Seattle Storm in 2026, and on Saturday, we saw for the first time how many of the new pieces fared against another WNBA team.

It was an especially young lineup for the Storm, with eight players 25 or younger playing big minutes in the team's 78-76 loss to the Golden State Valkyries to begin the preseason.

Even in a loss, there were many positives for the Storm’s new additions. Rookie No. 8 overall pick Flau’jae Johnson, No. 14 pick Taina Mair, and free-agent signings Jade Melbourne and Rennia Davis stood out.

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Ferreira and Morris Regain Scoring Prowess, Sounders Outlast FC Dallas
News, Analysis Qasim Ali News, Analysis Qasim Ali

Ferreira and Morris Regain Scoring Prowess, Sounders Outlast FC Dallas

The Seattle Sounders, down the likes of Cristian Roldan, Albert Rusnák and Paul Arriola, continued their strong start on Saturday night. They downed a visiting FC Dallas squad 2-1, weathering dangerous set-piece opportunities and benefitting from a return to form from goal scorers Jordan Morris and Jesús Ferreira.

The result moves Seattle to 6-1-1 (fourth in Western Conference) with just four goals allowed in eight MLS fixtures. It also meant Seattle's 20th straight game unbeaten at home, as the Sounders haven't lost under the arches of Lumen Field since June of 2025… when they played European champion Paris Saint-Germain.

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Gonzaga Women's Basketball Takes Unique Continuity Into Offseason
Analysis Howard Woodard Analysis Howard Woodard

Gonzaga Women's Basketball Takes Unique Continuity Into Offseason

In the midst of an era in college basketball where players change teams like the weather, Gonzaga women’s basketball is almost unfazed after the NCAA transfer portal closed this week.

With 12 players eligible to return, the Zags are retaining 10 of them, losing only two to the portal. One of the departees, senior guard Vera Günaydin, was always expected to leave after not playing in 2025-26 and planning to play professionally in the future. The other, sharpshooting guard, Paige Lofing, transferred back to her home university, Montana, after a promising freshman campaign in Spokane.

But everyone else on the Bulldogs is running it back, as they come off a year where they won the WCC championship and got back to the NCAA tournament. Now prepared to embark on a new path in the revamped Pac-12, head coach Lisa Fortier and her program are taking a strong combination of youth, talent, and continuity into next season.

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New-Look Storm Fall Narrowly Short Against Valkyries in Preseason Opener
Game Day, Analysis Connor Benintendi Game Day, Analysis Connor Benintendi

New-Look Storm Fall Narrowly Short Against Valkyries in Preseason Opener

Despite holding an eight-point halftime lead, the Seattle Storm’s group of young, developing players narrowly fell to the Golden State Valkyries, 78-76, in the first 2026 preseason game on Saturday, April 25, at the Chase Center.

The Storm had 12 of their 19 players step onto the court in the game, getting a decent look at a mostly new group that has had just six days of practice together thus far.

Of that group who played, eight were not with the Storm in 2025 and four were rookies.

Even in a loss, there were plenty of bright spots for Seattle as we begin to see what the new-look Storm will look like. We won’t see the entire lineup until Ezi Magbegor is healthy and Awa Fam joins the team, but it was a glimpse at some of the exciting acquisitions.

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M’s Beat Cards 11-9 in Bizarre Back-and-Forth Battle Despite Woo Blowup
News, Analysis Callaghan Bluechel News, Analysis Callaghan Bluechel

M’s Beat Cards 11-9 in Bizarre Back-and-Forth Battle Despite Woo Blowup

Whatever happened between the Mariners and Cardinals on Saturday afternoon in Busch Stadium, it was one of the most beautiful examples of the chaos and unpredictability inherent in baseball. Perhaps it was fitting that all nine innings were played in the sun, what with the pastoral pastime unfolding in such a way as it did.

This was a game where Connor Joe knocked a game-tying single and Will Wilson drove in two of the Mariners’ runs, while Bryan Woo got smacked around for four homers and seven runs in just three innings pitched. Cole Young was a triple away from the cycle, while Mitch Garver had a multi-hit game even while getting a would-be homer robbed by the glove of Redbirds left fielder Nathan Church - who in turn mashed two big flies of his own but made the final two outs of the Mariners’ 11-9 victory.

And it was Leo Rivas, the same man who came into the game hitting .141, who delivered the go-ahead hit in the top of the ninth. Unlike many of the previous games, Rivas started on the bench on Saturday, logging two appearances. But in a game full of inflection points and twists, Rivas’ two appearances were some of the biggest moments of the game.

Julio Rodríguez set the tone with a second deck shot in the top of the first and Will Wilson launched his first career homer in the second.

Coming into Saturday, Julio Rodríguez had logged a hit in 16 of his past 48 at-bats, but 12 of those had been singles. Still, his process had been very sound after the slump of his first couple weeks, with Rodríguez driving stuff up the middle, drawing walks, and limiting strikeouts.

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Seahawks Wrap Up 2026 NFL Draft With Trio of Seventh-Round Selections
Analysis, News Corbin Smith Analysis, News Corbin Smith

Seahawks Wrap Up 2026 NFL Draft With Trio of Seventh-Round Selections

Stocking up on seventh round picks with a pair of Day 3 trade downs, the Seattle Seahawks put a bow on their latest draft class by getting a jumpstart on the priority undrafted free agent process, selecting a trio of players with the 236th, 242nd, and 255th picks of the 2016 NFL Draft.

After acquiring picks from the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers with trade downs from 188th and 216th overall, the Seahawks continued to add to their secondary by snagging Toledo cornerback Andre Fuller and Arizona cornerback Michael Dansby while also investing a mid-seventh round pick on versatile Minnesota defensive tackle Deven Eastern to wrap up their eight-player haul.

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Seahawks Trade Back, Select Kansas WR Emmanuel Henderson With Pick 199 in 2026 NFL Draft
Analysis, News Corbin Smith Analysis, News Corbin Smith
Preview

Seahawks Trade Back, Select Kansas WR Emmanuel Henderson With Pick 199 in 2026 NFL Draft

Once again plugging a hole created by a departed free agent, moments after trading down with the New York Jets to recoup a seventh-round selection, the Seattle Seahawks bolstered their special teams depth by tabbing Kansas receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. with the 199th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Originally starting his college career at Alabama, Henderson played three seasons for the Crimson Tide, mostly starring on special teams as a gunner on punt coverage with a handful of kick and punt return opportunities, producing 10 tackles during that span. Seeking more snaps on offense after a limited role in Tuscaloosa, he transferred to Kansas before his senior season and posted career-highs in receptions (45), receiving yards (766), and touchdowns (five) with the Jayhawks while adding a kick return for a touchdown.

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Seawolves Pounded by Hounds at Home, Face Uphill Climb in Remaining Six Matches
News, Analysis Callaghan Bluechel News, Analysis Callaghan Bluechel

Seawolves Pounded by Hounds at Home, Face Uphill Climb in Remaining Six Matches

TUKWILA, Wash. - The Chicago Hounds came to Starfire on Friday night and did to the Seawolves what they have done to every team they have faced so far in 2026: chew them up like an old toy, this time racking up a 59-22 score. It hasn’t mattered whether the MLR favorites have been at home, on the road, or at a neutral site in Nashville, they have won their games against Anthem, the Legion, the Free Jacks, and now the Seawolves by wide tallies.

The game got away from the Seawolves quickly. Unlike the team’s two previous losses, there weren’t specific inflection points late in the second half where the game went the wrong way or a particular mistake the Seawolves made that was the dividing line between a win and a loss. Instead, it was a grueling barrage of overpowering Chicago force, with the biggest inflection point being starting Seattle loosehead Ezekiel Lindenmuth’s red card - though it may have only marked the line between a respectable loss and a blowout.

While many of the Hounds’ 59 points came courtesy of their backfield, it was in truth the forward pack that did the bulk of the job. When Chicago had the ball - especially when they had the ball in Seattle territory - their advances were something close to the platonic ideal of death by a thousand cuts. Some of the names stood out, such as Brock Webster with his hat trick and Mason Flesch with his brace, but like all massive margins in professional rugby, it was due to the efforts of all 23 rostered players that the Hounds racked up as big of a win as they did.

And the Seawolves, for their part, did not make things easy on themselves, getting dinged for 14 penalties that gave the Hounds plenty of possession and lots more meters. Some of the teams in this league wouldn’t have had the wherewithal to take those 14 penalties and turn them into a nailed and buried coffin, but the Hounds are the league’s best for a reason.

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Seahawks Trade Up to Pick No. 148, Draft Iowa G Beau Stephens
Analysis, News Corbin Smith Analysis, News Corbin Smith

Seahawks Trade Up to Pick No. 148, Draft Iowa G Beau Stephens

With the right prospect falling far enough to justify forking over a future draft pick, the Seattle Seahawks slid back into the fifth round to acquire the 148th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, using their newly-added selection on Iowa guard Beau Stephens.

After biding his time as a reserve in his first two seasons on campus in Iowa City, Stephens emerged as one of the best zone blocking guards in college football over the past two years, including earning All-American honors as a senior in 2025. Along with allowing no sacks and 13 pressures in pass protection, he earned a top-10 zone run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, spearheading the Hawkeyes run game with a blend of athleticism and physicality.

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