COLLEGES
The University of Maine’s football home opener against Rhode Island has been moved from Saturday afternoon to Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. in anticipation of Hurricane Lee.
“Out of an abundance of caution based on the potential impact of the hurricane, and in consultation with University and other officials, as well as our friends at CAA Football and the University of Rhode Island, we believe moving the game to Friday night maximizes health and safety and gives our student-athletes the best chance to compete without interruption – and for everyone to get home safely,” said Jude Killy, Maine’s athletic director.
Maine opened the season with road losses against Florida International and North Dakota State. Rhode Island is 1-1 after a Coastal Athletic Association win over Stony Brook this past weekend.
BASEBALL
EASTERN LEAGUE: Nathan Hickey drove in four runs with a pair of doubles, Tyler Dearden hit a two-run homer, and the Portland Sea Dogs rolled to a 16-4 win over the Hartford Yard Goats at Hadlock Field.
The Sea Dogs stole six bases, including a double steal on which Roman Anthony scored. Anthony and Hickey each scored three runs, while Kyle Teel drove in three.
TENNIS
DAVIS CUP: Canada started the defense of its title by beating Italy 3-0 in the group stage of the finals in Bologna, Italy, while the United States, Britain and the Czech Republic also won.
The Americans opened their match at Croatia with a 6-4, 6-2 win for Mackenzie McDonald over Dino Prizmic, only for 11th-ranked Frances Tiafoe to lose surprisingly to No. 77 Borna Gojo, 6-4, 7-6 (6). In the deciding doubles match, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram beat Ivan Dodig and Mate Pavic, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-2.
SOCCER
ENGLAND: Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola has returned to the club after recovering from his recent back operation.
Guardiola is resuming his duties after three weeks away. Assistant coach Juanma Lillo had been in charge since Guardiola traveled to Spain for the procedure.
In Guardiola’s absence, City beat Sheffield United and Fulham to improve to 4-0 in its Premier League title defense.
POLAND: Fernando Santos was fired as Poland coach, less than nine months after he was hired.
Poland is fourth in its five-team European Championship qualifying group –behind Albania, the Czech Republic and Moldova – after losing three of its five games so far, despite three goals from Robert Lewandowski. Poland is likely to land in the Euro 2024 qualifying playoffs in March.
CYCLING
SPANISH VUELTA: Celebrating his 29th birthday, U.S. rider Sepp Kuss held on to the overall lead despite finishing behind Jumbo-Visma teammates Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic after a difficult climb in Stage 17.
Roglic picked up his second stage win after he and Vingegaard pulled away from Kuss near the end of the 77.3-mile route that finished in fog atop the Altu de L’Angliru summit in a classic Vuelta ascent.
Kuss was able to stay close enough to finish third, 19 seconds behind his teammates. His overall lead dropped to eight seconds ahead of Vingegaard, with Roglic still more than a minute behind entering the final stages.
Kuss is trying to become the first American to win a Grand Tour event since Chris Horner won the Vuelta in 2013. Kuss entered the race as a support rider for Roglic and Vingegaard, but took the lead on Stage 8 and has yet to relinquish it.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
