Briefs
Rays re-sign catcher
The Tampa Bay Rays and catcher Mike Zunino agreed to a one-year contract that guarantees $3 million, a deal that includes a club option and could be worth $9 million over two seasons.
Zunino’s contract, announced Wednesday, includes a $2 million salary for 2021 and a $4 million option for 2022 with a $1 million buyout. The option price would escalate to $5 million if he appears in 80 games next season, $6 million if he appears in 90 games and $7 million if he appears in 100 games or is traded during 2021.
Zunino appeared in 28 games, including 25 starts, for Tampa Bay in 2020. The 29-year-old is considered a solid defender and has significant power but has struggled to make contact. He hit .147 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 2020.
During the Rays postseason run to the American League pennant, Zunino hit .170 but had four home runs and drove in eight. He became the first player in major league history to hit under .150 in the regular season and then hit multiple homers in the postseason, according to Stats LLC.
In college basketball
James Butler had 21 points and 16 rebounds as Drexel narrowly beat Saint Joseph’s 81-77 on Thursday night.
Camren Wynter had 14 points and seven assists for Drexel (4-2). T.J. Bickerstaff added 13 points.
Ryan Daly had 30 points for the Hawks (0-3). Taylor Funk added 14 points and eight rebounds. Rahmir Moore had 12 points.
Jack Forrest scored only six points despite heading into the contest as the Hawks’ second leading scorer at 17 points per game. He failed to make a shot from behind the arc (0 of 4).
Dalano Banton had a triple-double to lead Nebraska to a 110-64 victory over NAIA-member Doane on Thursday night.
Banton had 13 points, 11 rebounds, and matched a career-best with 10 assists. He also blocked three shots, and has reached double figure scoring in each game this season.
Teddy Allen, who entered sixth in the Big Ten in scoring, had 11 of his 16 points in the first half for Nebraska (4-3). Yvan Ouedraogo had career highs with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Kobe Webster added 12 points.
Trevor Lakes chipped in 12 points, on four 3-pointers, in his Nebraska debut. A 6-7 senior transfer from Division II Indianapolis, Lakes was declared eligible following Wednesday’s NCAA ruling allowing sit-out transfers to play without losing a season of eligibility. He totaled nearly 1,000 career points and 400 rebounds at Indianapolis.
Donovan Gregory registered 18 points as Appalachian State romped past Division III Greensboro 87-47 on Thursday night.
Adrian Delph added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Mountaineers, and Deshon Parker chipped in 10 points. James Lewis Jr. had eight rebounds for Appalachian State (5-2).
Matthew Brown had 12 points for the Pride, who played the game as an exhibition.
Peter Kiss and Michael Green III scored 20 points apiece and Bryant topped Wagner for the second day in a row, winning 81-75 on Thursday.
Green III also had 10 assists and joined Hall Elisias with a double-double. Elisias had 12 points and 10 rebounds, plus seven blocks. Charles Pride had 18 points for the Bulldogs (6-2, 3-1 Northeast Conference).
Elijah Ford scored a career-high 29 points and had eight rebounds for the Seahawks (0-3, 0-2). Alex Morales added 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Elijah Allen had 11 points.