Jul 11, 2023 By Ap 2 min read

SEATTLE (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates have selected hard-throwing LSU right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes with the top pick in baseball’s amateur draft. Skenes went 12-3 as a pitcher, with 209 strikeouts in 122 innings in helping lead the Tigers to the College World Series championship. The pick was announced by Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., the top pick of the 1987 draft by the Seattle Mariners. For the second time in three years, the Pirates held the top overall selection after selecting catcher Henry Davis at the top of the 2021 draft. Davis made his major league debut last month for Pittsburgh. LSU teammate Dylan Crews went No. 2 to Washington with high school outfielder Max Clark being selected third by Detroit.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina highly regarded freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley respects the accomplishments of the Gamecocks most recent group led by All-American Aliyah Boston. But Fulwiley said she and her fellow first-year players want more success than the school’s most recent national champions had. Fulwiley believes she’s part of a roster that can get this done. Fulwiley and fellow freshmen Tessa Johnson and Sahnya Jah are part of five new players on campus to prepare for next season. The group also includes Oregon transfer guard Te-Hina Paopao and junior college and one-time Rutgers forward Sakima Walker.