IN THE NEWS
BASEBALL
Minor-league deal for Votto
Former N.L. MVP Joey Votto says he has agreed to a minor-league contract with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays. The first baseman became a free agent last fall after the end of a $251.5-million, 12-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds, his only team over 17 major-league seasons. Votto, 40, hit .202 with 14 homers and 38 RBI in 65 games last year. A six-time All-Star and the 2010 N.L. MVP, Votto has a .294 average with 356 homers, 1,144 RBI and a .409 on-base percentage in 2,056 games.
BASKETBALL
PC women advance
The No. 9 seed Providence College women's basketball team defeated No. 8 seed Butler, 75-60, in the first round of the Big East Tournament on Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Providence, now 13-19 overall, advances to Saturday's quarterfinal round and will face top-seeded and ninthranked Connecticut at noon. Four Friars scored in double figures for the seventh time this season on Friday. Emily Archibald scored a team-best 17 points, including 2-for 2 beyond the 3-point arc. She also added seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Olivia Olsen notched her 12th double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Grace Efosa finished with 13 points, five boards, two assists and two steals. Brynn Farrell had 11 points and a career-high six assists.
URI women reach quarterfinals The Rhode Island women's basketball team opened Atlantic 10 Tournament play with a comeback victory on Thursday night, beating No. 11 Dayton, 70-57, in Henrico, Va. The No. 6 Rams advanced to Friday night's quarterfinal round vs. No. 3 St. Joseph's. URI opened the fourth quarter against the Flyers by hitting four of its first five shots. Mayé Touré hit a jumper in the paint and Sophie Phillips got a steal and fed Dee Dee Davis for a 3-pointer. After a Dayton timeout, both teams were scoreless for a couple of minutes before Teisha Hyman drained a 3-pointer and then made a driving layup, pushing the lead into double figures and sealing the win.
GOLF
Friday's roundup
Narin An shot a 7-under 65 to join Sarah Schmeizel in the lead after the second round of the Blue Bay LPGA on
China's southern island of Hainan. Both golfers had a 9-under total of 135 to sit one shot clear of Hye-Jin Choi as they each look for a first victory on the LPGA Tour. Schmeizel and Choi both carded a 69. First-round leader Minjee Lee shot an even-par 72 and was two shots back along with Ruixin Liu, who finished with a 71.
Abraham Ancer and Dean Burmester shot 7-under 63s to share the first-round lead at the inaugural LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong. They led by one stroke over a group that included Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen.
HOCKEY
Friars fall to Terriers
The No. 2 Boston University men's ice hockey team scored three goals in the third period to erase a 2-1 deficit and defeat No. 10-11 Providence, 4-2, on Thursday night at Schneider Arena. Freshman Macklin Celebrini scored the Terriers' first two goals of the game, with his 28th goal of the season at 2:42 of the third tying the score at 2-2. Freshman Shane Lachance then scored the game-winner with 10:34 remaining in regulation before combining with Celebrini to set up classmate Jack Harvey's insurance goal with 8:43 to play. Philip Svedebäck made 24 saves for PC, now 18-12-3 overall, 11-9-3 in Hockey East. Mathieu Caron had 24 saves for BU, now 23-8-2 and 17-4-2. The Friars tied the game in the second period on a power play as Nick Poisson set up Chase Yoder in front of the net for his team-leading 11th goal of the season. Providence took the lead when Hudson Malinoski netted a wrap-around goal to put the Friars ahead 2-1. PC concludes its regular season on Saturday as it hosts Northeastern at Schneider Arena at 4 p.m.
SOCCER
Revolution triumph
The New England Revolution defeated LD Alajuelense, 4-0, in the opening leg of the Round of 16 in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium. Nick Lima and Esmir Bajraktarević each scored to bookend a pair from Tomás Chancalay, whose tallies put him in a tie for the tournament lead with four goals. The shutout also marks the third for New England in as many games in the tournament. New England carries a 4-0 lead on aggregate into the second leg matchup on Thursday in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The 8 p.m. kickoff will air nationally on FOX Sports 2 in English and TUDN in Spanish.
Journal staff and wire reports