IRON MOUNTAIN — Major League Baseball’s Pitch, Hit and Run is making its way to Lodal Park in Kingsford on Sunday, May 26.

The event is open to boys and girls ages seven to 14. It is free to attend, but registration is required.

Youths who attend will be tested on their pitching, hitting and running skills. The pitching portion will test athletes’ accuracy and speed. The hitting test will look at the ability to hit a baseball/softball.

During the running drills, speed and agility on the basepaths will be tested.

Participants can advance, based on their scores, to the team championships. The local team championship will be held at American Family Field, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers. The top scorers qualify for an all-expenses-paid trip for two to compete at the PHR Finals, during the World Series.

Registration is available at http://pitchhitrun2024.leagueapps.com/events/4183997-the-906-sports-academy-kingsford.

JOKIC WINS NBA MVP AWARD

By The Associated Press

Nikola Jokic did it all again. And the NBA MVP trophy is his again. The Denver Nuggets star from Serbia was announced Wednesday night as the league’s Most Valuable Player.

It’s his third time winning the award in the past four seasons, a feat that just six other players in NBA history have accomplished.

Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists.

Others averaged more in each category, but he was the only player to rank in the NBA’s top 10 in points, rebounds and assists per game this season.

MIZUHARA WILL PLEAD GUILTY

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case.

Prosecutors alleged Ippei Mizuhara stole nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts.

Mizuhara’s scheduled arraignment Thursday in federal court in Los Angeles was postponed earlier Tuesday. The scandal shocked baseball fans from the U.S. to Japan when the news broke in March.

Mizuhara was initially charged with one count of bank fraud.

Authorities say there was no evidence that Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling, and the player is cooperating with investigators.

PIRATES CALLING UP PAUL SKENES

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A person with direct knowledge of the decision says the Pittsburgh Pirates will promote top pitching prospect Paul Skenes for his major league debut Saturday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Pirates hadn’t explicitly announced the promotion. The club did send out a hype video of Skenes with “5.11.24.”

Skenes was the first overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft out of LSU.