COLLEGES

St. Joseph’s split a pair of softball game on Tuesday, beating La Roche University 9-6 before losing to Misericordia University 5-2 at Kissimmee, Florida.

In the win, the Monks (3-3) opened the game with four runs in the first, all on bases-loaded walks, in beating the Redhawks (0-5).

Olivis Howe, Sylvia Foley and Taylor Owen all had extra-base hits for St. Joseph’s.

In the loss, Kaitlin Redling had a home run and a double, driving in three for the Cougars (4-2).

Lydia Goodnough had three hits for St. Joseph’s, scoring both runs, and Olivia Howe added a pair of hits.

BASEBALL: Steven Theisen and Joey Sacco went 3 for 3 as Immaculata shut out St. Joseph’s 6-0 at Lake Myrtle, Florida.

Stephen DiBatista pitched eight innings, allowing a hit and striking 10 for Immaculata (2-1).

Michael Wearne had a hit for St. Joseph’s (0-3).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Maisie Burnham scored 19 points, Alex Fowler had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Portland beat two-time defending West Coast Conference Tournament champion Gonzaga 64-60 at Las Vegas to claim an NCAA Tournament berth..

Portland (23-8) snapped a six-game losing streak against the No. 16 Zags — with its last win coming in the tournament semifinals during the 2019-20 season.

The Pilots won the tournament championship that year before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Portland played in four straight NCAA Tournaments from 1994-97 before getting back in 2020.

• Essence Booker scored 22 points, Desi-Rae Young added 20 and No. 21 UNLV held off San Diego State for a 71-68 victory in a Mountain West Conference semifinal.

UNLV (30-2) has won 21 straight and will play in its second consecutive title game on Wednesday.

FOOTBALL: The attorney representing a dozen former Iowa football players who settled their racial discrimination lawsuit with the university’s athletic department for over $4 million — half of which is coming from taxpayer funds — said that Black Hawkeyes players will continue to be at risk of harassment “as long as Kirk Ferentz is in charge.”

Ferentz coached at UMaine from 1990-92.

Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons said in a news release his clients have been vindicated and he is pleased with the state Appeal Board approving the $4.175 million settlement.

The board voted 2-1 on Monday in favor of contributing $2 million in taxpayer funds. Board member and State Auditor Rob Sand voted down the proposal, saying the university’s athletic department has the funds to cover the settlement.

Coach Ferentz said Monday he was “greatly disappointed” in how the matter was resolved. He said he and others named in the lawsuit believed “the case would have been dismissed with prejudice before trial” if it hadn’t been settled and “there is no admission of any wrongdoing.”

Solomon-Simmons said he was disappointed to see Ferentz continue to “claim that he and his coaches did nothing wrong.”

A report commissioned and paid for by the athletic department “confirmed the racially hostile environment in his Hawkeye Football Program,” Solomon-Simmons said.

The lawsuit filed in November 2020 involved former players including former star running back Akrum Wadley and career receptions leader Kevonte Martin-Manley. They alleged they were demeaned with racial slurs, forced to abandon Black hairstyles, fashion and culture to fit the “Iowa Way” promoted by Ferentz, and retaliated against for speaking out.

AUTO RACING

NASCAR: With Chase Elliott expected to miss about six weeks with a broken left leg, Hendrick Motorsports will turn to Josh Berry and sports car racer Jordan Taylor to fill in for NASCAR’s most popular driver.

Hendrick provided a timetable for Elliott’s recovery while saying Berry will continue to drive the No. 9 Chevrolet on ovals and Taylor will make his Cup Series debut on the road course at Circuit of the America’s in Texas later this month.

Berry will be behind the wheel Sunday when NASCAR runs at Phoenix Raceway.

Elliott fractured his tibia snowboarding in Colorado last week and was released from the hospital the following day after a three-hour surgery. The 2020 Cup Series champion is currently rehabilitating in Colorado.

SOCCER

FRANCE: Angers Coach Abdel Bouhazama resigned after making sexist comments, the last-placed French league club said.

Bouhazama reportedly made inappropriate comments while addressing the situation of a player accused of unwanted sexual touching. This was in the buildup to losing 5-0 to Montpellier on Sunday.

Angers insisted Bouhazama thought about resigning before the comments became public.

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: Brazil will bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, the South American nation’s sports ministry said.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo mayors have expressed interest in having their cities host the final if Brazil wins the bid.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: American midfielder Christian Pulisic returned from a two-month injury layoff, entering in the 83rd minute of Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund that advanced the London team to the quarterfinals.

Pulisic had not played since injuring his right knee during a tackle by Manchester City defender John Stones in a Premier League match on Jan. 5.

• Benfica continued its good run with a comfortable 5-1 win over visiting Club Brugge to seal its spot in the quarterfinals for the second straight season.

Rafa Silva, João Mário and David Neres scored a goal each, and Gonçalo Ramos found the net twice for Benfica, which hadn’t made it to the last eight in consecutive seasons in more than five decades.

TENNIS

WTA:  The women’s professional tennis tour launched a commercial enterprise with CVC Capital Partners to increase revenues for the sport, with the investment manager contributing $150 million for a 20% stake in what will be known as WTA Ventures LLC.