They’re gearing up for tomorrow in Cincinnati. It’ll be major league baseball opening day for the Reds and the Washington Nationals at Great American Ballpark. There’ll be all kinds of festivities around the city well beyond the game, tomorrow. One tradition that’s been going on since 1920 will be the yearly Findlay Market Parade, this time with former Reds Dmitri Young and Pokey Reese serving as grand marshals. The honorary grand marshal will be long-time Cincinnati radio personality Jim Scott, who was a fixture at Opening Day festivities for many years. Besides the parade, there’ll be an opening day block party downtown, starting at 11 in the morning. Hall of Famers George Foster will deliver the official game ball and Sean Casey will throw the ceremonial first pitch, and Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman will be an honorary Captain for the game, marking his half-century on the air with the Reds. We’ll have Marty, Tommy Thrall, and everyone for you right here, the broadcast beginning at 3:40 tomorrow afternoon, only on the Sports Voice, 103.9, WRBI.
Former A and Yankee Frankie Montas starts on the mound for Cincy tomorrow, but several Reds aren’t playing, at least for a while. Outfielder TJ Friedl continues recovering from his broken right wrist and won’t be available. Second baseman Matt McLain had surgery on his left shoulder Tuesday, but the club hopes he can get back sometime this season, after tearing cartilage trying to make a diving catch during spring training.
A key men’s college basketball game tonight in the NIT has Utah facing Virginia Commonwealth in the Elite 8, for the right to take on Indiana State in that tournament’s semi-finals next Tuesday. The Sycamores are standing by after topping second-seed UC last night, 85 to 81. In the other semi, Ohio State missed a 3-pointer at the horn to lose to Georgia, 79-77. In the NIT Final Four at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse, it’ll be ISU and that VCU-Utah winner, and Georgia will meet tonight’s winner between UNLV and Seton Hall, those games next Tuesday the 2nd. The NIT title will be decided on the 4th.
In the N-C-Double-A’s, top seed Purdue resumes its quest Friday, taking on Gonzaga. Also on Friday the women’s tournament will feature the Hoosiers, following Indiana’s Monday win over Oklahoma, going up against Number 1 South Carolina.
NBA action tonight puts the Pacers in Chicago, where they’ll take on the Bulls, after knocking off the Clippers Monday. The Lakers visit Indiana Friday.