Adrian, MI – Below is the Inside the Cave Sports Update from Wednesday, July 30th.
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Central Michigan became the latest program to face formal NCAA charges in connection to the widespread sign-stealing investigation centered around former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions.
The school received a notice of allegations from the NCAA earlier this week, stemming from a nearly two-year-old incident in which a man believed to be Stalions appeared on the Chippewas’ sideline.
CBS Sports and other outlets are reporting that the moment in question occurred during Central Michigan’s 2023 season opener at Michigan State.
The NCAA began investigating the matter in late October 2023, shortly after the photos surfaced online and drew national attention. Stalions denied being present on the sideline that night.
According to the NCAA’s Division I infractions database, the inquiry into Central Michigan began on October 31st, 2023.
The investigation lasted more than a year and was delayed several times due to what the NCAA cited as the submission of ‘false or misleading information,’ as well as the ‘withholding of requested materials.’
Central Michigan has until September 25th to formally respond. Former CMU coach Jim McElwain, who resigned following the 2024 season, claimed at the time that he had no knowledge of the identity of the man on his sideline.
CMU’s quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner also resigned during the fall of 2024. It’s unclear if he had any involvement in the investigation.
The Central Michigan incident remains the only publicly surfaced evidence suggesting Stallions may have physically infiltrated a sideline in disguise. Michigan’s case with the NCAA remains ongoing, with a decision expected before the 2025 season.
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Former University of Michigan All-American Aidan Hutchinson participated in a scrimmage for the Detroit Lions Tuesday…and from all reports, looked really good.
Considered one of the best defensive ends in the NFL, ‘Hutch’ has been rehabbing from a serious leg injury suffered last season.
It is unlikely that he will play in Thursday night’s Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio when the Lions will take on his college coach Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Detroit Head Coach, Dan Campbell, played the tight end position in his days in the league…and recently spoke with the media about fellow tight end Antonio Gates. The Charger is being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.
Campbell said that he changed the game, along with Tony Gonzalez…
The defending NFC North Champions will play their first of four preseason games Thursday at 8pm.
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The Toledo Mud Hens staged a thrilling comeback to walk it off against the St. Paul Saints, 6-5, on Tuesday in the series opener at Fifth Third Field.
The Saints came out swinging in the top of the first, stringing together five straight hits to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Austin Martin and Luke Keaschall led off with back-to-back singles, followed by an RBI single from Edouard Julien. Carson McCusker then roped an RBI double to left, and Payton Eeles added another run with an RBI single. A fielding error by Jace Jung allowed McCusker to score, capping off the inning ahead 4-0.
Toledo responded right away in the home half. Justyn-Henry Malloy singled, and Akil Baddoo drove in Hao-Yu Lee with an RBI base knock to cut the deficit to 4-1.
Starter Devin Smeltzer exited the game in the second after a comebacker from McCusker deflected off him, forcing an early call to the bullpen. In the bottom half of the frame, Lee collected a base hit for the Mud Hens, but Eduardo Valencia was injured while running the bases and was replaced by Andrew Navigato.
Toledo kept chipping away. In the fifth, Trey Sweeney doubled and then swiped third base, scoring on a groundout by Jung. Ryan Kreidler came up clutch with a two-run double, plating Malloy and Baddoo to even the score at 4-4.
Sweeney doubled again in the sixth, and Cruz added a base hit in the seventh as Toledo’s offense stayed active. The Saints regained the lead in the eighth off a sacrifice fly from Keaschall after a Fitzgerald double and a walk loaded the bases.
Down 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Jung sparked the rally with a leadoff single. Baddoo drew a walk, and although Kreidler’s grounder forced out Baddoo, Navigato delivered a game-tying RBI double. Moments later, Trei Cruz laced a walk-off single to right field to seal the 6-5 comeback victory.
Smeltzer got the start for Toledo, with Tanner Rainey, Alex Lange, Jordan Balazovic, Matt Seelinger, and Bailey Horn combining for solid work out of the bullpen. Horn earned the win.
The Toledo Mud Hens will look to keep the momentum rolling in game two of the series on Wednesday at Fifth Third Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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Riley Greene hit one of Detroit’s three homers in a six-run fifth inning, and the Tigers went on to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-2 on Tuesday night.
Greene had three hits, scored three times and drove in three runs. Wenceel Pérez had three hits, stole two bases and scored four times.
The Tigers have won three straight after losing 12 of 13. Arizona has lost six of seven. The game was tied at 2 before the Tigers scored nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
After Brandon Pfaadt (10-7) retired the leadoff hitter in the fifth, Gleyber Torres put the Tigers ahead 3-2 with a homer to right. Kerry Carpenter singled and Greene hit his 26th homer to make it 5-2.
Spencer Torkelson singled, Pérez hit into an out at second and Zach McKinstry gave the Tigers a five-run lead with his ninth homer.
Andy Ibáñez added an RBI single off reliever Brandyn Garcia later in the inning. Detroit scored three more runs in the sixth, including doubles by Carpenter and Greene and a triple for Pérez.
Pérez needed a home run in the eighth inning for the cycle, but Arizona catcher Jose Herrera got him to ground into a force at second. Arizona took a 1-0 lead before Tigers starter Casey Mize recorded an out. Corbin Carroll led off with a triple into the right-field corner and Ketel Marte followed with a single to right.
Geraldo Perdomo’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly made it 2-0 in the second, but Dillon Dingler tied the game with a two-run single in the fourth.
Arizona 3B Eugenio Suarez missed the game after being hit on the right hand by a pitch on Monday. Tests didn’t show any fractures, and he is being listed as day-to-day.