Sports: Tigers Start Homestand

(Source: Michigan Radio Network, Associated Press)

The Tigers were off Monday and start a home stand tonight against Oakland. Alfredo Simon, back from bereavement leave, will start for the Tigers. Broadcast time Tuesday is 6:40 p.m. on WBCK.  The Tigers will promote outfielder Daniel Fields from Triple-A Toledo as outfielder Rajai Davis and his wife are expecting their second child and could be placed on the paternity list. Fields is hitting .269 with nine steals for the Mud Hens.

Bombers

The Bombers lost at home last night 5-1 to the Rochester Honkers.   The two teams play a morning game today at 10:05.

Griffins Must Win Next Two
The Grand Rapids Griffins will try to force a Game Seven against the Utica Comets in New York tonight in the Calder Cup Western Conference Finals. If Grand Rapids wins tonight, Game Seven will be played tomorrow night in Utica.

College Softball

Florida snapped Michigan’s 28-game win streak with a 3-2 win in the Women's Softball. College World Series. Game two is tonight at 8pm as Michigan faces elimination.

NHL

The Tampa Bay Lightning will meet the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup finals, starting Wednesday.

NBA

The NBA Finals start Thursday in Oakland as Golden State hosts Cleveland.  Cavaliers guard Kyrie has been slowed by left knee tendinitis and a sprained right foot throughout the playoffs.  Warriors guard Klay Thompson has returned to practice after suffering a concussion last week.

New Bulls Coach

Reports say Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg is leaving college ball and will be introduced as the Bulls' head coach at a news conference today. Hoiberg was 115-56 with the Cyclones and has long been rumored as the replacement for Tom Thibodeau, who was fired last week after five seasons in Chicago.

College Basketball Clock Change

The NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee has recommended shortening the shot clock from 35 to 30 seconds, a change that still has to be approved by the Playing Rules Oversight Committee.  John Calipari says shortening the shot clock to 30 seconds won't have any impact on college basketball. Roy Williams echoed that sentiment and John Beilein figures the adjustment should be easy enough.

Symetra Tournament

The Road to the LPGA leads to the Battle Creek Country Club this week, with the second annual Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship, part of the Symetra Tour, gets underway.  The winner will earn $15,000, and the total tournament purse is $100,000.

Tennis

Serena Williams has reached the French Open quarterfinals, but defending champ Maria Sharapova was beaten by 13th seed Lucie Safarova, 7-6, 6-3.  Winners on the men's side were top seed Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal,  Roger Federer, Andy Murray and David Ferrer.

Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes field is down to eight after two horses dropped out.  That leaves seven rivals to face Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah in his bid to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

Girls Soccer

Gull Lake plays Mason tonight at Vicksburg.

Baseball Regionals

Saturday at 10 a.m.:

Coldwater plays Stevensville Lakeshore

Climax-Scotts takes on Morenci.

Softball

Bronson plays Quincy.

Athens plays Morenci at noon Saturday.

Golf

Lakeview’s golf team has advanced to the State Finals at Ferris State Friday and Saturday.

Lippett Transition with Dolphins

Former Spartan receiver Tony Lippett is making the transition from Receiver to Cornerback in the NFL look easy. Lippett, the 2014 Big Ten Receiver of the Year, grabbed 3 interceptions in Dolphins practice yesterday. Lippett was selected by Miami in the fifth round of the NFL Draft with the 156th overall pick.

Rangers Player Couldn’t Speak for Days

New York Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello says he couldn't speak for several days after being hit in the head by a shot during Game 5 of the Pittsburgh series.  He had a small skull fracture, some bleeding, and was in the hospital for three days. He also said he lost some feeling in his arm after the injury and is undergoing speech therapy.

College Football Honors for MSU

Five Michigan State players earned preseason All-American honors from Phil Steele on Monday. That list included four on the second team: center Jack Allen, left tackle Jack Conklin, defensive end Shilique Calhoun and long snapper Taybor Pepper. Quarterback Connor Cook also earned fourth-team All-America honors.

Harbaugh Michigan Coaching Debut Set

The time and network for Jim Harbaugh's debut as Michigan's head football coach have both been set.  According to Michigan's athletic department, the Wolverines' Sept. 3 Thursday night season opener at Utah will kickoff at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1. The game counts as a return matchup for Utah, who knocked off Michigan in Ann Arbor last season.