WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Houston Astros are minus eight pitchers because of COVID-19 protocols, but general manager James Click says there were no plans to pause activity at the team’s spring training camp. Manager Dusty Baker said Friday that pitchers Cristian Javier, Pedro Báez, Francis Martes, Enoli Paredes and Hector Velazquez were out. On Thursday, Baker said three other pitchers were sent home. It was not known whether the eight pitchers had tested positive for the virus or had come in close contact with someone who had tested positive. The Astros aren’t in any danger of running out of pitchers, however. They have 39 pitchers in camp.

(AP) — Spud Webb remembers getting on the bus after winning the NBA slam dunk contest 35 years ago and getting a quick piece of advice from his Atlanta teammate at the time, Doc Rivers. The message: Your life just changed forever. That’s what happens when a 5-foot-7 guy captures imaginations by winning the dunk contest, which was just in its third year then. Webb returns to the dunk contest on Sunday in Atlanta as one of the judges, when first-time competitors Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trail Blazers, Cassius Stanley of the Indiana Pacers and Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks compete for the title.

(AP) — Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun feels comfortable in the batter's box against left-handed pitchers again. There are no flashbacks to last March, when he had a fastball hit him in the face and break his jaw. That was a year ago next Monday. Calhoun has already faced lefties in each of his three spring training games. He says he was jumpy in his limited at-bats against lefties last season. But he says he feels completely normal again without those thoughts in his head.

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Kayla Wells scored 16 points while Alexis Morris added 13 off the bench as No. 2 Texas A&M opened the SEC Tournament with a 77-58 victory over LSU on Friday. The Aggies improved to 23-1 and advanced to the league tournament semifinals for the fourth time in five years. They'll face either No. 16 Georgia or No. 17 Kentucky on Saturday. Wells and Morris got the Aggies going right before halftime with four points apiece to take a 32-26 lead. Texas A&M finished with five players in double figures. Khayla Pointer led LSU with 26 points.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Katie Ledecky led all the way in winning the 200-meter freestyle at the TYR Pro Swim Series meet in Texas, earning her third title in three days. She touched in 1 minute, 56.62 seconds, adding the 200 free to her earlier wins in the 400 free and 1,500 free. She finished third in the 100 free on Thursday. Ryan Lochte finished last in the men's 200 free final. He is bidding to make his fifth Olympic team at age 36. Olympic champion Ryan Murphy won the 200 backstroke with the fastest time in the world this year.

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Duke Miles scored a season-high 26 points and Troy beat Texas-Arlington 91-86 in the first round of a Sun Belt Conference tournament game. The Trojans entered as the East Division’s sixth seed and UTA as No. 3 in the West Division. Troy faces Coastal Carolina, the east’s second seed on Saturday. Miles shot 10 for 12 from the foul line and distributed nine assists. David Azore scored 21 points for the Mavericks.

EDINBURG, Texas (AP) — Freddy Hicks had a season-high 21 points plus 11 rebounds as Tarleton State defeated Texas Rio Grande Valley 65-47. Montre’ Gipson had 17 points for Tarleton State (9-10, 4-7 Western Athletic Conference). Shakur Daniel added 10 points. Hicks hit 9 of 10 free throws. Uche Dibiamaka had 11 points for the Vaqueros (9-8, 2-4), who shot just 14 of 50 (28%) from the floor and have lost four consecutive games.

DENTON, Texas (AP) — Michael Ertel tied his season high with 21 points as UAB topped North Texas 65-51. Javion Hamlet led the Mean Green with 16 points.

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