Saints to hold 'Nopening Day' on Tuesday

The St. Paul Saints will hold a virtual home opener Tuesday at an empty CHS Field.

The Saints, an independent minor league baseball club, have dubbed the event "Nopening Day." The defending American Association champions will begin the event at their ballpark with curbside pickup of 500 free T-shirts for fans starting at 5:30 p.m. and end it with a fireworks display.

In between, the Saints will rebroadcast their 2015 home opener vs. the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks — the first game at CHS Field in Lowertown — starting at 6:45 p.m. on their social media platforms.

The team's usual off-the-wall in-game promotions will be staged from the homes of various staff members during the game. Then, on a serious note, video clips honoring front-line workers at Twin Cities hospitals will be aired.

• Gophers junior righthander Max Meyer was rated as the No. 10 overall prospect for the MLB draft by Baseball America. Meyer was 3-1 with a 1.95 ERA this abbreviated past college season. The draft is June 10-11.

• Carleton women's golfer Alyssa Akiyama was named MIAC Player and Senior of the Year, while Bethel's Anna Tollefson was selected Rookie of the Year and the Royals' Trent Anderson the Coach of the Year. Akiyama won three of the five tournaments she participated in last fall, including the conference meet.

• Ryan Kucera was named the Minnesota State Mankato women's tennis coach. He has been the tennis pro at Des Moines Golf and Country Club the past 1½ years.

• Tanisha Wright, who played for three WNBA teams, including the Lynx in 2018, over 15 seasons, will be a Las Vegas Aces assistant coach this year, the team announced.

• The Gophers men's weight throw group ending the season with a No. 1 ranking in NCAA Division I. The top four throwers — Kieran McKeag, Kaleb Siekmeier, Jon Nerdal and Connor Rousemiller — all posted top 10 program indoor marks.