Hornets must Get Physical to Battle Denver Tonight

A few things to watch for in Game 4, as the Hornets attempt to even the series prior to their Tuesday’s flight to Denver for Wednesday’s Game 5 at the Pepsi Center:
1) Can the Hornets maintain their level of offensive aggressiveness from Game 3?
An interesting stat from Hornets radio host Joe Block: Over the past two seasons, New Orleans has never attempted 30-plus free throws in consecutive games. The Hornets were 28-for-35 at the foul line on Saturday, after finishing 28th out of NBA 30 teams during the regular season in total free-throw attempts. New Orleans is more reliant on jump-shooting than most NBA clubs, which partly explains its relative lack of trips to the charity stripe. But when the outside shots aren’t falling for the Hornets, they become infinitely more beatable when they’re not trying to drive to the basket. In this series, not settling for perimeter shots has been even more imperative, because Denver’s fast-break attack can be fueled by long rebounds three-point misses that give the Nuggets’ transition game a head start.
2) How will physical play affect Game 4?
Although there has been more drama in a few other 2009 first-round series (especially in Celtics-Bulls, which is shaping up as a classic so far), Nuggets-Hornets has arguably featured more hard fouls and testy moments than any of the eight matchups. There were three flagrant fouls during the second half of Game 3, along with two technical fouls. The atmosphere inside the New Orleans Arena on Saturday was about as intense as you can imagine, with a sellout crowd producing a decibel level that Hornets reserve big man Sean Marks described as “the loudest gym I’ve ever been in.” Players from both teams have said that they understand there has been nothing personal to some of the hard fouls, and that the contact is just part of the territory in the playoffs. So far the Nuggets and Hornets have done a commendable job of staying composed despite a few cases of extraneous jawing and posturing on the floor.
3) How will the Hornets’ frontcourt respond to a subpar Game 3?
Much of the talk from Denver after Game 3 was that it was an encouraging day despite the loss, because the Nuggets played poorly yet still had a chance to win on Carmelo Anthony’s mid-range jumper in the final seconds. From a Hornets standpoint, however, they can point to winning a game despite one of the poorest combined showings of the season from their starting frontcourt of Peja Stojakovic, David West and Tyson Chandler. Stojakovic was 1-for-9 shooting and missed all of its jump shots; West had a miserable time around the basket, missing countless chippies; Chandler’s outing was limited to just 18 minutes due to constant foul trouble. West did end up with decent numbers of 19 points and nine rebounds before fouling out, but New Orleans essentially received no production from its small forward and center. If both Stojakovic and Chandler can make a larger impact tonight, the Hornets’ chances of equaling the series improve drastically.
Other notes from Hornets shootaround this morning in the Arena:
• It’s uncertain how much James Posey will be affected, if at all, by the sprained knee he sustained in Game 3. “He’s going to give it everything he’s got, but I have no idea what to expect tonight,” Byron Scott said. Scott added that if Posey’s minutes need to be reduced, Julian Wright, Devin Brown or Morris Peterson will likely move into the rotation.
• Chris Paul said the knee injury that resulted from his fast-break collision with J.R. Smith in Game 3 will not impact his play tonight. “I’m good to go,” Paul said.
• Tyson Chandler mentioned that after Game 2’s defeat, Posey entered the Hornets’ locker room and told his teammates to “keep fighting” and not think that the series is over. Posey was part of the 2006 NBA champion Miami Heat, who rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat Dallas. Based on the physicality of Nuggets-Hornets so far, a reporter jokingly asked Chandler if the “keep fighting” suggestion by Posey was meant to be taken literally. A grinning Chandler responded, “No, not at all. I can’t afford (the fines). I’ve got to be able to send my kids to school.”
• Chandler said he heard Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups visited Jazz Fest on Sunday, but did not receive a warm welcome from New Orleanians. Stressing that there is nothing personal to this series, Chandler smiled and said that if he’d been standing near Billups during Jazz Fest, Chandler would’ve “tried to help him out a little bit” in dealing with the crowd.

Tigers Sweep Auburn at the Box

LSU third baseman Tyler Hanover delivered a three-run homer, and right fielder Jared Mitchell collected three hits to lead the sixth-ranked Tigers to a 7-6 victory and SEC series sweep of Auburn Sunday afternoon in Alex Box Stadium.

LSU (33-12, 14-7 SEC) moved into a first-place tie with Georgia in the SEC overall standings following the Bulldogs’ loss to Ole Miss Sunday. Auburn fell to 25-19 overall and 8-13 in the conference despite a five-hit performance from shortstop Casey McElroy.

Hanover’s dinger, which came with two outs and runners in scoring position, was his fourth on the year. The freshman is now batting a robust .522 with two outs and runners in scoring position this season.

In addition, second baseman DJ LeMahieu and center fielder Mikie Mahtook each finished with two hits, and catcher Micah Gibbs and first baseman Buzzy Haydel drove in one run apiece on RBI doubles.

Right-hander Daniel Bradshaw (3-0) recorded his third win of the season, hurling 2.1 innings out of the bullpen and giving up two earned runs. Freshman Matty Ott tallied his 10th save on the year as the freshman surrendered only one hit and gave up no runs in 1.1 innings.

The Tigers also received a big spark from sophomore Chad Jones, who made his collegiate pitching debut out of the bullpen. The southpaw entered at a critical juncture in the eighth inning, and after giving up a single, he fanned two lefties with the bases loaded.

“Tyler Hanover gave us the big hit of the game when we were down 4-2,” LSU head coach Paul Mainieri said. “He hit the three-run homer to give us the lead. Daniel Bradshaw did a pretty good job for a couple of innings there, but he kind of lost it in the eighth inning, so I pulled out the secret weapon (Jones).

“Once Chad started showing that he could throw strikes with his fastball, I felt really confident he could do the job. If he could get to an advantage count, I knew he could throw that slider, which can be a wicked pitch to left-handed hitters, and he just did a tremendous job.”

LSU notched two runs in the second to take an early 2-0 lead. Following a single by Mahtook and a walk to Gibbs, Haydel lined a double down the third base line to drive in a run. Left fielder Ryan Schimpf drove in another two batters later on a grounder to second.

Auburn struck back in the third with two runs to tie it at 2-2. First baseman Hunter Morris launched a two-run homer over the right field wall.

The Plainsmen scored two runs in the fifth to go up, 4-2 when LSU right-hander Paul Bertuccini hit left fielder Brian Fletcher with the bases loaded, and third baseman Wes Gilmer drew a walk in the next plate appearance.

However, Hanover put the Tigers back on top, 5-4, in the bottom of the frame with a three-run dinger to left. Mahtook followed with an infield single, and Gibbs drove him in with a double off the wall in right center to give the Tigers a two-run lead.

Auburn strung together three consecutive singles to load the bases with one out in the sixth, but LSU reliever Daniel Bradshaw retired the next two batters to pitch his way out of the jam and preserve the 6-4 advantage.

The Tigers added a run in the sixth as LeMahieu came through with a clutch, RBI single with two outs to bring home Mitchell.

After Jones’ back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded in the eighth, Auburn was able to close the gap with a two-run single by Fletcher off of Ott to cut the lead to 7-6, but Ott kept the Plainsmen off the scoreboard in the ninth to preserve the victory.

Ott forced second baseman Justin Hargett to ground into a 4-6-3 double play with one out and runners on first and second to end the game.

LSU returns to action Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. (CDT) with a home game against in-state rival Tulane. The contest will be broadcast by Cox Sports Television and can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network (98.1 FM). In addition, live video, audio and stats will be available in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.

LSU 7, Auburn 6 (Apr 26, 2009 at Baton Rouge, La.)

Auburn.............. 002 020 020 - 6 11 0 (25-19, 8-13 SEC)
LSU.................... 020 041 00X - 7 11 0 (33-12, 14-7 SEC)

Rebels Take Series From No. 1 Georgia With 6-1 Win

Scott Bittle continued to perform masterfully on the mound while the Rebel offense out-hit the Bulldogs to a tune of 10-5 as No. 11 Ole Miss (32-12, 13-8 SEC) defeated No. 1 Georgia (33-11, 14-7 SEC) by a score of 6-1 to claim the weekend series.
Sunday’s crowd reached 8,219 fans to push the three-day total to 26,929 fans in attendance for the weekend series. It’s the largest three-game series attendance for the Rebels in school history.

Bittle (5-2) picked up the win as he worked 7.0 innings and held the Bulldogs to one run on five hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts. The senior did not allow a hit from Georgia after the first batter of the third inning as the pitching staff combined to hold the Bulldogs hitless from that point on. Only one Georgia batter reached base in the final 7.0 innings.

Georgia starter Justin Grimm (2-3) suffered the loss as he allowed five runs - four earned - on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.

“It was a great baseball game today that topped off a great weekend,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “That was a tremendous effort by Scott Bittle - to do what he did with the three hits in the first before hanging in there and really holding them off. I thought Justin Grimm did a great job, but we were able to squeak out a few runs against him.

“The crowd really took over when we loaded the bases (in the sixth). It’s not often you see that in a college baseball game, but I think that certainly happened today.”

Georgia got on the board in the first inning for the third time on the weekend with a single run to open the game. Colby May came up with a single before moving to second on a single from Rich Poythress and then scoring on a single from Joey Lewis.

Ole Miss answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. Jordan Henry singled before stealing second and then moved to third on a sac bunt from Logan Power. He then scored on a single from Matt Snyder. Snyder then scored two batters later on a fielding error in right field on a high fly ball from Kyle Henson that was dropped, allowing the freshman to score from first and give the Rebels the 2-1 lead.

Ole Miss never trailed again.

The Rebels got a surprising run in the fourth inning when Michael Hubbard hit an inside-the-park home run to push the lead out to 3-1. Hubbard hit the ball deep to left center where it bounced off the wall. Hubbard then beat the relay in for the score.

Ole Miss added three runs in the sixth for the final margin of victory at 6-1. Henson opened the inning with a single before taking second on a wild pitch. Zach MillerTaylor Hashman to load the bases with no outs. then drew a walk before a passed ball advanced both runners to scoring position. Georgia then went to its bullpen for Justin Earls, who walked pinch-hitter

Georgia again went to its bullpen for Jeff Walters who struck out Kevin Mort, but saw Evan Button lay down a bunt single that scored Henson and gave Ole Miss the 4-1 lead as all runners advanced safely, keeping the bases loaded. Henry then came up with a two-RBI single up the middle to score Miller and Hashman and give the Rebels the 6-1 lead.

Bittle then held the Bulldogs off the board in the seventh, while David Goforth and Jake Morgan closed out the eighth and ninth, respectively, to secure the win.

Ole Miss will return to action on Tuesday night when the Rebels will face Southern Miss at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

Rebels Rally To Down #1 Georgia 10-8, Pull Even In Series

A day after watching Georgia come up with a big hit in a critical situation, the Rebels pulled off a little magic of their own as No. 11 Ole Miss (31-12, 12-8 SEC) rallied in the eighth to defeat No. 1 Georgia (33-10, 14-6 SEC) by a score of 10-8 on Saturday.

With 9,478 fans on their feet in the eighth inning and the game tied at eight, Logan Power came up with a two-RBI double to right field to score Evan Button and Zach Miller and push the Rebels to a 10-8 lead. The attendance was the second largest ever at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

The Rebels scored three runs in the inning, sparked by a Kevin Mort single to open the frame. With a runner on, Georgia went to the bullpen to for Justin Earls. A wild pitch moved Mort to second before Evan Button came up with an RBI single to tie the game at eight.

Jordan Henry then flew out for the second out of the inning before Button then moved to second on a wild pitch and took third on a passed ball. A walk of Zach Miller put two men on before Power came up with the big hit that drove in both runs and gave the Rebels the lead.

Jake Morgan then entered the game and closed out the ninth, retiring all three batters in order to pick up his sixth save of the season and clinch the win. Brett Bukvich (6-1) picked up the win in relief as he worked 0.1 innings and struck out the final out of the eighth inning before the Rebels would rally in the bottom half of the inning.

Earls (0-1) suffered the loss for the Bulldogs as he gave up two runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout after entering the game with the Rebels trailing by one and a runner at first.

“There were lots of heroes today,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “Phillip Irwin had a tough game without his best stuff, but he gutted it out and gave us a lot of innings. Offensively we were able to get some big hits with runners in scoring position, which we weren’t able to do Friday night. We got the crowd into it. It was very loud on the field. We got some runners on , did some things offensively and got them into the game.”

Georgia scored two runs in the first inning for the second straight day as Bryce Massanari hit a two-run shot that scored Matt Cerione and gave Georgia the 2-0 lead. Cerione reached on a walk to open the game.

Ole Miss answered in the bottom of the first as Miller drew a walk then scored from first on a double to right field from Matt Smith.

The Bulldogs answered in the third as back-to-back singles put runners on and a fielding error at second pushed one run across and left runners at the corners. A sac fly from Poythress scored Cerione for the second run of the inning before back-to-back doubles from Massanari and Johnathan Taylor notched a third run and gave Georgia a 5-1 lead.

Ole Miss again answered, pushing two runs across the plate in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 5-3. Tim Ferguson opened the inning with a home run before a Henry walk and a Miller double scored the second run of the inning and cut the lead to two.

The Rebels then claimed the lead in the fourth with a three run inning that saw Ole Miss jump out to a 6-5 lead.

Georgia again had an answer, as Massanari came up with his second home run of the day to knot the game at six in the fifth inning.

The Bulldogs moved out to an 8-6 lead in the seventh when Poythress reached on a single, only to see Massanari come up with his third home run of the day to plate two more runs for the Bulldogs.

The Rebels then pushed a run across in the seventh to cut the lead to one when Smith came up with a two-out double and scored a batter later on a single to left field from Kyle Henson. The run pulled the score to 8-7 in favor of the visiting team.

That’s when Ole Miss dug down and came up with its rally, using three hits to push three runs across the plate and take the lead for good.

Ole Miss and Georgia will face-off again at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday in the rubber-match as each team fights to claim the weekend series.

Sox Bats Prevail Over Yanks

There were more dizzying dramatics for the Red Sox against their rivals on Saturday, when the truest form of a slugfest unfolded.

Even after sustaining an early 6-0 deficit, the Red Sox found a way to outbash the Yankees, 16-11, in a wild contest at Fenway Park.



Red Sox-Yankees
Sat.: BOS 16, NYY 11
• Sox outslug Yanks
• Smoltz, Dice-K better
• Yanks restock roster
• A-Rod's next step
• Batboy enjoys series
Fri.: BOS 5, NYY 4
• Youk wins it for Sox
• Papi: No ill will
• Van Every fills void
• Lugo eyes Monday
• A-Rod improving
• Wang to DL
• Tex on the scene
• Ransom to DL
• Bruney examined





In a game billed as a pitchers' duel between Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett -- two right-handers who were phenoms on the same Marlins staff a few seasons ago -- neither power pitcher had much of anything.

This was a game dominated by the bats, as the American League East heavyweights traded haymakers all afternoon and into the early evening.

Mike Lowell's three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning was the one hit that stood up, giving the Red Sox their ninth straight win -- a franchise record for April -- and a chance to sweep the Yankees in this three-game series on Sunday night. The homer from Lowell, who finished with six RBIs, came against right-hander Jonathan Albaladejo.

Making the loss more painful for the Yankees was the fact they held a two-run lead with two outs in the ninth inning on Friday night, only to lose that game in 11 innings.

Aside from Lowell's game-winner, perhaps Boston's most clutch hit of the day came from Jason Varitek. The captain turned on Burnett's 96-mph heater and launched it into the visitors' bullpen with two outs in the fourth inning to cut New York's lead to a mere run at 6-5.

Burnett didn't settle down in the sixth, as the Red Sox went right back at him. Jacoby Ellsbury opened the inning with a game-tying homer, again into the Yankees' bullpen. Dustin Pedroia (single), David Ortiz (double) and Kevin Youkilis (hit by pitch) then combined to load the bases with nobody out. Though Burnett got a brief reprieve when J.D. Drew hit into a 3-2-3 double play, Bay lofted a two-run double off the Green Monster to give the Red Sox their first lead of the day, 8-6.

Improbably, Beckett had a chance to get the win. But the right-hander's misery continued when the Yankees jumped right back on him, getting a Derek Jeter walk and a two-run homer by Johnny Damon that tied the game.

Back and forth it went. In the bottom of the sixth, the Red Sox took the lead again on a sacrifice fly to right by Ortiz. The bad news of that go-ahead run was that Pedroia strangely tried to tag and go to second and was thrown out to end the inning.

That was just the first unfortunate event for Pedroia, who uncharacteristically let a routine grounder from Damon with two outs go through his legs in the top of the seventh for a two-run error that put the Yankees back ahead, 10-9.

Again, though, the Red Sox would have an answer.

Sox Primed For Yankee Invasionthis Weekend

With the Yankees coming to town for the first time, the stars happen to be aligned just right for the Red Sox. No, not the stars that hover above, but rather the ones that fill out Boston manager Terry Francona's lineup.

The renewal of the rivalry -- which takes place Friday night at Fenway --- couldn't come at a better time for the Red Sox, who look more like the Red Socks these days.

In case you haven't noticed, the Red Sox bring a seven-game winning streak into this series, and the catalyst has been an offense that has gone from an early-season funk to a steady display of mashing.

There will be no better test for Boston's surging sticks than the Yankees' starting pitchers, which will consist of Joba Chamberlain, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte in this series.

What has gotten into an offense that combined to hit .213 over the first seven games, only to bring its overall average up to .275 just eight games later?

A big part of it is venue. When the Red Sox were at their worst at the plate, they were on a six-game West Coast swing. The revival has come at Fenway, where even when the weather is cold, the ever-inviting Green Monster hovers just 310 feet from home plate.

"We play good at home," said Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. "Everybody is in a good mood. Everybody is locked in right now."

That includes Ortiz. Though he has yet to go deep, the big man has been wearing out the Monster of late. Typically when Ortiz starts going to the opposite field, it is a sign that he is primed for a breakout.

"I'm swinging hard -- just in case I hit it," quipped Ortiz.

There is a significant list of teammates who are also shredding the ball.

The one guy who has been mashing since, seemingly, the national anthem on Opening Day, is Kevin Youkilis. The first baseman is hitting .429 with 14 runs scored, six doubles, four homers, 12 RBIs, a .522 on base percentage and a .750 slugging percentage.

"He always puts together consistent at-bats," said Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. "This is a streak that's ridiculous. He knows the count, knows what he's looking for, and when he gets his pitch, he doesn't miss it."


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"If you're scoring a lot of runs, it means you're winning. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going and maintain this hot streak we're on right now. There's a lot of guys in this lineup that are really hot right now."
-- Tim Wakefield

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Then there is Lowell. Offseason hip surgery was going to hinder his production? It doesn't appear so. The gritty third baseman is back in that 2007 mode where he can smell RBIs. Lowell has driven in 16 runs to lead the team, this to go along with three homers and a .315 average.

Not bad for a No. 7 hitter. That placement alone is indicative of the depth of Boston's lineup.

"I know, man. No [kidding]. They should move him to third," quipped Ortiz, who occupies the three-hole for the Sox. "We got him back there just to fool people."

But very few Red Sox hitters are getting fooled these days. And as much as both rivals talk about the importance of pitching, Lowell notes that it could be the most locked-in offense that prevails in this initial series.

"I think the key is going to be which offense is going to be able to take advantage of mistakes," Lowell said.

While Lowell, Youkilis and Ortiz have been getting a lot of accolades the last few days, the reigning American League's Most Valuable Player is also catching fire. Dustin Pedroia, who was hitting .179 on April 15, is up to .286.

"It's just a matter of getting more at-bats," Pedroia said. "There was a small sample of at-bats early and guys want to do so well. Once you get to the grind of the season, you start having better at-bats and the numbers to show for it."

While media and fans will dissect the fluctuations of the offense all year long, there is a simple fact that hits home to Ortiz to demonstrate the recent hot streak.

"We've got good hitters. Good hitters are always going to hit, no matter what," Ortiz said. "I don't care what anybody has to say. Good hitters are always going to hit. You could have a whole bad month and then you have a good month -- not even a good month, you have two good weeks, and that bad month is in the past because everybody knows that you're hitting. That's how the game goes -- period."

And when the Red Sox are hitting, an attitude develops in the clubhouse.

"If you're scoring a lot of runs, it means you're winning," said Red Sox right-hander Tim Wakefield. "Hopefully we can keep the momentum going and maintain this hot streak we're on right now. There's a lot of guys in this lineup that are really hot right now."

Now the Red Sox just hope the Yankees get to experience just how hot.

Button's Offense Leads Rebels Over Eagles

Evan Button had a big night for the Rebels, going 5-for-5 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored to help the offense lead No. 11 Ole Miss (30-11) to a win over Southern Miss (25-15) by a score of 8-4 on Wednesday at Pete Taylor Park.

It marks the first win in Hattiesburg for the Rebels since the 2001 season.

Button led the Rebels, who had 17 hits on the night. Six Ole Miss players posted multiple hits, including a 3-for-4 performance from Kyle Henson and a 2-for-3 performance from Kevin Mort. The bottom of the order came up with 10 hits, four RBI and five runs.


Rory McKean (5-1) picked up the win in relief for the Rebels as the junior entered in the fifth and worked 2.0 innings as he held Southern Miss to two runs - one earned - on four hits with a walk and a strikeout. David Goforth picked up his third save of the season as he worked the final 3 innings and held the Golden Eagles hitless while walking one and striking out five.


Seth Hester (2-2) suffered the loss for the Golden Eagles as he worked 2.0 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Southern Miss would go on to use six pitchers in the game.

“The bottom of the order did great for us tonight,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “Evan Button had a great night and it was nice to see that out of him. Kevin Mort continued to be Mr. Consistency and Kyle Henson had a great night as well.

“Our pitchers did a good job tonight as well, and David Goforth was tremendous at the end. He is super talented and just so athletic.”

Ole Miss got on the board in the second when Kyle Henson came up with an RBI double down the left field line to score Zach Miller. Miller singled before stealing second to get into scoring position for the Henson hit. Mort then singled to short, allowing Henson to move to third before Evan Button came up with an RBI single to score Henson and give the Rebels a 2-0 lead.

The Rebels added to the lead in the third inning when Matt Smith singled up the middle and drove in two more runs as Logan Power and Matt Snyder scored on the play. Power walked before moving to third on a double from Snyder.

Southern Miss rallied in the fifth as the Golden Eagles finally got to Bukvich and broke up the no-hitter. James Ewing drew a walk before moving to second on a single from Josh Fields. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch before scoring on a double to right center from Corey Stevens. A single from Joey Archer put runners at second and third and sent the Rebels to the bullpen for Rory McKean.

McKean walked B.A. Vollmuth to load the bases before getting Travis Graves to ground into a double play at third as the Rebels got the lead runner at home and Graves at first. Taylor W.lker then flew out to right field to end the inning with Ole Miss up 5-2.

Ole Miss extended the lead again in the seventh when Smith scored from first on a double to the wall in centerfield from Miller. Smith singled to open the inning and get on base for Miller’s hit. Two batters later, Henson singled then scored from first on a double to left center from Kevin Mort to give the Rebels a 7-2 lead and send Southern Miss to the bullpen for Collin Cargill.

Evan Button then tripled off the wall in left to score Mort as Ole Miss took an 8-2 lead.

Southern Miss answered in the bottom of the frame as three straight singles pushed a run across and left runners at second and third with no outs on the board. The Rebels then turned to the bullpen for David Goforth. Goforth got the next three batters out with a strikeout, groundout and fly out - but a run scored on the groundout as Southern Miss cut the lead to 8-4.

The Golden Eagles would get no closer as Goforth held the home team in check down the stretch to preserve the win for the Rebels.

Ole Miss will return to action this weekend as the Rebels host No. 1 Georgia in a three-game series at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. First pitch on Friday night is set for 6:30 p.m. as Ole Miss will kick off a celebration of the newly renovated stadium and host a fireworks show immediately following the game.