Report: Browns ‘Hard Knocks’ front-runners

March 23, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

The Factory of Sadness could be getting a closeup.

Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, who previously worked directly for the Browns, reports that the Browns are the front runners to be featured on the 2015 edition of HBO’s Hard Knocks.

The Browns fall within the scope of the teams that can be forced in 2015 to do Hard Knocks. Only teams without new head coaches, teams thatn’t have appeared in the playoffs the past two years, and teams that haven’t appeared on the series in the past decade can be compelled to open their training camp to the NFL Films cameras and microphones.

This year, the teams that fall within that category are the Browns, Texans, Titans, Jaguars, Washington, Giants, Vikings, Buccaneers, and Rams.

Valpo’s Losi tosses shutout against YSU

Valparaiso, Ind.

Valparaiso starting pitcher Mario Losi tossed a four-hit shutout to lead the Crusaders to a 4-0 victory over the Youngstown State baseball team on Sunday afternoon at Emory G. Bauer Field.

The sophomore right-hander didn’t surrender a hit until an infield single to start the fourth, and the other three hits he allowed were after the sixth inning. By that time, the Crusaders’ offense had given him a 4-0 cushion. Losi’s performance overshadowed Josh North’s best start of the year for the Penguins. North allowed three runs, one of which was unearned, on four hits while striking out a career-high nine batters.

Youngstown State will play at Akron on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Djokovic beats Federer to win another title

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.

Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2 to win his fourth BNP Paribas Open on Sunday, tying him with Federer for the most titles in the desert after winning for the second straight year.

The world’s top two men’s players met for the 38th time, second-most among rivalries in the Open era. Federer leads the series 20-18 and had won three of their last four meetings going into the final.

But Federer made too many mistakes at crucial times, piling up 43 unforced errors to 35 for Djokovic. The Serb connected on 63 percent of his first serves, while Federer’s serve let him down. He double-faulted to trail 4-2 in the third as Djokovic won the last four games of the match.

Simona Halep beat Jelena Jankovic 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 to win the women’s title.

Minnesota St. draws top seed for Frozen Four

Minnesota State has received the top seed for the NCAA men’s hockey tournament, followed by North Dakota, Boston University and Miami of Ohio as the other No. 1 seeds in their respective regions.

The NCAA unveiled Sunday the 16-team field, which included six teams from the eight-team National Collegiate Hockey Conference and just one from the Big Ten.

Minnesota State won the Western Collegiate Hockey Association tournament and regular-season title to finish 29-7-3 and make the NCAA tournament for a third straight year.

Bubba Classic game set for next week

The annual all-star game honoring longtime Warren basketball coach Frank Bubba is set for Tuesday, March 31 at Howland High School.

It’s a matchup between the best seniors from Trumbull and Mahoning County. The girls game begins at 5:30 p.m. with a 3-point shootout at halftime. The boy’s contest will follow with a 3-point shootout and a dunk contest at the half. The event charities benefit cystic fibrosis.

Mahoning seniors meeting on April 6

GIRARD

Mahoning senior golf league will hold an organizational meeting at 11 a.m. on April 6 at Mahoning Country Club. The meeting is open to new members. Call Fred at 330-402-7294.

Staff/Wire reports