Texas beats Texas Tech 10-4 in decisive 3rd game of WCWS to win its 1st national championship
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Mia Scott hit a grand slam, Teagan Kavan claimed another win and Texas defeated Texas Tech 10-4 in Game 3 of the Women’s College World Series championship series on Friday night to win its first national title. Kavan, a sophomore, allowed no earned runs in all 31 2/3 innings she pitched at the World Series. She went 4-0 with a save in the World Series for the Longhorns (56-12). Texas Tech star pitcher NiJaree Canady, who had thrown every pitch for the Red Raiders through their first five World Series games, was pulled after one inning in Game 3. She gave up five runs on five hits and only threw 25 pitches.
All-Star Corbin Burnes set for Tommy John surgery, ending his 1st season in Arizona
CINCINNATI (AP) — All-Star right-hander Corbin Burnes of the Arizona Diamondbacks is set to undergo Tommy John elbow surgery, ending his season early in the first year of a $210 million, six-year contract. It’s the richest deal in club history. The 30-year-old exited his most recent start with Arizona leading 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning Sunday. After Burnes allowed a single by CJ Abrams with two outs, he gestured toward the dugout with his glove and yelled in frustration. The injury will end a four-year run of All-Star appearances for Burnes.
Panthers look to even the Stanley Cup Final against the Oilers in Game 2
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The defending champion Florida Panthers look to even things up in the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 on Friday night. The Oilers won Game 1 in overtime on Leon Draisaitl’s power-play goal following a puck-over-the-glass penalty on Florida’s Tomas Nosek. The Panthers have won 10 of 11 playoff series since Matthew Tkachuk arrived via trade and Paul Maurice was hired as coach, making the final all three years. Connor McDavid, Draisaitl and the Oilers hope to sweep the first two games of the best-of-seven series at home before play shifts to Sunrise, Florida next week.
McIlroy tumbles out of Canadian Open with a 78. Champ takes 2-shot lead into the weekend
CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Masters champion Rory McIlroy tumbled out of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday with his worst round in nearly a year, with Cameron Champ taking a two-stroke lead into the weekend in the final event before the U.S. Open. McIlroy shot an 8-over 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey 8 in his highest score since also shooting 78 last year in the first round of the British Open. At 9 over, the two-time Canadian Open winner was 21 strokes behind Champ on the rain-softened North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Champ had four birdies in a 68 a day after opening with a 62. He was at 12 under, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey.
The Comeback Playoffs: There have been 10 rallies from 15 points or more down in this NBA postseason
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Welcome to the Comeback Playoffs, led by the Indiana Pacers. Indiana’s rally from 15 points down in Game 1 of the NBA Finals was the 10th such comeback — from 15 or more — in this season’s playoffs. The Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton are responsible for five of those comebacks; the rest of the league, combined, have the other five. Since the NBA began keeping track of such things in 1997, there has never been a postseason with more 15-point comebacks or more by a single team than the Pacers have pulled off this spring.
Dallas Stars fire coach Pete DeBoer after losing in the West final for a 3rd year in a row
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer has been fired after three seasons with the team, getting to the Western Conference final each time but never advancing past that for a shot at the Stanley Cup. The move came Friday, a week since the Stars ended their season in a 6-3 loss at home to Edmonton in Game 5 of the West final. DeBoer made the curious and much-discussed decision to bench Jake Oettinger after his star goalie gave up two goals on two shots in the first 7:09. Two days later, the coach acknowledged he still hadn’t talked to Oettinger about that decision.
French Open: Sinner beats Djokovic to set up final against defending champion Alcaraz
PARIS (AP) — After beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (3) in the French Open semifinals, top-ranked Jannik Sinner now must find a way past defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Sinner has not dropped a set so far on the way to his first final at Roland-Garros, but Alcaraz has won their last four meetings and leads him 7-4 overall. Sinner is aiming for his fourth major title and Alcaraz his fifth. Djokovic is a men’s record 24-time Grand Slam champion but could not counter Sinner’s relentless accuracy and pounding forehands on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Earlier Alcaraz led 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0, 2-0 against Lorenzo Musetti when the eighth-seeded Italian retired with a leg injury.
Sovereignty vs. Journalism in the Belmont gives horse racing a Kentucky Derby rematch
Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and runner-up Journalism are set for a rematch in the Belmont Stakes to close out the Triple Crown. Journalism won the Preakness without Sovereignty in the field after owners and trainer Bill Mott opted to give their horse extra rest. That was all for the Belmont, which is being run for a second time at historic Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The final leg of the Triple Crown features the top three finishers from the Derby in the field of eight.
Braves call up franchise saves leader Craig Kimbrel a day after blowing a big lead
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have called up franchise career saves leader Craig Kimbrel from the minors a day after having their worst blown ninth-inning lead in more than a half-century. The Braves selected Kimbrel from Triple-A Gwinnett and recalled left-hander Dylan Dodd before opening a road series against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night. Atlanta placed right-hander Daysbel Hernández on the 15-day injured list with right forearm inflammation and traded right-hander Scott Blewett to Baltimore for cash considerations to make room on the roster. The moves come a day after the Braves blew a 10-4 lead in the ninth inning at Arizona and lost 11-10.