Women’s College World Series: Stanford softball can’t break No. 1 Oklahoma’s win streak

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

Women’s College World Series: Stanford softball can’t break No. 1 Oklahoma’s win streak By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports WriterOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Stanford freshman NiJaree Canady softball was locked in a pitcher’s duel Thursday against Oklahoma, the two-time defending champs, but was eventually outdone by Sooners ace Jordy Bahl, putting the Cardinal on the brink of elimination in the Women’s College World Series.Bahl threw a five-hitter with 11 strikeouts to help Oklahoma defeat Stanford 2-0 Thursday in its tournament opener.“Jordy was absolutely on her game,” Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso said. “She was just a boss today. It was really fun to watch that, especially not getting the opportunity she wanted last year and just making the most of it from day one.”Bahl outlasted Canady, the nation’s leader in ERA and the NFCA freshman of the year. Canady gave up just four hits and one earned run in five innings while regularly throwing 75 mph against an Oklahoma team that leads the nation in scoring and batting average.“We knew what we were running into in the way of NiJa...

Records show frantic aftermath of Jeffrey Epstein’s death

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

Records show frantic aftermath of Jeffrey Epstein’s death By Michael R. Sisak and Michael Balsamo | Associated PressNEW YORK — Two weeks before ending his life, Jeffrey Epstein sat in the corner of his Manhattan jail cell with his hands over his ears, desperate to muffle the sound of a toilet that wouldn’t stop running.Epstein was agitated and unable to sleep, jail officials observed in records newly obtained by The Associated Press. He called himself a “coward” and complained he was struggling to adapt to life behind bars following his July 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges — his life of luxury reduced to a concrete and steel cage.The disgraced financier was under psychological observation at the time for a suicide attempt just days earlier that left his neck bruised and scraped. Yet, even after a 31-hour stint on suicide watch, Epstein insisted he wasn’t suicidal, telling a jail psychologist he had a “wonderful life” and “would be crazy” to end it.On Aug. 10, 201...

2 victims hospitalized after stabbing, carjacking in San Jose

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

2 victims hospitalized after stabbing, carjacking in San Jose SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- Authorities are responding to a carjacking and two stabbings Thursday afternoon, the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) announced on Twitter. The first stabbing happened at the intersection of Kooser Road and Dellwood Way around 3:11 p.m.About 20 minutes later, SJPD responded to a separate stabbing that led to a carjacking on the 1800 block of Hillsdale Avenue, police said. The suspect drove away in the stolen car and hit a pedestrian. Both stabbing victims were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The pedestrian who was hit by the car suffered non-life-threatening injuries. SJPD believes there is one suspect in connection to both incidents, the department tweeted. The scene at Hillsdale Avenue is approximately three miles away from the intersection of Kooser Road and Dellwood Way.There is a Starbucks, McDonald's and Speedway Express gas station located in the area of the first stabbing.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Dodgers acquire minor league RHP Vanasco from Rangers for LHP Valdez

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

Dodgers acquire minor league RHP Vanasco from Rangers for LHP Valdez LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired right-hander Ricky Vanasco from the Texas Rangers for lefty Luis Valdez on Thursday.Right-hander Zack Burdi was also designated for assignment by the Dodgers to make room on their 40-man roster.Vanasco, a 15th-round draft pick of Texas in 2017, was designated for assignment on Monday. He allowed six runs in 2 1/3 innings in two games for Double-A Frisco after being activated from the injured list. Vanasco was 3-5 with a 4.68 ERA in 23 starts between Frisco and and High-A Hickory.The 19-year-old Valdez was 0-2 with a 3.12 ERA in eight games for Low-A Rancho Cucamonga this season. He was signed by the Dodgers as a minor league free agent out of Mexico in 2019. —AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

NCAA champ Rose Zhang makes impressive LPGA Tour debut in Mizuho Americas Open

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

NCAA champ Rose Zhang makes impressive LPGA Tour debut in Mizuho Americas Open JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Two-time NCAA champion Rose Zhang made her professional debut Thursday on the LPGA Tour, a solid opening round in the Mizuho Americas Open.The 20-year-old from Stanford who dominated the women’s amateur rankings for more than two years shot a 2-under 70 at Liberty National in the shadow of New York. The Californian was five shots off the lead held by Lauren Hartlage, who shot a career-best 65.Aditi Ashok, the first player from India on the tour, was at 67 in a tournament where the focus shifted to Zhang last weekend with her announcement she was turning pro. Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand and Stephanie Meadow of Northern Ireland had 68s.Ayaka Furue, coming off a loss to Pajaree Anannarukarn on Sunday in final of the match play event in Las Vegas, was at 69 with Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Emma Talley, Cheyenne Knight, Grace Kim and Yuka Saso.Zhang didn’t dominate in her first round as a pro but she showed enough, making five birdies and three bogey...

Corbin Carroll lifts Diamondbacks past Rockies for share of NL West lead

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

Corbin Carroll lifts Diamondbacks past Rockies for share of NL West lead PHOENIX (AP) — Corbin Carroll had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 6-5 on Thursday to tie the idle Los Angeles Dodgers for a share of the NL West lead.Gabriel Moreno walked with one out against Pierce Johnson (0-2), and Ketel Marte doubled with two outs, moving Moreno to third. With first base open and Christian Walker on deck, the Rockies decided to pitch to Carroll, and he came through with a liner for his first career walk-off hit.Carroll said he thinks it was his first game-ending hit of his life.“I think so,” Carroll said. “There’s been opportunities, but I can’t remember any even through Little League.”Carroll fell behind in the count but lined a 1-1 pitch to left-center and Marte scored easily from second with the winning run.“I was trying not to expand the zone,” he said. “I didn’t do a very good job of that. But I got the job done.”Arizona won its fifth straight to improv...

Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker III hopes to turn award disappointment into on-field success

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker III hopes to turn award disappointment into on-field success RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Kenneth Walker III had a terrific rookie season after being called upon to take a bigger role as the primary ball carrier for the Seattle Seahawks.His rookie year was so good that right up until the point the announcement was made during the NFL Honors award show during Super Bowl week, Walker felt confident he was going to be named offensive rookie of the year.Instead, it was Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson who walked up on the stage and received the award.“Yeah, I thought I was going to win it, but Garrett Wilson is a great player though,” Walker said Thursday after the Seahawks wrapped up their latest offseason workout.To his point, Walker did have a rookie season worthy of being acknowledged as the best in the league. He led NFL rookies in rushing touchdowns with nine as part of a season during which he played in 15 games and ran for 1,050 yards.Finishing second in the offensive player of the year voting became a momentary topic Thursday when Walker’s posi...

SEC to play 8-game conference football schedule in 2024; long-term model still TBD

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

SEC to play 8-game conference football schedule in 2024; long-term model still TBD DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference will play eight league games in 2024 when it expands to 16 teams with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas, but beyond that the schedule model is still to be determined. Commissioner Greg Sankey said Thursday, the second-to-last day of the SEC’s spring meetings, that the conference’s university presidents unanimously voted to implement a short-term solution to a scheduling conundrum that has been debated within the league for more than a year.SEC leaders have been trying to decide between a nine-game conference schedule that would include three annual rivalry games and an eight-game model with one annual rivalry game.“Our long-term options are fully open,” Sankey said.He also said, confidently, a long-term scheduling model would be hashed before the conference returns to the Florida Panhandle this time next year.“Nobody wants to go through this every year,” Sankey said.Football matchups for the 2024 season will b...

Police kill boy, search for others after armed robbery in Aurora: chief

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

Police kill boy, search for others after armed robbery in Aurora: chief AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- Police shot and killed a boy and took two more into custody after an armed robbery in Aurora on Thursday afternoon, according to interim Police Chief Art Acevedo. A regional search was underway for more young males who fled the scene in a Kia minivan that had been reported stolen, Acevedo said. He did not release ages but said officers believe they were all boys.Acevedo said they robbed vapes from a store near 8th Avenue and Dayton Street. The boy who police shot and killed had a semiautomatic pistol that he threatened the store clerk with, the chief said. 2 escaped inmates from Adams County jail taken into custody A sergeant with Aurora's Gang Intervention Unit first spotted the alleged robbers in hoods and masks near the store and pursued them. He called other officers to the scene to help chase the suspects. Acevedo said one officer encountered the boy with the pistol and ordered him to let go of the gun."At one point, the officer discharges his firearm...

Nuggets fan battling cancer surprised with tickets to Game 1 of the NBA Finals

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:27:37 GMT

Nuggets fan battling cancer surprised with tickets to Game 1 of the NBA Finals HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (KDVR) — Two seats at Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Denver will be filled with very deserving Nuggets fans after they got the surprise of a lifetime.Thursday morning, Benjamin Peter and his son believed they were going to be interviewed by local reporters about an experience Peter recently had watching a Nuggets game through a virtual reality headset.A few weeks ago, UCHealth and the Nuggets teamed up to help Peter experience what it is like to sit courtside at a game. He was really watching from a hospital chair during chemotherapy treatment. When he took the headset off, Nuggets mascot Rocky was waiting in front of him with a Nikola Jokic jersey.This time, UCHealth had a different surprise in store.During the interview, Peter and his son were handed a sign that said, “UCHealth and the Nuggets are sending us to Game 1!”The pair were practically speechless.“It’s a dream come true. This is not something we normally would have done but we’ve followed this team for...