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These former Indiana high school softball players are in NCAA Super Regionals

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These former Indiana high school softball players are in NCAA Super Regionals


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  • The state of Indiana will be well-represented at the NCAA softball Super Regionals this week.
  • Catch up with the former Hoosier State standouts who will be competing on the national stage.
  • Best-of-3 Super Regionals begin Thursday.

NCAA softball Super Regionals begin Thursday with the winner of these best-of-three series advancing to the Women’s College World Series. Meet the former Indiana high school stars looking to help punch their team’s ticket to Oklahoma City.

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No. 3 Oklahoma

Audrey Lowry, pitcher (Tri-West): Lowry has really come into her own as a sophomore. An All-SEC second team honoree, she is 22-3 (tied 16th nationally for wins) with a 2.61 ERA and 88 strikeouts through 120.2 innings pitched. The lefty is limiting opposing hitters to a .230 average. 

Berkley Zache, pitcher (South Bend St. Joseph): The younger Zache sister has appeared in 13 games as a true freshman, compiling a 1.95 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 14.1 innings pitched. She has allowed only one earned run in her past 12 appearances.

Riley Zache, catcher/infielder (South Bend St. Joseph): The sophomore has yet to appear in a game this season. She was 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored last season. 

No. 6 Florida

Gabi Comia, infielder (Hanover Central): An All-SEC Defensive Team selection at second base, the sophomore has a .979 fielding percentage with only four errors on 193 chances (14 double plays). Comia’s been a factor at the plate, as well, batting a career-best .339 with 59 hits (13 doubles), 47 runs and 24 RBIs. She leads the team with 11 steals and has started in all 61 games she’s appeared in.

Kendall Grover, infielder (Mooresville): The senior Eastern Illinois transfer is among the Gators’ leaders in home runs (11), RBIs (46) and slugging percentage (.564). Grover has also doubled 11 times and maintained a .320 average. She’s been very good in the field, as well, logging a .969 fielding percentage with 30 putouts and 64 assists.

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Keagan Rothrock, pitcher (Roncalli): Rothrock has continued her brilliance in the circle. She’s 29-6 with six shutouts, five saves and a 2.42 ERA. She’s racked up 179 strikeouts (25th nationally) and is limiting opposing batters to a .191 average. Rothrock pitched a seven-inning no-hitter vs. South Carolina in April, and she was lights-out in the regional, allowing only two runs on five hits in 15 innings pitched. The Roncalli grad was picked All-SEC first team and is a USA Softball Player of the Year Top-25 finalist.

No. 7 Tennessee

Maddi Rutan, third base/pitcher (Columbus North): Rutan was the ASUN Freshman and Pitcher of the Year with Eastern Kentucky in 2024. She’s been similarly impactful with the Vols, logging 23 hits, including five homers, 19 RBIs and 19 runs scored. She’s 5-for-6 on stolen base attempts and has pitched 16.2 innings, picking up two wins and 12 strikeouts.

Note: Freshman catcher Elsa Morrison grew up in Indiana and played at Carmel High School as a freshman.

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No. 10 Georgia

Keirstin Roose, infielder (Lakeland): Roose, an All-SEC honoree, enters Super Regionals batting .350 with 12 doubles, a triple and 15 home runs (.684 slugging). She’s stolen a base, scored 57 runs and driven in 39 RBIs, and boasts a .932 fielding percentage. The 2021 Indiana Miss Softball finalist played her first four collegiate seasons at Coastal Carolina.

No. 11 Texas Tech

Jackie Lis, utility (Castle): One of the greatest players in Castle history, the senior Southern Illinois transfer has been excellent in her first season as a Red Raider, averaging .445. She’s hit 18 home runs, 10 doubles and three triples, and accounted for 66 RBIs (tied 25th nationally) and 49 runs scored. 

No. 12 Duke

Brookelyn Grayson, infielder (Noblesville): Grayson, a true freshman, hit an RBI double against CSU Bakersfield in her lone collegiate at-bat. 

No. 13 Oklahoma State

Melina Wilkison, outfielder (Greensburg): Wilkison made stops at Ohio State and IU before landing with Oklahoma State for her redshirt senior season. She is batting .227 with five hits, seven runs and five RBIs. The Greensburg grad has drawn two walks and is 3-for-4 on stolen base attempts.

No. 16 LSU

Kylee Edwards, infielder (Shelbyville): Edwards was tremendous her two seasons at Mississippi State and she’s been even better at LSU. An All-SEC first team pick, her .349 batting average is a career-high, as are her 60 hits, 43 runs, 10 homers and 40 RBIs. Edwards has only struck out 10 times in 172 at-bats, and holds a .963 fielding percentage with only seven errors on 188 chances. 

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Char Lorenz, utility (Munster): Lorenz was an All-ACC pick as a freshman at Louisville. She’s maintained a .266 average in the Bayou with four doubles, six homers, 30 runs and 23 RBIs. Lorenz has three steals and holds a .970 fielding percentage.

Arizona State

Megan Bartlett, head coach (Terre Haute North)

Mississippi State

Paige Ernstes, catcher/infield (New Palestine): Ernstes has started in 32 of the 49 games she’s appeared in and collected 17 hits (three doubles, three homers), six runs and 18 RBIs. She’s logged 175 putouts and seven assists with zero errors in the field. 

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. 





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State Fair announces next wave of free concerts

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State Fair announces next wave of free concerts


INDIANAPOLIS – A country star, an “American Band” and a Fleetwood Mac tribute act highlight the second wave of free concerts at this year’s Indiana State Fair.

Organizers revealed five more acts for the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage: Trace Adkins, TUSK – The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute, Josiah Queen, Grand Funk Railroad and the Happy Together Tour.

All shows are free with paid fair admission and start at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Tickets are available here.

Photos via Indiana State Fair

Here’s a look at the free concert schedule (newly announced shows in italics):

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  • The Beach Boys: Friday, Aug. 7 – Opening Day
  • TUSK – The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute: Saturday, Aug. 8
  • Josiah Queen: Sunday, Aug. 9
  • Busta Rhymes: Thursday, Aug. 13
  • Grand Funk Railroad: Friday, Aug. 14
  • Trace Adkins: Sunday, Aug. 16
  • Happy Together: Wednesday, Aug. 19
  • Gene Simmons: Thursday, Aug. 20
  • Don McLean: Saturday, Aug. 22
  • Tasha Cobbs Leonard: Sunday, Aug. 23

Here’s more about the upcoming acts, according to the Indiana State Fair:

Image via Indiana State Fair

TUSK – The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute (Aug. 8)

TUSK has been crisscrossing the country since 2008 as The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute. Five pro musicians turned into masters of their trade through decades of individual music study, live performance, creative risk, and devotion to the art. TUSK features note-perfect renditions of both the solo and full band songs, with each member specializing in one of the core lineup of Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood). They possess an electric stage presence that can only come from well over a decade touring together. Truly the best at what they do, TUSK is unmatched in their tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time.

Image via Indiana State Fair

Josiah Queen (Aug. 9)

Josiah Queen has quickly become one of the most impactful voices in Christian music, blending raw authenticity with deeply resonant melodies. With over 1.3 billion combined global streams, his music continues to inspire a wide-reaching and rapidly growing audience. Following the breakout success of “The Prodigal” (200M+ streams), Josiah’s single “Dusty Bibles” became a defining moment in his career becoming his first Billboard Hot 100 hit, and certified Gold in under six months from release. The song also climbed to the top tier of streaming performance, landing in the Top 3 Christian/Gospel Streaming Songs in the U.S., charting on the Spotify Viral 50 in over 15 countries, and reaching the Shazam Top 200 in multiple territories.

Image via Indiana State Fair

Grand Funk Railroad (Aug. 14)

Affectionately known as The American Band, Grand Funk Railroad continues to pack venues across the country, connecting generations of fans with their unmistakable mix of hard-driving rock, soulful vocals, and anthemic hits. Founding members Don Brewer (vocals and drums, and writer/singer of the iconic “We’re an American Band”) and Mel Schacher (bass, the thunder behind the groove) are joined by guitar slinger and veteran of Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band Mark Chatfield; and the ever-versatile Tim Cashion (affectionately known as “Dr. Tim”), who – in the past – has hit the road with Robert Palmer and Bob Seger, on keys. Their influence can still be heard in the DNA of rock icons like Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Foreigner, and Journey.

Grand Funk’s music endures not only on the airwaves—thanks to mega-hits like We’re an American Band, I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home, The Loco-Motion, and Some Kind of Wonderful—but also on big screens and TV campaigns. From Disney’s The Country Bears to General Motors commercials, and blockbuster films like Radio and Sahara, their songs remain a cultural touchstone. With more than 25 million albums sold, 19 charting singles, 8 Top 40 hits, and two No. 1 smashes, Grand Funk has earned 7 gold and 10 platinum certifications—including 2022 platinum awards for both We’re an American Band and Some Kind of Wonderful. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering Grand Funk for the first time, there’s no better time to experience one of rock’s most enduring bands.

Image via Indiana State Fair

Trace Adkins (Aug. 16)

Over the course of his three-decade reign in Country music, Trace Adkins has emerged as a full-fledged icon whose reach spans far beyond the genre’s borders. A multi-award-winning singer and actor who’s scored 40 hit singles on Country radio, the Louisiana native is now nearing the 30th anniversary of his trailblazing debut album Dreamin’ Out Loud—a 1996 LP that delivered his No. 1 “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” and “Every Light In The House” (a Top 5 entry on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart). With 12 million albums sold to date, the superstar entertainer recently followed his featured spot on Blake Shelton’s Friends & Heroes Tour with his own What Color’s Your Wild Tour (a hot-ticket headline run named for his hard-driving anthem released in early 2025) and is currently on his 30th Anniversary headline run in 2026. A true American legend whose powerhouse catalog includes 14 studio albums, Adkins continues to embody the fiery spirit of traditional Country while moving the genre forward with his ever-evolving sound.

Image via Indiana State Fair

The Happy Together Tour (Aug. 19)

The Happy Together Tour 2026 consists of eight acts: The Association, The Troggs, Chicago Lead Singer 1985-2016 Jason Scheff, Gary Puckett, The Fortunes, Rone Dante of The Archies and The Turtles, The Vogues and The Cowsills.. These artists had their biggest hits in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and brought timeless sounds and songs of that time period. These bands combined have multiple No. 1 hits making this tour an iconic homage to an era of music that has influenced many of today’s artists. The tour has consisted of several different bands and artists throughout the nearly 40 years it has been running.

The Indiana State Fair runs from Aug. 7 through Aug. 23 and is closed on Mondays. Get tickets here.



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LIVE: Severe storms sweep through central Indiana

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LIVE: Severe storms sweep through central Indiana


INDIANAPOLIS — A line of severe storms swept through central Indiana Tuesday night.

Ahead of the system’s entry into The Hoosier State, the National Weather Service issued a severe weather outlook. That outlook indicated that central Indiana was at a marginal, one out of five risk for severe weather.

The NWS outlook also suggested damaging winds exceeding 65 mph and heavy rain were the primary threats the systems posed. The timeframe the NWS outlined for the storms to move through the area was 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.

FOX59/CBS4 tracked the storms and the damage they caused. Find the latest updates on Tuesday’s storms below:

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Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. confident Chicago Bears will move to Indiana

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Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. confident Chicago Bears will move to Indiana


The Chicago Bears announced last week they are making Hammond, Indiana, their priority for a new stadium, and while it’s not a done deal yet, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said he’s confident the Bears will soon be moving there.

“It’s vague for a lot of complex reasons, but the Bears are working on Hammond right now. I’m happy to see what the Bears are putting into our city right now. We’re going to be the home stadium,” McDermott said at Monday night’s city council meeting.

The Bears are still playing in Soldier Field for now. Last week, their board of directors voted to move forward with plans to build a new stadium in Hammond, but acknowledged they have yet to pick a specific site.

The decision came just days after Illinois state lawmakers wrapped up their spring session without approving legislation aimed at keeping the Bears in Illinois.

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In April, the Illinois House voted to pass a so-called “megaprojects bill” that would have allowed the Bears or other developers investing at least $100 million in a project to negotiate property tax breaks with local governments. The Illinois Senate never voted on that legislation, instead passing a bill on Monday that would have allowed local municipalities in Cook County with a population of more than 70,000 to set up their own stadium authorities. Arlington Heights and Chicago both meet that threshold.

Under that plan, the Bears would have put up the cash to build the stadium but the local government would officially own it and the Bears would lease it from them — thus avoiding property taxes altogether. However, the Illinois House adjourned for the summer without taking up that proposal.

Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago), who has led negotiations on legislation aimed at keeping the Bears in Illinois, said the Bears have left the door open to staying in Illinois. He said team president Kevin Warren called him on the day the Bears announced they were focusing on Hammond to say the Bears are still open to discussions on a new stadium in Illinois.

Buckner also noted that the Bears have yet to pick a specific site in Hammond for a new stadium.

“That’s not a criticism. It’s simply an acknowledgment that the Bears’ own language leaves additional flexibility and does not represent a final decision. The carefully crafted statement also uses words that describe a process that is continuing, rather than reaching a conclusion,” Buckner said last week.

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On Tuesday, Illinois state Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) announced he was crafting a new version of the megaprojects bill to keep the Bears in Illinois.

His proposal would raise the threshold for a so-called “megaproject” from $100 million to $500 million. Like the original megaprojects bill, developers could negotiate with local governments for “payments in lieu of taxes” that would lower their property tax bills but still provide revenue to local governments.

Ugaste’s plan would also provide statewide property tax relief for homeowners by requiring any tax referendum questions up for a vote to appear on general election ballots. Currently, tax referendum questions are allowed to appear on primary election ballots, when fewer voters typically cast ballots.

“We need to get this done,” Ugaste said. “Illinois can keep a historic sports franchise that means so much to the people of the state, remain competitive for major economic development projects, and also provide relief for homeowners and businesses who are carrying one of the highest property tax burdens in the nation. We do not have to choose between economic growth and taxpayer relief. We can, and should, have both.”

Ugaste said he plans to introduce his proposal in the Illinois General Assembly later this week.

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Indiana lawmakers have approved legislation to pave the way for a Bears move to Hammond. The proposal would commit up to $1 billion in public funding towards a stadium, and create a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority with the power to issue bonds, acquire land, and finance construction.

While Indiana has agreed to help finance a Bears stadium, the team plans to commit $2 billion towards the construction of the facility. Indiana officials have yet to lay out how they plan to help fund the project, or what taxes would be needed to pay for it.



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