Only 1 of Atlanta’s minor league teams came away with a win on Saturday in what was a disappointing night of baseball. However, there were still plenty of performances to single out, so let’s get into it.

(48-52) Gwinnett Stripers 10, (46-54) Durham Bulls 5

• Sandy Leon, C: 2-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
• Yuli Gurriel, 1B: 3-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R
• Brian Anderson, 3B: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R
• Ian Anderson, SP: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Box Score

Gwinnett was the only team to come away with a win on Friday, beating Durham by 5 runs.

Starter Ian Anderson didn’t have his best performance as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. Across 4.1 innings, Anderson allowed 7 hits and 2 walks on 4 runs while striking out 4 batters.

However, the Stripers took the first lead of the game in the top of the 2nd inning, plating 4 runs. Yuli Gurriel led off with a single before Brian Anderson doubled him home to make it 1-0 Gwinnett. Then, Luis Liberato singled home Anderson to make it a 2-0 game before Sandy Leon homered — the first of 2 on the night for him — to extend the lead to 4-0.

After Durham scored 1 run in each of the 2nd and 3rd innings, the Stripers got one of those runs back in the top of the 4th inning as Leon would launch a solo homer to extend the lead to 5-2. The Bulls would score in the home half to make it 5-3 before a Yuli Gurriel solo home run extended the lead to 6-3 for the Stripers.

After the Bulls scored twice in the home half of the 6th to cut the Gwinnett lead down to 1 run, the Stripers would pull away in the next half-inning.

Andrew Velazquez led off the top of the 7th with a single and proceeded to steal 2nd base before a J.P. Martinez sacrifice bunt moved him to 3rd. Alejo Lopez singled home Velazquez to extend the lead to 7-5. After an Eli White single, Yuli Gurriel homered for the 2nd time of the night to make it a 10-5 lead for the Stripers which would hold as the win for Gwinnett.

(45-48) Mississippi Braves 1, (51-43) Montgomery Biscuits 4

• Cody Milligan, CF: 1-4, RBI
• KeShawn Ogans, 3B: 1-4, R
• Lucas Braun, SP: 6.2 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 4 K

Box Score

Despite Lucas Braun tossing 6.2 solid innings for Mississippi on Friday night, the Braves ultimately fell as their offense failed to string together anything substantive in the 4-1 loss.

Both squads started off the game scoreless across the first 2 innings before the Biscuits broke through. In the bottom of the 3rd, Montgomery scored one run off of Mississippi starter Lucas Braun to take a 1-0 lead. Thankfully, that was the only damage Braun allowed on the night as he scattered 4 hits across 6.2 innings while striking out 4. With his performance, Braun lowered his season ERA to 2.76.

The Braves managed to tie things up in the top half of the 4th inning. KeShawn Ogans ledoff with a single and after Tyler Tolve grounded out to move Ogans up to second, Cody Milligan singled into left field to plate the third baseman and knot the game at 1-1.

However, that would be the only offense the Braves could muster on the night despite tallying the same amount of hits — 6 —- as Montgomery did on the night. Meanwhile Montgomery would score thrice more in the bottom of the 8th inning to hold on to beat Mississippi by a 4-1 final.

(45-47) Rome Emperors 5, (44-50) Brooklyn Cyclones 12

• Adam Zebrowski, C: 2-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, R
• E.J. Exposito, SS: 1-4, RBI
• Drew Compton, 1B: 1-4, RBI, R
• Luis Vargas, SP: 1.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB

Box Score

Rome didn’t stand much chance on Friday as their pitching staff didn’t give the offense much breathing room at any point and Brooklyn took advantage of that in their win.

Emperors’ starter Luis Vargas lasted just 1.2 innings in this one, allowing 5 runs — 2 earned — in the bottom of the 2nd inning as the Cyclones took a 5-0 lead over the Emperors. Reliever Tyree Thompson didn’t fare much better for Rome. While the offense was stifled — being held scoreless over the first 6 innings in this one — Thompson allowed an additional 4 runs as the Cyclones extended their lead to 9-0 over Rome in the bottom of the 4th frame.

Brooklyn would breach double digits in the bottom of the 6th, scoring twice more to make it a commanding 11-0 lead over the Emperors.

In the top of the 7th, Rome finally got on the board. After Ethan Workinger and Sabin Ceballos laced back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, Drew Compton notched a single of his own to plate Workinger and make it an 11-1 deficit for the Emperors. Later in the inning, Adam Zebrowksi would triple into right field which would score Ceballos and Drew Compton to make it an 11-3 game.

Rome would score once again in the top of the 8th as Carlos Arroyo — who doubled earlier in the inning — would score on a wild pitch to make it 11-4. However, Brooklyn would get that run back in the home half to extend their lead to 12-4. The Emperors would put up a bit of a fight in their final at-bat in the top of the 9th as an E.J. Exposito single scored Zebrowski to make it 12-5. However, that would be all the offense Rome would get as they ultimately fell by that tally.

(36-54) Augusta GreenJackets , (40-52) Myrtle Beach Pelicans (POSTPONED)

Mother Nature made her presence known on Friday, as Augusta’s contest was rained out and postponed.

(12-22) DSL Braves 3, (18-18) DSL Royals Ventura 2

• Juan Espinal, CF: 1-3, RBI, R, BB
• Juan Mateo, SS: 1-4, R
• Edward Cedano, SP: 3.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 5 BB, 2 K

Box Score

The DSL Braves got the day started off on the right foot, beating the DSL Royals Ventura squad by a 3-2 final.

In the top of the first inning, the Royals jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Braves starter Edward Cedano allowed 1 run after he issued three walks and a double in the inning. Despite the atrocious start, Cedano settled down and retired the Royals without allowing any further damage.

That would prove to be a big moment as the Braves took the lead in the home half of the frame. After Juan Mateo singled to lead off, Gabriel Cesa and Michael Martinez went down on strikes in back-to-back at-bats. Following a wild pitch that allowed Mateo to advance to third, Juan Espinal singled him home. Then, after Espinal advanced to second on a Manuel Dos Passos walk, both runners executed a double steal and Espinal scored on a throwing error to make it 2-1.

The Braves would tack on to their lead in the bottom of the third inning. Martinez was hit by a pitch with two outs and Espinal drew a walk to put a runner in scoring position. After another double steal, Martinez was waved home on a balk to extend the lead to 3-1 in favor of the Braves.

Things remained quiet from that point forward, at least until the 8th inning where the Royals plated 1 run to cut their deficit to 3-2. However, Braves’ 17-year-old reliever Yander Pinero would settle down and retire the Royals in the 9th inning to seal the win and get the save.

RALEIGH, N.C. — A federal judge ruled Friday that a provision in North Carolina’s abortion laws requiring doctors to document the location of a pregnancy before prescribing abortion pills should be blocked permanently, affirming that it was too vague to be enforced reasonably.

The implementation of that requirement was already halted last year by U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles until a lawsuit challenging portions of the abortion law enacted by the Republican-dominated General Assembly in 2023 was litigated further. Eagles now says a permanent injunction would be issued at some point.

But Eagles on Friday restored enforcement of another provision that she had previously blocked that required abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy to be performed in hospitals. In light of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, she wrote, the lawmakers “need only offer rational speculation for its legislative decisions regulating abortion.”

In this case, legislators contended the hospital requirement would protect maternal health by reducing risks to some women who could experience major complications after 12 weeks, Eagles said. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and a physician who initially sued offered “credible and largely uncontroverted medical and scientific evidence” that the hospital requirement “will unnecessarily make such abortions more dangerous for many women and more expensive,” Eagles added.

SEE ALSO | Some North Carolina abortion pill restrictions are unlawful, federal judge rules

But “the plaintiffs have not negated every conceivable basis the General Assembly may have had for enacting the hospitalization requirement,” Eagles, who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, wrote in vacating a preliminary injunction on the hospital requirement.

Unlike challenges in other states like South Carolina and Florida that sought to fully strike down abortion laws, Eagles’ decisions still mean most of North Carolina’s abortion laws updated since the end of Roe v. Wade are in place. GOP state lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto and enacted the law in May 2023. It narrowed abortion access significantly from the previous state ban on most abortions from after 20 weeks to now after 12 weeks. The hospital requirement would apply to exceptions to the ban after 12 weeks, such as in cases of rape or incest or “life-limiting” fetal anomalies.

Eagles on Friday affirmed blocking the clause in the abortion law requiring physicians to document the “intrauterine location of a pregnancy” before distributing medication for abortion.

SEE ALSO | Supreme Court unanimously strikes down legal challenge to abortion pill mifepristone

Lawyers representing House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger defending the law argued the documentation protected the health of women with ectopic pregnancies, which can be dangerous and when ruptured may be similar to the expected symptoms of a medication abortion, according to the opinion.

But Eagles wrote the medication in a medication abortion doesn’t exacerbate the risks of complications from an ectopic pregnancy. And she remained convinced that the law is unconstitutionally vague and subjects abortion providers to claims that they broke the law – and possible penalties – if they can’t locate an embryo through an ultrasound because the pregnancy is so new.

The provision “violates the plaintiffs’ constitutional due process rights,” she wrote.

Spokespeople for Planned Parenthood, Berger and Moore didn’t respond to emails late Friday seeking comment. Eagles’ upcoming final judgment can be appealed.

SEE ALSO | Abortion in North Carolina could be impacted after rulings in Arizona, Florida

State Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, abortion-rights supporter and 2024 candidate for governor, was officially a lawsuit defendant. But lawyers from his office had asked Eagles to block the two provisions, largely agreeing with Planned Parenthood’s arguments.

The lawsuit was initially filed in June 2023 and contained other challenges to the abortion law that the legislature quickly addressed with new legislation. Eagles issued a preliminary injunction last September blocking the two provisions still at issue on Friday. Eagles said last month she would make a final decision in the case without going through a full trial.

North Carolina remains a destination for many out-of-state women seeking abortions, as most states in the U.S. South have implemented laws banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy — before many women know they are pregnant — or near-total bans.

SEE ALSO | Abortion advocates, opponents rally in downtown Raleigh as election year heats up

Oklahoma opens preseason training camp next week, and the Sooners have some questions to get answered during the month of August.

In this series, Sooners on SI will attempt to provide some answers ahead of camp.

Up next is the Oklahoma wide receiver corps. 

Following his huge performance in Oklahoma’s spring game, the answer is likely yes, but the talented transfer will have to prove it on the field this fall.

After three seasons at Purdue, speedy wide receiver Deion Burks elected to enter the transfer portal rather than test the NFL Draft. 

The Sooners were able to land Burks out of the portal shortly after the window opened in December, capping off what was already an impressive group of pass catchers. While the Inkster, MI, product is expected to take over as OU’s leading receiver, Burks has never served as a true No. 1 option in a high-powered offense.

As a redshirt sophomore in 2023, Burks was Purdue’s leading receiver with 629 yards and seven touchdowns, but the Boilermakers went 4-8 and were outside of the top 85 teams in the country in points per game.

Now in Norman, Burks has to show that he is able to handle enough volume as a pass catcher to serve as the primary option for an SEC team with big expectations.

After tallying five catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns in the Sooners’ spring game, it seems that Burks has already developed a good connection with starting quarterback Jackson Arnold and is well ingrained in Seth Littrell’s offense.

SEC media seems to have high hopes for Burks this year as well, with the speedster earning Third Team preseason All-SEC honors.

Read More Oklahoma Training Camp Questions

As the saying goes, “the cream will rise to the top.”

In addition to bringing in Burks, Emmett Jones returns Nic Anderson, who racked up 798 yards and 10 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman last year and could become one of the best pass catchers in the nation with good speed at 6-4 and 219 pounds.

Jalil Farooq is also back in Norman for his fourth season with the Sooners.

Even after the addition of Burks, Farooq is the most experienced player in the team’s receiving corps with 23 career starts. Last season, the Lanham, MD, product hauled in 45 passes for 694 yards and two touchdowns.

Farooq missed the spring game with a broken foot and is still recovering but should be back in time for the Sooners’ opener against Temple, according to Brent Venables.

Jayden Gibson and Brenen Thompson will also factor into Jones’ receiver rotation after stepping onto the scene in a major way last year.

Gibson tallied 375 yards and five touchdowns on just 14 receptions in 2023, repeatedly coming up with highlight-reel plays. With impressive speed and the ability to pluck the ball out of the air at 6-5 and 197 pounds, Gibson has the potential to develop into a lethal option alongside some of the aforementioned players.

Thompson played sparingly last season due to injury, but continuously made big plays during his time on the field. The Spearman, TX, product caught seven passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns in 2023 and could see an increase in both categories this year.

With 10.19 speed in the 100-meter dash, Thompson could have had even better stats last season, but outran Dillon Gabriel’s range and had to slow down or come back to the ball on deep routes multiple times.

Additionally, the Sooners should get Andrel Anthony back from injury at some point in the 2024 season. Prior to an ACL tear that ended the Michigan transfer’s season in 2023, Anthony was OU’s leading receiver with 429 yards and a touchdown.

Between Burks, Anderson, Farooq, Gibson, Thompson and Anthony, Jones’ wide receiver group has at least six players who have already proven to be solid options who can challenge opposing defenses.

While this depth is good for Arnold and Oklahoma’s offense, it will be difficult for each of the aforementioned players to get as many targets as they likely deserve. Still, with a strong-armed quarterback and a play caller who is not afraid to be aggressive, the Sooners’ wideouts should get plenty of opportunity to set themselves apart.

With Farooq and Anthony both sidelined due to injuries, there will be an opportunity for one of the Sooners’ young wide receivers to take on a bigger role during training camp.

Jaquaize Pettaway seems to be the most likely candidate outside of the aforementioned six players to secure a spot in Jones’ rotation.

A former 4-star recruit and one of the top 10 wide receivers in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports, Pettaway played sparingly as a true freshman but led the team in receptions Week 1 against Arkansas State.

With blazing speed out of the slot, Pettaway could find his way onto the field early in the season.

True freshmen and former 4-star prospects Zion Kearney and Ivan Carreon also have a chance to emerge after coming to Norman in January as early enrollees.