OKLAHOMA CITY — A lightning delay at 8:48 p.m. in the seventh inning paused play between Oklahoma and Tennessee. Down 5-3 with one out and a runner on first, OU was trying to rally after a third inning of blunders led to an early lead transforming into a deficit.

An hour later, the game was suspended for the evening due to weather.

Play will resume tomorrow at 1 p.m. The third game will beging 45 minutes after the second game reaches its conclusion.

Xander Mercurius got his first start of the season in place of his brother LJ Merurius. After retiring the first six batters he faced, his play and confidence fell off in the fourth surrendering four runs highlighted by and RBI-triple, Mercurius finished with six strikeouts, giving up five runs off six hits.

Camden Johnson got Bricktown rocking with a two-run home run out of deep center field. The first inning was kind to the Sooners with Deiten LaChance and Jaxon Willits with back-to-back singles — the latter advancing LaChance to third.

Trey Gambill scored LaChance with a sacrifice grounder to put OU up 3-0 at the end of the first.

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After retiring the next three batters he faced, Mercurius had a tough start to the third inning.

A routine ground-out turned into a single when Mercurius stopped running towards first after LaChance secured the ball, but with no one to throw to. The mental error led to no outs and a man on first to start the third.

An RBI-triple by Manny Marin scored the Volunteers their first run. Tennessee wasn’t done.

Jay Abernathy earned an RBI with a single into left field. A fly-out and a strikeout followed — Mercurius’ gaffe at first base fresh in everyone’s mind. With Oklahoma leading 3-2, Trent Grindlinger singled into right field to score two runners. After the dust settled, OU entered the bottom of the third down 4-3.

Johnson had a tough fifth inning at third base.

A rocket from Blake Grimmer just eluded Johnson’s glove for a single. Two pitches later, Henry Ford hit a laser directly to Johnson, who was unable to snag the ball in the dirt — resulting in an error and run scored for the Volunteers.

At 5-3, Skip Johnson made the change at the mound, bringing in Nate Smithburg.

Oklahoma let a great chance slip away with bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth. Kyle Branch grounded out to end the inning, leaving three on and the Sooners still down 5-3.

OU and Tennessee entered into a lightning delay shortly after and will resume play tomorrow, Saturday, at 1 p.m.

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SPRINGFIELD, TENN. (WTVF) — Robertson County Deputy Savanna Puckett was shot and killed in 2022 at just 22 years old — the victim of a man her family says had a violent past that no one could easily see.

Her mother, Kim Dodson, is determined to make sure other families have the tools to protect themselves. That fight led to “Savanna’s Law,” which creates Tennessee’s first public registry for repeat domestic violence offenders. Dodson is now working to spread the idea nationwide.

Dodson says her daughter spent her short life putting others first — whether serving with the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, working at Vanderbilt, or volunteering in the community.

“She loved what she did. I know they called her mother hen up there because she was always trying to feed them and take care of them,” Dodson said.

But beneath the man charged in her killing was a record Dodson says even her deputy daughter could not find: four prior domestic violence and stalking charges.

After the murder, Dodson began working with lawmakers to ask a simple question: “Why don’t we have a registry?”

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation now oversees the new Domestic Violence Offender Registry, which began Jan. 1, 2026. Under the law:

• Repeat offenders convicted of qualifying domestic violence crimes must register publicly.
• The registry includes names, conviction counties, conviction dates and, in some cases, photographs.
• Those convicted must have at least one prior domestic violence-related conviction.
• Depending on their criminal history, offenders remain on the registry between five and 20 years.

Dodson points out Tennessee already has registries for sex offenders, animal abusers, and elder abuse perpetrators. She says adding domestic violence offenders was long overdue.

Dodson knows the registry cannot prevent every violent crime, but she hopes it can give families access to information her daughter never had.

“If Savanna had this to look up, I don’t believe she would ever have gotten involved with him. If I can save one person — another mother, another grandmother — it’s worth it,” Dodson said.

Advocates from 12 other states have reached out, hoping to replicate the law. Dodson’s ultimate goal is to pass a federal law making the registry nationwide.

Until then, she says she’ll keep pushing — both in the legislature and in the community — through the Deputy Puckett Foundation.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Neighbors transform Antioch Pike after deadly hit-and-run

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Here’s a story offering a great example of how a common cause, and a little creativity, can “intersect” to improve quality of life. Our South Nashville reporter Patsy Montesinos shares how some neighbors decided to take action, following the tragic death of a 77-year-old in a hit-and-run along Antioch Pike earlier this year. See how they used “tactical urbanism” to make the area a little safer for all.

– Rhori Johnston