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OUInsider – Early offense propels Sooners past Louisiana, Liberty

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OUInsider  –  Early offense propels Sooners past Louisiana, Liberty


NORMAN — Patty Gasso and the players acknowledged that Friday’s opening day at Love’s Field was an emotional and sometimes challenging one.

But on Saturday — their second day at their new stadium — the Sooners were more settled in. They opened their doubleheader with an 8-0 win over Louisiana before closing it with a 15-3 win over Liberty.

Two games, two run-rule victories.

While they’re still getting adjusted to their new surroundings, Saturday was clearly a step forward.

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“I was kind of mesmerized by just how many people were watching and just being in the best stadium in the country is hard to wrap my brain around while I was playing,” Jayda Coleman said on Saturday. “But today was definitely more settled in.”

Gasso saw a difference in her team, too.

“I think we got comfortable in our new house a little more,” Gasso said. “Definitely felt a difference. They were confident. Just still feeling out a little bit. Like the wind flow is different. I mean there’s some things we’re trying to learn about the stadium. But definitely the jitters were out and they played the way they’re capable of.”

Here’s some takeaways and notes from the second round of games at Love’s Field:

Oklahoma 8, Louisiana 0 (five innings)

— True sophomore Kierston Deal made her first circle appearance at Love’s Field and delivered a solid performance, allowing three hits and no runs with two strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Paytn Monticelli allowed two hits and no runs in relief.

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Deal has played significantly better since the early struggles during opening weekend. In her last 16 innings, Deal has allowed just seven hits and no runs with 18 strikeouts.

“There was a lot of confidence there,” Gasso said. “It’s been really fun to watch her — well it wasn’t fun to watch her first appearance. But to see her response to it has been really incredible. It’s a good testimony to just believing in yourself. She got that back and she didn’t let it lay it all out on that first weekend. So I’ve been really happy with her performance. We need that right now. Our pitching staff got a little roughed up this weekend and we’ve got some work to do.”

— Alyssa Brito was sensational: three hits (all doubles), three runs and two RBIs.

— Gasso did a lot of tinkering with the lineup. The highlights? Riley Ludlam started at first base instead of Cydney Sanders, Rylie Boone batted first while usual leadoff hitter Jayda Coleman was in the nine spot.

“We’re really into analytics,” Gasso said. “And it does make a difference. And they know that. It’s not, ‘Oh, Jayda all of a sudden you’re in the nine.’ It’s strategic. We set them up for success by what pitcher is on the mound and who — maybe I like balls that are up and it’s a down-ball pitcher. Maybe I should be lower in the lineup or maybe I make a switch. I mean it’s all about that. Or sometimes I’m just trying to get some of these guys off their feet a little bit. Boone’s been hot. Boone’s been really hot.

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“The nine-one is really a nice combo whether it’s these two or even Avery in the nine with Jayda. Sometimes Boone is one, Jayda two or Boone two, Jayda one. I mean we can do a lot of things but it does have a lot to do with lefty-righty matches versus who we think we’re gonna face. So I’m really writing out three different lineups.”

— The Sooners’ lone home run came from Ludlam.

Oklahoma 15, Liberty 3 (five innings)

— Sanders returned to her usual place at first base and also got things started with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second inning. She finished the game with two hits, a run, a walk and a team-high four RBIs.

Sanders has now been walked nine times this season, the most on the team.

“She’s feeling a little bit of press from other people that are working out over at first and again, you can either say, ‘No, I have to, I have to, I’ve got to,’ or you say, ‘This is my spot. Give me the bat, let me show you,’” Gasso said. “That’s kind of what I felt from her today. She’s going to fight for that. We know how capable she is. She has shown it since her freshman year at Arizona State. She’s fighting and that’s good.”

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— Friday’s game Miami (OH) was a bit of a struggle for Nicole May, who surrendered back-to-back home runs in the top of the first. There were no such issues against Liberty, as May surrendered one hit and no runs in three innings.

Karlie Keeney pitched one inning in relief against her former team. Kelly Maxwell closed it out in the fifth inning but did surrender back-to-back home runs.

— Ludlam snagged another start, this time as the designated player. Freshman Ella Parker, who has made 12 starts as the designated player, didn’t start either game but saw two at-bats.

— Tiare Jennings hit her sixth home run of the season in the second inning. That briefly tied Brito for the team lead in home runs, before Brito hit a two-run bomb in the fourth inning to reclaim the top spot.

— The Sooners recorded 17 hits, their most in a game this season. Of their 12 runs, eight of them came with two outs on the board.

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— The Sooners are now 18-0 on the season and nine run-rule victories. They’ve won 71 games in a row dating back to last season.

— Up next: The Sooners conclude the OU Tournament against Louisiana at 12:30 p.m. Sunday (ESPN+).



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Louisiana Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 2, 2026

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The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

3-9-9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing

4-1-1-0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

0-5-2-9-5

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Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.

By mail, follow these instructions:

  1. Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
  2. Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
  3. Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
  4. Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

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555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

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Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
  • Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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National Guard deployment in New Orleans extended for six months

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National Guard deployment in New Orleans extended for six months


NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana National Guard announced Monday that 120 troops will remain deployed in New Orleans through August.

The six-month extension comes after 350 Guard members deployed to New Orleans in late December, in the run-up to New Year’s and other high-profile events like the Sugar Bowl. The troops, which had mainly clustered in the city’s historic French Quarter, had been scheduled to depart in the aftermath of Mardi Gras.

New Orleans is one of several Democrat-run cities, such as Washington and Memphis, Tennessee, where the federal government deployed armed troops under the administration of President Donald Trump. Hundreds of federal agents also converged on Louisiana in December as part of a separate immigration crackdown in and around New Orleans.

During his State of the Union address last week, Trump touted the deployment in New Orleans as a “big success.” In January, Trump credited the troops with reducing the city’s violent crime within a week of their deployment. City police data shows violent crime rates have significantly declined over the past three years in parallel with national trends.

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According to a press statement from the Louisiana National Guard, the remaining guard members will serve as a “visible presence to deter criminal activity in New Orleans.”

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially opposed the deployment, said that the troops would benefit the city in the coming weeks. She pointed out that National Guard troops had assisted the city during last year’s Mardi Gras in the aftermath of a vehicle-ramming attack in the French Quarter that killed 14 people on New Year’s Day.

“I continue to support the partnership with the LA National Guard to assist in our major events and there are several coming up in the next few weeks,” Moreno said in a statement.

While Moreno did not address which events she referred to, visitors flock to New Orleans in the spring for events like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican and staunch Trump ally, requested the deployment of the National Guard last September, citing rising violent crime rates in New Orleans despite the data showing crime was down.

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“This continued deployment will help us combat violence in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana,” Landry wrote on the social platform X on Monday, noting Louisiana had also sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., last year.

Kate Kelly, a spokesperson for Landry, said the federal government would cover the cost of the extended deployment. She did not respond to a question about whether Guard members would be deployed outside New Orleans.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, said in a statement the troops had already worked closely with other city, state and federal agencies to improve public safety during a stretch of high-profile events in the city, including the flood of visitors over Mardi Gras and the city’s carnival season.

“We remain committed to those partnerships as we continue supporting efforts to keep the City of New Orleans safe for residents and visitors,” Friloux said.



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Jury selection begins Monday in one of Louisiana’s largest auto insurance fraud cases

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Jury selection begins Monday in one of Louisiana’s largest auto insurance fraud cases


NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Jury selection begins Monday in what prosecutors describe as one of the largest auto insurance fraud cases in Louisiana history, with two local attorneys set to stand trial on charges that include fraud and obstruction of justice.

Attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles are accused in an alleged scheme in which drivers — referred to as “slammers” — were paid to intentionally crash into 18-wheelers, file injury lawsuits and allow attorneys to collect the settlements. Both have pleaded not guilty.

63 people have been charged in the case. Many have already pleaded guilty. Motta and Giles are being tried together.

Criminal defense attorney Craig Mordock, who is not directly involved in the case but has been following it closely, said the scope of the litigation is significant.

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“You have 10 years of personal injury cases and almost… almost a billion dollars in recovery. That’s all at issue,” Mordock said. “So yeah, this could go two to three weeks.”

Motta’s defense team has advanced a narrative that she was manipulated by a co-defendant.

“There is a compelling narrative that’s been advanced by Vanessa Motta’s lawyer in terms of her being manipulated by one of the co-defendants… about being manipulated by him and him having a prior federal conviction for fraud,” Mordock said.

Motta’s team originally claimed she did not know the crashes were staged. In 2024, her team told FOX 8 she is the victim.

Mordock said Giles faces a more difficult defense.

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“I don’t see a favorable juror for one of the other lawyer defendants, Jason Giles. There’s not a clear theory of innocence. This is basically a standard white-collar prosecution where knowledge and intent are going to be the issue,” Mordock said.

The case carries what Mordock described as a shadow. In September 2020, key witness Cornelious Garrison was killed in New Orleans four days after his name appeared in an indictment. Garrison’s admitted killer, Ryan Harris, is expected to testify.

The judge in the case is also allowing the slain witness’s recorded descriptions of the alleged scheme to be admitted at trial.

Mordock said Louisiana drivers have a direct stake in the outcome.

“As your average Louisianan, the idea would be you would save… because the people committing this fraud have been wrapped up. The insurance companies are going to know how to look for this,” Mordock said.

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