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Aggies Sweep Doubleheader, Claim Series Against No. 21 Mississippi State

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Aggies Sweep Doubleheader, Claim Series Against No. 21 Mississippi State


STARKVILLE – The Fightin’ Texas Aggies swept No. 21 Mississippi State in a doubleheader by run-rule, 9-0, in five innings to open the series, followed by winning game two, 8-5, Saturday at Nusz Park. It marked the first time since 2017 the Aggies won the first two series to open league play.

Texas A&M begins SEC play 5-0 for the first time in program history and matches the best start in conference play since 2008. The 25-2 ledger matches the best start to a season since members of the SEC, joining the 2017, 2016 and 2013 teams.

Emiley Kennedy continued her dominance striking out seven, while recording a nation-leading 13th win and seventh shutout in the series opener. The Woodlands, Texas, native, made her second appearance of the day with two on and no outs in the seventh inning of game two. The left-handed pitcher ended the Bulldogs with a foul out, strikeout and ground out. Shaylee Ackerman was credited with her fifth win of the season after 3.0 innings and two strikeouts of relief work. In total, the Aggie pitching staff finished the day with 13 strikeouts.

The Aggie offense generated 17 runs, including eight on two-outs. Most notably Texas A&M recorded a crooked inning of five-plus runs to move in the driver’s seat of each win. Koko Wooley led the Aggies hitting 5-for-7 with two doubles, four runs and one RBI, while swiping three bases. Allie Enright drove in five runs, including a three-run home run in game two that contributed to a five-run fifth inning. Jazmine Hill reached base in each game, extending her on-base streak to 18 games.

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Ol’ Sarge’s charges kept each Mississippi State (20-6, 2-3) attack at bay, including an early threat in game two with bases-loaded and one out as Kramer Eschete caught a fly ball and gunned down the runner from 180 feet trying for home to end the inning with an Aggie 2-1 lead.

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Texas A&M goes for the sweep with Sunday’s first pitch at 11 a.m.

TEXAS A&M QUOTES

Head Coach Trisha Ford on…

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The Aggie offense:

“The first game I thought we came out with really good focus. We put up some crooked numbers really quickly and I thought we kept our foot on the gas pedal. The thing about it is, it’s hard. This is a really good Mississippi State team. For us to come out in the second game and also score, I thought our lineup did a really good job top to bottom.

Winning in different aspects:

“Kramer’s double play and Rylen’s catch that I couldn’t even see, I think both of those were huge. You can win games in all different aspects, whether it be short game, hit balls off the wall like we did, in the circle, or on defense. There’s so many opportunities in our game to gain momentum. That was huge. Kramer’s arm is one of the reasons why she’s an Aggie. We know she can track down balls, she’s got great speed, and then she’s got that cannon.

Koko Wooley:

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“Koko is dynamic. I love that kid. She’s just annoying if you’re another team. I would hate to have to face her, and I’m so happy that I don’t. If you give her an inch, she will take a mile. She reads defenses well and you can almost see her lower to the ground when she runs. I enjoy watching her play the game.”

SCORING SUMMARY

GAME ONE

T2 | Allie Enright led off with a walk, followed by Rylen Wiggins homering to left field for the Texas A&M’s 35th home run of the season. Kennedy Powell singled and scored after Koko Wooley doubled to left center and advanced to third. Jazmine Hill reached on a fielder’s choice, followed by a Trinity Cannon and Julia Cottrill reaching on a fielder’s choice with Wooley out at home. Aiyana Coleman lined a bases-clearing double to right field to score Hill, Cannon and Cottrill. Scout Lovell pinch ran for Coleman and scored after Enright singled up the middle. TAMU 7, MSU 0

T3 | Kramer Eschete reached first on a muffed throw by the first baseman and stole second base, before advancing to third on a passed ball. Hill grounded out scoring Eschete. TAMU 8, MSU 0

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T4 | Cottrill singled up the middle and was pinch ran for by Hailey Golden. Coleman walked to advance to Golden to second, before scoring after Enright singled through the right side. TAMU 9, MSU 0

SCORING SUMMARY

GAME TWO

T1 | Koko Wooley was hit-by-pitch to leadoff and advanced to second after Jazmine Hill grounded out. Julia Cottrill flied out to right field advanced Wooley to third before heading home and scoring on a throwing error by the right fielder. TAMU 1, MSU 0

T3 | Wooley singled up the middle to leadoff and advanced to second after Hill singled to right field. Trinity Cannon grounded out to advance the pair of Aggies before Wooley caught a Bulldog napping and scored stealing home. TAMU 2, MSU 0

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B3 | Blaine was hit-by-pitch to leadoff and scored after Sacco singled to center field. TAMU 2, MSU 1

T5 | Back-to-back singles by Kennedy Powell and Koko led off the inning. Hill flied out to center field to advance Powell to third. Wooley stole second and advanced to third on the throwing error as Powell scored. Cannon singled through the left side to score Wooley. Hailey Golden pinch ran for Cannon and Mya Perez hit a pinch hit single. Allie Enright homered to right center scoring Golden and Perez. TAMU 7, MSU 1

B5 | St. Clair reached on a fielder’s choice and later scored after Barbary singled through the right side. TAMU 7, MSU 2

T6 | Wooley recorded her third hit of the day with a single up the middle and stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Hill singled to the pitcher scoring Wooley. TAMU 8, MSU 2

B6 | Kennedy homered to center field. TAMU 8, MSU 3

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B7 | Kennedy singled up the middle for a two-RBI single that scored Edwards and St. Clair. TAMU 8, MSU 5



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GPS data tracks boat Mississippi teen Nolan Wells was on before he went missing

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GPS data tracks boat Mississippi teen Nolan Wells was on before he went missing


GPS data from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, obtained by CBS News, tracks the movements of the boat that carried Nolan Wells to Horn Island on July 4. Wells was found dead after going missing following an outing on the island.

The vessel left a dock at approximately 9:56 a.m. that morning and arrived at Horn Island at 11:14 a.m. CBS News has previously reported that Wells was not on the boat when it departed the island. 

According to the GPS data, the boat left Horn Island at 4:31 p.m. and returned to its original departure dock. It then traveled into Fort Bayou around 5:52 p.m. before returning to the dock at 6:06 p.m.

Later that evening, the boat went to the Fort Bayou boat launch at 7:19 p.m., according to the MSDMR report. From there, it traveled over land — presumably towed by a vehicle — to the Biloxi, Mississippi, residence of the boat’s owners. 

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The MSDMR report indicates that the boat’s owner, his mother and one other individual who was reportedly with Wells on the day of the incident have cooperated with the investigation.

The department’s report ends on July 5, following notification that the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office would take over as the lead investigative agency.

This undated photo provided by the family in July 2026 shows Nolan Xavier Wells with his mother, Christine Wonsley.

Family photo via AP

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Wells, 18, was last seen on July 4 on Horn Island, where he had taken a boat trip with friends to celebrate the holiday, officials said. Wells traveled to the island with his friends but did not return to the mainland with them that afternoon, Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said.

He was last seen on the island at 3 p.m., according to attorney Ben Crump’s office. His mother reported him missing later that night and a search began.

His body was discovered July 6 off the coast of the island, which is about 10 miles south of the Mississippi mainland, following a search that involved the U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the National Park Service.

Dental records confirmed the body was Wells, Jackson County coroner Bruce Lynd told CBS News. An autopsy took place on July 7, Lynd said, but the results were not immediately made public. Wells’ body was flown to Washington, D.C., for an independent autopsy, according to Crump. 

Wells’ parents have said they don’t believe their son would’ve stayed behind on the island by choice when his friends left by boat.

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Christine and Elmore Wonsley, the parents of Nolan Wells, spoke to “CBS Mornings” on Friday, July 10, 2026.

CBS News


“No, he wouldn’t. Nolan always stays with the group,” Elmore Wonsley, Nolan’s father, told “CBS Mornings” last week. “If you be with me, you come back with me. So that I don’t understand, and with me being a parent, if I was in that situation, I would have told them, ‘You’re going to get back on this boat with me because I don’t want to answer to your parents if something happens to you.’”

When directly asked if he believed Nolan was left behind on the island, his father responded, “Yes. I don’t believe he decided to stay on the island by himself. It just doesn’t — that’s not his character.”

Wells went to Ocean Springs High School and was a rising sophomore on Southwest Mississippi Community College’s football team. Crump said Wells was a good swimmer.

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How permanent daylight saving time would impact Mississippi

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How permanent daylight saving time would impact Mississippi


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Are Americans finally done changing the clocks twice a year? Congress moved a step closer to ending the ritual after the U.S. House passed legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent.

It hasn’t been approved by the Senate yet, but it did pass the House with broad support (308-117). If it passes the Senate, it could be signed by President Donald Trump or become law without his signature, unless he vetoes it.

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Trump has previously backed ending twice-a-year time changes.

“I am going to work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into Law. It’s time that people can stop worrying about the ‘Clock,’” he wrote in a May Truth Social post.

A few versions of the Sunshine Protection Act were introduced in Congress. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, introduced the one that’s gaining ground last year.

Here’s what to know about daylight saving time and the move to change it.

What is daylight saving time and why do we use it?

Daylight saving time is the practice of setting clocks forward an hour from March until November in an effort to gain more sunlight during the summer months.

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According to the Library of Congress, it was first enacted in 1918 as a fuel cost-saving measure during World War I.

Daylight saving time became federal law under the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Under the law, some states can opt to exempt themselves from daylight saving time.

Would Mississippi keep daylight saving time year-round?

In 2021, the Mississippi Legislature passed a law saying the state plans to stick with daylight saving time year-round. But that only takes effect if Congress changes the federal law to let states adopt it all the time. A bill updating the effective date died in committee in the 2026 session.

Nineteen states, including Mississippi, are ready to make daylight saving time permanent if Congress changes the law to make the twice-a-year time shift optional, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

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How later sunrises would affect Mississippi

Sunrise and sunset times in summer would look the same.

But the period from November to March would be different. The amount of daylight would be the same, just shifted an hour later than usual.

Mississippi could expect the latest winter sunrises around 7:59 a.m. in mid-January. The earliest sunsets would shift from about 4:46 p.m. in early December to 5:46 p.m., according to timeanddate.com.

Why permanent daylight saving time failed before

Yes. Congress did drop Daylight Saving Time before.

The move failed in 1974 after parents worried about kids going to school before dawn, risking more vehicle crashes.

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Some parts of the country, like Michigan or Indiana, don’t see sunrise until after 9 a.m. with the permanent daylight saving time.

When clocks fall back in 2026

Clocks will “fall back” from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, unless Congress changes the law.

Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November each year, under current law. That’s when we get back that missing hour of sleep from the spring time change.

Does Mississippi change clocks twice a year?

Yes. Mississippi, which is in the Central time zone, observes daylight saving time.

What time is it in Mississippi?

Visit timeanddate.com to see the current time in Jackson.

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Which states don’t observe daylight saving time?

Most of the U.S. participates in daylight saving time except for Hawaii and most of Arizona. The Navajo Nation in the northeast corner of the state does participate.

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@usatodayco.com.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.





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Mississippi teen accused of killing elderly couple had worked for them before shooting: family

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Mississippi teen accused of killing elderly couple had worked for them before shooting: family


A teenager in Mississippi knew the elderly couple he’s accused of killing before sparking a standoff with law enforcement, according to new testimony in court.

Cordarius Hobbs, 17, is charged with killing 74-year-old Billy Blair and his 71-year-old wife Virginia Carol Blair during a home break-in on June 3 in Mendenhall, Mississippi.

Family members of Hobbs testified during the Thursday preliminary hearing that he knew the couple.

Family members testified that Hobbs did work for the Blairs for things like cleaning around the house before the alleged shooting, according to WAPT.

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Billy Newsome, Hobbs’ grandfather, said he believes his grandson was called to work on the day of the alleged shooting but believes he’s innocent.

“My grandson used to work for the man, why you gone rob a man that you work for,” Newsome said. “Why you gone stay there that long and you know the police out there, and then you gone wait until everybody gets there to run, it just ain’t adding up, something just ain’t right here.”

Cordarius Hobbs, 17, is charged with killing 74-year-old Billy Blair and his 71-year-old wife Virginia Carol Blair during a home break-in on June 3 in Mendenhall, Mississippi. Rankin County Jail

On June 3, three contractors installing a generator at the Blairs’ home discovered Carol Blair’s car door open with several guns on the seats around 10 a.m., prompting them to call the Simpson County Sheriff’s Department for a welfare check at 11:30 a.m, according to a Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigator.

By noon, the investigator said that officers arrived and were met with shots fired at them, starting a nearly two-hour-long standoff.

Hobbs was captured after trying to run away from officers, the official said, adding that the teen was unarmed when he was caught.

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Family members testified that Hobbs worked for Billy and Virginia Blair before they were found shot to death. Family Handout
Hobbs was captured after trying to run away from officers, the official said, adding that the teen was unarmed when he was caught. 16 WAPT News Jackson

Carol Blair was found in a bedroom curled in the fetal position and had three gunshots to the back of her head. Bill Blair was found lying on his back in the kitchen with three gunshot wounds to his face.

The state investigator said three firearms were found inside the home as well as 280 shell casings, all owned by Bill Blair.

Hobbs’ defense attorney, Zachary Vaugh, argued that there’s a lack of direct forensic evidence connecting the teenager to the shooting.

Hobbs is charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of burglary, in addition to 10 other charges. He was denied bond. WLBT

“There was nothing to say he’s a principal, he’s the one that pulled the trigger on these things,” Vaugh said. “One of the things alone was, one of the victims was shot twice on one side of the head and once on the other. I think that’s pretty compelling that somebody else may have been in there. There’s a lot of things that are possible, just a tremendous amount of things.”

“When you have an officer say there’s no one that can identify him at the time of the shooting, I just don’t see how that adds up,” he said.

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Hobbs is charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of burglary, in addition to 10 other charges. He was denied bond.

In a statement on Facebook, the couple’s family previously said, “We are crushed in spirit, bruised, and brokenhearted, but we are not alone.”

Jason Busby, who was friends with the couple, remembered them as being extremely selfless when speaking with WLBT.

“The man would’ve given you the shirt off his back, his wife is the same, and they’re just great people. It’s just a tragedy,” Busby said. “Everybody around here is still in shock. They were just good people.”

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