Texas
Louisiana Tech stuns No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 10 Texas Tech falls in wild day of softball
Friday’s softball slate did not disappoint, with ranked teams falling, statement wins, and dramatic finishes across the country.
Here’s a look at the biggest results from all of the action.
Louisiana Tech stuns No. 4 Oklahoma State
Louisiana Tech pulled off a massive upset Friday, taking down No. 4 Oklahoma State 6-1 in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge behind a second-inning surge and dominant pitching from Allie Floyd.
The Lady Techsters (2-0) capitalized on a poor second inning from OSU (1-1), drawing four straight walks and scoring twice on a throwing error to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Floyd took care of the rest, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out four in a complete game.
Oklahoma State’s struggles started when starter Kyra Aycock issued back-to-back bases-loaded walks to bring in two runs. A throwing error on a fielder’s choice moments later allowed two more to cross, forcing the Cowgirls to play from behind the rest of the way.
No better time for your first career hit!
💻 https://t.co/oHzWlELcS1@kiarra_sells | #HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/Ny68qqssXN
— Mississippi State Softball (@HailStateSB) February 8, 2025
RyLee Crandall provided stability out of the bullpen, retiring 12 straight batters before Louisiana Tech struck again in the sixth. A single from Carly Raley, followed by an RBI hit from Natalie Hammoude, extended the lead to 6-0.
The Cowgirls had their chances but left nine runners stranded. Their lone run came in the sixth when Karli Godwin led off with a double and scored on a Micaela Wark infield single.
Oklahoma State will look to bounce back quickly with a matchup against Northern Colorado next.
Mississippi State shocks No. 10 Texas Tech in extra innings
Mississippi State pulled off an early-season upset, taking down No. 10 Texas Tech 3-1 in extra innings at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.
The Bulldogs broke a scoreless tie in the eighth, stringing together clutch hits to push across three runs. Kiarra Sells started the rally with an RBI single through the right side, followed by a sacrifice fly from Morgan Bernardini and an RBI single from Sierra Sacco.
Texas Tech got one back in the bottom half on Mihyia Davis’ RBI groundout, but Raelin Chaffin shut the door to seal Mississippi State’s win. Chaffin was outstanding, tossing eight innings of three-hit ball while striking out six and allowing no earned runs.
Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady was equally dominant through seven innings, striking out 12 and allowing just one hit. But the Bulldogs finally cracked her in extras, making the most of their opportunities.
The Red Raiders managed only three hits all night and stranded six runners. Alana Johnson’s first-inning double was Texas Tech’s lone extra-base hit.
With the win, Mississippi State notched its first ranked victory of the season, while Texas Tech will look to bounce back in its next game at the tournament.
RANKINGS: View the latest softball rankings
Texas A&M rallies late to outslug Baylor
No. 7 Texas A&M powered past No. 19 Baylor with a late offensive surge, securing a 10-7 victory Thursday at Davis Diamond.
The Aggies (3-0) trailed 7-1 after four innings before erupting for four runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth. Rylen Wouley and Rylen Powell sparked the comeback, each driving in runs, while Trinity Barbara sealed the win with a two-run homer in the sixth.
Baylor (2-1) built an early lead behind a four-run second inning, capitalizing on timely hits from McKenzie Flores and Emily Dawson. The Bears extended their advantage to 7-1 in the fourth, but their bats went quiet as A&M’s bullpen capitalized.
Aggies reliever Emiley Kennedy tossed two scoreless innings to earn the win, while Baylor’s pitching staff struggled to slow A&M’s rally, allowing nine runs in the final two frames.
A&M’s aggressive base running and hitting proved the difference, with Vrazel and Dement combining for three extra-base hits and four RBIs.
The Aggies remain unbeaten and will look to keep rolling as the tournament continues, while Baylor aims to rebound in its next matchup.
Duke dominates Mississippi State in run-rule shutout
No. 8 Duke rolled to an 8-0 run-rule victory over No. 24 Mississippi State in five innings at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.
Kairi Rodriguez set the tone early, launching a three-run homer in the first inning to put the Blue Devils (2-0) in command. Duke added two more in the second, highlighted by an RBI double from Aminah Vega.
The offense kept rolling in the third as Rodriguez and Amiah Burgess notched back-to-back singles, setting up another score. Burgess later added an RBI infield single in the fourth before Ana Gold dashed home during a rundown to cap the scoring.
Duke ace D’Auna Jennings dominated in the circle, tossing five shutout innings with three strikeouts while allowing just four hits. Mississippi State (1-1) struggled to generate offense, managing only one extra-base hit — a double from Kiarra Sells.
Bulldogs starter Josey Marron gave up five runs in just 1.2 innings, and reliever Lexi Sosa allowed three more over 2.1 innings.
OPENING DAY RECAP: Oklahoma’s go-ahead grand slam, Jordy Bahl and Nebraska’s domination launch the softball season
No. 15 Missouri shuts out No. 20 Northwestern
No. 15 Missouri opened its 2025 campaign with a statement, blanking No. 20 Northwestern 3-0 behind a dominant outing from junior pitcher Cierra Harrison at the NFCA Leadoff Classic.
Harrison delivered a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits while striking out six in her season debut. She kept the Wildcats off balance all night, limiting them to just one runner in scoring position.
Missouri capitalized on a first-inning Northwestern error to take an early lead before Stefania Abruscato extended the advantage with an RBI infield single in the second. The Tigers tacked on an insurance run in the sixth when Claire Cahalan roped a two-out triple and scored on a base hit from Hannah Crenshaw.
Northwestern’s best chance came in the fourth when leadoff hitter Ava Avvisato, who finished 3-for-3, doubled to start the inning. But Harrison responded with a strikeout and two flyouts to strand the runner.
Northwestern starter Riley Grudzielanek battled through six innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out three.
NEW ERA: Getting to know the ‘new’ Oklahoma softball
No. 24 Maryland routs No. 21 Cal with early surge
No. 24 Maryland wasted no time making a statement, scoring six runs in the first three innings to knock off No. 21 California 6-3 in the Kajikawa Classic. The win marks Maryland’s first of the season.
Mazie MacFarlane powered the Terps at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, including a two-run double in the third that gave Maryland a commanding 6-1 lead. Sam Bean and Madison Runyan each chipped in RBI singles, while Caitlyn Cornwell added a hit, an RBI, and a stolen base.
Cal struggled to respond early but found some life late. Kaylee Pond launched her first home run of the season in the sixth, and Tatum Bell had an RBI single in the third, but Maryland starter Julia Shearer held the Bears in check. The lefty went the distance, striking out three while allowing three runs on six hits for her third career complete game.
After a rough start, Cal’s pitching settled down. Annabel Teperson entered in the fourth and shut down Maryland’s offense, recording two strikeouts and not allowing a hit the rest of the way.
Maryland will face Miami (Ohio) next, while Cal will look to bounce back in a doubleheader against Utah and a rematch with the Terps.
Delaware shocks No. 22 Michigan for historic win
Delaware made history Thursday, defeating No. 22 Michigan 8-2 at the USF Rawlings Invitational for its first-ever win over a ranked opponent.
The Blue Hens (2-2) jumped on Michigan (0-1) early, plating five runs in the first inning. After loading the bases on a single and two hit batters, Delaware capitalized with a two-run double from Lexi Shaffer, an RBI double from Chloe Blantz, and a fielder’s choice to take a commanding lead.
Michigan had opportunities but struggled to convert, leaving 13 runners on base and going scoreless with the bases loaded in the fourth and sixth innings. The Wolverines’ only runs came on a passed ball in the first and a seventh-inning error.
Delaware’s pitching was key. Grace Kerwood tossed 4.2 innings and allowed just one unearned run while escaping multiple jams. Taylor Hess closed out the final 2.1 innings, sealing the upset.
Shaffer led the offense, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Hess, Blantz, and Sydney Cahalan each had multi-hit performances.
The Blue Hens extended their lead with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, cruising to a historic win. They’ll now face No. 3 Florida on Friday, while Michigan looks to rebound from a rough season opener.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — James Talarico did not mention Donald Trump when he greeted exuberant supporters at his primary night celebration.
But the newly minted Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Texas is now a front man for the political opposition to the Republican president, not just in his own state but around the country. With his victory over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, the state lawmaker from Austin will test whether a smiling message of unity and change is enough to answer voters’ frustrations amid discord at home and now a war abroad.
READ MORE: What to watch in the consequential Senate primaries in Texas
“We are not just trying to win an election,” Talarico told supporters in the Texas capital early Wednesday. “We are trying to fundamentally change our politics, and it’s working.”
The campaign provided “Love thy Neighbor” signs to people in the crowd.
The question for Talarico as he heads into the general election campaign is whether he can generate enthusiasm from voters who opted for Crockett because they saw her as the more aggressive fighter against Trump. Crockett conceded to Talarico on Wednesday morning, saying that “Texas is primed to turn blue and we must remain united because this is bigger than any one person.”
Talarico will need all the help he can get in a Republican-dominated state where Democrats have gone decades without winning a statewide race. He will face either U.S. Sen. John Cornyn or state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who advanced to a Republican runoff on Tuesday.
Conventional political wisdom has it that Talarico was the stronger Democratic candidate in November, especially if Republicans nominate Paxton, a conservative firebrand who has weathered allegations of corruption and infidelity over the years.
WATCH: What’s at stake for Democrats and Republicans in the Texas Senate primaries
Although Democrats are often choosing between moderate and progressive candidates in primaries, they faced a largely stylistic choice in Texas.
Talarico, 36, is a Presbyterian seminarian who quotes Scripture and rarely raises his voice. Crockett, 44, is an unapologetic political brawler who hammers Trump and other Republicans with acidic flourish.
Both have been reliably progressive votes in their current roles and telegenic faces across cable news and social media. Both represent generational change for a party with aging leadership. Each called for a more equitable economy and society. Each talked about bringing sporadic voters into their coalitions.
But Talarico’s broader argument is one that he could have made regardless of whether Trump was in the White House. Talarico’s campaign, he said often, is about addressing a country whose fundamental divide is not partisan but “top vs. bottom.” He regularly assails the rise in Christian nationalism. A former teacher, he has advocated for public education –- and against Texas conservatives’ policies to restrict curriculum and reshape how U.S. history is taught.
“He’s just a good friend and he’s a serious advocate for the disenfranchised and a serious policymaker,” said Lea Downey Gallatin, 40, an Austin resident who became friends with Talarico when they interned together for a congressman.
Crockett promised Democrats that she could increase turnout within the party’s base, while Talarico campaigned on the theory that he could pull new people into the party’s tent.
“I can’t tell you how many have come up to me, whispering that they’re not a Democrat,” Talarico said as he campaigned in San Antonio in the closing days of the primary campaign. “I can’t tell you how many young people have said it’s the first time that they’ve ever voted, and that they are participating for the first time.”
As he strolled through the city, Talarico posed for pictures and greeted the singer of a Tejano band playing nearby. He later spoke to hundreds of people at the historic Stable Hall, a 130-year-old circular structure built for showing horses and now a converted event center. Hundreds more, unable to get into the full event, wound around the corner and along the sidewalk for blocks.
Inside, Lori Alvarez, a 39-year-old who works for a disaster relief nonprofit, said she supported Talarico because “he really listens to what we need.”
“I think he’s going to be able to make change in Washington for us,” said the married mother of three young girls.
Yet that was not what attracted so many voters to Crockett.
Troy Burroughs, a 61-year-old Navy retiree, called Crockett “rugged” and “the only one I see fighting for us.”
He added: “I like how she doesn’t back down from anybody.”
Burroughs said some voters probably saw Talarico as more electable because he is more soft-spoken. But, he said, “We’ve got to get into the gutter with these folks, because that’s where they are.”
Talarico, meanwhile, keeps fighting his own way.
“Tonight, the people of our state gave this country a little bit of hope,” he said Tuesday, “and a little bit of hope is a dangerous thing.”
Barrow reported from Atlanta, Figueroa from Austin, Texas, and Beaumont from San Antonio.
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Garland is about to witness a different kind of big top spectacle when Omnium Circus’ new show “I’m Possible” rolls into town for its first Texas performance on March 16 and 17 at the Atrium in Garland.
This inclusive circus was founded in 2020 by founder and executive director Lisa B. Lewis. She is no stranger to the circus world. Lewis grew up attending the circus with her grandfather, who was a Shriner. She would then later begin her own circus career at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Clown College.
A performer in a black suit rides inside a cyr wheel
against a stage lit in red. The letters of the OMNIUM
sign are in the background.
The idea for an inclusive circus came to her during one of her first experiences working as a clown. Lewis says that during her performance, she saw a row of grumpy teenagers.
“They had their arms folded like they were mad and grumpy, and then my partner, whom I was working with, began telling jokes in sign language,” Lewis said. “How he knew they were deaf, I don’t know. The group of teenagers immediately started laughing, and the energy of the entire section shifted.”
Lewis said that in that moment, something clicked in her head, and she realized the power of inclusion.
She would then go on to spread joy through the art of circus to special-needs kids. And then later, she created Omnium Circus.
“Circus elevates our belief in ourselves; it allows us to see the best of what humanity has to offer,” Lewis said.
A female with blue hair facing a man with a red hat
Maike Schulz
between them is a large bubble with smaller bubbles
inside of it. There is a golden light coming from
behind the bubbles.
Omnium is a Latin word meaning of all and belonging to all. The circus’ mission is to create joy and entertainment for all no matter the body you inhabit or the skin that you’re in.
The hour-long show in Garland will feature many inclusive acts, such as deaf singer-songwriter Mandy Harvey, an America’s Got Talent finalist and Golden Buzzer winner.
The show will feature two ringmasters: deaf ringmaster Malik Paris will conduct the sign-language portion of the show, while ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson will handle the vocal portion. Iverson is the first Black ringmaster for a major U.S. circus, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
A juggler wearing red and black gazes at his pins in
the air while cast members around him look on in
amazement. The letters of the OMNIUM sign are in
the background behind the performers.
The show will also feature the six-time Paraclimbing World Cup champion, the world’s fastest female juggler, clowns from Dallas, plus more.
Details: March 16 at 7 p.m. and March 17 at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.at the Atrium, 300 N. 5th Street, Garland. Tickets are $21.99 for youth and $27.19 for adults.
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