Michigan softball’s perfect start to the Women’s College World Series came to an end Saturday afternoon, with the Wolverines lasting just five innings due to the run-ahead rule, losing 16-4 vs. Austin regional host Texas at McCombs Field.

Michigan will face the winner of UCF-Eastern Illinois at 6 p.m. in an elimination game.

On a scolding hot day with temperatures on the field reaching 110 degrees, according to the ESPN broadcast, the Wolverines were the first to get on the board when Lilly Vallimont singled to left to drive in Indiana Langford for a 1-0 lead.

It took the Longhorns almost no time to respond. In the top of the second inning, Katie Stewart led things off for Texas by slugging a home run to tie the game at 1-1.

Then in the third inning, the game got really crazy. Texas’ Reese Atwood smashed a three-run home run to take a 4-1 lead before Stewart hit her second home run of the game on the very next pitch to put the Longhorns firmly in control. But that was just the top of the inning.

THE WIN: Michigan softball opens 2025 NCAA Tournament with rally for 4-3 win over UCF

In what will surely be one of the more unlikely plays of the whole College World Series, Langford laid down a bunt to start the inning that miraculously turned into a Little League home run when Texas launched the throw all the way into the right-field corner. Langford turned on the jets and just kept running before eventually sliding into home for a relatively easy score to make it 5-2. Three pitches later, Jenissa Conway blasted a home run to cut further into the lead, 5-3.

However, it was all Texas after that point. The Longhorns blew the game open in the fourth, hitting three more home runs to help them score nine runs in the top of the inning and jump out to a 14-3 lead.

Michigan added a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning, but Texas made it 16-4 in the top of the fifth and the Wolverines couldn’t get the game within seven runs by the fifth inning, so the game ended due to the mercy rule.

Since the regionals in the CWS are double elimination, the Wolverines are not out of the tournament, needing a win later Saturday evening.

Andrew Birkle is the assistant sports editor at the Free Press. Contact him at andrew_birkle on “X” or via email at abirkle@freepress.com.

With severe weather frequently impacting North Texas, homeowners often wonder: What does my insurance policy actually cover? Do I have the right coverage? What happens after filing a claim?

Insurance expert Rich Johnson, communications director for the Insurance Council of Texas, advises homeowners to review their policy carefully, starting with the first few pages.

“The main thing to do is look at the first couple of pages of the policy,” Johnson said.

These pages typically outline wind and hail coverage, which may vary depending on location. Some homeowners may have a separate policy through the FAIR Plan or TWFG.

Johnson emphasizes the importance of understanding deductibles, particularly for hail and wind damage, which differ from deductibles for fire or plumbing issues.

“It’s usually between 1% and 5% of the insured value of your home,” he explained.

If a home is damaged by severe weather, Johnson recommends taking photos and making temporary repairs before filing a claim.

“Get that claim in as soon as possible so you’re on the list for an adjuster to inspect your house,” he said.

When hiring contractors, Johnson advises homeowners to choose local businesses and seek recommendations from friends and neighbors to avoid scams.

“A couple of red flags: if they’re out of state, don’t have a licensing number, or say they’ll waive your deductible—that’s actually illegal in Texas,” he warned.

Scammers should be reported to insurance providers, local police, and the Texas Department of Insurance, which handles fraud cases.

Johnson also notes that inflation and frequent severe weather are driving up repair costs and insurance premiums, affecting both home and auto insurance.

“We’re seeing weather impact insurance rates more severely and more frequently,” he said.

The Texas House of Representatives have preliminarily voted in favor of repealing the state’s defunct ban on “homosexual conduct.”

On Thursday, lawmakers voted 72-55 to give first approval to House Bill 1738.

Why It Matters

In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas’ law criminalizing gay sex in a landmark decision in Lawrence v. Texas. But anti-sodomy laws remain on the books in Texas and other states.

These laws could become enforceable if the high court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, overturned its decision in Lawrence—the way laws banning abortion became enforceable after the court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has said the court should review other precedents, including Lawrence and the court’s 2015 decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

What To Know

State Representative Venton Jones, a gay man and Texas’ first openly HIV-positive lawmaker, said on the House floor on Thursday that repealing the law was “common sense governance.”

“Despite the clear precedent that the Lawrence v. Texas [decision] set over two decades ago, this outdated and unenforceable language remains in our penal code,” he said.

Jones added: “I’m not asking you to vote based on whether or not you agree with the Lawrence v. Texas ruling. Instead, I’m asking you to vote on a law that strengthens the fundamental civil liberties and individual freedoms that all Texans deserve.

“I’m asking you to vote for a law that upholds the principles that Texans should have the freedom and ability to make their own private decisions without unwarranted government interference.”

The bill’s sponsors included some of the chamber’s most progressive and most conservative lawmakers. Sponsors and cosponsors included three Democrats—Jones, Joe Moody and Ann Johnson—and Republicans Brian Harrison and Dade Phelan.

Newsweek has contacted the lawmakers for comment via email.

What People Are Saying

Democratic state Representative Venton Jones told The Dallas Morning News after Thursday’s vote: “It was a great feeling. I think it gave a little bit of hope. When you have a lot of really long and bad days in this chamber, it’s nice when we can come together and get something right.”

Republican state Representative Brian Harrison said in a statement to the Texas Tribune: “Criminalizing homosexuality is not the role of government, and I support repealing it.”

Jonathan Covey, the director of policy for Texas Values, said in opposition to the measure, per the Morning News: “Some laws don’t need to be enforceable to serve a purpose. They are declarative and persuasive, and that’s what this bill does for those who read about it or know about it. It warns that this conduct is not acceptable.”

What Happens Next

Thursday’s House vote was the furthest the effort to repeal the ban has gone in the Texas Legislature. House Bill 1738 is expected to pass a final vote on Friday before advancing to the Texas Senate, according to the Tribune.