Sports
UCLA can't capitalize on chances, falling to rival Oklahoma in Women's College World Series
One pitch, one mistake and now UCLA is one loss away from the end of its season.
No. 2 Oklahoma survived a pitchers’ duel in a 1-0 win over No. 6 UCLA in the Women’s College World Series on Saturday at Devon Park, advancing to the semifinals on a solo home run from shortstop Tiare Jennings and 11 strikeouts from Kelly Maxwell.
UCLA (43-11) will play Pac-12 rival Stanford in an elimination game Sunday at 4 p.m. PDT (ESPN2).
Saturday’s titanic clash of the sport’s winningest program against the current dynasty featured the two longest active winning streaks in the country. UCLA’s run of 14 consecutive wins ended while Oklahoma stretched its streak to 11 straight. The Sooners, who are trying to become the first program in history to win four consecutive NCAA softball championships, have won 20 straight NCAA tournament games. The Bruins were the last team to beat the Sooners (56-7) in the postseason in 2022.
Maya Brady was the hero in the 7-3 win that forced an “if necessary” game in the 2022 national semifinals, but the fifth-year senior couldn’t muster anything against Maxwell on Saturday. The Oklahoma State transfer gave up just two hits and three walks in a complete-game shutout.
Oklahoma pitcher Kelly Maxwell (28) celebrates with Cydney Sanders (1) and Avery Hodge (82) after the Sooners’ win over UCLA at the Women’s College World Series on June 1, 2024.
(Bryan Terry / The Oklahoman)
The top of UCLA’s lineup — Brady, Jadelyn Allchin and Sharlize Palacios, who are three of UCLA’s top four hitters by average — combined to go 0 for 10 at the plate with six strikeouts. Brady, who turned 23 Saturday, struck out three times, tying her career high in a game. She had a chance to keep the Bruins alive in the top of the seventh, but grounded out to second base.
UCLA, which had thrived in the postseason off timely hitting, left seven on base.
The Bruins had two on with no outs in the top of the third with the top of their lineup at the plate. With Brady, who had reached base in 16 consecutive games batting, the Sooners called time out. Maxwell then struck out the UCLA slugger.
Maxwell retired three of UCLA’s most experienced players in order to end the threat. After sending Brady back to the dugout, Maxwell forced a shallow infield fly by Allchin and struck out UCLA home run leader Palacios. The Bruins left the golden opportunity without a run.
Oklahoma immediately took advantage with a leadoff home run from Jennings. The shortstop from San Pedro sent Kaitlyn Terry’s first pitch sailing over the fence in left-center field.
UCLA center fielder Janelle Meoño makes a home-run robbing catch during the third inning against Oklahoma in the Women’s College World Series on June 1, 2024.
(Bryan Terry / The Oklahoman)
But the Bruins limited the damage to just one run with stellar play from its defense. After center fielder Janelle Meoño watched Jennings’ homer, the UCLA fifth-year senior robbed Kasidi Pickering of a two-run shot that could have turned the momentum squarely toward the Sooners. Instead, the Bruins finished the inning with a strikeout from Terry.
Terry, starting her second consecutive game, gave up three hits, one run and three walks with four strikeouts in four innings. Sophomore Taylor Tinsley pitched three innings in relief, surrendering one hit with two strikeouts.
Sports
USA World Cup star Folarin Balogun receives controversial red card during Round of 32 match
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U.S. men’s national team star Folarin Balogun received a red card in the second half of their Round of 32 World Cup matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night.
Balogun was making a challenge on a ball when he stepped on an opposing player’s leg.
The U.S. men’s national team is down to 10 players for the rest of the match. If the U.S. holds their 1-0 lead, Balogun will have to miss the Round of 16 game.
Balogun scored for the U.S. in the first half.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
Sports
Dodgers’ Will Smith won’t return before the All-Star break
SACRAMENTO — The first half of the season will conclude with Will Smith in the same place he has been for the last month: the injured list.
The Dodgers’ three-time All-Star catcher has been on the IL since June 8 because of what the Dodgers list as neck inflammation. Smith said he had been diagnosed with an inflamed disk.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he “just can’t see any world” in which Smith would return before the All-Star break, which concludes July 16.
“It’s certainly longer, I know, than all of us expected,” Roberts said. “But I don’t think it’s anything real, kind of affecting-the-season type thing.”
Roberts said Smith has not been able to accelerate his rehabilitation to the point of doing baseball activities.
Dalton Rushing, who has taken over as the Dodgers’ primary catcher in Smith’s absence, is batting .213 with one home run and 19 strikeouts in 18 games while Smith has been on the injured list. The Dodgers gave Rushing the day off Wednesday.
The Dodgers were 14-6 with Smith on the IL entering play Wednesday.
Also Wednesday, the team scratched shortstop Mookie Betts from the starting lineup because of a sore right wrist.
Sports
Ex-NFL reporter Dianna Russini interaction with police officer to dodge traffic ticket comes to light
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Police bodycam footage appeared to refute a claim made by former NFL reporter Dianna Russini earlier this year about what she did to get out of a traffic ticket.
Russini, whose relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel led to her resigning from her role with The Athletic in April, said on the “Stugotz and Company” show back in February that she FaceTimed the NFL coach, though she didn’t drop the name, of the officer’s favorite team after being pulled over for being on her phone.
It was a story that came up again during the New York Times’ deep dive into the Russini-Vrabel controversy, and now police bodycam footage has confirmed that wasn’t the case. However, she did name-drop a coach.
ESPN reporter Dianna Russini looks on during the NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Sept. 16, 2018. (Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire)
The footage went just over seven minutes long, as Russini was stopped in Ridgewood, New Jersey, for using her phone while driving. Not only did a FaceTime never happen, but no call at all occurred during the exchange between Russini and the officer.
What did occur, though, was Russini showing the officer texts she had been having with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, and she showed the officer her phone with the texts on it.
DIANNA RUSSINI PULLED PATHETIC MOVE WITH AN OFFICER TO GET OUT OF A TICKET, AND IT SHOULD HAVE THE NFL NERVOUS
“I’m an NFL reporter, and I just broke that Seam McDermott got fired from the Bills,” Russini told the officer almost immediately, understanding why she was being pulled over. “I was gonna pull over because I have to make calls. I know you don’t care, but I’m just letting you know my reason why. It was a work thing and it was an emergency for what I do.”
McDermott was fired the morning of Jan. 19, which was the date shown on the bodycam footage, after the Bills’ AFC Divisional Round loss to the Denver Broncos.
The officer replied that Russini had been on her phone “for a while” before pulling her over, though he did acknowledge she had a job to do.
Russini continued, telling the officer that former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll “wants the job” with the Bills. He was connected to the team given his history with Buffalo prior to joining the Giants, but they hired in-house with Joe Brady being promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach. Daboll ended up joining Robert Saleh’s staff as offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans.
Dianna Russini, left, and Mike Vrabel, right, are shown in a split composite image featuring Russini with an ESPN microphone and Vrabel on the Titans sideline wearing a headset. (Imagn Images)
Russini, then, asked if the officer was a Giants or Jets fan given the New Jersey ties. When he responded by saying he was a Vikings fan, it prompted Russini to seemingly show texts with O’Connell. The conversation, which included Russini saying the Vikings’ quarterback “sucks” and “KOC’s awesome” ultimately led to the officer letting her off with a warning.
“I’m gonna cut you a break on the cellphone,” the officer was heard saying. “I understand your job requires you to be on the phone a lot. Just try to wait until you get home, OK?”
PATRIOTS SAY THEY ‘FULLY SUPPORT’ MIKE VRABEL AMID LATEST IN CONTROVERSY INVOLVING DIANNA RUSSINI
The Center Square first reported Russini’s interaction with the officer.
Fox News Digital reached out to Russini and the Vikings for comment.
Ridgewood Police Chief Forest Lyons issued a statement on the matter.
“On January 19, 2026, at 9:40 a.m., a Ridgewood police officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Godwin Avenue involving Ms. Dianna Russini for the use of a handheld cell phone while driving,” the statement read. “After following department protocol during the stop, and reviewing Ms. Russini’s driving history, the officer exercised his professional discretion and issued a verbal warning to Ms. Russini.
Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
“The use of officer discretion in determining whether to issue a warning or a citation is consistent with Ridgewood Police Department policy and longstanding practice. Police officers are encouraged to use their judgment and, when appropriate, provide motorists with warnings as part of the Department’s commitment to fair, impartial and community-oriented policing.”
Russini resigned from her post at The Athletic amid mounting criticism over her relationship with Vrabel after photographs of them hugging and holding hands at a private resort in Sedona, Arizona, went viral. After initially trying to downplay it, saying “reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues,” Russini ultimately released her resignation.
After the original photos, others dating back to 2020 showed Vrabel and Russini kissing at a bar in New York City. The pictures exclusively obtained by the New York Post were taken in the early hours of March 11, 2020.
“They were kissing, and they were all over each other,” an eyewitness told the outlet. “He had a ring on.”
Dianna Russini appears on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors awards presentation at YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 10, 2022. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
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While Russini resigned, Vrabel was back with the Patriots after a counseling visit, which fell on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Vrabel said he had difficult conversations with his family, while also speaking with his players about the situation. The Patriots said before the draft they “fully support” Vrabel, allowing him to seek the counseling he desired despite four rounds of the draft still remaining.
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