OU vs Tulsa softball: Alyssa Brito hits grand slam as Sooners' win streak reaches 38 games
In its final tuneup before Bedlam, the OU softball team held off Tulsa for a 6-0 win Tuesday night at Collins Family Softball Complex in Tulsa.
It was 2-0 in the top of the seventh before Alyssa Brito gave the top-ranked Sooners a cushion with a grand slam.
Coach Patty Gasso and the Sooners (46-1) used each of their three ace pitchers Tuesday night, as well as highly touted freshman Kierston Deal, who retired the only batter she faced.
Starter Jordy Bahl had three strikeouts in three no-hit innings. Nicole May then allowed one hit in 1 ⅔ innings before Deal entered. Alex Storako allowed three hits with four strikeouts in the final two innings.
Up next for the Sooners is a three-game series at No. 7 OSU starting 6 p.m. Friday (ESPN2).
Tulsa dropped to 20-26.
OU hires wrestling coach Roger Kish from North Dakota State
OU has a new wrestling coach. The Sooners announced Tuesday that Roger Kish has been hired after presiding over Big 12 Conference affiliate member North Dakota State the last 12 seasons and guiding the Bison to a winning record each of the last five years (48-20 combined).
Kish coached North Dakota State to a 108-70 (.607) dual record since taking over prior to the 2011-12 campaign, including a 50-30 (.625) mark in conference duals (33-26 in the Big 12 and 17-4 in the Western Wrestling Conference). The Bison have been on the upswing under Kish the last five seasons, posting a .706 team winning percentage during the stretch and a 21-7 (.750) record the last two years.
Kish's 2022-23 NDSU squad went 11-3 in dual competition and finished fifth out of 13 teams at the Big 12 Championship after tying for fourth place in the regular season with a 6-2 record. The Bison, who broke into the top 20 and never left after a 20-16 season-opening road win over No. 8 Nebraska, reached No. 15 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Poll for their highest official coaches ranking since they moved to Division I in 2006-07. They also reached No. 12 in the InterMat rankings this past season, their highest in any poll in their D-I history. NDSU beat Oklahoma 21-12 in February in Fargo, N.D., and went on to finish 24th at NCAAs after scoring a Division I program-record 25.5 points at the event.
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OKC Dodgers unveil first hall of fame class
The Oklahoma City Dodgers have revealed the first three inductees for the new Oklahoma City Triple-A Baseball Hall of Fame: Jason Botts, R.A. Dickey and Bobby Jones.
The Oklahoma City Triple-A Baseball Hall of Fame was formed as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, and all three inductees have played key roles in the team’s history during the franchise’s Bricktown era, which began in 1998. The three honorees will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame prior to the Oklahoma City Dodgers’ game Saturday, Aug. 5.
The three selections were made by a five-person committee comprised of media members, baseball historians and civic leaders that worked alongside members of the Oklahoma City Dodgers front office. The committee and the Dodgers front office highlighted one position player, one pitcher and one coach or contributor.
“We feel these three gentlemen selected to officially begin the Oklahoma City Triple-A Baseball Hall of Fame are a perfect representation of what we are aiming for,” said OKC Dodgers President/General Manager Michael Byrnes.
Botts spent parts of four seasons in OKC between 2005-08 as a switch-hitting outfielder and designated hitter. He is the team’s career leader in RBI, ranks second in doubles and walks and is fifth all-time in hits and home runs. During his time in OKC, he posted a career .299 batting average, .398 on-base percentage and .540 slugging percentage.
Botts played in parts of four seasons in the Majors with the Texas Rangers. He also spent portions of his pro career playing in Japan, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
Dickey spent parts of seven seasons with the RedHawks, first between 1999-2003 and then 2005-06. He is the team’s all-time leader in games, starts, wins, innings, and strikeouts.
Dickey went to pitch during 15 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, and Seattle Mariners. He earned 120 career wins and led or tied for the league lead in starts for three straight seasons between 2012-14. He won the National League Cy Young Award in 2012 with the New York Mets and captured a Gold Glove in 2013.
Jones was the manager of the RedHawks for eight of Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark’s first 13 seasons. During that time, his teams amassed 595 wins and won five division titles. The RedHawks led the league during the 2005 regular season with an 81-63 record, and in 2008, the team advanced to the PCL Championship Series.
Jones has managed the most games in OKC Triple-A history and is the franchise’s all-time winningest manager. He has worked as a coach and adviser in the Texas Rangers organization since 1998.
A temporary display with this year’s Hall of Fame class is currently posted on the right field concourse at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, available for all fans to see.
The Oklahoma City Triple-A Baseball Hall of Fame will also include the re-enshrinement of 24 individuals who were selected as part of the Oklahoma City 89ers Hall of Fame between 1981-89, all of which are listed on the current display.
“With the timing of celebrating Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark’s 25th anniversary, we felt it was the perfect launching point," said Byrnes. “Although the initial focus will be on the Bricktown era, we wanted to make sure we had the chance to celebrate the franchise back to 1962, as it plays a key role in the Oklahoma City community.”
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishes fifth in NBA MVP voting
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished fifth in 2023 NBA MVP voting, the league announced Tuesday, becoming the fifth-ever Thunder player to receive votes for the league’s most prestigious award.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid was the runaway winner, receiving 73 of a possible 100 first-place votes. Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo finished second and third, receiving 15 and 12 first-place votes respectively.
Boston’s Jayson Tatum was the clear fourth-place choice, with Gilgeous-Alexander edging out Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell and Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis for fifth place.
Gilgeous-Alexander received six fourth-place votes while Mitchell and Sabonis received one each. Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 fifth-place votes, Mitchell had 27 and Sabonis had 24.
Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, De’Aaron Fox, Jalen Brunson and Ja Morant also received votes.
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Reports: Grizzlies won't bring back Dillon Brooks
Dillon Brooks' time in Memphis is over, according to a report Tuesday from the Athletic. Brooks will not return to the Grizzlies after spending his first six seasons with the team.
This will be Brook's first offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The Grizzlies signed him to an extension after his rookie contract ended.
Brooks was one of five Grizzlies players who were in line for extensions before the 2022-23 season. The Grizzlies extended Ja Morant, John Konchar, Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams, but the team did not agree to a deal with Brooks. The Athletic reported that Brooks was offered a contract extension that he declined.
76ERS 119, CELTICS 115: James Harden matched his playoff career high with 45 points and hit a go-ahead, step-back 3-pointer over Al Horford with 8.7 seconds left as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied without Joel Embiid to beat the Boston Celtics 119-115 Monday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal. Tyrese Maxey added 26 points and Tobias Harris finished with 18 for the Sixers, who made 17 3-pointers in the absence of MVP finalist Embiid, who sat sat out with a sprained right knee.
NUGGETS 97, SUNS 87: The Denver Nuggets took a 2-0 lead over the Phoenix Suns in their Western Conference semifinal as they rallied for a 97-87 victory Monday at Ball Arena. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 39 points and 16 rebounds one night before the MVP winner is announced by the NBA. Devin Booker led the Suns with 35 points and Kevin Durant added 24. The playing status of Suns point guard Chris Paul remains uncertain after leaving Game 2 with groin tightness in the third quarter.
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Extra points
NFL: Former Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs will admit that he drove drunk at up to 156 mph before causing a fiery crash that killed a woman. That will mean the 24-year-old first-round NFL draft pick will avoid trial and be sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison. Ruggs spoke in court Tuesday only to acknowledge that he understands the terms of his plea deal. His plea is scheduled May 10, with sentencing to come on another date. A prosecutor endorsed the agreement. Ruggs was dropped by the Raiders shortly after the crash in November 2021.
TENNIS: Novak Djokovic can return to the U.S. Open this year after missing the tournament in 2022 because the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate for foreign air travelers ends next week.
Staff and wire reports
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball: Alyssa Brito, Sooners beat Tulsa Golden Hurricane
