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Journalism is expected to race in the $2 million Grade 1 Belmont Stakes race on Saturday, June 7.

The 3-year-old colt is coming off a victory as the odds-on favorite in the Preakness Stakes race on May 17, working his way from along the rail and in the middle of the pack to break free after the final turn and overcoming some bumping from other competitors.

Michael W. McCarthy, Journalism’s trainer, praised the horse by telling the New York Racing Association that ‘he’s a wonderful mover. He gets over the ground very well. He’s got an incredible stride to him.’

Journalism finished the Preakness with a time of 1 minute, 55.47 seconds at Pimlico in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Preakness winner will go against a field that features Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby winner. Journalism finished in second place in the Kentucky Derby on May 3.

Journalism will be the only horse among the Belmont field that’s competed in all three Triple Crown races. Sovereignty did not compete in the Preakness.

When will the Belmont Stake post position draws be announced?

The Belmont Stakes post position draws will be held on Monday at 5 p.m. ET.

Journalism wins the Preakness Stakes

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

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Poland has elected Karol Nawrocki, a conservative backed by President Donald Trump, in the country’s presidential runoff election, according to a final vote count issued Monday. 

Nawrocki won 50.89% of the vote, gaining a narrow victory over liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%, the Associated Press reported. 

The first round of voting two weeks ago revealed deep divisions in the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union. Nawrocki will succeed Andrzej Duda, a conservative whose second and final term ends on Aug. 6. 

Trzaskowski conceded defeat and congratulated Nawrocki on Monday, thanking all those who voted for him. 

‘I fought for us to build a strong, safe, honest, and empathetic Poland together,’ he wrote on X. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t able to convince the majority of citizens of my vision for Poland. I’m sorry we didn’t win together.’

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last week stumped for Nawrocki at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Warsaw, where she also slammed ‘weak’ European leaders who she argued have allowed mass migration of having ‘destroyed their civilizations.’ Noem praised Poland’s strict border enforcement, warning that ‘socialists’ like Trzaskowski would take such protections away from the Polish people. 

Trump hosted Nawrocki at the White House in early May during the conservative candidate’s campaign. 

Under the Polish constitution, the president serves a five-year term and may be re-elected once. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the leaders offering their congratulations to Nawrocki on Monday morning. 

‘Poland, which preserves the strength of its national spirit and its faith in justice, has been and remains a pillar of regional and European security, and a strong voice defending freedom and dignity for every nation,’ Zelenskyy wrote. ‘By reinforcing one another on our continent, we give greater strength to Europe in global competition and bring the achievement of real and lasting peace closer. I look forward to continued fruitful cooperation with Poland and with President Nawrocki personally.’ 

The U.S. has about 10,000 troops stationed in Poland and Noem suggested that military ties could deepen with Nawrocki as president. A common refrain from Nawrocki’s supporters is that he will restore ‘normality,’ as they believe Trump has done. U.S. flags often appeared at Nawrocki’s rallies, and his supporters believed that he offered a better chance for good ties with the Trump administration.

Nawrocki, a 42-year-old amateur boxer and historian, has also echoed some of Trump’s language on Ukraine. He promises to continue Poland’s support for Ukraine but has been critical of Zelenskyy, accusing him of taking advantage of allies. He has accused Ukrainian refugees of taking advantage of Polish generosity, vowing to prioritize Poles for social services such as health care and schooling.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who shares Nawrocki’s national conservative worldview, hailed Nawrocki’s ‘fantastic victory.’

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered measured congratulations, emphasizing continued EU-Poland collaboration rooted in shared democratic values: ‘We are all stronger together in our community of peace, democracy, and values. So let us work to ensure the security and prosperity of our common home.’

Nawrocki’s victory is a comeback for the Law and Justice party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023, when it lost power to Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist coalition. 

Duda’s veto power has been one obstacle to the pro-European Union Tusk in fulfilling certain electoral promises, such as loosening restrictions on abortion or passing a civil partnership law for same-sex couples. Some observers in Poland have said the unfulfilled promises could make it more difficult for Tusk to continue his term until the next parliamentary election scheduled for late 2027, particularly if Law and Justice dangles the prospect of future cooperation with conservatives in his coalition.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s time as the face of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has come to an end following the expiration of his time as a special government employee. 

Since January, Musk has been heading up DOGE, which was tasked with cutting $2 trillion from the federal government’s budget through efforts to slash spending, government programs and the federal workforce.

But how will the Trump administration look at DOGE now that Musk is gone?

So far, there are no signs that DOGE is being dismantled or that its efforts will be reversed, and former DOGE employees are infiltrating other areas of the Trump administration. Plus, President Donald Trump signaled that Musk could return in some capacity, although he did not dive into specifics. 

‘Elon’s really not leaving,’ Trump said Friday in the Oval Office. ‘He’s going to be back and forth … it’s his baby. And I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things. But Elon’s service to America has been without comparison in modern history.’

DOGE’s efforts to cut waste have led to roughly $175 billion in savings due to asset sales, contract cancellations, fraudulent payment cuts, in addition to other steps to eliminate costs, according to a May 26 update from DOGE’s website. That translates to roughly $1,086.96 in savings per taxpayer, according to the website. 

Meanwhile, Musk signaled that despite his departure as a special employee, DOGE would only continue to pick up steam and that DOGE is now an essential aspect of the federal government. 

‘This is not … the end of DOGE, but really the beginning. My time as a special government appointee necessarily had to end,’ Musk said Friday in the Oval Office. ‘The DOGE team will only grow stronger over time. The DOGE influence will only grow stronger. I liken it to a sort of person of Buddhism. It’s like a way of life, so it is permeating throughout the government. And I’m confident that over time, we’ll see $1 trillion of savings, and a reduction in $1 trillion of waste, fraud reduction.’ 

The White House has said that DOGE leadership following Musk’s departure will continue through members of Trump’s Cabinet. 

‘The DOGE leaders are each and every member of the president’s Cabinet and the president himself, who is wholeheartedly committed to cutting waste, fraud and abuse from our government,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday at a White House press briefing. 

‘The entire Cabinet understands the need to cut government waste, fraud and abuse,’ Leavitt said. ‘And each Cabinet secretary at their respective agencies is committed to that. That’s why they were working hand in hand with Elon Musk. And they’ll continue to work with their respective DOGE employees who have onboarded as political appointees at all of these agencies. So surely the mission of DOGE will continue, and many DOGE employees are now political appointees and employees of our government.’

A senior White House official previously told Fox News Digital that DOGE is now part of the ‘DNA’ of the federal government, and that the agency will continue to function as it has done so far. 

‘The DOGE employees at their respective agency or department will be reporting to and executing the agenda of the president through the leadership of each agency or department head,’ the official said.

Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The 2025 Women’s College World Series field has yet another semifinalist.

Laura Mealer served as the hero for the Lady Vols, drilling a line-drive single to left field with the bases loaded and one out to bring home teammate Taylor Pannell for the game-winning run.

With the win, Tennessee will advance to take on No. 6 Texas in the semifinal at noon on June 2. It would need to defeat the Longhorns twice to advance to the best-of-three-game championship series, which is scheduled to start on June 4.

Watch UCLA vs Tennessee softball, Women’s College World Series on Fubo (free trial)

UCLA, which was coming off a 3-1 loss to NiJaree Canady and Texas Tech in the winner’s bracket on Saturday, has been knocked out of the double-elimination tournament.

The Lady Vols led 4-2 heading into the seventh inning, but allowed a two-run home run to Megan Grant. Grant, however, appeared to not initially touch home plate before being mobbed by her teammates. At a teammate’s prompting, she went back and touched the plate, but the play was challenged by Tennessee and ultimately upheld, with officials determining that while Grant didn’t touch the base, the play was not subject to review based on Appendix G of the NCAA Softball Rule Book. The decision sent the game into extra innings.

Tennessee previously avoided elimination by defeating its SEC rival Florida by a run-rule 11-3 margin on May 30. The Vols left no doubt by plating seven runs in the opening inning and then doing enough to finish the game in five innings. The best part for them, ace Karlyn Pickens, threw one inning and then earned a much-needed rest.

Here’s a look at the score, updates and highlights from the WCWS elimination game between UCLA and Tennessee:

UCLA vs Tennessee live score

UCLA vs Tennessee live updates

Final: Tennessee 5, UCLA 4

Laura Mealer plays the role of hero for Tennessee, drilling a game-winning RBI single to left field with the bases loaded and one out to lift the Lady Vols past UCLA 5-4 in the ninth inning.

Tennessee will take on Texas Monday while UCLA’s season is over.

Megan Grant walked intentionally

Tennessee walks Megan Grant intentionally and then Karlyn Pickens gets Alexis Ramirez to ground out to first on the first pitch to end the threat with the bases loaded. Tennessee has another chance to walk it off.

Savannah Pola two-out single keeps UCLA 9th alive

Savannah Pola with a two-out single that sneaks past Tennessee shortstop Laura Mealer for a base hit. That brings up Bruins’ star hitter Jordan Woolery to the plate. Woolery singles through the right side.

It’s first and third, two outs for the ninth inning hero, Megan Grant.

End of eighth inning: Tennessee 4, UCLA 4

Tennessee strands 2; game heads to 9th inning

Despite having a chance to walk it off with runners on first and third, two outs, the Lady Vols cannot capitalize on the opportunity. Gabby Leach flies out to left field to end the inning. We are still tied 4-4 heading to the ninth inning.

Clarke reaches on error

After Mealer and Leach each ground out to Bragg at shortstop, she misses a sure out on a defensive miscue. Saviya Morgan singles to centerfield in the next at-bat to advance Clarke to third.

1-2-3 inning for UCLA

Pickens forces three straight groundouts to Slimp, Bragg and Mujica in the 6-7-8 spots of the UCLA lineup. Tennessee once again heads up to bat with a chance to walk off the Bruins. Mealer, Leach and Clarke are up in the 6-7-8 spots for the Lady Vols.

Gibson lines into double play

Tennessee’s McKenna Gibson rips a line straight to UCLA’s Jordan Woolery, who turns the double play and catches Pannell at second to end the inning. Incredible play to extend the game with momentum on Tennessee’s side.

UCLA intentionally walks Sophia Nugent

The Bruins want none of Nugent, and intentionally walk her to put runners on first and second.

Taylor Pannell fouls, then walks

Tennessee’s Pannell nearly walks off UCLA, but her would-be homer goes foul. She walks on a full count and advances to second off an Ella Dodge sac bunt. Vols have one out and a runner in scoring position.

End of seventh inning: Tennessee 4, UCLA 4

Alexis Ramirez grounds out to end seventh inning

Alexis Ramirez grounds out to end the inning. We are headed to the bottom of the seventh inning in a 4-4 tie. The Lady Vols can walk it off with a run.

Tennessee files protest

Tennessee coach Karen Weekly has filed for a protest following the unsuccessful challenge. According to the ABC broadcast, the Lady Vols cannot file a protest because the play was not reviewable.

Calling on the field is upheld

The home run stands and it is a tie ball game. After a lengthy review, it’s ruled the call is upheld.

‘The runner missed home plate and was assisted. However, that play is not reviewable according to Appendage G,’ according to the umpires.

Tennessee challenges if Megan Grant touched home plate after home run

Tennessee is challenging if Megan Grant touched home plate after hitting her home run. It appears she missed the plate on the first look but then went back and touched the plate. But according to the rules expert, she could be called out if she received assistance from her teammate to touch home.

Megan Grant ties game with two-run home run

Down to its final out, Megan Grant takes a first pitch swing from Karlyn Pickens and knocks it out of the park to tie the game 4-4 in the top of the seventh inning.

Jordan Woolery collected a two-out single to set up the heroics from Grant.

End of sixth inning: Tennessee 4, UCLA 2

Tennessee 3 outs away from WCWS semifinal

Despite getting the lead-off hitter on via a hit-by -pitch, the Lady Vols are not able to add any insurance runs in the inning after Taylor Tinsley records three straight outs.

Karlyn Pickens and Tennessee will face the top of the UCLA order in the top of the seventh inning.

Taylor Tinsley relieves Kaitlyn Terry in circle for UCLA

Kaitlyn Terry hits Alannah Leach on an 0-2 count to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. Taylor Tinsley will come on to relieve Terry in the circle. Terry will actually move to right field instead of being removed altogether.

Emma Clarke is up for the Lady Vols.

Tennessee challenge ends UCLA threat in sixth

Tennessee successfully challenges that Kaitlyn Terry was out of the runner’s lane, causing an error on a throw from pitcher Karlyn Pickens to the first baseman and allowing Terry to reach. That results in the third out of the inning.

UCLA would have had runners on first and third with two outs for the top of the order if the challenge had not been successful. The Bruins are down to their final three outs.

End of fifth inning: Tennessee 4, UCLA 2

Tennessee is 6 outs away from CWS semifinal appearance

Following a two-run home run from Taylor Pannell in the bottom of the fifth inning, Tennessee is ahead of UCLA 4-2. The Lady Vols need to record six more outs to get back to the WCWS semifinals vs. No. 7 Texas.

That was a good bounce back by Kaitlyn Terry to get Laura Mealer to ground out to end the inning with runners on second and third.

Taylor Pannell gives Tennessee lead with 2-run home run

Taylor Pannell takes the first pitch she sees in the bottom of the fifth inning to left field for a two-run home run to give Tennessee a 4-2 lead. The ball flies 69.5 mph off the bat. Gabby Leach had a single up the middle with one out preceding the homer.

UCLA leaves bases loaded

UCLA potentially misses out on a huge scoring opportunity. Karlyn Pickens strikes out Alexis Ramirez with the bases loaded and two outs to escape the jam and strand three runners on base. Pickens walked Megan Grant with runners on second and third to load the bases.

It was a bold move considering Ramirez went deep off Pickens earlier in the game, but it did set up a righty vs. righty situation.

End of fourth inning: Tennessee 2, UCLA 2

Kaitlyn Terry, Karlyn Pickens in pitcher’s duel

Following a fast start for both offenses, both Kaitlyn Terry and Karlyn Pickens have settled in for a pitcher’s duel.

Terry has retired seven straight batters and 10 of the last 11 she has faced since a two-RBI single by Laura Mealer in the first inning. Terry has six strikeouts and one walk (an intentional walk) in four innings of work.

Meanwhile, Pickens has five strikeouts and two walks in her four innings. Sofia Mujica’s home run in the second inning was the last hit she allowed.

End of third inning: Tennessee 2, UCLA 2

Kaitlyn Terry strikes out pair in 1-2-3 third inning

Kaitlyn Terry strikes out Sophia Nugent and McKenna Gibson back-to-back in a 1-2-3 bottom of the third inning. Terry has retired four straight batters and seven of the last eight hitters since the Laura Mealer two-RBI single in the first inning.

Alexis Ramirez, who hit a solo home run in the second inning, leads off the fourth for the Bruins.

Karlyn Pickens bounce back in third inning

A nice bounce back inning for Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens after allowing two home runs in the second inning. Pickens works around a one-out walk to Jordan Woolery for a scoreless third inning.

End of second inning: Tennessee 2, UCLA 2

Sofia Mujica ties game with home run

Freshman DP Sofia Mujica takes another high riseball and hits it over the center field wall to tie the game at 2-2 with a home run. This is the first time Karlyn Pickens has allowed two home runs in an inning this season.

Alexis Ramirez hits home run for UCLA

Alexis Ramirez takes a riseball from Karlyn Pickens and drives it out to left field for a solo home run to get one run back for the Bruins.

End of first inning: Tennessee 2, UCLA 0

Tennessee strikes first vs UCLA

Tennessee’s offense strikes first off a two-RBI single by Laura Mealer with the bases loaded and two outs. UCLA opted to walk McKenna Gibson with two runners in scoring position.

Taylor Pannell and Ella Dodge had back-to-back singles with one out and advanced to scoring position on a flyball to center field, in which outfielders Jessica Clements and Liesl Osteen nearly collided.

Laura Mealer gives Tennessee early lead

Laura Mealer makes UCLA pay for walking McKenna Gibson to load the bases. With two outs, she hits a two-RBI single to center field.

Infield flyball rule ends UCLA inning with double play

UCLA’s Jessica Clements had a leadoff single, and Jordan Woolery added a one-out single, but the UCLA threat ends due to the infield fly rule. Megan Grant popped out behind short, but Laura Mealer struggled with the sun and dropped the ball. The umpire called it an infield fly, which means the batter is out and runners can advance at their own risk.

Tennessee center fielder Kinsey Fiedler threw out Clements trying to advance to third base for the third out.

Tennessee-UCLA WCWS matchup underway

Karlyn Pickens fires the first pitch of the Tennessee-UCLA matchup for a strike and we are underway here at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

Pregame

UCLA-Tennessee first pitch is set for 2:15 p.m.

UCLA will bat first, serving as the designated away team. That means the Bruins will begin the game at the plate against Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens.

First pitch is scheduled for 2:15 p.m.

Tennessee starting lineup

Here’s a look at the Lady Vols’ starting lineup for today’s elimination game against UCLA:

Gabby Leach, RF
Taylor Pannell, 3B
Ella Dodge, 2B
Sophia Nugent, C
McKenna Gibson, 1B
Laura Mealer, SS
Alannah Leach, LF
Emma Clarke, DP
Kinsey Fielder, CF

Starting pitcher: Karlyn Pickens

UCLA starting lineup

Here’s a look at the Bruins’ starting lineup for today’s elimination game against Tennessee:

Jessica Clements, CF
Savannah Pola, 2B
Jordan Woolery, 3B
Megan Grant, 1B
Alexis Ramirez, C
Rylee Slimp, LF
Kaniya Bragg, SS
Sofia Mujica, DP
Kaitlyn Terry, P
Liesel Osteen, RF*

* Won’t be in the batting lineup.

Karlyn Pickens’ tournament stats

Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens has been in top form in the NCAA softball tournament, allowing 10 earned runs on 23 hits in 37 1/3 innings of work to go along with 59 strikeouts and 13 walks.

Pickens lasted just one inning against Florida in her last outing, being relieved after the Lady Vols built up a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

UCLA defeated Tennessee in an early-season tournament game

The Bruins earned a 4-3 win over the Vols in the most recent meeting in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, California on Feb. 22. Tennessee scored three first inning runs and held the lead into the fifth inning.

Karlyn Pickens limited the Bruins’ offense until the fifth inning when they loaded the bases against her. Karen Weekly pulled Pickens for Sage Mardjetko, who allowed all four runs to score, including a three-run homer by Jordan Woolery to give UCLA the lead.

UCLA vs Tennessee softball history

UCLA leads the all-time series against Tennessee softball 10-4. The Bruins have won four in a row against the Lady Vols. They have split their two previous matchups in the WCWS: The Lady Vols defeated the Bruins 4-3 in 2006, while UCLA earned a 3-1 win in 2005.

What time does UCLA vs Tennessee softball start?

Date: Sunday, June 1
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Where: Devon Park (Oklahoma City)

First pitch for UCLA and Tennessee’s softball game in the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set for 3 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City on June 1.

What TV channel is UCLA vs Tennessee softball WCWS game today?

TV: ABC
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+

Sunday’s WCWS elimination game between UCLA and Tennessee will air on ESPN. Beth Mowins, Michele Smith and Jessica Mendoza will have the call, while Holly Rowe serves as the sideline reporter.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and ESPN+, the latter of which serves as ESPN’s subscription streaming service.

UCLA softball schedule 2025

Below is UCLA softball’s postseason schedule. For the Bruins’ full schedule, click here.

Los Angeles Regional

Friday, May 16: No. 9 UCLA 9, UC Santa Barbara 1 (6 innings)
Saturday, May 17: No. 9 UCLA 10, San Diego State 0 (6 innings)
Sunday, May 18: No. 9 UCLA 12, UC Santa Barbara 1 (5 innings)

Columbia Super Regional

Friday, May 23: No. 8 South Carolina 9, No. 9 UCLA 2
Saturday, May 24: No. 9 UCLA 5, No. 8 South Carolina 4
Sunday, May 25: No. 9 UCLA 5, No. 8 South Carolina 0

WCWS

Thursday, May 29: No. 9 UCLA 4, No. 16 Oregon 2
Saturday, May 31: No. 12 Texas Tech 3, No. 9 UCLA 1
Sunday, June 1: No. 9 UCLA vs. No. 7 Tennessee (3 p.m. ET)

Tennessee softball schedule 2025

Below is Tennessee softball’s postseason schedule. For the Lady Vols’ full schedule, click here.

Knoxville Regional

Friday, May 16: No. 7 Tennessee 17, Miami (Ohio) 0 (5 innings)
Saturday, May 17: No. 7 Tennessee 4, Ohio State 2
Sunday, May 18: No. 7 Tennessee 5, Ohio State 0

Knoxville Super Regional

Friday, May 23: Nebraska 5, No. 7 Tennessee 2
Saturday, May 24: No. 7 Tennessee 3, Nebraska 2
Sunday, May 25: No. 7 Tennessee 1, Nebraska 0

WCWS

Thursday, May 29: No. 2 Oklahoma 4, No. 7 Tennessee 2
Friday, May 30: No. 7 Tennessee 11, No. 3 Florida (5 innings)
Sunday, June 1: No. 7 Tennessee vs. UCLA (3 p.m. ET)

WCWS schedule

Women’s College World Series: May 29-June 5/6
WCWS finals: June 4-5/6

The Women’s College World Series began May 29 and will run through either June 5 or June 6. The WCWS three-game championship series will begin on June 4 and end on June 5 or 6, depending on whether the series concludes in two or three games.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Roughly 90 minutes had passed since a controversial, game-tying home run sent Tennessee softball’s Women’s College World Series elimination game against UCLA into extra innings Sunday. But as she sat down for her post-game news conference after her team’s win, Lady Vols coach Karen Weekly wasn’t any less bothered by what had occurred.

Weekly teed off on the umpiring and replay review crews after No. 7 Tennessee’s 5-4 victory against No. 9 UCLA in nine innings, noting that she believed the incorrect call had been made on a two-run homer from Bruins slugger Megan Grant, who didn’t touch home plate as she completed her trot around the bases.

“I think everybody but four people saw the play at the plate,” Weekly said. “We saw in the dugout she had missed the plate and we saw her teammates had kind of pushed her back. By rule, that should have been nullified. … We went to the umpire and said, ‘This is what happened.’ Then they did their thing.”

After Grant had initially stepped over home plate, one player in her mob of teammates who greeted her, Alexis Ramirez, grabbed her and moved her in the direction of the plate to make sure she touched it.

After a 20-minute video review, it was determined that, while Grant did not touch the plate and had been assisted, it was not reviewable according to Appendix G of the NCAA Softball Rule Book.

When asked later during her news conference about what her team did to occupy itself during the review, Weekly sarcastically referred to it as “that lengthy review-not review.”

The victory the Lady Vols would have gotten had the call gone the other way was ultimately delayed, not denied. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, Tennessee native Laura Mealer roped a single to left field to bring home the game-winning run.

With the win, Tennessee has advanced to the WCWS semifinals on June 2, where it will play No. 6 Texas. The Lady Vols, who already have a loss in the double-elimination tournament, will need to beat the Longhorns twice in order to make it to the WCWS championship series.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

George Springer played a vital role in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 8-4 win over the Athletics on Sunday. He went 1-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run in the victory. However, he might have also made the most embarrassing out of his career.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Blue Jays were down 3-0. After Myles Straw singled to start the inning, the A’s got two quick outs, putting the Blue Jays on their heels. Luckily for the Canadians, their next hitter, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., was hit by a pitch, pushing Straw into scoring position, who would promptly be driven in by Springer on a single to left. The offense continued with Alejandro Kirk, who doubled, driving in Guerrero and pushing Springer to third.

Sure, there were two outs, but the Blue Jays were only down a run now with two men in scoring position. Surely, another hit would lift Toronto over the Athletics, right? Well, the Blue Jays never got that chance.

No. After the double put Springer at third base, the former World Series champion decided that it was a great time for calisthenics, as he jumped up and down on the bag, allowing Athletics third baseman Max Schuemann to tag him out mid-leap.

Springer was originally called safe, but video review was clear as day. The ball was on Springer and Springer was not on the bag. Toronto’s rally was dead in the water.

How did Springer do the rest of the game?

Springer only had two more plate appearances in the game, both of which came in the Blue Jays’ six-run eighth inning. In a sense, Springer was the reason that inning got going. He led off the eighth by reaching base via catcher interference and scored soon after on an Addison Barger home run. He did also ground out to end the inning though.

Springer ended the game going 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Who won the series?

Toronto’s 8-4 win gave them the four-game series sweep against the Athletics, pushing their record to 31-28. The Blue Jays currently sit in second place in the AL East behind the first-place New York Yankees.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES — Eric Anthony was always curious, but never obsessed, to learn the family secret.

He grew up asking his mother about the identity of his biological father, but always received vague answers, saying it was a man who was briefly stationed at a San Diego Naval base.

It didn’t really matter. Anthony was surrounded by love in the family with three brothers, food on the table, clothes in the closet and a ballfield nearby.

He was a star baseball player growing up in San Diego, drafted in 1986 by the Houston Astros, making his major-league debut three years later, and spending nine years in the big leagues. He lead the Astros with 19 homers and finished second with 80 RBIs in 1992 on a star-studded team that featured Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, along with Ken Caminiti, Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez.

It wasn’t until eight years ago – Oct. 10, 2017 to be exact – that his oldest daughter, Erica, asked him if he would do a genealogy test.

“She goes, ‘Dad, I’ve been watching some of these Ancestry DNA commercials,” Anthony tells USA TODAY Sports. “She’s always been curious who was on both sides of the family. …

“I spit in the bottle, sent out the DNA, and when it came back, I started getting all of these Davis’ showing up in my profile. I had to investigate.’

He made a series of calls and wound up contacting a woman that showed up as one of the Davis relatives in Phoenix named Martha Burt Sells. He identified himself, and they figured out together they were cousins. Anthony explained his background and sent pictures of him in his baseball uniform where he played for Astros, Mariners, Reds, Rockies and Dodgers – when Sells stopped him cold.

“Oh, so you’re the second-most famous baseball player in our family,’ said Sells, who discovered two years earlier in a DNA test that her biological father and Davis’ mother were brother and sister.

“Who’s the first?’ Anthony said.

“Well, my first cousin,’ Sells said.

“Willie Davis.’

Yes, that Willie Davis.

“My wife Googled him,’’ Anthony said, “and then she started screaming, ‘Oh my God, that’s your father!”

Yes, the two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and two-time World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He still holds Dodgers franchise records since their move to Los Angeles for hits and triples. His 31-game hitting streak still remains the all-time Dodgers record.

“I grew up loving Wally Moon and Duke Snider, and then Willie Davis came along,’ said Dodgers All-Star outfielder Rick Monday, who grew up in Santa Monica and became the first player selected in the history of the MLB draft in 1965. “Being a center fielder, I watched Willie really close because I was in awe of the way he ran after a ball and the way he ran the bases. His strides, he was like an antelope. He just devoured ground with every long stride that he took.’

Said Dusty Baker, who grew up in Riverside and won a World Series with the 1981 Dodgers: “We all wanted to be Willie Davis. He ran like a gazelle the way he would fly around the bases. We all tried to imitate him. We thought he was the coolest dude ever.’

Oh, could Davis run. He twice led the National League in triples. He stole 398 career bases, including 42 in 1964, and stole three bases in one game during the 1965 World Series. He was nicknamed “3-Dog’ with his blazing speed.

“He was such an important part of Dodger history,’ said former Dodgers GM Fred Claire, who spoke at Davis’ memorial service in 2010. “He was so full of life, with such high energy and so extremely talented. Nothing was too big for him. There was no intimidation. Great speed. A very good arm. No one ran from first to third like Willie. Three steps between bags. What an athlete.’

Learning the truth

Anthony, now 57, couldn’t believe it. Everyone always wanted to know where he got his athleticism. Why did he gravitate towards baseball and not another sport? Why did everything seem so natural to him as a left-handed hitter?

And, of course, why didn’t his mother ever tell him the truth?

“She could never give me a detailed answer,’ Anthony said. “You don’t want to disrespect your parents. Just one of those things I kept inside. I thought maybe one day I’d find out.

“And I did.’

Anthony confronted his mom, Jo Carole Ighner-Phillips, who died at the age of 82 in February, and she confirmed his dad indeed was Davis. She certainly didn’t mean any harm in keeping the secret. She was a proud woman. She wasn’t looking for a handout from a baseball star. She was just fine raising four boys by herself.

“I wasn’t angry with my mother or was I angry with Willie,’ said Anthony, who retired from baseball in 2001, after also playing in Japan and Mexico. “I think my mother was protecting all of us from any scandal and did the best thing for all parties involved. She was protecting me. And she was protecting Willie.’

Anthony’s oldest brother, Michael Phillips, 66, knows that while Eric is now at peace, he can’t hide the desire to have known when Davis was still alive.

“My Mom was private as Eric, but she wanted to keep it away from everyone,’ Phillips said. “She was devastated that Eric found out the way he did. There was some tension there. It took a few weeks.

“I can’t imagine it happening to me. Willie Davis being your actual father, that’s a little bit of a shocker.’

Anthony discovered that few people ever knew the identity of his father. No one knew on the Davis side. So, he started making calls. He introduced himself to family members he didn’t know existed. He soon discovered he had two new half-sisters and a half-brother.

“It was really strange, and just never connected the dots,’ said Thomas Davis, 87, Willie’s oldest brother, who still lives in Los Angeles and struggles with his brother’s death. “When we talked, I believed Eric. If someone was that interested in reaching out, and going through all that trouble, why wouldn’t I believe him?

“I just had no idea. I really wish we had known him growing up.’

Anthony, who lives in Houston with his wife, Robin and is now a proud grandparent, met Thomas Davis and three cousins in a Mexican restaurant in Irvine, California. They shared pictures and gasped at the resemblance. He couldn’t believe how warmly he was embraced.

“My uncle grabbed me and hugged me,’ Anthony said, “and said, ‘You’re giving me a piece of my little brother back.’

“Of course, it was a shock to that side of the family at first since Willie was married. I was a love child. But now, it’s like one big family.’

The families started reminiscing, and Anthony was reminded by his brother that Davis actually was at their house. In those days, everyone in the neighborhood were San Diego Padres fans, and when Davis was traded before the 1976 season to the Padres, he became a household name.

“I remember there was this beautiful blue Corvette parked outside our apartment one afternoon,’ Phillips said, “and a kid runs up to me and says, ‘Why is Willie Davis at your house?’ I ran upstairs, and there he was sitting on the couch.

“I didn’t even put two and two together until later. I started playing everything back in my head. ‘Oh my God, that’s why he was at the house.’

Said Anthony: “So, it looks like I did meet him twice. That day, and when my Mom took me to watch the Dodgers play the Padres when I was two years old.’

Turning point

Anthony has since tried to learn as much about Davis as possible, collecting old photographs, jerseys, hats, magazine covers, everything relating to his dad. He has a small shrine to Davis at his Houston home.

“When Eric reached and told me about the connection,’ Claire said, “I wanted to put Eric in touch with players that knew Willie. I reached out to Tommy Davis, Maury [Wills] and others. I wanted to give him the opportunity to know as much as he could about his dad. I sent him pictures I had of Willie.

“He was quite fascinated by it.’

Anthony began sharing his discovery with Baker and Bill Russell, his former Dodgers manager who also played with Davis. He remembers the day he telephoned his close friend, actor Kenny Medlock, whom he met in 1992, to share his discovery. Medlock played nine years in the minor leagues before going Hollywood, appearing in 55 movies including “Moneyball.’ It was Medlock who telephoned Dodgers hitting coach Reggie Smith one day to recommend Anthony.

“You talk about going full circle,’ Medlock said. “I met Willie Davis, got him into a bunch of movies, meet Eric, get Eric a job with the Dodgers, and then find out that Willie is his biological dad.

“When Eric told me that was his father, it was just such a bombshell. I mean, this guy was special. He heard a different drummer drumming. He was not somebody you could control. He would have probably been a hippy if he wasn’t a baseball player.’

Anthony, who started his own technology company, relishes hearing from his father’s old friends and acquaintances. He loves hearing the stories, especially from Davis’ brother, Thomas. Thomas told him that Willie’s first love was basketball, but it was Dodgers scout Kenny Myers who saw his blazing speed as a track-and-field star, and was the one converted him into a left-handed-hitting outfielder, just like Anthony.

“Eric is a very quiet guy, he doesn’t say much,’ Phillips said, “but I think Eric finding out about his father is a turning moment in his life. It’s important just for Eric to understand what happened. He’s still in a fog, but in a euphoric way. This will help bring some closure and some openings too.’

Securing his father’s legacy

Now that Anthony knows that Davis is his father, he would love to honor his legacy by correcting a wrong.

Strangely, Davis has never appeared on a single Hall of Fame ballot. Not on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot. Not on a veterans committee ballot.

Davis, who accumulated 2,561 hits and stole 384 bases to go along with his three Gold Glove awards, has the highest career WAR (60.7) never to appear on a Hall of Fame ballot.

The 1985 BBWAA ballot included 41 players – with Lou Brock and Catfish Hunter each elected in their first year of eligibility – but Davis never appeared, despite his 2,561 hits, 398 stolen bases and 182 home runs. He is one of only 10 players in baseball history who has achieved those numbers, and seven are in the Hall of Fame.

“Willie has not been given the respect he deserves in his career,’ Anthony said. “Look what he has done. He ranks first in all-time hits in [Los Angeles] Dodgers’ history. He helped them win two World Series titles. It’s just baffling to me that he never appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot.’

The biggest hindrance to Davis’ candidacy is in his first year of eligibility in 1985, 11 players who had been previously dropped off the ballot were reinstated by a special committee that year. They added Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Clay Carroll, Ron Fairly, Curt Flood, Harvey Haddix, Denny McLain, Dave McNally, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo and Wilbur Wood, dramatically reducing the first-year eligible players.

“I mean, at the very least,’ Anthony said, “he should have his number retired by the Dodgers. Nobody should be wearing No. 3 again.’’

The last Dodger to wear No. 3 is Chris Taylor, who was just released last week.

Anthony can’t help but wonder, too, if his baseball career might have been different if he had known Davis was his father. What if Davis had reached out and accepted him as his son while he was growing up. They lived only 100 miles away from one another with Davis in Los Angeles and Anthony in San Diego, later playing for the same team 24 years apart.

Just how cool would it have been to have father-son pictures at Dodger Stadium?

“I often think about that, having my father in my life,’ Anthony said. “This guy was a major-league legend, no way around it. To have a conversation with him, asking him certain questions, to have that knowledge and experience, I’m sure it would have improved my career.

“I wish I would have had my dad around, but you can’t be stuck in life with what-ifs. I have a new brother, two sisters, and a host of uncles and aunts.

“My life is complete. It’s like being on a deserted island all of these years, and then somebody found you.

“I know who I am now.’

Around the basepaths

– The Pittsburgh Pirates are flatly rebuking all interest from teams wanting to engage in trade talks for ace Paul Skenes, but will listen to offers on every other player but him and outfielder Oneil Cruz.

Two intriguing players are third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes and outfielder Bryan Reynolds. They were each expected to become cornerstone pieces of the franchise and both have struggled, with the Pirates expected to put them on the market at the trade deadline. Reynolds is in the third year of an eight-year, $106.75 million deal, the largest in club history. Hayes is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $70 million extension.

– The Miami Marlins’ plan to enhance ace Sandy Alcantara’s trade value by hanging onto him until the deadline has backfired – at least in the early-going.

Alcantara, who’s returning from Tommy John surgery, is yielding a hideous 8.47 ERA, allowing the most earned runs of any pitcher in baseball.

– It looks like the ABS challenge system will be on hold for another year after feedback MLB received from players this spring. It will likely be implemented for 2027.

– The Arizona Diamondbacks are resisting any urge to make a rash move and dismiss manager Torey Lovullo, who suddenly is drawing the ire of their fanbase with their recent struggles. They dropped to 27-30 after losing eight of their last nine games entering Saturday.

‘These are very challenging times, I’m not going to lie,’ Lovullo said. “We’re in a huge grind, every one of us. We’re a really good baseball team, and we should not be three games under .500.’

The Diamondbacks’ pitching and sloppy defense have been the culprits. They scored six or more runs 23 times this season, but have lost a major-league leading 10 of those games, including three games in which they’ve scored 11 runs.

– Phillies All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper echoed the Phillies’ front-office sentiments when he told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he can’t imagine Kyle Schwarber not coming back to Philadelphia as a free agent this winter.

“I don’t see him playing anywhere else,” Harper said. “Obviously I don’t make those decisions. But as a team leader and a captain and everything else, he brings so much value to our team.’

Schwarber, signed to a four-year, $79 million contract before the 2022 season, has hit 149 home runs, third behind only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani in that time.

“He’s just learned such a good way of bringing a team together,’ Harper said. “He does such a great job of that.”

– The Dodgers are scouring the market these days for a left-handed hitting bat off the bench.

– The Cincinnati Reds’ patience with former All-Star closer Alexis Diaz evaporated when they sent him to the Dodgers this past week for minor-league pitcher Mike Villani, with the Dodgers picking up the remaining $3 million in Diaz’s contract this year. The Reds became exasperated with Diaz, and he was showing no signs of getting back to his All-Star form at Class AAA Louisville.

“I felt it was the best thing for everybody involved just to have a change of scenery,’ Nick Krall, Reds president of baseball operations, told reporters.

The Dodgers, who will work with Diaz at their minor-league camp in Arizona, have suddenly become desperate for bullpen help. Former closer Evan Phillips is undergoing Tommy John surgery this week, and they still are without Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol.

The Dodgers shelled out a four-year, $72 million contract for closer Tanner Scott last winter, but he has struggled, blowing five saves with a 4.62 ERA. He had only six blown saves the past two seasons combined with Miami and San Diego.

“I think, performance-wise, he hasn’t performed the way any of us expected, him included,” manager Dave Roberts said.

– Scouts already are keeping an eye on Boston Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman, who will be a hot commodity at the trade deadline if the Red Sox fall out of the AL East race.

– Cool moment at the Yankees-Dodgers epic weekend series when Yankees manager Aaron Boone spotted Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín, pulled a cell phone from the back pocket of his uniform, and snapped a selfie.

“Hey, he’s a legend,’ Boone said.

– Pirates manager Don Kelly is drawing rave reviews from his players, and is showing why the Boston Red Sox nearly hired him after the 2020 season. He was one of three finalists with Alex Cora and Sam Fuld. Kelly has since turned down several job interviews, including the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland and New York Mets, to remain in Pittsburgh with his family before being promoted.

– Toronto Blue Jays slugger Anthony Santander has looked nothing like the man they signed to a five-year, $92.5 million contract during the winter. He’s now on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation after hitting just .179 with six homers and striking out a career-high 26.3% of the time. He looks like a shadow of himself after hitting 44 homers a year ago for Baltimore.

– The Houston Astros and Billy Wagner are taking no shortcuts celebrating his Hall of Fame induction ceremony this summer with friends and family.

They have sent out invitations for Wagner’s closest friends and family for two seats on the Astros’ team charter to Cooperstown, including a hotel room and ground transportation for the weekend to be at Wagner’s celebratory party.

– Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo openly roots for Paul Skenes in every game he doesn’t pitch against him, forming a relationship at last year’s All-Star game when he made Skenes the starting pitcher after just 11 starts.

“I spent a little bit of personal time with him, and I don’t think a lot of people get to do that that aren’t inside of his organization or his circle,’ Lovullo says. “I will always treasure those times. Special kid, great for the game.

‘When we’re not facing him, I am a fan.”

– Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, who broke his toe walking to the bathroom at his home last Wednesday night, is expected to return to the lineup this week. There has been no temptation to move him back to right field as the Dodgers did a year ago.

“He’s a major league shortstop, on a championship club …’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “He looks like a major league shortstop right now, where last year there were many times I didn’t feel that way.”

– Classic response by Atlanta ace Spencer Strider when Hall of Fame writer Jayson Stark asked him about pitching in Philadelphia’s raucous environment.

“I love pitching here,” Strider said. “I mean, where else do they chant your name and ask you how your family’s doing? They seem very interested in my well-being, and I appreciate that.’

– So much for that feel-good Tim Anderson comeback story. He was released last week by the Angels after an ugly slash line of .205/.258/.241 in 90 plate appearances. This is the second time the former batting champion has been released in the last nine months.

– Just in case Mets owner Steve Cohen didn’t have a big enough checking account, his hopes for an $8 billion casino next to Citi Field moved ever so close after a bill in the state Senate approved the project, now needing only Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.

– Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners is resurrecting memories of Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza. Raleigh, who already has the most homers by a catcher through the first four seasons of their career, is now having an MVP season in the non-Aaron Judge division. He already has 21 homers, the most by a catcher before June in history. He’s on pace for 57 home runs this season, which would shatter Salvador Perez’s record of 48 homers in 2021 with the Royals.

– Remember when the Boston Red Sox gave second baseman Kristian Campbell an eight-year, $60 million deal and looked like geniuses when he hit .301 with four homers and an .902 OPS through April? Well, he has crashed down to earth in May, hitting .137 with just one extra base hit and a .368 OPS.

– The Houston Astros say they are on the lookout for starting pitching after losing Ronel Blanco. He is the third Astros’ starter to go down in the season’s first two months, joining Hayden Wesneski who underwent Tommy John surgery last week, and Spencer Arrighetti (broken thumb).

– Rough week for Marlins second baseman Ronny Simon. He committed three errors in three innings, ran off the field in tears while teammates and coaches tried to console him, and then was designated for assignment two days later.

– The Yankees plan for Jazz Chisholm to return to third base when he returns from the IL with DJ LeMahieu playing second.

– Phillies ace Zack Wheeler can blame Atlanta if he’s not in the Cy Young debate at the end of the season.

He as a 9.28 ERA in two starts against Atlanta this year and a 1.93 ERA in his 10 starts against everyone else.

– What’s it like being Shohei Ohtani’s teammate?

“You don’t want to miss any of his at-bats,” new Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto said. “You want to be in the dugout. You want to see it in person. That’s kind of what it is being his teammate. You want to be there.”

– Congratulations to Atlanta’s Chris Sale who recorded his 2,500th strikeout faster than any pitcher in history, accomplishing the feat in 2,206 innings, eclipsing Hall of Famer Randy Johnson, who achieved the milestone in 2,107 innings.

Sale idolized Johnson growing up, and still cherishes the text message he received from Johnson last winter when he won the Cy Young award.

– The Colorado Rockies, if you can believe it, are now on pace to go 26-136.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This story was updated to correct typos.

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Major League Soccer players want more money for participating in the FIFA Club World Cup later this month, but say they have received pushback from the league in their efforts. 

Three MLS clubs — Seattle, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Los Angeles FC — will represent the league in the tournament, which begins June 14 and will be hosted in the United States. 

FIFA’s Club World Cup boasts a $1 billion prize pool — $475 million disbursed based on performance, and $525 million given to participating teams. The winner will take home at least $125 million. The MLS teams will make at least $9.5 million just for participating, while wins during each stage of the tournament will only drive up the possible earnings.

However, MLS players earn 50 percent of money earned from outside tournaments — capped at $1 million, according to the league’s collective bargaining agreement. 

The MLS Players Association released a statement shortly after the Sounders players display.

“The MLSPA and all MLS players stand united with the Seattle Sounders players who tonight demanded a fair share of the FIFA Club World Cup prize money,” the statement read. 

“FIFA’s new tournament piles on to players’ ever-increasing workload without regard to their physical well-being. In order to seize this additional calendar territory, FIFA had to commit historic amounts of prize money to secure club and player participation. As a result, MLS will receive an unprecedented financial windfall.

“Despite this windfall, the league has refused to allocate a fair percentage of those funds to the players themselves.

“For months, the players have privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal. Instead of recognizing the players who have brought MLS to the global stage, the league – which routinely asks the (player association) to deviate from the (collective bargaining agreement) – is clinging to an out-of-date CBA provision and ignoring longstanding international standards on what players typically receive from FIFA prize money in global competitions.

“It is the players who make the game possible. It is the players who are lifting MLS up on the global stage. They expect to be treated fairly and with respect.”

Messi and Inter Miami will play in the Club World Cup opener against Egyptian club Al Alhy on June 14 in Miami. Inter Miami will also play FC Porto (Portugal) on June 19 in Atlanta, and SE Palmeiras (Brazil) on June 23 in the group stage.

The Sounders will play all three of their group stage matches at home in Lumen Field in Seattle. They’ll face Botafogo (Brazil) on June 15, Atletico Madrid (Spain) on June 19, then Paris Saint-Germain (France) on June 23.

LAFC became the last team to enter the Club World Cup after a thrilling 2-1 win against Liga MX standouts Club America on Saturday night. They will face Chelsea (England) in Atlanta on June 16, Espérance (Tunisia) in Nashville on June 20 and CR Flamengo (Brazil) in Orlando on June 24 during the group stage.

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President Donald Trump’s 20th week in the Oval Office is expected to include a White House meeting with Germany’s chancellor, a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping and lawmakers’ ongoing efforts to pass the ‘big, beautiful bill’ to fund the president’s agenda.

Monday marks Trump’s 134th day in the White House, a period in which he has issued 150 executive orders affecting domestic policies, unveiled sweeping plans to rectify the nation’s trade deficit with foreign nations and held ongoing negotiations to end international wars. 

The week is slated to include a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House as war continues to rage between Ukraine and Russia and trade negotiations with the U.S. hang over Germany. 

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz heads to DC 

Merz’s office confirmed on Saturday that the chancellor will travel to Washington on Wednesday evening ahead of meeting Trump on Thursday, Politico reported. 

The two are slated to discuss the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and trade policies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Merz in Germany last week as the two European leaders ironed out an agreement for Germany to bolster its backing of Ukraine. 

The meeting on Thursday will be followed by a lunch and press conference, according to Bloomberg.

Merz and Trump have previously spoken by phone but have not met face-to-face since Merz was elected Germany’s leader in May.

Merz clashed with Trump officials last month when Germany designated its right-wing Alternative for Germany political party a ‘proven right-wing extremist organization.’ 

‘Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That’s not democracy–it’s tyranny in disguise,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted to X of the designation. ‘What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD–which took second in the recent election – but rather the establishment’s deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes.’

‘Banning the centrist AfD, Germany’s most popular party, would be an extreme attack on democracy,’ former Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk posted to X, the social media platform that he owns.

Merz responded that American leaders should not weigh in on German elections and politics. 

‘We have largely stayed out of the American election campaign in recent years, and that includes me personally,’ Merz said, according to Politico.

‘We have not taken sides with either candidate. And I ask you to accept that in return,’ he added. 

Trump to call with Xi Jinping

Trump is expected to hold a phone call with China’s Xi Jinping this week to discuss tariffs, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett revealed on Sunday. 

‘President Trump, we expect, is going to have a wonderful conversation about the trade negotiations this week with President Xi. That’s our expectation,’ Hassett said Sunday during an interview on ABC News’ ‘This Week.’

A day for the phone call has not yet been locked down, according to Hassett.

‘You never know in international relations, but my expectation is that both sides have expressed a willingness to talk,’ Hassett said. ‘And I’d like to also add that people are talking every day, so [U.S. Trade Representative] Jamieson Greer, his team and President Xi’s team in China, they’re talking every day trying to move the ball forward on this matter.’

The Trump administration leveled tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods following the president’s reciprocal tariff plans in April, when China retaliated against the U.S. with tariffs of their own. 

China and the U.S. reached a preliminary trade agreement last month, which Trump said China violated in a Truth Social post on Friday. 

‘I made a FAST DEAL with China in order to save them from what I thought was going to be a very bad situation, and I didn’t want to see that happen. Because of this deal, everything quickly stabilized and China got back to business as usual. Everybody was happy! That is the good news!!! The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!’ he wrote. 

‘Big, beautiful bill’ negotiations continue in Senate

Senate lawmakers are working to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is a multitrillion-dollar piece of legislation that advances Trump’s agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt. 

House lawmakers passed the legislation last month by one vote after a handful of Republican lawmakers held out on supporting the legislation, saying it would exacerbate the nation’s debt. 

A handful of Republican senators have made similar remarks to their House counterparts, explaining they cannot support the legislation unless it addresses its impact on the nation’s debt. The bill is expected to add roughly $3 trillion to the national debt, Fox News Digital previously reported.

‘I’m a ‘no’ unless we separate out the debt ceiling,’ Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said last week. ‘If you take the debt ceiling off the bill, I’m pretty much a ‘yes’ on most of the rest.’ 

‘If we follow the path of the House bill, we’ll have close to, I think, $60 trillion worth of debt in 10 years. What we’ve got to do is do what every family does: We’ve got to go through every line of the budget,’ Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said during an interview on Fox News on Thursday.

Republican South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California on Friday that the Senate must pass the legislation or American families will pay higher taxes. 

‘We don’t have a choice. We have to pass the bill to get the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act back in place on a permanent basis,’ he said. ‘If we don’t do that, the average American family is going to see about a $2,400-a-year increase in their taxes. So we have to do something. And it’s critical that we pass this bill. We’re going to work with the House. We’re going to get this deal done. The Senate will put their mark of approval on it, but nonetheless, we want to do everything we can as quickly as we can to take care of this so that we can get on to other things. The president has made it very clear he wants to get this done. We want to help in that regard. This is our job.’

Trump has repeatedly called on lawmakers to unify and pass the legislation, saying that it is ‘arguably the most significant piece of legislation that will ever be signed in the history of our country.’

Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

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Oklahoma softball began the weekend well-positioned to win its fifth consecutive national championship. By the end of it, the Sooners were working to avoid elimination.

They managed to do just that.

One day after falling to archrival Texas 4-2, No. 2 seed Oklahoma rode two home runs from senior Cydney Sanders to a 4-1 victory against No. 16 seed Oregon in a June 1 elimination game at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

With the win, coach Patty Gasso’s team moves on to the WCWS semifinals, where it will take on NiJaree Canady and No. 12 Texas Tech on June 2. The Sooners will need to beat the Red Raiders twice to advance to the WCWS championship series.

Oregon, which suffered a walk-off loss to UCLA in its WCWS opener on Thursday, saw its season end with its second loss in the double-elimination tournament.

Oklahoma ace Sam Landry entered the game in the third inning and gave up just two hits and no earned runs over 4 1/3 innings while striking out six batters. In the semifinals, Landry will meet up with her coach the previous three seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette, Gerry Glasco, who is in his first season at Texas Tech.

Sanders’ first homer of the night, a two-run shot in the third inning off Oregon’s Lyndsey Grein, broke a 1-1 deadlock in the bottom of the third inning and gave Oklahoma a lead it wouldn’t squander for the rest of the night.

Dezianna Patmon provided the Ducks’ lone run of the night with a solo home run to center field in the top of the second inning that gave her team what would be a short-lived lead.

The June 1 game was a reunion of sorts as Oregon coach Melyssa Lombardi played for Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso with the Sooners and went on to serve as an assistant coach under Gasso for 21 years, from 1997-2018, before becoming the Ducks’ head coach.

Here’s a look at the score, updates and highlights from Oklahoma softball’s win against Oregon in an elimination game at the 2025 WCWS:

Oklahoma vs Oregon softball live score

This section will be updated throughout the game

Oklahoma vs Oregon softball live updates

Final: Oklahoma 4, Oregon 1

The four-time reigning national champions live to fight another day.

A one-two-three inning from Sam Landry closes out Oregon and gives Oklahoma a 4-1 victory in the teams’ elimination game on June 1. The Sooners are off to the WCWS semifinals, where they’ll take on NiJaree Canady and Texas Tech, while the Ducks see their season end.

Three up, three down for Oklahoma

The Sooners don’t build on their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, but carry a 4-1 advantage into the top of the seventh inning. With three more outs, coach Patty Gasso’s team will avoid elimination and head to the WCWS semifinals.

Oregon strands one on base in sixth inning

The Ducks are down to their final three outs.

With Paige Sinicki on second base, Dezianna Patmon strikes out swinging on a nasty pitch from Oklahoma’s Sam Landry to end the top of the sixth inning. Sooners holding on to a 4-1 lead.

Cydney Sanders belts second home run to extend Oklahoma’s lead

For the second time today, Cydney Sanders has gone yard.

The Oklahoma senior gets ahold of a Lyndsey Grein pitch and sends it 260 feet over the left field wall to push the Sooners’ lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

It’s Sanders’ second homer of the day and second off Grein, with her first coming on a two-run shot in the third inning. Sanders entered the day with 11 home runs this season.

Oregon posts another scoreless inning

Oregon is running out of chances to get back in the game, going down in order in the top of the fifth inning, with a foul ball flyout and a pair of groundouts.

Oklahoma goes down in order

After scoring three runs over the previous two innings, Oklahoma is shut out in the bottom of the fourth, going three up and three down. Sooners head into the fifth inning with a 3-1 lead.

Oregon’s Stefini Ma’ake nearly evens score

With one on and two out, Oregon’s Stefini Ma’ake launches a fly ball to center field. It’s just short of a home run, however, and Oklahoma gets out of the inning.

Abigale Dayton takes hit to head, immediately pops up

Oregon’s Grein hits Abigale Dayton in her helmet, but the latter immediately pops up and takes base with a smile. The Sooners have two on but can’t get any other runs across after Kasidi Pickering fouls out to end the inning. Grein has already thrown 39 pitches in just an inning of work.

Cydney Sanders launches two-run homer

Sanders took advantage after Grein left a ball hanging over the plate. There was no doubt on that one as she launched it clear of Devon Park for her 57th career home run. Sooners now lead 3-1 with just one out against the Ducks in the bottom of the third.

Oregon makes pitching change, putting in Lyndsey Grein

Oregon joins Oklahoma in making a pitching change in the third inning, turning the ball over to its ace, Lyndsey Grein. She replaces Elise Sokolsky, who gave up five hits and one earned run in two innings.

Oregon leaves two on base in third inning

A long, eventful top of the third inning comes to an end with no runs on the board for Oregon.

Oregon had runners on first and second with no outs, but what looked like a potential bloop single from Ducks hitter Kedre Luschar was snagged by Gabbie Garcia, who immediately rifled it back to second base to get Regan Legg out for a double play.

Oregon challenged the call, believing the Sooners second baseman Ailana Agbayani’s foot was off the base when Legg dove to get back and avoid the out, but the ruling was upheld upon review.

The Ducks later got back to having runners on first and second, but the recently inserted Sam Landry struck out Paige Sinicki swinging to end the threat.

Oklahoma makes pitching change, puts in Sam Landry

In the top of the third inning, Oklahoma takes out starter Kierston Deal and inserts ace Sam Landry, who pitched in the Sooners’ loss Saturday to Texas.

Isabela Emerling home run ties it for Oklahoma

The Sooners’ deficit only lasted for so long.

With her team down 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Isabela Emerling hit a solo home run to left field off of Oregon’s Elise Sokolsky to tie the game. It was Emerling’s 12th home run this season and Oklahoma’s 118th as a team.

Coach Patty Gasso’s team very nearly did more damage, with runners on first and third, but Sokolsky struck out Sydney Barker looking to end the inning.

Dez Patmon solo home run to give Oregon 1-0 lead

And it’s the Ducks who are on the board first after Dez Patmon launches a two-out home run to center field. The four-time defending national champion Sooners are down early, 1-0, in the second inning.

1st inning: Oklahoma 0, Oregon 0

Oklahoma strands three runners on base but can’t get a run across after Cydney Sanders flies out to center field to end the inning.

Kierston Deal retires three Oregon batters

It’s three up, three down for Oregon, as Kierston Deal gets Kai Luschar to strike out swinging, Kedre Luschar to pop out to center field and Rylee McCoy to pop out to right field.

Oklahoma-Oregon moved to 7:12 p.m. first pitch

Oklahoma and Oregon’s elimination game somehow only moved back 12 minutes after a nine-inning game between Tennessee and UCLA in the first game of the day. First pitch is scheduled for 7:12 p.m. ET.

What time does Oklahoma vs Oregon softball start?

Date: Sunday, June 1
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

First pitch for Oklahoma and Oregon’s softball game in the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set for 7 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

Watch Oklahoma vs Oregon softball in the WCWS live with ESPN+

What TV channel is Oklahoma vs Oregon softball on today?

TV channel: ESPN2
Live stream: ESPN app | ESPN+

Sunday’s WCWS elimination game between Oklahoma and Oregon will air on ESPN2. Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Amanda Scarborough (analyst) will be on the call while Taylor McGregor will serve as the sideline reporter.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and ESPN+ the latter of which serves as ESPN’s subscription streaming service.

Oklahoma vs Oregon softball predictions, picks, odds

Odds are courtesy of BetMGM

Moneyline: Oklahoma (-350) | Oregon (+250)

Prediction: Oklahoma 7, Oregon 3

The Ducks have the benefit of an extra day of rest, but it won’t be enough to power them past a Sooners team with more talent and more experience on the game’s biggest stage.

Oklahoma softball schedule 2025

Here are Oklahoma’s past five results. To see the Sooners’ full 2025 schedule, click here.

Sunday, May 18: Oklahoma 12, Cal 1 (5 innings)
Friday, May 23: Oklahoma 3, No. 15 Alabama 0
Saturday, May 24: Oklahoma 13, No. 15 Alabama 2 (5 innings)
Thursday, May 29: Oklahoma 4, No. 7 Tennessee 3
Saturday, May 31: No. 6 Texas 4, Oklahoma 2

Oregon softball schedule 2025

Here are Oregon’s past five results. To see the Duck’ full 2025 schedule, click here.

Sunday, May 18: Oregon 10, No. 16 Stanford 7
Friday, May 23: Oregon 3, Liberty 2 (8 innings)
Saturday, May 24: Oregon 13, Liberty 1
Thursday, May 29: No. 9 UCLA 4, Oregon 2
Friday, May 30: Oregon 6, Ole Miss 5 (10 innings)

WCWS schedule

Women’s College World Series: May 29-June 5/6
WCWS finals: June 4-5/6

The Women’s College World Series began May 29 and will run through either June 5 or June 6. The WCWS three-game championship series will begin on June 4 and end on June 5 or 6, depending on whether the series concludes in two or three games.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY