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In a tightly contested quarterfinal matchup at the 2025 Big 12 Softball Tournament, No. 5 seed Arizona State emerged victorious over No. 4 seed Oklahoma State with a 2-1 win on Thursday in Oklahoma City.
The Sun Devils, a team looking to solidify its tournament resume, capitalized on key moments and rode an impressive pitching performance to advance to Friday’s semifinal round.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma State has now dropped its first game in the Big 12 Tournament in three consecutive seasons, and leaves the Cowgirls in a tough spot ahead of Selection Sunday.
1. Kenzie Brown Was Unhittable When It Mattered Most
Arizona State’s chances in this game started and ended with Kenzie Brown playing her best, and the junior right-hander delivered in a massive way. Brown racked up 13 strikeouts in a complete-game performance, baffling Oklahoma State’s lineup all afternoon as she held the Cowgirls to a .136 (3-22) average at the plate. In addition to allowing just three hits, she worked her way out of several tight spots, including a momentum-swinging jam in the fifth when the Cowgirls loaded the bases.
Brown responded with back-to-back strikeouts to strand all three runners and preserve the Sun Devils’ lead. That moment felt like a turning point—and Brown owned it. She now moves to 19-6 on the year and gives ASU a legitimate ace to ride into the weekend.
2. Arizona State Made the Most of Limited Chances
It wasn’t an offensive explosion by any means, but the Sun Devils took advantage of the few opportunities they had. Samantha Swan broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a solo shot to left, providing the jolt that the ASU dugout needed to get going.
Then, in the sixth, Tanya Windle added a key insurance run with a sacrifice fly, cashing in on a leadoff double and smart baserunning. ASU only had four hits on the day, but they made each one count. In tournament play, that kind of situational execution is what separates contenders from one-and-done exits.
3. Oklahoma State’s Missed Chances Proved Costly
The Cowgirls had their chances—they just couldn’t cash in. Oklahoma State left seven runners on base, including three in the fifth inning, when it looked like they were on the verge of flipping the game. But Brown’s two-strike command and ASU’s defensive poise shut the door, and now they’re left to sit at home and await their fate for regional weekend.
If there’s a silver lining to be had, Ruby Meylan pitched well enough to win, allowing just four hits and two runs while keeping the Sun Devils off balance for most of the game. But great pitching doesn’t always get rewarded when the bats go cold at the worst time of year. OSU drops to 33-18 on the season and will now wait to see where they land in the NCAA bracket.
Arizona State, meanwhile, is one win away from a spot in the Big 12 title game. The Sun Devils will face the winner of Texas Tech vs. Baylor in Friday’s semifinal.
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Wolfpack Women’s Hoops Lands 2026 Class’ First Commit in Four-Sport Star
NC State women’s basketball landed a commitment from forward Annsley Trivette. Women’s basketball coach Wes Moore lands his first commitment for the 2026 recruiting cycle. She’s from Abingdon, Virginia, giving her commitment to the Wolfpack on Aug. 11. She comes in at 6-foot-2 and averaged 20 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.8 blocks, earning her way to being named Virginia’s Class 3 Player of the Year as a junior. Trivette is a four-sport athlete, playing volleyball, shotput, discus and soccer at the high school level. It didn’t stop her from dominating as a basketball player, as in her first three seasons, she’s already scored 1,722 points with over 700 rebounds. On top of it all, Trivette participated in the Under Armour Next AAU circuit, averaging 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists with the West Virginia Thunder. Along with being the Class 3 Player of the Year, she won the Class 3 2025 state titles in shot put and discus, breaking a 1985 school record with a 131-foot, 9-inch toss in the spring. She was heavily recruited by other Division I programs, holding almost two dozen before picking NC State. She took official visits to James Madison, Virginia, and Wake Forest. Trivette is the first player for the Wolfpack’s 2026 recruiting class, with a quiet transfer portal for NC State this past offseason. The 2026 class may become crucial as ever for the Wolfpacks’ future. The team is coming off a Sweet 16 loss to LSU in the most recent NCAA tournament. It’s not the only loss the team has to overcome; NC State also lost guard Saniya Rivers to the WNBA draft. Rivers was selected eighth overall by the Connecticut Suns. She averaged 9.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season for NC State. NC State recently revealed its opponents for the non-conference schedule. Its opponents' 2024-25 NET ranking of 73.6, with four of the teams being 2025 NCAA Tournament squads who ended their seasons either in the Elite Eight or Sweet 16 and finished inside the top 15 in the AP Poll. Some highlights include the Wolfpack's season opener against Tennessee on Nov. 4, USC on Nov. 9, and a rematch against TCU on Nov. 16. Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss another breaking news story again. Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Vikings joint practice recap, Day 1: How'd J.J. McCarthy fare vs. Patriots?
The Vikings and Patriots just held their first of two joint training camp practices on a beautiful afternoon at TCO Performance Center. Fans packed the stands to watch as the Vikings got an opportunity to test themselves against a different opponent in a practice setting after weeks of battling each other. Let's dive into what took place on Wednesday, starting with the obvious question. How'd J.J. look? J.J. McCarthy, coming off of one 12-snap drive in Minnesota's preseason opener on Saturday (and a normal, lighter practice on Monday), got a ton of reps against the Patriots' defense in this joint practice. That'll be the case again on Thursday. These two days are designed to provide some highly-valuable work for the Vikings' starters, who aren't going to play at all in this weekend's preseason game. McCarthy came out of the gates strong in 7-on-7 action. He completed his first three passes, all to Jordan Addison, including a great throw with touch on an out-breaking route towards the sideline. He also fired a ball into a tight window to Jeshaun Jones. McCarthy started 6 for 6, by my count. It wasn't all perfect, though. He threw a decent ball to Addison that wasn't quite hauled in through good coverage by the Patriots corner. And McCarthy's final throw of the period was one he'd like to have back. He tried to hit Jalen Nailor on an in-breaking route but sailed it way over his head for an interception by Marcus Jones. One thing we've seen from McCarthy is that when he misses, he tends to miss high — and that's dangerous in the NFL. He's continuing to work on his accuracy on certain throws, especially ones that require layering and touch. That was the only interception McCarthy threw on the day. For the most part, he threw the ball well, and his connection with his top two healthy targets was on full display. He and Addison connected numerous times, often on in-breaking intermediate routes. They nearly connected on a deep ball later in the practice, but Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was able to break it up at the last moment. McCarthy also found tight end T.J. Hockenson frequently on short and intermediate routes. Those two have developed a strong rapport. As has been the case throughout training camp, McCarthy was up and down. There was one move-the-ball period that didn't go particularly well. His first throw was a bit high for Hockenson, although his TE was able to catch it. He then was "sacked" on consecutive plays — and it's always hard to tell from watching live if the blame falls on McCarthy, someone on the O-line, or his targets not creating separation. On 3rd and very long, he was pressured again and could only check it down to Jordan Mason for a short juggling catch. Later, McCarthy lost the ball on a snap exchange with Ryan Kelly. Back to the good stuff: McCarthy never lost confidence and continued to laser the ball into tight windows. He made a great throw to Nailor, who secured a contested catch against Jones. After the deep ball fell incomplete, McCarthy came right back to Addison for a chunk gain on the next play. And to wrap up his day, McCarthy led the Vikings' offense on a successful 1-minute drill. He moved the chains with completions to Hockenson and Aaron Jones, then couldn't quite connect with Nailor on the next play and had to throw the ball away on second down. On third and long, he scrambled to make it a manageable fourth and 5, and he kept the drive alive with yet another completion to Addison on an in-breaking route. The Vikings only had time to settle for a field goal, which Will Reichard drilled from 48 yards out to tie the hypothetical game as time expired. The overall takeaway from McCarthy's day is that it looked a lot like what we've seen from him over the past three-plus weeks. There's a lot of good, but there are plenty of teaching moments as well. I imagine things will continue to be up and down for McCarthy early in the regular season, with the Vikings looking to lean on the run game, short passes, and play-action passing to try to get him in rhythm. Despite the expected inconsistency, there's a ton to like about his potential both this season and in the long term. Thursday, which will feature a good bit of red zone work, will be another big day for McCarthy. Vikings' defense vs. Maye My vantage point for Wednesday's practice was close to the Vikings' offense going against the Patriots' defense, so that was what I watched more intently. But from what I saw — and heard from others who were closer to the far field — the Vikings' defense had a decent day. They were getting lots of pressure on Drake Maye, with Jonathan Greenard feasting on rookie left tackle Will Campbell and the interior guys making life tough on former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury. When the pressure didn't get home, though, Maye looked good. New England's second-year QB has a heck of an arm, which he showed throughout 1-on-1s and into the team periods. Another former Viking, Stefon Diggs, made his presence felt during practice. There were a couple coverage busts from the Vikings' first-team defense that led to long touchdowns for the Patriots. On one, Mack Hollins got wide open and proceeded to punt the ball into the stands after scoring. On another, rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson leaked up the left sideline past Ivan Pace Jr. and caught a Maye pass for a 70-yard TD. Other notes Not participating for the Vikings were Justin Jefferson, Andrew Van Ginkel, Harrison Smith, C.J. Ham, and Levi Drake Rodriguez. Christian Darrisaw did some live work with the first-team offense before giving way to Justin Skule. The biggest highlight of the entire day for the Vikings came from rookie guard Donovan Jackson. The Vikings dialed up a screen pass to Aaron Jones at the perfect time, taking advantage of a Patriots blitz. With tons of green grass in front of him, Jones moved upfield but didn't go into a full sprint, in order to let Jackson and Will Fries get out in front of him. Jackson, after hitting Milton Williams at the line of scrimmage, sent Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins flying to the ground and then knocked over Peppers for good measure. The Vikings' first-round pick pushed three separate defenders to the ground on a play that resulted in a gain of around 60 yards. Jackson's teammates and the fans in the stands went wild. The Vikings' second-team defense had a pair of pick-sixes off of former Minnesota QB Josh Dobbs, who is now the Patriots' backup. Dwight McGlothern got the first one, adding to his array of interceptions over the course of camp. The second-year corner is simply a ball magnet. Later on, safety Jay Ward jumped a route and got another one off of Dobbs, then proceeded to punt the ball in celebration (perhaps in response to Hollins' earlier punt). We didn't see a ton of reps from the Vikings' backup QBs, which is by design since they're going to play a lot in Saturday's preseason game. But all three looked solid in small samples. Sam Howell was accurate underneath, connecting with guys like Tai Felton and Thayer Thomas. The second-team offense was unsuccessful in their crack at the 1-minute drill, though. Brett Rypien also had a few completions, and for the second straight practice, rookie Max Brosmer connected with Tim Jones on a beautiful deep ball that drew plenty of cheers. Fighting can sometimes be a problem in joint practices around the NFL, but Kevin O'Connell and Mike Vrabel made it very clear that they didn't want the competitiveness to cross a line and impede the productivity of their work. There were no real skirmishes on Wednesday. The closest we got was when Patriots WR Javon Baker and Vikings DB Kahlef Hailassie got very chippy during a 1-on-1 special teams drill. This was the most we've gotten to see from the Vikings' punter competition throughout training camp. Ryan Wright had a couple bad punts during his opportunities, and I thought undrafted rookie Oscar Chapman clearly had the better day of the two. He might have a legit chance to win that job. Holding will also matter, but at least in this practice, neither punter had an issue. They split the holds as Reichard went 4 for 4 from 33, 44, 48, and 53 yards to end the day. More Vikings coverage
Acuña Return Imminent, Braves Deliver More Bad Riley News
Ronald Acuña Jr. is closing in on his return to the Atlanta Braves lineup. Manager Brian Snitker siad via MLB.com's Mark Bowman that the All-Star outfielder is expected to be activated in the next couple of days. However, all news wasn't on the positive side for the team. Third baseman Austin Riley still felt discomfort when he was throwing on Tuesday. It's unlikley he'll be activated this week. The bright side of the Riley update is that it's more a when he will return instead of an if. Acuña has been out with a grade 1 calf strain since the last week of July. It initially looked like it might be an achillies injury, but further evaluation of the ailment revealed a better-case scenario. He's looked like he's been at least pain free for the most part for some time. He's been seen before games taking at-bats and field balls in the field. Last week, we was also seen doing running drills. The Braves have been wise to work him back slowly as he works different parts of his game. Even with the playoff picture long gone, it's always good to get a key bat back in the lineup and have him healthy into the offseason. Acuña can have normal workouts and be ready to participate in Spring Training this time around. In 55 games, Acuña is batting .306 with a 1.005 OPS, a 2.6 WAR, a 180 OPS+, 14 home runs and 26 RBIs. Riley is still dealing with the adomen injury that has gotten him placed on the injured list twice this season. Shortly after his return, he re-aggravated the injury on a diving play during the MLB Speedway Classic. Both times when hr hurt his abs, it came on a play in the infield. What should have been celebrated as one of the highlights of the game just added more frustration to this season. They're going to have to patient and wait to see if the pain lessons as he works out. Like Acuña, it's good to get him back before the end of the season regardless of how it's going. In Riley's case, it would be great simply because he didn't return after his injury last season. That being said, because of how this season is going, the Braves can take their time and make sure Riley is good to go as opposed to rushing him back out there. In 102 games, Riley is batting .260 with a .737 OPS, a 1.4 WAR, a 105 OPS+, 16 home runs and 54 RBIs. More From Atlanta Braves on SI
Perhaps Superman Paul Skenes has found his kryptonite
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes may continue to be one of the top contenders for the National League Cy Young Award, but there is one place where he has appeared mortal this season. On Tuesday night, the Milwaukee Brewers did to Skenes what they have done to plenty of MLB pitchers in 2025 ... put up big offensive numbers. For the second time this season (Skenes also pitched in Milwaukee on June 25), the Brewers forced him from the game after just 4.0 innings on Tuesday night, logging six hits and four runs during his time on the mound. Both of those performances came at Milwaukee's home stadium (American Family Field) and both are now Skenes' shortest outings of the season. While another NL Central team has put up more runs against Skenes this season (the St. Louis Cardinals nicked him for five runs in 6.0 innings on April 8), no other team has had the same kind of success over multiple starts by Skenes in 2025 as have the Brewers inside their home stadium. In all this season, Skenes has given up 10 hits and eight runs in 8.0 innings in Milwaukee. It was his third career outing on the road against the Brewers, with his lone 2024 start representing arguably the best outing of his rookie season. On July 11, 2024, Skenes struck out 11 and didn't allow a hit over 7.0 innings as the Pirates would eventually post a 1-0 victory. Tuesday's short outing was highlighted by a pair of Milwaukee home runs, including a leadoff solo shot by Sal Frelick that quickly set the tone for the Brewers. While Milwaukee's hit parade helped raise Skenes' ERA on the season to 2.13, it's hardly any reason for concern in a season where the 23-year-old right-hander is still a heavy favorite (-600) to win the NL Cy Young Award, per BetMGM. Skenes struggling in Milwaukee is likely more yet another stamp of approval on the Brewers' potential to be a threat once the postseason arrives. With an 18-4 record since the All-Star break entering Tuesday, Milwaukee has taken over the NL Central race from the Chicago Cubs. So what's the good news for Skenes? This is Pittsburgh's last trip to Milwaukee this season and the next-to-last series for the Pirates against the red-hot Brewers. Milwaukee will visit PNC Park for a three-game series on Sept. 5-7, and if Skenes gets a chance for revenge against Milwaukee, there couldn't be a better place for him to take the mound. This season, in 11 starts covering 68.2 innings, Skenes has a 1.70 ERA in the Steel City.
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