Texas topples Texas Tech to take WCWS Finals lead

The Liberty will always have love for Sandy Brondello.

Texas takes 1-0 WCWS Finals lead

Round one goes to Texas, as the Longhorns defeated Texas Tech 7-3 to take Game 1 of the WCWS Finals — putting the 2025 champion one win away from a repeat.

• Texas ace Teagan Kavan pitched a complete game, overcoming Red Raider Mihyia Davis’s first-inning bomb to allow three runs on just three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

• Katie Stewart ignited the Longhorns’ offense, blasting her fourth home run in as many games to launch a five-run first inning.

• “The game started with a bang, literally,” Texas coach Mike White said. “Then, of course, Teagan Kavan worked her tail off for us.” (Watch full highlights)

Planning ahead: Red Raiders coach Gerry Glasco limited star pitchers NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry to four outs each, opting to save their arms for the rest of the best-of-three series. 

• Glasco is looking to avoid last season’s dynamic, when Tech rebounded from an opening loss to force Game 3 before Texas ultimately claimed the title.

• “If we can survive tomorrow night’s game, you’ve got momentum going into Game 3,” he said. “We've not lost two games in a row the whole year, so we've got to hang our hat on that.” (See full report)

Tune in: Game 2 of the WCWS Finals kicks off tonight at 8 PM ET, live on ESPN.

Fever hosts Dream amid two-game skid

No. 9 Indiana is searching for a reset, carrying a two-game losing streak — and a few news headlines — into tonight’s Commissioner’s Cup clash with No. 2 Atlanta.

• The Fever held a team meeting this week, after a viral bench spat between star guard Caitlin Clark and coach Stephanie White punctuated an 0-2 road trip.

• “We peeled back all the layers,” guard Sophie Cunningham told reporters. “We’re just too soft right now, and that’s not what our identity is.”

• “Hard times can make you or break you,” added three-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell. “I’d rather it be now than later.” (See full report)

Scouting report: The Dream’s surging attack could pose problems for an Indiana defense averaging 89 points allowed per game — the second-highest in the league — while ranking second in fouls at 24.9 per game.

• Atlanta forward Angel Reese is averaging a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double this season, while guard Allisha Gray is edging Clark’s 20.1-point scoring average with 20.4 points per game.

• “I see [Reese] putting in the work every day,” Gray said, congratulating her teammate on her 1,000th career point. “That was a big three that we needed. And I feel like that helped shift the momentum.”

Tune in: Indiana tips off against Atlanta tonight at 7 PM ET, live on Prime.

PWHL clubs lock in protected players

PWHL expansion is in motion, as the league’s eight existing teams locked in players this week before Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose start their roster builds.

• Phase 1 of the six-part process saw clubs shield players already under contract for 2026/27, while they had until Wednesday afternoon to sign three free agents each.

• A new three-day signing window opens Friday, when the four incoming teams can select five players from the remaining pool — but no more than three from any one existing team. (See full rules)

Taking stock: Veterans headlined the protected list, as Montréal’s Marie-Philip Poulin, Minnesota’s Taylor Heise, New York’s Sarah Fillier, Vancouver’s Sarah Nurse, and Seattle’s Alex Carpenter all inked new deals.

• But not everyone’s safe, with Seattle’s Olympic gold medalists Hilary Knight and Hannah Bilka, Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Montréal’s Walter Cup hero Abby Roque left unprotected. (See full list)

Up next: Five more phases are still to come, as the pro women’s hockey league’s aggressive growth strategy becomes a reality.

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Quarterfinal chaos ends Sabalenka’s French Open run

Upsets rattled Roland Garros on Wednesday, as Maja Chwalińska beat world No. 24 Anna Kalinskaya before Diana Shnaider ousted No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to set an unexpected semifinal round.

• No. 25 seed Shnaider toppled Sabalenka 3-6, 7-5, 6-0, after the 2025 French Open runner-up lost 12 of the match’s final 13 games. 

• “Just want to quit tennis right now,” a sullen Sabalenka said afterwards. “You know those rooms where you just go in and you smash everything? Probably I will spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff. Maybe it will help, maybe not.” (Watch full highlights)

Setting the field: No. 114 Chwalińska opened the day by downing Kalinskaya 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 to reach her first major semifinal, marking the first French Open semis without a men’s or women’s Grand Slam champion since 1977.

Tune in: The French Open semifinals start today at 9 AM ET, live on TNT.

US Women’s Open tees off with record purse

The LPGA is hitting new heights this week, as the US Women’s Open takes over Riviera Country Club with a record $12.5 million on the line.

• The tournament upped the ante after offering $12 million in 2024 and 2025, becoming the latest LPGA Tour event to raise its purse this year.

• “We’re proud to lead on that front as we lift up the women’s game,” USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer said. (See full report)

Setting the field: Sweden’s Maja Stark returns after capturing the 2025 title, while world No. 1 Nelly Korda hunts the only major LPGA trophy missing from her shelf.

• Michelle Wie West also joins the event, using her last year of exemption after stepping away from pro golf three years ago. (See full leaderboard)

Tune in: The US Women’s Open tees off today at 9:45 AM ET, with live coverage across USA and Peacock.

Quote of the day

USWNT star Trinity Rodman
on reuniting with Triple Espresso teammates Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson at national team training camp.