Sydney Sherrill lined a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning, lifting the Oklahoma City Spark to a 4-3 comeback win over the Talons on Thursday to shake up the AUSL softball standings.
Sherrill, Brady, and Spark Turn the Tide Against the Talons in AUSL Thriller
Utah started strong, building a 3-1 lead through four innings at Tom Heath Field. Jadelyn Allchin opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first before Hannah Flippen added another in the third. Sharlize Palacios later extended the gap with an RBI single in the fourth.
Maya Brady's solo home run pushed Oklahoma City within reach, but the Spark still trailed by two heading into the fifth.
Then, Sydney Romero launched a two-run home run toward left-center, scoring Brady — who reached on an error — to tie the game at 3-3. It was Romero's sixth bomb of the season.
In the seventh, Delanie Wisz subsequently singled with one out to set the stage. Sherrill followed with a double to center field, driving Wisz home for the winning run.
OKC Spark, Talons Shake Up AUSL Softball Standings
The victory marks Oklahoma City's third in its last four games, a stretch that could shift the AUSL softball standings down the line.
The series continues Saturday night. Fan can check the Athletes Unlimited softball schedule for broadcast times and more game information.
Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) star Kelsie Whitmore received the Amazin' Mets Foundation's 2026 Legacy Award on Wednesday night during a pregame ceremony at Citi Field.
MLB's Mets Honor Whitmore as Women's Baseball Pioneer
The Mets present the award annually to individuals who leave a lasting mark on the game, both on and off the field. Whitmore joins past recipients like All-American Girls Professional Baseball League pioneer Maybelle Blair and researcher Sarah Langs. After accepting the honor, she threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The recognition follows a stretch that has reshaped the future of women's pro baseball. Whitmore was the No. 1 overall pick in the WPBL's inaugural draft last year. She'll lead the San Francisco Firebells when the league kicks off its season in August.
But Whitmore's path to professional ball started well before the WPBL existed.
Whitmore's Major League Baseball Record and WPBL Future
In 2022, she signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks and became the first woman to start an Atlantic League game. She later became its first woman pitcher. That run through Major League Baseball partner leagues laid the groundwork for what the sport now celebrates as a new chapter.
"Baseball has given me the chance to compete, grow, and prove that there is room in this game for girls and women at every level," Whitmore said after receiving the award.
"If my journey helps even one young girl believe she belongs on the field, then that means everything."
The Ottawa Charge are moving to a bigger stage. The team announced that the Canadian Tire Centre will serve as its primary home venue starting in the 2026-27 season. That shift carries major implications for the PWHL schedule 2026 and beyond.
PWHL Schedule 2026 Shifts with New Venue
After three seasons at TD Place, the Charge will now play all home games in the NHL-caliber arena. The venue will also double as the team's official practice facility and training center.
The move comes as TD Place enters a redevelopment phase. But, it's also a direct response to fan demand in the nation's capital.
In six appearances at Canadian Tire Centre, the Charge averaged 13,641 fans per game. That figure includes a crowd of 17,114 for an April 3 match against the Montreal Victoire, along with a PWHL playoff record of 16,894 on May 18.
Ottawa Charge Ready to Break More Attendance Records
GM Mike Hirshfeld said the relocation allows the club to welcome more fans while improving the player experience.
"TD Place was the foundation of our early success, and we’re deeply grateful for the energy our fans brought to every game in that building," Hirshfield said. "In the playoffs, we witnessed that they could recreate that magic at CTC, and we’re looking forward to continuing to build momentum in our new home."
In other PWHL news tied to the transition, deposits for new 2026-27 season ticket memberships are already open.
Elena Rybakina and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka anchor a loaded field for next month's National Bank Open in Toronto. The WTA 1000 event marks the start of the WTA Tour schedule's hard-court swing, running Aug. 2 through Aug. 13.
Rybakina and Sabalenka Mount Comebacks on WTA Tour Stop
So far, nine of the top 10 players in the WTA Rankings have committed to the 96-player draw. Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula round out the top entrants alongside Mirra Andreeva, Amanda Anisimova, Elina Svitolina, and Karolina Muchova.
Still, the field will be missing one key name. Defending champion Victoria Mboko recently pulled out after suffering an MCL injury at Queen's Club in June. Renata Zarazua will step into her spot for the upcoming tournament.
Both Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka will look to recover after their respective Wimbledon 2026 upsets this month. Pegula, meanwhile, will look to recapture the Canadian title after winning at the Toronto Open twice before Mboko stole the crown last year.
Past Champions, Star Wildcards Join WTA 1000 Tournament
Meanwhile, wildcard entries went to seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams and 2019 National Bank Open winner Bianca Andreescu. Past champion Belinda Bencic is also set to return.
The official draw drops on Friday, July 31st at 12 PM ET. Toronto marks the first of two WTA 1000 stops before the Cincinnati Open wraps the summer tournament schedule.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark earned a 2026 WNBA All-Star starting nod, but her peers didn't exactly co-sign it.
Clark finished 11th among guards in the player analysis, despite ranking second in the fan ballot and third among media voters.
WNBA Players Rank Caitlin Clark 11th in All-Star Voting
The Fever star is averaging 20.5 points per game, sixth in the league, along with 8.2 assists per game. That's good for second overall.
85 of the WNBA's 180 players cast All-Star ballots, with each voter selecting four guards. That turnout, combined with the tendency for players to vote along team lines, likely widened the gap between Clark's production and her ranking.
Candace Parker Reacts to WNBA Guard Analysis
The reaction to the WNBA All-Star player-voted results was immediate, though. Three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker called the 11th-place finish "crazy" on her Post Moves podcast and pointed to player insecurities.
"You’ve got some insecurities if you’re sitting down and putting Caitlin Clark as the 11th-best guard. Y’all need to go to a therapist," Parker said earlier this week.
The player vote carries 25% of the total All-Star weight, while fan and media support pushed Clark through to the starting lineup. She'll feature in the WNBA All-Star game alongside Fever teammates Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell on July 25th in Chicago.
UConn women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma is testing the media waters this summer. The 12-time national champion recently appeared on Richard Deitsch's Sports Media podcast, where he revealed that 12 episodes of his new show have already been recorded.
Geno Auriemma Embarks on Summer Media Blitz
Rather than basketball, the podcast focuses on high achievers across industries and what drives their success. It echoes a 2017 podcast Auriemma hosted called Holding Court with Geno Auriemma that featured everyone from Tiger Woods to Kobe Bryant to former National Security Advisor Susan Rice.
"It's not necessarily about basketball at all," Auriemma said of his new show. "I bet you we've had maybe two basketball people on, the rest is about people who have reached a certain level of excellence and asking them things relative to that so that people watching can say, 'Yeah, that applies to me too.' It's just fascinating for me to listen to these people."
Auriemma also stepped back into the ESPN broadcast booth earlier this week for a one-night-only assignment.
He joined Robin Roberts and play-by-play announcer Beth Mowins to call the Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty game. The matchup featured several former UConn women's basketball standouts, including Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Breanna Stewart.
The broadcast carried added weight, as Auriemma and Roberts first called ESPN's inaugural WNBA game together back in 1997.
What's the Latest UConn Women's Basketball News for Auriemma?
But a full-time move to media remains unlikely for the winning college coach.
Auriemma has not committed to a permanent TV broadcasting role, and his podcast launch timeline is equally open-ended. For now, the Hall of Fame coach remains focused on Connecticut women's basketball.
The WNBA is taking center stage, as ESPN announced plans to debut Life in the W during All-Star Weekend’s 30th anniversary.
Backed by Uninterrupted and Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios, the six-part docuseries frames league favorites A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, and DeWanna Bonner as a reigning superstar, a future-shaping leader, and a veteran icon.
“A lot of people see what we do on the court, but this is a chance to show everything that comes with it: the work, the sacrifice, the joy, and the sisterhood,” said Wilson.
“I’m so proud to be part of this project and allow viewers to connect with who we are beyond basketball.”
Life in the W premieres July 24th at 10 PM ET on ESPN2.
Flavor Flav is back in USA Hockey’s corner. The rapper offered to fund the squad’s trip to next week’s ESPY Awards — where the 2026 Olympic gold medalists are nominated for Best Team.
In response to ESPN’s limited invites, Flav pledged to arrange travel, makeup, and wardrobe for the full team after telling captain Hilary Knight he wanted to see them there together.
“The ESPYs offer ALL teams the same number of invites to rep the team at the awards, leaving many out,” he posted. “These women deserve to represent and celebrate together.”
Hotel heiress and former high school ice hockey player Paris Hilton also got in on the action. She promised the players 2.5 million Hilton Honors Points to cover their visit to New York.
“Flav, this is so iconic!” Hilton wrote. “A lot of people don't know this, but I played ice hockey in high school and loved it... I would love to help these amazing women out too.”
The news comes ahead of MGM Resorts and Flavor Flav’s SHE Weekend celebration. Set for July 16th, the Las Vegas party honors elite US women’s sports athletes.
“Letz continue to celebrate the United States women’s gold medal hockey team together and let them celebrate ALL together,” Flav continued. “I have my team working on all the arrangements now.”
Wimbledon will have a Czech champion, as Linda Nosková and Karolína Muchová booked an all-Czech 2026 final after Muchová ended US star Coco Gauff’s title bid yesterday.
Muchová edged Gauff 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10), taking the three-set semifinal on a 10-point super tiebreak and derailing the world No. 7’s quest to reach her first-ever All England Club final.
“I have so much respect for how [Muchová] plays and how she is off-court,” Gauff said afterwards. “It sucks to be on the losing end, but walking off the court I was like, ‘That was a lot of fun.’”
21-year-old Nosková outclassed Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-4 in Thursday’s second showdown, snapping Kostyuk’s 21-of-22 match run to reach her first major final just weeks after winning the Berlin Tennis Open.
The winner will join Czech greats Jana Novotná, Petra Kvitová, Markéta Vondroušová, and Barbora Krejčíková as recent Wimbledon champions.
“One thing I do remember is when Petra Kvitová won here,” Nosková said in London. “This was maybe one of the first moments when I realized a sport such as tennis exists. I’m still in shock that I had the chance to play on this court.”
Where to Watch the 2026 Wimbledon Final
Linda Nosková meets Karolína Muchová at the 2026 Wimbledon final on Saturday at 11 AM ET, live on ESPN.
The Cascadia Clash returns on Sunday, with No. 11 Seattle hosting surging No. 2 Portland as the Reign vs Thorns showdown ramps up this weekend’s NWSL schedule.
The Thorns (8-3-3) enter on a hot streak, thumping No. 16 Louisville 4-0 behind Pietra Tordin’s goal and two assists last weekend, while Jayden Perry, Reilyn Turner, and Sophia Wilson — who notched her 50th league goal — also found the back of the net.
The Reign (4-6-2) stumbled in their first match back, dropping a 3-1 decision to No. 6 North Carolina despite Sally Menti’s early opener.
The pair last met on March 20th, with Portland shutting out Seattle 2-0 off a one-goal, one-assist night from Pietra Tordin.
Mackenzie Arnold posted her sixth clean sheet on Sunday, underscoring the gap between the regional rivals as the Thorns chase the top of the table and the Reign shoots to make up ground in the season’s second half.
“I know our team is going to bounce back from this and learn everything we can,” Reign midfielder Sally Menti said after last weekend’s loss. “We’ve got to move forward.”
Where to Watch Reign vs Thorns in Sunday's NWSL Schedule
The Cascadia Clash kicks off on Sunday at 4 PM ET, live on ESPN.