Tag Archives: Softball

Sheldon stuns Oregon City in wild 1-0 walk-off victory without recording a hit in Oregon Class 6A softball ch – OregonLive

  1. Sheldon stuns Oregon City in wild 1-0 walk-off victory without recording a hit in Oregon Class 6A softball ch OregonLive
  2. Sheldon outlasts Oregon City in bizarre 6A Oregon softball final — Irish win despite getting no-hit as winning run scores on obstruction call Scorebook Live
  3. OSAAtoday – 2A/1A softball final: Grant Union finally gets its title OSAA
  4. Class 6A softball title game preview: No. 2 Oregon City still hunting perfect performance, gets final shot ag OregonLive
  5. Grant Union/Prairie City 10-runs Weston-McEwen/Griswold in six innings for Oregon Class 2A/1A softball state OregonLive
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Tennessee softball score updates Oklahoma: Women’s College World Series – Knoxville News Sentinel

  1. Tennessee softball score updates Oklahoma: Women’s College World Series Knoxville News Sentinel
  2. Montana Fouts, Alabama emotional after being eliminated from Women’s College World Series Alabama Crimson Tide on AL.com
  3. Tennessee vs. Oklahoma: Free live stream, TV, how to watch Women’s College World Series 2023 MassLive.com
  4. College softball has never been bigger. Where do the game’s top minds think the sport needs to go from here? Tulsa World
  5. Oklahoma Softball: Preview of Sooners vs. Tennessee in WCWS Sooners Wire
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Belle Vernon holds off Montour to win WPIAL Class 4A softball title in wild finish – tribhssn.triblive.com

  1. Belle Vernon holds off Montour to win WPIAL Class 4A softball title in wild finish tribhssn.triblive.com
  2. Belle Vernon tops Montour in wild, extra-inning WPIAL Class 4A softball title game Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  3. 8th-inning homer off Seneca Valley ace lifts Hempfield to WPIAL 6A softball championship tribhssn.triblive.com
  4. Union earns WPIAL Class 1A softball championship with high-scoring win over Carmichaels Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  5. Union outslugs Carmichaels to win back-to-back WPIAL Class A softball titles tribhssn.triblive.com
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Montana Fouts injury update: What Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy said – Tuscaloosa Magazine

  1. Montana Fouts injury update: What Alabama softball coach Patrick Murphy said Tuscaloosa Magazine
  2. Bama outlasts Razorbacks in intense nine-inning affair Southeastern Conference
  3. Alabama Punches Ticket to SEC Tournament Semifinals With 3-2 Extra-Inning Win Over Arkansas – University of Alabama Athletics rolltide.com
  4. Alabama softball ace Montana Fouts injured, leaves game versus Arkansas in SEC Tournament Tuscaloosa Magazine
  5. Midnight madness: Crimson Tide eliminate Razorbacks in extra innings after Fouts goes down WholeHogSports
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Oklahoma Wins 2022 College Softball World Series over Texas After Dominant Season | Bleacher Report

Isaiah Vazquez/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

The Oklahoma Sooners are national champions for the second year in a row and sixth time in program history.

Oklahoma defended its crown with a 10-5 victory over Texas in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series Championship Finals on Thursday. The Sooners swept the Longhorns in the best-of-three series that also included a blowout 16-1 win in Game 1 on Wednesday.

ESPN @espn

👑 2021
👑 2022

The Sooners are BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONS‼️‼️@OU_Softball | #WCWS pic.twitter.com/3YFhaKqgbC

ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo

Since national seeding began in 2005, @OU_Softball is the 1st school to win consecutive national titles as No. 1 overall seed.

Over the past 2 seasons, the Sooners have won 115 of their 122 games. pic.twitter.com/cUMnjUM6Gd

While Oklahoma and Texas are Big 12 rivals, this was never a close fight.

The Sooners were ranked No. 1 all season as they looked to defend their national title, while the Longhorns reached the Women’s College World Series Championship Finals for the first time in program history.

They were also the first-ever unseeded team to advance this far.

Game 1 made it seem inevitable that Oklahoma would lift the trophy, but Texas wasn’t ready to go down without a fight and scored two runs in the first inning off sacrifice flies from Alyssa Washington and Mary Iakopo.

Were it not for Jayda Coleman’s leaping catch at the wall to take away a potential two-run homer from Courtney Day, the Sooners would have been staring at a commanding 4-0 deficit in the opening frame.

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

Somebody 9️⃣1️⃣1️⃣, @jaydac00 just committed a ROBBERY!!! 🚨

📺 ESPN2#WCWS #SCtop10 x @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/42yx1ku1zf

Perhaps no deficit is too daunting for Oklahoma’s powerful offense, but it was a defensive miscue from Texas that allowed the champions to get on the board first. Alyssa Brito doubled and then came around to score on Mia Scott’s throwing error, and Taylon Snow’s RBI single tied the game in the next at-bat.

Yet Estelle Czech pitched out of the jam and kept the game squared with the help of a double play as the theme of impressive defensive highlights continued:

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

How do you counteract heat?
𝐒𝐍𝐎𝐖 ❄️

📺 ESPN2#WCWS x @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/Woaku8j1oN

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 ☎️

📺 ESPN2#WCWS x 🎥 @OU_Softballpic.twitter.com/2KTW5GU31V

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

5️⃣-4️⃣-3️⃣ = 🤘

📺 ESPN2#WCWS x @TexasSoftball pic.twitter.com/WbDBOm1aih

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

With its latest double play, @TexasSoftball has tied the #WCWS record with 7️⃣ throughout the series‼️ pic.twitter.com/jX7XvW0hy0

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

HOSED 🦾

📺 ESPN2#WCWS x @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/AOOcQn8MUD

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

HAVE A NIGHT, @alyss_33 🔥

📺 ESPN2#WCWS x @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/Z8fpRRffK1

It was just a matter of time, though, before the Sooners’ bats got rolling, and they did just that in the fifth inning.

Brito’s RBI double and a three-run blast from Kinzie Hansen broke the game open, and starter Jordy Bahl turned the game over to Oklahoma’s bullpen for the final three innings after allowing two runs and four hits in the first four frames.

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

Brito drives it down the line and @OU_Softball has the lead for the first time tonight!!! 💥

📺 ESPN2#WCWS pic.twitter.com/5ENh9RjUTG

NCAA Softball @NCAASoftball

KINZIE GOES YARD 💣

📺 ESPN2#WCWS x @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/CVv8fSS01m

Nicole Auerbach @NicoleAuerbach

Last night, Texas coach Mike White called what Oklahoma did to his team something like “an avalanche.” It’s happening right now. Again.

While Hope Trautwein gave up a three-run homer to Scott after Nicole May pitched 2.1 scoreless frames, the relief pitchers didn’t exactly have to be lights out with the offense behind them.

Grace Lyons’ three-run homer highlighted a four-run sixth inning as the onslaught continued and Oklahoma clinched a title behind an unstoppable offense that is among the best in the sport’s history.

SportsCenter @SportsCenter

It’s Grace Lyons’ turn to go yard!

That’s the Sooners’ 17th home run of the #WCWS, the most in a single year by any team 💪 pic.twitter.com/WCOZZkBW05

Stewart Mandel @slmandel

Just in total awe of Oklahoma softball. Complete domination all season, all the way up through the championship.

The only way this season was realistically ending was with Oklahoma as the national champions, and the Big 12 representative fittingly put on another show in its final game.



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OU Sooners beat Texas Longhorns, win sixth NCAA softball WCWS title

Come at the Queens, you best not miss.

Texas had its chances early to derail the coronation of OU, looking to win the Women’s College World Series for the second consecutive season and the sixth time in the program’s history.

But the Longhorns early shot — two first-inning runs — was nothing more than a minor annoyance to the Sooners, who eventually came out swinging and there was little Texas could do to slow the inevitable.

OU blasted the Longhorns 10-5 to sweep the WCWS championship series on Thursday night at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.

The Sooners finished the season 59-3, one of the most dominating seasons in NCAA softball history.

For three innings, it looked like Texas might just force a Game 3.

Carlson: How Patty Gasso built a softball powerhouse, changed OU athletics 50 years after Title IX

They were giving OU starter Jordy Bahl fits at the plate and despite a string of leadoff hitters reaching base for the Sooners, OU’s powerful bats couldn’t find a way to string anything more together on Longhorns’ starter Estelle Czech.

After Wednesday’s 16-1 drubbing by OU, Texas coach Mike White said holding the Sooners’ offense in check was a virtual impossibility.

“We’ve got to score runs to beat them,” White said. “They’re going to put up some numbers, four or five, we got to find a way to score seven. That’s the way it is, you know.”

The Longhorns looked up to the challenge early, smacking the ball around the park when Bahl wasn’t walking Texas hitters.

Janae Jefferson led off the bottom of the first with a hard hit up the middle before Mia Scott followed with one to left.

After a walk, Alyssa Washington nearly drove the ball out of the park but instead wound up with a sacrifice fly.

Mary Iakopo put a charge into one herself, driving one to the furthest reaches of center field before Jayda Coleman leapt and hauled it in for the second out on another sacrifice fly that put the Longhorns up 2-0.

Courtney Day, one of the stars of the WCWS for the Longhorns, then got into one even more, this time to the left side of center.

But Coleman tracked it down as well, leaping even higher and robbing Day of a home run that would’ve put the Longhorns up 5-0.

Instead, the OU deficit was just two.

‘God just made me OU’: How Antonio Record became the Marlins Man of Sooner athletics

Bahl allowed two runners in the second and one in the third — erased on a double play that began with Sooners’ shortstop Grace Lyons’ diving snap — before she settled in.

It took OU a little longer to get much going offensively.

The Sooners put the leadoff hitter on in each of the first three innings but couldn’t get anything going on Texas’ Estelle Czech.

But then the floodgates opened.

OU tied it up in the fourth after Alyssa Brito started off with a double before an error allowed Brito to come around to score. Taylon Snow then tied it with an RBI single.

In the fifth, it was the bottom of OU’s order getting it done once against after Tiare Jennings singled and Lyons was hit by a pitch. 

Brito gave the Sooners their first lead with an RBI double and Kinzie Hansen followed with a  three-run homer to put OU up 6-2.

The Sooners then erased all chances of a Friday game with four more in the sixth, the big blow a three-run homer by Lyons.

Then it was just a matter of counting the outs.

Bahl made it through the first four innings, allowing just two hits after the first two batters touched her up.

Then Nicole May came on to bring the game into the seventh, allowing just one hit.

‘It’s choreographed chaos’: Why USA Softball maintenance crew is an unsung hero at WCWS

The bottom of the seventh inning was all about the senior sendoffs. Designated player Jocelyn Alo — the all-time career home run hitter in NCAA history — was out in left field and made the first two outs of the innings, catching pop flies. She was lifted with two outs and hugged teammates on her way off the field.

An out earlier, Sooners coach Patty Gasso brought on Hope Trautwein to finish it off in the circle. 

Trautwein, who grew up a Texas fan in an Austin suburb, is the long senior among OU’s three primary pitchers and had emerged as one of the stars of the WCWS.

Trautwein was touched up by Scott for a three-run home run, but that just delayed the inevitable.

Fans around the park held up their phones with every two-out pitch to capture the celebration.

It eventually came, after a walk, when Washington grounded softly to Jennings at second. By the time Jennings’ throw hit Snow’s glove, the celebration was getting kicked off around the field.

In the sweep of the best-of-three championship series, OU outscored Texas 26-6. 

In six games in the WCWS, the Sooners outscored opponents 64-17.

No team had ever scored more than 49 runs in the WCWS. No team other than OU’s championship team last season had ever scored more than 47.

Carlson: OU football coach Brent Venables blown away by Jocelyn Alo, Sooners. ‘Like a nuclear bomb.’

WCWS championship series schedule

Best-of-three series between OU and Texas:

Game 1: Oklahoma 16, Texas 1

Game 2: Oklahoma 10, Texas 5

Previous NCAA softball champions

2021: Oklahoma (56-4)

2020: Canceled due to pandemic

2019: UCLA (56-6)

2018: Florida State (58-12)

2017: Oklahoma (61-9)

2016: Oklahoma (57-8)

2015: Florida (60-7)

2014: Florida (55-12)

2013: Oklahoma (57-4)

2012: Alabama (60-8)

2011: Arizona State (60-6)

2010: UCLA (50-14-1)

2009: Washington (51-12)

2008: Arizona State (66-5)

2007: Arizona (50-14-1)

2006: Arizona (54-11)

2005: Michigan (65-7)

2004: UCLA (47-9)

2003: UCLA (54-7)

2002: California (56-19)

2001: Arizona (65-4)

2000: Oklahoma (66-8)

1999: UCLA (63-6)

1998: Fresno State (52-11)

1997: Arizona State (61-5)

1996: Arizona (58-9)

1995: UCLA (50-6)

1994: Arizona (64-3)

1993: Arizona (44-8)

1992: UCLA (54-2)

1991: Arizona (56-16)

1990: UCLA (62-7)

1989: UCLA (48-4)

1988: UCLA (53-8)

1987: Texas A&M (56-8)

1986: Cal State Fullerton (57-9-1)

1985: UCLA (41-9)

1984: UCLA (45-6-1)

1983: Texas A&M (41-11)

1982: UCLA (33-7-2) 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

‘To meet them here is insane’: How Hope Trautwein went from Texas fan to OU softball ace?

NCAA softball tournament scoreboard

Carlson: Tom Brady DMs, HR records & a fan frenzy: How OU’s Jocelyn Alo became softball’s Babe Ruth

OU vs. Texas live updates

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Buffalo Bills’ Micah Hyde to donate portion of proceeds from charity softball game to support shooting victims

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A day after 10 people were killed and three others injured in a shooting at a Buffalo supermarket, Bills safety Micah Hyde committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from his charity softball game to the families of the victims.

Hyde said that the long-planned softball game was almost canceled due to the weekend’s events, but that he felt it was important to bring the community together after such a tragedy and do something positive.

The attack took place Saturday afternoon when a white 18-year-old man opened fire at a Tops Friendly Markets located in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo. Authorities have described the act as “racially motivated violent extremism.”

“I still can’t believe it,” Hyde said. “But when there’s hate in the world, you kind of erase it with love, and coming out here today and showing the community love and love to the youth, love to the community, love to the foundation. I guess that’s the way to combat it.”

A $200,000 check was presented to Hyde’s IMagINe For Youth foundation by the event’s sponsors prior to the game. In addition to a portion of other proceeds, the money collected from the silent auction held at the event is going to the victims’ families. Everything raised from the softball game is going back to Western New York.

The event attracted over 10,000 people to Sahlen Field in downtown Buffalo, after less than 2,000 attended Hyde’s first charity softball game back in 2019. More than three dozen Bills players were in attendance, including quarterback Josh Allen, tight end Dawson Knox, cornerback Tre’Davious White and safety Jordan Poyer.

“Praying for and with our Buffalo community,” the Bills tweeted Saturday evening. “Our hearts are with the victims, their families and friends.”

With voluntary OTAs continuing this week for the Bills, multiple players said that they expect the team to get together Monday during meetings to figure out the best approach for the larger group to help the community and those most directly impacted by the shooting.

“My heart goes out to the victims and their families,” Allen said. “We really haven’t talked as a team yet. We’ll be in the building tomorrow and I’m sure we’ll talk about it and figure out a way to help the situation, help the families out. It’s something that you never think it’s gonna happen in your community and when it does, it hits home. I was sick to my stomach all day yesterday. I was flying back from my sister’s graduation, and it was just, it’s gut wrenching. It really is.

“And again, we’ll talk as a team tomorrow and kind figure out what we want to do, but there’s no doubt that we’re gonna do something.”

Allen said that he was glad Hyde decided not to cancel the event as it gave Bills players an opportunity “to get out here, show face and show that we care for this community.”

“The microcosm of one NFL football team, the locker room is different ethnicities, races, personalities, all mixed into one,” Allen said. “Coming out here, having a good time and showing the community this is who we are as a team. This is who we are as a community, and we want to be a part of this community.”

While the events of the day included a home run derby and a seven-inning softball game between the offense and defense, the weight of what occurred in the community over the weekend was omnipresent, including during a moment of silence and the emotional national anthem sung by Buffalo Police Officer Armonde “Moe” Badger.

“If we stopped and canceled everything because of hate, we wouldn’t move forward,” Hyde said. “There’s a lot of it, and I think all you can do is just, like I said, spread love and love one another. I think that it was big throughout the last couple years in society, obviously going through COVID and all that type of stuff to really just reach out, help each other and love on each other.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.



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James Madison Dukes cancel softball season after death of player Lauren Bernett

James Madison has canceled the remainder of its softball season following the death of catcher Lauren Bernett, the school announced Monday.

Bernett, 20, died April 25. According to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office of the Western District of Virginia, her death was classified as a suicide.

James Madison canceled its remaining games this week against Virginia and Elon. Five games were canceled last week. The team ends its season at 21-21.

“This was an extremely difficult decision and one that was not made lightly,” James Madison coach Loren LaPorte said in a statement. “We are so grateful for the support of our fans all season and for the love from the softball community during the past week. We will use this time to continue healing and to honor Lauren’s memory while finishing the academic semester strong. Most importantly, we’re thinking about our graduating seniors whose careers have come to an abrupt conclusion. We will make sure that they are honored for the commitment and dedication they have made as student-athletes at James Madison University.”

Bernett helped James Madison make a historic run to the Women’s College World Series a year ago and was named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week last week.

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Jill Biden cheers on US swimmers in Tokyo

TOKYO (AP) — The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:

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Members of the U.S. swimming team cheered and chanted from the stands for U.S. first lady Jill Biden, who sat across the pool and waved as swimming kicked off.

Without fans in the 15,000-seat Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Saturday, masked teams had ample room to spread out in socially distanced seats above the deck. The U.S. contingent waved tiny American flags and pounded red-white-and-blue Thunderstix, while the Germans spread their large-sized flag over two rows of seats.

Waiting for the session to begin, the Americans chanted “Dr. Biden, Dr. Biden” and clapped.

None of the usual electricity that typically courses through the Olympic pool was present. Teams shouted the names of their swimmers during the race, when the sound of water splashing was easily heard and music blasted.

Earlier in the day, Biden watched a 3-on-3 basketball game with French President Emmanuel Macron and hosted a softball watch party at the U.S. ambassador’s residence.

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Naohisa Takato has won Japan’s first gold medal at its home Olympics, beating Taiwan’s Yang Yung-wei in the men’s 60-kilogram judo final.

Kosovo’s Distria Krasniqi beat Japan’s Funa Tonaki in the women’s 48-kilogram final less than an hour before Takato made sure his team wouldn’t have a double heartbreak on the opening day of competition in its beloved homegrown martial art.

Takato won his final three bouts in sudden-death golden score, but took the final a bit anticlimactically after Yang committed too many fouls.

The charismatic Takato’s success — and Tonaki’s heartbreaking, last-minute defeat — could provide a much-needed jolt of excitement for a nation still feeling profoundly ambivalent about these Olympics and discouraged by the scandals and coronavirus setbacks surrounding them.

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Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo beat Funa Tonaki in the women’s 48-kilogram Olympic judo final, depriving host Japan of its first gold medal in its home Olympics and winning Kosovo’s second-ever Olympic medal.

Krasniqi won on a throw with 20 seconds left, scoring a waza-ari and claiming a title that moved her to tears moments later.

Although Krasniqi was the top seed, she was severely challenged by the 4-foot-10 Tonaki, who beat a series of difficult opponents to reach the final.

Tonaki fell agonizingly short of claiming a gold medal in Japan’s beloved, homegrown martial art. Her success would have provided a much-needed jolt of positivity for a nation still feeling profoundly ambivalent about these Olympics and discouraged by the scandals and coronavirus setbacks surrounding them.

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MEDAL ALERT

Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo beat Funa Tonaki in the women’s 48-kilogram Olympic judo final, depriving host Japan of its first gold medal in its home Olympics and winning Kosovo’s second-ever Olympic medal.

Krasniqi won on a throw with 20 seconds left, scoring a waza-ari and claiming a title that moved her to tears moments later.

Although Krasniqi was the top seed, she was severely challenged by the 4-foot-10 Tonaki, who beat a series of difficult opponents to reach the final.

Tonaki fell agonizingly short of claiming a gold medal in Japan’s beloved, homegrown martial art. Her success would have provided a much-needed jolt of positivity for a nation still feeling profoundly ambivalent about these Olympics and discouraged by the scandals and coronavirus setbacks surrounding them.

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French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. first lady Jill Biden have attended a 3-on-3 Olympic basketball game in Tokyo.

The two sat near one another as the French women’s team played the U.S. The U.S. won 17-10.

The 3-on-3 Olympic basketball tournament is making its debut at this Olympics.

Macron and Biden both attended the opening ceremony for the Games on Friday night.

Earlier Saturday, Biden attended a watch party at the U.S. ambassador’s residence for embassy staff to watch the United States vs. Mexico women’s softball game. The U.S. won 2-0.

She said she was excited to watch the game and apologized for not being able to offer food or drink due to COVID protocols. She also thanked foreign service officers and their families for their service.

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Russian weightlifting leader Maxim Agapitov has beaten the IOC in court to win back his right to attend the Tokyo Olympics despite his own doping ban 27 years ago.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it upheld Agapitov’s appeal to regain his games accreditation, which the International Olympic Committee took away this month.

The IOC had decided Agapitov should “not have a personal history linked to any anti-doping rule violation” in order to stay at the Olympics representing the International Weightlifting Federation.

CAS says its three-judge panel decided it was “clearly disproportionate” to punish someone for a violation at any point in their athletic career.

Agapitov’s doping case was in 1994, before he became a world champion. He’s now president of the Russian weightlifting federation and an executive board member of the troubled IWF.

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The International Surfing Association has confirmed a last-minute alternate: Carlos Munoz, who will surf for Costa Rica as the sport makes its Olympic debut.

Munoz replaces Frederico Morais of Portugal, who announced Friday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would not travel to Japan while he quarantines at home.

Munoz’s confirmation comes at the very last minute possible, as the association had set the 3 p.m. Saturday Tokyo time as the deadline for alternates to be approved.

Surfers qualify by name as individuals via world tournament rankings, though each country can only have two surfers per gender.

The first alternate for Morais’ spot was Italian Angelo Bonomelli, who won’t participate, though the association did not say why. Munoz was the next male surfer eligible.

The eight-day shortboard surfing competition period begins Sunday at Tsurigasaki beach.

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Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and French President Emmanuel Macron have met in Tokyo as the Olympics get underway.

They welcomed the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as “a powerful symbol of global unity” for a victory over COVID-19, according to a joint statement released by the Japanese foreign ministry.

Macron attended the opening ceremony of the pandemic-delayed Olympics to represent France, the host nation for 2024.

They’ve also agreed to share Japan’s experiences for the 2024 games, which will be held in Paris.

Japan has struggled to balance virus measures and preparation for the Olympics amid growing public concern about the health risks of holding the games.

Suga and Macron also agreed to cooperate in a wide range of areas including defense, climate change and the economy.

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MEDAL ALERT

Ecuador won its first cycling medal as Richard Carapaz took gold in the Olympic road race.

Embracing his nickname of “The Locomotive,” Carapaz rode away from American breakaway buddy Brandon McNulty as they approached the finish at Fuji International Speedway.

He slapped his handlebars in celebration as he crossed the line, where he was greeted by one of the few crowds allowed at the Olympics.

The chasing group rounded the corner in sight of him at the finish line, then played a game of cat-and-mouse for the other two medals. Belgian star Wout van Aert wound up edging Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia in a photo finish.

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MEDAL ALERT

An San and teenager Kim Je Deok have paired up to lead South Korea to a gold medal in the Olympic debut of archery’s mixed team event at the Tokyo Games.

On a sizzling Saturday at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field, they held off Gabriela Schloesser and Steve Wijler of the Netherlands by a tally of 5-3 to bring home yet another archery gold for South Korea. The country has now captured 14 of 17 gold medals in archery team competitions since the current format was introduced to the Olympics in 1988.

What’s more, it was the 24th Olympic gold medal for South Korea’s archery program, matching short track speed skating for most by the country in a particular sport.

Alejandra Valencia and Luis Alvarez combined for Mexico and knocked off Yasemin Anagoz and Mete Gazoz of Turkey to earn the bronze medal.

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Heat and humidity are quickly becoming a major issue for players at the Olympic tennis tournament in Tokyo.

The temperature soared to 91 degrees F (33 degrees C) and the heat index made it feel like 100 F (38 C).

French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova says she wasn’t feeling great, although she still routed Sara Errani of Italy 6-0, 6-1.

Mona Barthel struggled with 10 double-faults in a loss to Iga Swiatek as a searing sun made it nearly impossible to see the ball once she tossed it.

Second-seeded Daniil Medvedev, who also competes for ROC at the Tokyo Games, called it “some of the worst” heat he has played in after eliminating Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan.

“I’m not going to lie. But you have to play,” Medvedev said. “That’s the Olympics, you go for the medal. You are not here to cry about the heat.”

Medvedev suggested that organizers move all matches to the evening to avoid the heat of the day.

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Novak Djokovic’s bid for a Golden Slam is alive and well following a routine 6-2, 6-2 win over 139th-ranked Hugo Dellien of Bolivia in the opening round of the Tokyo tennis tournament.

The top-ranked Serb is attempting to become the first man to win all four major tennis tournaments and an Olympic singles gold medal in the same year.

Steffi Graf was the only tennis player to accomplish the Golden Slam in 1988.

Djokovic’s next opponent will be 48th-ranked Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany.

Struff eliminated Thiago Monteiro of Brazil 6-3, 6-4.

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The youngest table tennis player in Olympics history is out of the Tokyo Games.

Hend Zaza of Syria lost in straight sets to Liu Jia, a 39-year-old from Austria, in a preliminary match Saturday.

The 12-year-old told Olympics.com that she was pleased with her performance and learned from the loss — and she’s hoping for another shot at the next Olympics, in Paris.

Zaza is from Hama, which has been heavily damaged by war.

She is the youngest athlete at the Tokyo Games.

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MEDAL ALERT

Javad Foroughi has become the oldest Iranian athlete to win an Olympic medal, earning gold in men’s 10-meter air pistol.

Foroughi set an Olympic record with 244.8 points, finishing 6.9 ahead of silver medalist Damir Mikec of Serbia. China’s Pang Wei, the 2008 gold medalist, took bronze.

The 41-year-old Foroughi surpasses Iranian weightlifter Mahmoud Namdjou, who was 38 when he took bronze at the 1956 Melbourne Games.

Foroughi, ranked fourth in the world, qualified fifth and immediately jumped to the lead in the finals with a series of shots in the 10-ring. He led Mikec by 4.2 points entering the final two shots and celebrated by waving his towel before kneeling on it to pray.

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MEDAL ALERT

Hou Zhihui has won China’s second gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics with a commanding showing in the women’s 49-kilogram weightlifting category.

Hou lifted a total 210kg, 3kg short of her world record, to take gold ahead of Indian lifter Chanu Saikhom Mirabai on 202. It was India’s first Olympic silver in weightlifting.

Indonesia took bronze as Windy Cantika Aisah lifted a total of 194kg.

Jourdan Delacruz of the United States was third after the snatch portion of the contest but failed on all three or her lifts in the clean and jerk.

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Two-time Olympic champion Kohei Uchimura’s Olympic career is over.

The 32-year-old Japanese gymnast, considered by many the greatest of all time, fell during qualifying on high bar and will not advance to the event finals.

Uchimura, the 2012 and 2016 all-around gold medalist, was midway through his set when he peeled off while doing a complicated connection. He picked himself up and finished his routine, drilling his dismount.

His score of 13.866 placed him outside of the top eight, meaning he will not make the finals. Uchimura competed as an individual, meaning he will not be part of the team final on Monday.

Uchimura waved to the judges and received a round of applause inside the largely empty Ariake Gymnastics Centre before quickly exiting the competition floor.

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Tokyo organizers say the total of Olympics-related COVID-19 cases in Japan is now 127, with one athlete added to the tally.

German cyclist Simon Geschke’s positive test was announced Friday, one day ahead before the men’s road race. That’s a signature event on the first full day of competition at any Summer Games.

Athletes account for 14 of the 127 cases in Japan since July 1. Among the new positive tests are 14 games contractors who live in Japan.

Dutch team officials said Saturday that rower Finn Florijn tested positive for COVID-19 and is out of the Games. Two other Dutch athletes previously tested positive. Florijn’s positive test won’t show up in the official tally of cases until Sunday.

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China has sprinted to the lead in men’s gymnastics qualifying, putting on a clinic inside the nearly empty Ariake Gymnastics Centre as it aims to return to the top of the sport.

China total of 262.061 — fueled by four brilliant sets on parallel bars — edged out Russia’s 261.945 in the first of three qualifying subdivisions.

China is attempting to bounce back after slipping to bronze in Rio de Janeiro five years ago and coming in second to the Russians at the 2019 world championships.

Reigning world champion Nikita Nagornyy of Russia has grabbed the early lead in all-around qualifying, putting together a steady 87.897, just ahead of China’s Xiao Ruoteng and Sun Wei.

Russian Artur Dalaloyan also assured himself of a spot in next week’s all-around finals with a total of 85.597, remarkable considering that Dalaloyan is competing on a surgically repaired left Achilles torn at the European championships in April.

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The French Olympic Committee says some of the medical and support staff for its men’s basketball team have been forced into quarantine at the Tokyo Games because a passenger aboard their flight to Japan tested positive for the coronavirus.

The committee didn’t say how many staff members are affected as possible contact cases. It said they have been in isolation since July 19, unable to work with the athletes. It said all of the staff members’ tests so far have been negative.

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Dutch team officials say rower Finn Florijn has tested positive for COVID-19 and is out of the Games. The other members of the team who are considered close contacts can stay, but will need to adjust to separate transportation and eating and sleeping arrangements.

The 21-year-old son of former Olympic gold medalist rower Ronald Florijn was competing in single sculls and had finished fourth in his heat on Friday. He was scheduled to row again Saturday in the repechage before positive test results late Friday ended his Games.

“I was hopeful to improve in the rematch. Now it’s over in an instant. I can’t really say much more about it,” Florijn said.

Florijn is the fourth member of the Dutch team or staff to test positive for COVID-19. The team said earlier this week that taekwondo athlete Reshmie Oogink and a rowing team staff member tested positive and skateboarder Candy Jacobs announced on Instagram that she had tested positive.

Chef de Mission of TeamNL Pieter van den Hoogenband says the team is doing everything it can to curb more positive tests.

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The ban on fans for the Summer Olympics does not extend past Tokyo, and that means thousands of cycling fans have turned up at Fuji International Speedway to await the finish of the men’s road race.

The facility built in the 1960s but extensively renovated over the years has a grandstand capacity of 22,000 people. And with 50 percent capacity limitations due to COVID-19, that means up to 11,000 will be able to see the finish.

Their eagerness to see the Olympics after a year delay was clear by the way fans turned out early Saturday. They showed up nearly seven hours before riders were expected to reach the finishing circuits, and the layout of the speedway meant they would be spending all that time in the sun on a steamy day two hours southwest of Tokyo.

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MEDAL ALERT

China’s Yang Qian has won the first gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics in women’s 10-meter air rifle.

Yang overtook Anastasiia Galashina when the Russian missed the center two rings for an 8.9 on her final shot.

Yang had a 9.8 on her final shot and finished with an Olympic record 251.8. Galashina finished at 251.1.

Switzerland’s Nina Christen took bronze.

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An Algerian judo athlete will be sent home from the Tokyo Olympics after he withdrew from the competition to avoid potentially facing an Israeli opponent.

Fethi Nourine and his coach, Amar Benikhlef, told Algerian media they were withdrawing to avoid a possible second-round matchup with Israel’s Tohar Butbul in the men’s 73 kg division on Monday. Nourine was to face Sudan’s Mohamed Abdalrasool in the opening round, with the winner facing Butbul, the fifth seed.

The International Judo Federation’s executive committee has temporarily suspended Nourine and Benikhlef, who are likely to face sanctions beyond the Olympics, which began Saturday. The Algerian Olympic committee then withdrew both men’s accreditation and made plans to send them home.

The IJF said Nourine’s position was “in total opposition to the philosophy of the International Judo Federation. The IJF has a strict non-discrimination policy, promoting solidarity as a key principle, reinforced by the values of judo.”

Nourine and Benikhlef attribute their stance to their political support for Palestinians.

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Two Georgian tennis players have been barred from the Tokyo Olympics after officials in their home country told them they were entered for the Games but never actually sent the paperwork.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that it had to turn away doubles players Oksana Kalashnikova and Ekaterine Gorgodze because they were never formally entered for the games, even though Georgia’s Olympic committee “informed the applicants that their application had been submitted.”

Without a formal entry for the Olympics, the court ruled that the “consequence, however unfortunate for the two athletes, can only be the dismissal of their petition.”

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Australia is without cyclist Rohan Dennis for the men’s Olympic road race, though it’s not because of a positive test for COVID-19.

Dennis chose to skip the race, which is taking place on a brutal course through searing heat that hardly suits his skillset, so that he can focus instead on next week’s time trial.

Dennis, who has won stages in each of the three Grand Tours, is also one of the best in the world in the race against the clock. He’s a two-time time trial world champion, helped Australia win team pursuit silver at the 2012 London Games and is a former world hour-record holder.

He was in medal contention at the Rio Games in the time trial, but he had a mechanical issue that required a bike change and took him out of the running.

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The entire Spanish cycling team has been cleared for the men’s road race hours before the start, ending a stressful period of limbo following a positive COVID-19 test involving a team masseuse.

Alejandro Valverde, Gorka Izagirre, Ion Izagirre, Omar Fraile and Jesus Herrada were considered close contacts of the masseuse, but all returned negative test results that allowed them to make the start at Musashinonomori Park on Saturday.

Spain has one of the strongest teams in the men’s road race, which will finish at Fuji International Speedway. Valverde, Fraile and Ion Izagirre in particular have skillsets that are perfectly suited for the mountainous course.

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The very first match of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament has been canceled because a Czech player tested positive for COVID-19.

Markéta Sluková tested positive earlier this week, knocking her and partner Barbora Hermannova out of the Tokyo Games.

The Czechs were supposed to be playing a team from the host country that would have been making its Olympic debut. Instead, the Japanese pair of Megumi Murakami and Miki Ishii earned the victory by default.

Sluková is one of at least three members of the Czech team who have tested positive since their arrival in Japan, including men’s beach volleyball player Ondřej Perušič.

The team has said it’s investigating if the outbreak of COVID-19 is linked to its charter flight to Tokyo.

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German cyclist Simon Geschke has been ruled out of the men’s road race after testing positive for the coronavirus.

The German team says Geschke initially tested positive Friday and his result was confirmed by another test later in the day.

Germany says fellow riders Nikias Arndt and Maximilian Schachmann are cleared to race Saturday. The fourth rider on the team, Emanuel Buchmann, was Geschke’s roommate and was waiting overnight on the result of another PCR test for the virus. Team staff tested negative.

Geschke was a stage winner on the Tour de France in 2015.

The German road race team is living in a hotel and not in the Olympic Village.

Geschke says he followed the hygiene rules at the Olympics. He adds that “I feel fine physically but emotionally it’s a really terrible day for me.”

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