Sports Desk

High school baseball: Southern Section playoff results and updated schedule

SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

QUARTERFINALS

DIVISION 1

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 7, Corona 2

Norco 3, Orange Lutheran 0

St. John Bosco at La Mirada, Saturday at 11 a.m.

Harvard-Westlake 2, Cypress 1

DIVISION 2

Ganesha 4, Elsinore 0

Newport Harbor 8, Aquinas 0

Santa Ana Foothill 3, Yucaipa 1

Loyola 3, Alemany 0

DIVISION 3

Mira Costa 13, Dos Pueblos 6

St. Francis 3, Warren 1

Agoura 4, Fullerton 1

Millikan 1, Summit 0

DIVISION 4

Rio Mesa 2, Saugus 1

Glendora 4, Anaheim Canyon 3

Grand Terrace 4, Marina 1

Laguna Beach 6, Moorpark 4

DIVISION 5

Irvine 2, Cathedral 1

Kaiser 7, Santa Barbara 0

Long Beach Wilson 6, Temescal Canyon 1

Culver City 11, St. Bernard 6

DIVISION 6

Brentwood 9, Foothill Tech 7

Trinity Classical Academy 7, El Rancho 6

Covina 11, Western Christian 6

Lakewood 5, Muir 3

DIVISION 7

North Torrance 10, Carpinteria 0

Santa Paula 7, Patriot 1

South El Monte 5, Golden Valley 2

Norwalk 7, Arroyo 1

DIVISION 8

Rancho Alamitos 4, Chadwick 2

Oxford Academy 7, Wildomar Cornerstone Christian 6

Duarte 7, Nuview Bridge 5

Schurr 2, Artesia 1

DIVISION 9

Crossroads Christian 6, Lennox Academy 3

Webb Ojai 14, Valley 4

Rolling Hills Prep 10, Riverside Bethel Christian 1

Temecula Prep 6, Garden Grove Santiago 3

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 3:15 p.m. unless noted)

SEMIFINALS

DIVISION 1

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Norco

Harvard-Westlake vs. St. John Bosco or La Mirada

DIVISION 2

Newport Harbor at Ganesha

Santa Ana Foothill at Loyola

DIVISION 3

St. Francis at Mira Costa

Millikan at Agoura

DIVISION 4

Rio Mesa at Glendora

Grand Terrace at Laguna Beach

DIVISION 5

Kaiser at Irvine

Long Beach Wilson at Culver City

DIVISION 6

Trinity Classical Academy at Brentwood

Covina at Lakewood

DIVISION 7

North Torrance at Santa Paula

Norwalk at South El Monte

DIVISION 8

Oxford Academy at Rancho Alamitos

Schurr at Duarte

DIVISION 9

Webb at Crossroads Christian

Rolling Hills Prep at Temecula Prep

Note: Finals in all divisions May 29-30.

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Letters to Sports: Angels have gone from bad to worse

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Losses by 6-0. 15-2. 10-1. How do you want to spin the Angels now, GM Perry Minasian? Are things still grand in Arteville?

Humiliations galore!

Jim Fredrick
Manhattan Beach


Really? The Angels cannot hit, cannot pitch and certainly cannot field. Their hitting coach, pitching coach and manager Kurt Suzuki‘s terrible management are much higher on the list of what’s wrong with this miserable team this year. So sad.

Michael Reuben
Anaheim Hills


The recent emergence of shirt-waving fans at Angel Stadium urging ownership to “sell the team” is an opportunity for reflection. With the long ago departure of the controversial former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, is Arte Moreno now truly the worst owner in sports? Sterling was truly detestable in his time, but at least he fielded a highly competitive and exciting Lob City squad led by legendary coach Doc Rivers. For the 2026 Angels, the dog days have already begun — before Memorial Day weekend.

Rob Fleishman
Placentia


Going into Memorial Day weekend, the Dodgers are in first place and the Angels are in last place. Plus the Angels’ shirtless fans in the stands are screaming at owner Arte Moreno to “Sell The Team!” The more things change, the more they stay the same. Ho hum.

Chris Sorce
Fountain Valley

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Prep talk: Teenage barber is helping baseball players look good during playoffs

Baseball players like to feel comfortable wearing their hats but also look good when taking them off. That’s where sophomore JV baseball player Noah Nolasco from Birmingham High comes into play.

He’s been cutting hair for players in the East Valley, from Birmingham to Poly to Sylmar to Bishop Alemany. He’s been busy because the playoffs are taking place, and players are apparently following the philosophy “look good, feel good, play good.”

One of his customers is Birmingham sophomore pitcher Carlos Acuna, who’s 11-0 and plays in Saturday’s City Section Open Division championship game against El Camino Real at Dodger Stadium.

Nolasco said a taper is the favorite haircut these days and there’s also players bleaching their hair blond for the playoffs. He normally charges $25.

Here’s his instagram page.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.



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Pep Guardiola: Manchester City exit through eyes of rival fans

Liverpool fan Josh Sexton can be found on outlets including The Anfield Wrap, external

It comes to something when your long-time nemesis says it is time to move on and you actually feel a little bit sad about it.

It feels like a chapter of English football is truly closing.

I actually grew to quite like Guardiola – a feeling made easier by Liverpool refusing to be any competition to his team this season.

Between his compassionate politics and his increasingly funny news conferences, the man who became the bane of our existence has started to cut a much more likeable figure.

The respect element was always there.

Yes, there are caveats to City’s success, but there are very few doubts about Guardiola’s greatness as a manager.

After Jurgen Klopp left Anfield in 2024, it seemed only natural that the man he went toe to toe with for so many years would move on fairly soon after.

The truth is, the standards those two managers set would warp our perception of what a normal title-winning points total looks like.

Arsenal have pipped Guardiola to the Premier League this season, but they have done so with a maximum of 85 points – a climbdown from the days of Liverpool and City pushing each other to 90-plus totals.

Liverpool have fallen away this season, but Guardiola moving on means the barrier to entry for a title race is likely to not be as high.

Therefore, Liverpool supporters should be reassured that a return to the top is not too far away, especially with such a talented group of players.

We might not see those 2018-2022 levels again for a little while, though, and for that we will always – at least partly – have Guardiola to thank.

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L.A. hotels are still waiting for a World Cup boost

Hotel rooms in Los Angeles and other FIFA World Cup host cities could sit empty, despite high expectations that the global sporting event would be a boon to the city.

The soccer tournament, which has sold more than 5 million tickets so far, has historically triggered a surge of international and domestic tourism and infused host cities with an economic boost.

This year, however, 80% of hotels surveyed by the American Hotel and Lodging Assn. said bookings are lagging behind initial forecasts. The hotel association partly blames FIFA for the slowdown, saying the organization overbooked blocks of hotel rooms that did not reflect true demand.

Travel also is being hampered by higher airfares and gas prices due to the conflict in Iran. Visa barriers and broader geopolitical concerns are suppressing international travel demand, the report said.

“With just two months until kickoff, indicators suggest the anticipated economic lift may fall short of expectations,” the report said. The number of tickets sold for the tournament “has not yet translated into strong hotel bookings.”

In L.A., where World Cup games will be played next month at SoFi stadium, more than 65% of hotel respondents said room bookings were below estimated demand.

Many respondents said bookings were even lagging behind that of a typical summer.

Hotels in Los Angeles cited visa complications and long distances from the venue as obstacles to bookings. According to the report, FIFA booked thousands of rooms in downtown Los Angeles that it canceled.

Ahead of all World Cup tournaments, FIFA places large blocks of rooms on hold across various properties for FIFA staff, mediaand other stakeholders. As the tournament draws closer, FIFA will adjust its plans based on demand.

“All room releases were conducted in line with contractually agreed timelines with hotel partners, a standard practice for an event of this scale,” a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement. “Throughout the planning process, FIFA’s Accommodations team maintained consistent discussions with hotel stakeholders.”

The spokesperson added that global demand for the 2026 World Cup is unprecedented.

“FIFA room block over-commitment created an artificial early demand signal that has since unraveled,” the hotel association report said. “Many hotels indicate that early booking signals overstated true demand.”

About half of hotel respondents reported cancellations or releases of previously booked blocks of rooms, the report said.

The staggering price of World Cup tickets this year could also be keeping away fans, said journalist and author Simon Kuper, who writes about soccer economics. Face values for tickets have climbed as high as $7,875.

“All the ticket prices in this World Cup are inconceivable for previous World Cups,” Kuper said. “It’s very much a new phenomenon.”

FIFA is projecting revenue between $11 billion and $13 billion for the four-year World Cup cycle, which ends when the tournament does.

Nonetheless, L.A. is expecting a major jump in tourism for the World Cup in June and the 2028 Olympic Games.

That would be welcome for an industry that is coming off some tough times.

Last year, tourist spending in L.A. fell for the first time since the pandemic began as wildfires, raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and trade tensions discouraged people from visiting, including tourists from Canada who traditionally flock to Palm Springs and other cities in Southern California during the winter months.

International air arrivals to L.A. County fell more than 30% from August to November of 2025. In Los Angeles, current international arrivals are fewer than in previous months, though the state saw an overall 3% increase last year.

The L.A. market “faces several challenges that are tempering hotel performance expectations,” said Ralph Posner, chief communications officer for the American Hotel and Lodging Assn.

“L.A.’s purported hotel underperformance is compounded by a unique combination of early FIFA block over-commitment creating artificial demand, concerns about visa barriers and operating costs,” he said. “The market was positioned as a flagship host city but is now absorbing a gap between expectation and reality.”

Surging hotel room costs in host cities are also a deterrent. For example, the Renaissance Hotel in Seattle, within walking distance of Lumen Field, is renting a King guest room for less than $300 the weekend before the World Cup. For the weekend of the U.S. game there, the rate is more than $1,000 for the same room.

To save costs, some fans are choosing to stay farther from the venues or opting for alternative lodgings such as Airbnbs. Airbnb’s chief financial officer said the World Cup is expected to be the largest event in the company’s history.

The hotel association said that even though initial indications are bad, things could still get better.

“We are hopeful that momentum will build over the next few weeks in the lead up to the games,” Posner said.

Times staff writer Kevin Baxter contributed to this report.

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High school softball: City Section playoff scores and updated schedule

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

Quarterfinals

OPEN DIVISION

#1 Granada Hills 3, #8 Granada Hills Kennedy 2

DIVISION I

#1 Venice 2, #9 San Fernando 0

#4 Chatsworth 1, #5 Chavez 0

#6 Eagle Rock 5, #3 Port of LA 2

#10 Verdugo Hills 1, #2 Marquez 0

DIVISION II

#1 LA Marshall 10, #9 Northridge Academy 4

#5 Sylmar 12, #20 Cleveland 1

#6 Arleta 11, #19 North Hollywood 3

#18 Taft 14, #10 Sun Valley Poly 5

DIVISION III

#9 Palisades 18, #16 Van Nuys 6

#5 South East 22, #4 Maywood Academy 4

#10 Westchester 10, #14 VAAS 0

#15 Reseda 15, #7 LACES 8

DIVISION IV

#16 Vaughn 17, #9 Smidt Tech 5

#4 Huntington Park 16, #12 Downtown Magnets 2

#14 Franklin 7, #11 Bernstein 2

#18 Diego Rivera 11, #7 CALS Early College 1

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)

Semifinals

OPEN DIVISION

#4 San Pedro at #1 Granada Hills

#3 Birmingham at #2 Carson

DIVISION I

#4 Chatsworth at #1 Venice

#10 Verdugo Hills at #6 Eagle Rock

DIVISION II

#5 Sylmar at #1 LA Marshall

#18 Taft at #6 Arleta

DIVISION III

#9 Palisades at #5 South East

#15 Reseda at #11 Westchester

DIVISION IV

#16 Vaughn at #4 Huntington Park

#18 Diego Rivera at #14 Franklin

Note: Finals in all divisions May 29-30 at TBD.

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World Cup 2026: DR Congo squad told to isolate before entering US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has banned entry from non-Americans who have been in the DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days.

All DR Congo’s players are based outside the country and will not be affected by the restrictions now the training camp has been cancelled.

“If there are other people that are going to be coming in, they need to have a separate bubble from that team,” Giuliani said.

“If they end up coming, and any of those people end up symptomatic, they are risking the entire team being able to come and compete in this World Cup.”

On Friday the public health risk from the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo was raised from “high” to “very high” by the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the risk in the wider region in Africa was “high” but that it remained “low” globally.

Dr Congo are due to play friendlies against Denmark on 3 June in Belgium and Chile on 9 June in Spain.

The World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July, and DR Congo play Portugal in their opening game on 17 June.

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Anaheim native Wade Meckler powers struggling Angels to a win

Wade Meckler had quite the homecoming.

The Yorba Linda native dominated in his Angels debut, hitting a first-pitch, three-run homer off Jacob deGrom in his first at-bat and making a sensational catch in foul territory, all in the first inning, to help his hometown team beat the Rangers 9-6 on Friday night at Angel Stadium.

Meckler attended Esperanza High in Anaheim and grew up an Angels fan. After he was called up from Double-A Rocket City on Friday, Meckler finished with two hits in what was the Angels’ highest-scoring game since April 26, when they scored nine in extras against the Royals.

“Yeah, it was pretty cool,” Meckler said. “Just trying to make a play on defense. But getting your first homer up, it’s pretty hard to top that.”

In sending the 97-mph four-seam fastball from deGrom (3-4), a two-time Cy Young Award winner, 403 feet to right center, Meckler became the first Angels player to homer in his first at-bat with the team since Mike Napoli did against the Tigers in 2006.

Meckler was also the first player to hit a homer in their Angels debut since Randal Grichuk did in 2023 against the Braves.

“We know he plays the game hard,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “We’ve seen him play the game the way he does in spring training. 
So I think [Meckler’s] just a naturalist, good baseball player.”

Meckler hit .315 over 111 at-bats with the Angels in spring training, after being claimed off waivers by the franchise in January.

The 26-year-old shared pregame that he grew up rooting for classic Angels names such as Chone Figgins, Torii Hunter and Erick Aybar during the mid-to-late 2000s.

But there was another Angels player Meckler watched growing up: his new teammate, Mike Trout.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Meckler said. “You grew up watching a guy every day on TV for 10 years, and then all of a sudden, he’s a teammate. It’s pretty cool.”

Originally the Giants’ choice with the 256th pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Meckler has struggled to find his footing in the majors. However, his night couldn’t have gone much better.

Suzuki and the middling Angels, at least, would probably like Meckler to stay hot forever. After all, he earned a shot with the big-league club after hitting .343 with 34 hits and 13 RBI through 27 games with Rocket City.

“It feels good,” Meckler said. “It’s been a little bit. Spent a lot of the last couple years injured, grinding through injuries, and it feels good to be healthy and able to compete. I feel like I’m capable of competing. And obviously, it’s really cool to be in the big leagues for your childhood team as well.”

Despite entering on a three-game skid, the Angels came to play to open a three-game series against the Rangers.

Shortstop Zack Neto hit a pair of solo shots: one in the first and another in the eighth. The four-year MLB veteran is up to 12 career lead-off homers and has three in 2026.

“It was a lot of fun,” Neto said. “From one through nine, even the guys on the bench, coming in and doing their job … We had the big hit when we needed it.”

Right-handed starter Grayson Rodriguez also earned his first win of the year after tossing 5 2/3 innings of four-run ball.

In the seventh, Neto preserved the Angels’ 6-5 lead after throwing out Josh Jung at home. Neto caught a strong throw to the infield from Jo Adell after a Brandon Nimmo RBI double.

“I mean, defense wins games,” Neto said.

Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe was banged up during Jung’s play at the plate. However, he shut down any concerns after the win.

“I’ll be at the doc one more time, but I’m fine, O’Hoppe said. “It’s the same feeling that all the headshots feel like. You feel out of it and a little slow, but usually a good night’s sleep takes care of it.”

After Angel Stadium stretched, second baseman Oswald Peraza hit his sixth homer of the year, a solo shot against lefty Jalen Beeks.

Neto hit his second homer of the night in the eighth against righty Chris Martin, and first baseman Nolan Schanuel capped the Angels’ scoring with an RBI single nine pitches later.

“I felt throughout, guys were getting good at-bats,” Suzuki said. “We were getting guys on; there was a couple times we didn’t get them in, but we’re constantly getting guys in position to score.”

The Angels still hold an MLB-worst 18-34 record, but beat the AL West’s second-placed team before an announced crowd of 34,288. Fans in the right-field pavilions continued to chant “sell the team.”

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Usyk vs Rico: Tony Bellew, Eddie Hearn and Terence Crawford give predictions for world title fight

Oleksandr Usyk defends his WBC world title against Rico Verhoeven on Saturday in Egypt.

The fight is unusual in location as in nature, with kickboxing world champion Verhoeven getting a title shot in just his second boxing fight – and first since 2014.

The 37-year-old Dutchman is aiming to pull off arguably the biggest upset in the sport’s history.

Ukrainian Usyk, 39, is aiming to continue his near 17-year winning streak.

Will we see an underdog win for the ages or will Usyk’s dominance continue?

BBC Sport asks the boxing world for their predictions.

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UCLA softball bats catch fire during super regional win over UCF

Beware the Bruins Bombers.

UCLA claimed the first of a best-of-three super regional over Central Florida with a 9-1 run-rule win Friday at Easton Stadium, putting the Bruins one win away from reaching the Women’s College World Series.

Freshman infielder Bri Alejandre squared up and smashed a home run over the center-field wall to give UCLA the lead in the second inning. She tied the Big Ten freshman home-run record with her 23rd of the season.

“You don’t want this heat,” one fan yelled from behind home plate. The Bruins, though, were just getting started.

UCF struggled to find answers to match UCLA’s offensive firepower. Three Knights pitchers tried in vain as the Bruins diced up the diamond even though UCF walked UCLA and NCAA home-run leader Megan Grant three times.

Ava Stuewe ended her night in the fourth inning after she walked one Bruin and hit another. But her replacement, sophomore Isabella Vega, couldn’t find her footing, either.

UCLA strung together a sacrifice bunt and an RBI-ground out to score one run. Ramsey Suarez sliced a double down the left-field line as the ball landed less than a foot into fair territory.

Second baseman Kaniya Bragg’s three-run home run put UCLA up by five in the fifth inning. And Rylee Slimp ended the game with a three-run homer.

Yet, UCLA wasn’t perfect. The Bruins left the bases loaded when UCF’s Sierra Humphreys made a diving catch to end the fourth.

The Knights clawed back a run when Humphrey, the first batter of the fifth inning, homered to left. The hit was a small smudge on Bruins ace Taylor Tinsley’s line, finishing with two strikeouts and three hits across the five innings.

She looked shaky earlier in the game when she worked herself into a 3-2 count during the Knights’ first at-bat of the super regionals. As she took a moment to breathe, staring out at the blue wall, center fielder Jolyna Lamar nodded her head three times.

Tinsley then pitched three hitless innings before UCF’s Aubrey Evans doubled off to right in the fourth. Evans ran to third on a wild pitch, but Tinsley worked out of the jam with a groundout that she fielded herself and a lineout to Garcia at shortstop.

UCLA and UCF will play Game 2 Saturday at 7 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN. If the Bruins win, they advance to the WCWS. If they lose, the teams play again Sunday for the WCWS bid.

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Dodgers can’t erase early deficit, fall to Brewers in series opener

Something about American Family Field in the regular season disagrees with the Dodgers.

They began this road trip with a pair of statement series, sweeping the Angels and edging out the Padres. But their momentum came to a grinding halt when they fell 5-1 to the Brewers on Friday in Milwaukee.

The loss brought back memories of last year, when the Brewers swept the regular-season series, before the Dodgers swept them in the National League Championship Series.

“I don’t think people appreciate how well this team plays baseball,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “There’s not a lot of fanfare as far as name recognition. But the way [Brewers manager] Pat Murphy gets these guys to play, it’s a fun brand of baseball.

“They don’t strike out much. They put the ball in play. They bunt, they hit and run, they steal bases, they can pitch. It’s a good matchup. Last year, during the regular season, we couldn’t beat these guys once, so I expect us to play better baseball this year.”

That brand of baseball was a bit of a nightmare for Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski in the first inning. The Brewers batted around en route to a five-run rally. Five of their six hits were singles. The one exception was William Contreras’ three-run homer.

The next inning, they tacked on another run when Contreras singled and then scored when Andrew Vaughn’s double ricocheted off the wall in the right-field gap.

Wrobleski turned around his outing by blanking the Brewers for the next three innings, but the deficit proved to be too steep for the Dodgers to overcome.

Wrobleski has only given up more than two runs in one other start this season. That one also featured one high-scoring inning and a mid-game adjustment.

The Dodgers’ offense, in contrast to the Brewers’, didn’t record a hit off Brewers starter Logan Henderson until the fourth inning. He faced the minimum through the first three innings — a leadoff walk erased when Shohei Ohtani was caught stealing.

Finally in the fourth, Ohtani worked a 2-2 count and lined a hung change-up into right field. Then Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages drew walks to load the bases with two outs. But the Dodgers failed to capitalize.

The Dodgers again threatened after the Brewers replaced Henderson with left-handed reliever Shane Drohan, drawing a pair of walks to put runners on first and second. But the inning ended with a long flyout from Max Muncy, just a few feet shy of a base hit.

They needed some help from the Brewers’ defense to finally put a run on the board. Third baseman Luis Rengifo mishandled a ground ball to let Teoscar Hernández reach base in the seventh inning. A single from Dalton Rushing and a fly out from Miguel Rojas moved him to third. Ohtani delivered the sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers' Max Muncy leaves the game after being hit by a pitch during the eighth inning against the Brewers on Friday

The Dodgers’ Max Muncy leaves the game after being hit by a pitch during the eighth inning against the Brewers at American Family Field on Friday in Milwaukee, Wisc.

(Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)

The Dodgers may have to deal with additional repercussions. Muncy exited in the top of the eighth inning after being hit in the hand/wrist by a pitch.

Muncy shouted as soon as the 95.5-mph sinker struck him, and he appeared to cradle his right arm. After consulting with an athletic trainer, he touched first base and was replaced by Santiago Espinal.

The severity of Muncy’s injury was not immediately clear.

Chris Taylor retires

The MiLB transaction log Friday showed that former Dodger Chris Taylor has retired after a 12-year major-league career. He spent a decade with the Dodgers, was named the 2017 NLCS MVP, won two World Series, and was an All-Star in 2021.

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Challenge Cup final: How have Ulster progressed despite Bilbao heartbreak against Montpellier?

There is also the argument that Ulster are victims of their own success.

As a reward for an upturn in form, the province were heavily represented in Ireland’s Six Nations squad.

A proud moment for those associated with the club, but it did deprive key players of the mid-season breather they normally would have had.

For the final, Ulster were missing their four longest-serving players. Captain Iain Henderson was suspended, while Stuart McCloskey – so influential for both Ulster and Ireland – was injured along with Jacob Stockdale and Rob Herring.

Of the team that started in Bilbao, Timoney was the oldest player at 30.

“There were eight players in Ireland camp and only two last year,” observed Murphy.

“The rugby we’ve played, and reaching a European final, albeit not with the result we wanted, all of those things have had an impact on us making the top eight.

“We have had to move our resources around and at this time our squad probably isn’t strong enough to compete in two competitions.”

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Kyle Busch dead: Legendary NASCAR driver was 41

Kyle Busch, a two-time champion of the NASCAR Cup Series and the winningest driver in the association’s history, has died at age 41.

“We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport’s greatest and fiercest drivers,” NASCAR said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.”

No cause of death has been disclosed.

Earlier on Thursday, Busch’s family posted a statement on the driver’s X account saying that Busch had been hospitalized with a “severe illness” and would not be participating in this weekend’s NASCAR events at Charlotte Motor Speedway — including the Coca-Cola 600, a race Busch won in 2018.

According to the Associated Press, Busch became unresponsive on Wednesday while testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord and was transported to a Charlotte hospital.

In response to a request for information about Busch’s death, the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office emailed The Times a 911 call asking for an ambulance to come to the address of the General Motors Charlotte Technical Center at around 5:32 p.m. Wednesday.

“I have got an individual that [has] shortness of breath, [is] very hot, thinks he going to pass out and is … coughing up some blood,” said the caller, who added that the person was awake but “on the bathroom floor right now.”

Busch is not identified by name as the person experiencing the symptoms.

NASCAR officials confirmed that the Coca-Cola 600 will be held as scheduled. When Busch’s hospitalization was announced earlier Thursday, Richard Childress Racing said Austin Hill would drive the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in his place. Speedway officials indicated that Busch would be honored at the race.

During a Cup Series race on May 10 at Watkins Glen International in Dix, N.Y., Busch told his crew on the radio that he would need medical aid and a shot after the race. The TV broadcast mentioned that Busch had been dealing with a sinus cold all week. He ended up finishing in eighth place, his best Cup Series finish of the season.

Last week at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware, Busch finished 17th in the Cup Series exhibition All-Star race but won his second Truck Series race of the year.

“Absolutely cannot comprehend this news,” Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver and former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, posted on social media. “We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB.”

Busch raced in NASCAR’s top division for 22 full-time seasons, winning the Cup Series championship in 2015 and 2019 and the series regular-season championship in 2018 and 2019. He won 63 Cup Series races, 69 in the Truck Series and 102 in the XFinity Series, making him the winningest driver in NASCAR’s top three series combined.

The last time Busch missed a Cup Series race was in 2015, when he was recovering from a compound leg fracture and broken foot and was unable to take part in the first 11 events that season.

“A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation,” NASCAR said in a separate statement released Thursday, also on behalf of the Busch family and Richard Childress Racing.

“He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans. Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series.

“His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’ … NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.”

Born May 2, 1985, in Las Vegas, Busch was surrounded by racing. His father, Tom, was a mechanic and local racer who had relocated from Illinois with his wife, Gaye. Busch’s brother, Kurt, was seven years older and an eventual Cup Series champion (2004) and NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee.

Working his way up from go-karts in cul-de-sacs and parking lots to full-bodied Late Model competition, Busch earned the respect of his older brother early on.

“You think I’m a pretty good race car driver?” Kurt Busch said in 2001, four years before his younger sibling’s rookie season. “Wait until you see my brother. He’s the best driver in the family.”

Busch made his O’Reilly Series debut for Hendrick Motorsports on May 24, 2003, with a second-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Entering the series as a full-time driver the next year, Busch won five races and finished second overall to Martin Truex Jr.

Around that time, Busch started what would become his signature celebration, a showman’s bow after each win.

Known as “Rowdy” and “Wild Thing” for his postrace fights and feuds with other drivers, Busch first reached the Cup Series in 2004 before his full-fledged rookie campaign the following season. The 2005 rookie of the year, Busch became the series’ youngest winner in his 31st start, one of four wins during his three full seasons at Hendrick.

Busch joined the Gibbs team in 2008 and remained there until switching to Childress and taking over the No. 8 Chevrolet in 2023.

After his win at Dover this month, Busch was asked how many races he wanted to win before he stopped racing.

“You take whatever you can get, man,” Busch said. “You never know when the last one is going to be, so cherish them all — trust me.”

Busch is survived by his wife Samantha, son Brexton, 10, and daughter Lennix, 4.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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High school softball: Thursday’s City Section playoff scores, upcoming schedule

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Quarterfinals

OPEN DIVISION
#4 San Pedro 13, #5 El Camino Real 2
#3 Birmingham 6, #6 Wilmington Banning 5
#2 Carson at #7 Legacy

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)
Quarterfinals

OPEN DIVISION
#8 Granada Hills Kennedy at #1 Granada Hills

DIVISION I
#9 San Fernando at #1 Venice
#5 Chavez at #4 Chatsworth
#6 Eagle Rock at #3 Port of LA
#10 Verdugo Hills at #2 Marquez

DIVISION II
#9 Northridge Academy at #1 LA Marshall
#20 Cleveland at #5 Sylmar
#19 North Hollywood at #6 Arleta
#18 Taft at #10 Sun Valley Poly

DIVISION III
#16 Van Nuys at #9 Palisades
#5 South East at #4 Maywood Academy
#14 VAAS at #11 Westchester
#15 Reseda at #7 LACES

DIVISION IV
#16 Vaughn at #9 Smidt Tech
#12 Downtown Magnets at #4 Huntington Park
#14 Franklin at #11 Bernstein
#18 Diego Rivera at #7 CALS Early College

Note: Semifinals all divisions May 27 at higher seeds; Finals all divisions May 29-30 at TBD.

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Soo-Jin Berry accepts smaller role at UCLA to part of a winner

Soo-Jin Berry is grateful her name has inspired fans from the Korean community to connect with her.

“For me, it’s just nice that I can represent something so much bigger than softball,” Berry said with a raspy voice after cheering on her UCLA teammates during the Bruins’ NCAA regional wins.

“My name is Korean, so I have a lot of Korean fans that will walk up to me, and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, are you Korean? I am too!’”

Berry thrived at Iowa as one of the Big Ten’s most potent hitters, but she chose to end her college career at UCLA even though it meant taking on a smaller role with drastically reduced playing time. Now she is a reliable option as UCLA faces Central Florida in the super regional round, a three-game series that begins at 6 p.m. Friday at the Bruins’ Easton Stadium. The game will air on ESPNU.

UCLAs' Soo-Jin Berry celebrates hitting a home run against California Baptist on May 15.

UCLAs’ Soo-Jin Berry celebrates hitting a home run against California Baptist on May 15.

(John McCoy / Ap Photo/john Mccoy)

Berry said she joked with her family that UCLA called her as she considered leaving Iowa for other schools before she ever met with the Bruins. Then associate head coach Lisa Fernandez emailed Berry. Bruins head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez then called Berry and they had a two-hour conversation.

“We talked about my life experience in Iowa, and then I kind of knew from the beginning what I wanted, so I made those desires clear to her,” Berry said. “I just want to grow. I just want to have some role on this team because it would mean so much to me. I feel like growing up, everyone’s dream is to go to UCLA, especially for softball.”

When she set foot on the UCLA campus during her recruiting visit, a quarter of the team greeted her, including her former high school teammate and Bruins hitting star Jordan Woolery.

“Jordan was the main person helping me on my visit,” Berry said. “We actually flew in together.”

Since transferring to UCLA, Berry said she learned that she could raise her standard of play while having the best time doing it.

While UCLA was a dream destination, Berry was the last Hawkeye to enter the transfer portal at the end of last season.

“Iowa is a very special place to me, so I don’t have any regrets going there. I loved my time there,” Berry said. “There were just differences between administration and coaching, which I didn’t agree with.”

Berry competed against the Bruins last season, helping Iowa beat UCLA by going 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs and two home runs — the second one in the fifth to help the Hawkeyes extend their lead to 7-4.

Inouye-Perez said after UCLA’s NCAA regional win over South Carolina on Saturday she hasn’t forgotten the game last season when Berry got the best of the Bruins.

“This girl straight beat us last year — she is a pure hitter,” Inouye-Perez said, with Berry sitting next to her.

In 52 games played at Iowa, Berry led the Hawkeyes in RBIs (33), slugging percentage (.589) and extra base hits (21) while recording a .335 batting average (53-158). Her nine home runs put her 10th in Hawkeyes single-season history.

Her on-plate numbers have dropped since joining UCLA’s roster, but her confidence is higher than ever thanks to the supportive techniques provided for Bruins.

“I feel in general I am more comfortable being myself and being more open with my teammates about certain things, so the journaling definitely does help because I can write ‘I belong here,’” Berry said.

She added that she has been able to simplify the situation by trusting the process the coaching staff has implemented for the team.

“Failure is part of the game, and it’s going to happen, and you can’t do anything to avoid it,” Berry said. “So just being OK with failing and knowing if I strike out at this at-bat, what can I change at the next one?”

Berry has accepted coming off the bench and playing any position needed.

“It comes down to the process we have during practice,” Berry said of getting playing time. “Coach Lisa [Fernandez], coach Mysha [Sataraka] and coach [Rob] Schweyer all have full confidence in me.”

When her time was called during the postseason, she contributed to the Bruins advancing as they push to win a national title.

In the regional round, she brought in runs. During the Bruins’ 12-11 walk-off win over California Baptist in the regional opener, Berry hit a three-run home run that helped UCLA take a 7-1 lead.

Berry said she wasn’t getting the outcomes she wanted earlier in the season, but being there for her team when her name was called is special.

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Racing community pays tribute to Kyle Busch after untimely death at 41

Kyle Busch was one of NASCAR’s biggest stars and most successful drivers.

He was Cup Series champion in 2015 and 2019 and his 234 wins in NASCAR’s top three series is an all-time record.

The driver known as “Rowdy” and “Wild Thing” may have been known for brash behavior that included post-race fights and feuds with other drivers, but he was also respected as a fierce competitor and dedicated family man.

His death Thursday at age 41 came as a shock to the racing world. No cause of death has been disclosed.

“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” NASCAR said Thursday in a statement released jointly with the Busch family and his team, Richard Childress Racing. “A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans.

“Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’”

The statement concluded: “NASCAR lost a giant of the sport today, far too soon.”

Busch is survived by his wife Samantha, son Brexton, 10, daughter Lennix, 4, parents Tom and Gaye Busch, and older brother Kurt Busch, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee who was the Cup Series champion in 2004.

Two men in racing outfits pose with their arms around a woman standing between them.

Kyle Busch, left, and Kurt Busch pose with their mother, Gaye Busch, prior to a race May 8, 2022, in Darlington, S.C.

(James Gilbert / Getty Images)

RCR announced Friday that it is suspending the use of Busch’s No. 8 and will run No. 33 in its place.

“Kyle Busch was instrumental in the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8 and it has become synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol for his fans and the NASCAR industry,” the team said in a statement. “No one can carry it forward to the level that he did. The No. 8 is reserved and ready for Brexton Busch when he is ready to go NASCAR racing.”

Busch spent the early years of his NASCAR career with Hendrick Motorsports.

“This is an incredibly painful shock for all of us and a heartbreaking loss for the NASCAR family,” team owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. “Kyle was one of the most talented drivers I’ve ever seen and a racer in the truest sense of the word. He had a fire and competitive spirit that drove him to be great.

“I watched Kyle grow up in this sport and valued the friendship we shared long after he drove for our organization. As much as he loved to drive a race car, nothing brought him more joy than being a husband, a father and watching his son race.”

Busch won his first Cup Series race in 2005 and claimed rookie of the year honors the same year.

Men in racing outfits and sunglasses smile while talking to each other

Jeff Gordon, left, talks with Kyle Busch prior to a race Oct. 30, 2016, in Martinsville, Va.

(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)

“Kyle was a fierce competitor who demanded the very best from himself each time he put on the helmet,” former Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon wrote on X. “As teammates, I saw firsthand the passion and intensity he brought to the sport every single day. He was a champion and prolific racer who made a tremendous impact on NASCAR and was a lifelong advocate for all forms of motor sports.”

Fellow former Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson wrote on X: “Kyle Busch wasn’t just one of the fiercest competitors our sport has ever seen, he was one of the most talented race car drivers I’ve ever shared a track with. We spent years as teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, and even as competitors, there was always a deep respect for what he could do behind the wheel.

“Kyle pushed all of us to be better. His passion, intensity, and love for racing were unmatched, and his impact on this sport will be felt forever. I’ll always remember the many laughs and conversations away from the spotlight, and most importantly the way he cared so deeply about his family. …

“NASCAR lost one of its greatest talents today, and we’ve all lost a friend.”

Busch was let go by Hendrick Motorsports after the 2007 season, making room for the team to sign Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years,” Earnhardt wrote on X. “But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams. I was super eager for us to get on better terms. But it was he who made the effort for that to be possible.”

Earnhardt added: “Kyle was one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. No one can deny that. But he was also a father, a husband, brother, son, and a friend to many. My heart is broken for the Busch family. I will never be able to make sense of this loss but I am thankful that we had found a way to become friends.”

Busch then moved to Joe Gibbs Racing, where he remained until 2023 and saw much of his career success.

“Kyle was a fierce competitor, an incredible teammate, and, far more importantly, a devoted husband, father, and son,” Joe Gibbs Racing said in a statement. “His impact on our organization and on the sport of NASCAR will never be forgotten.”

Two NASCAR drivers wearing sunglasses stand inside a garage with their arms folded.

Kyle Busch, left, stands in the garage with Denny Hamlin before a practice Oct. 11, 2007, in Concord, N.C.

(Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

Former JGR teammate Hamlin wrote on X: “Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB.”

Busch was ranked 24th in the Cup Series this year, with his best finish being eighth place at Watkins Glen International in Dix, N.Y., on May 10. He also was racing part-time for Spire Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series. He had two victories in that series this season, including one last week at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware.

“Simply put, he was one of the best to ever do this,” Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson said in a statement. “But for those closest to him, there was always another side. For years, many of us would tell people there was a softness behind the public persona they rarely saw. As much of a bad ass as he was on the track, some of us were lucky enough to experience how deeply he loved, how much he cared, and yes, how much he hurt. …

“We used to tell people about that side of him, and some would assume we were just trying to reshape public perception. No one could question it now. By now, the world has seen the incredible devotion he had to being a father to Brexton and Lennix. He loved his kids more than anything. The pride in his voice whenever he talked about them is something I will always remember with gratitude. … My heart absolutely breaks for you, Brexton and Lennix.”

Here are more tributes to Busch posted on X by members of the racing community:

— “I made him earn every victory and stole a few from him along the way,” Brad Keselowski wrote. “We took our shots at each other, in the media and on the track. But I’d like to think that somewhere deep down there was an appreciation that we pushed each other to perform at the highest level, even if neither of us would’ve admitted it. Tonight, I feel a little like the coyote with no more roadrunner to chase. His loss is all of our loss, but none more so than his family’s.”

Two NASCAR drivers sit and talk in a garage.

Kyle Busch, left, and Clint Bowyer sit together in the garage during practice Sept. 21, 2007, in Dover, Del.

(Russ Hamilton / Associated Press)

— “There aren’t really words for today,” Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wrote. “I’ve raced against Kyle for a long time, and anyone who’s lined up next to him knows exactly what made him special, he gave you everything he had, every single lap, and he made all of us better for it. But more than the wins and the records, I keep thinking about Samantha, Brexton, and Lennix, and the entire Busch family right now. That’s where my heart is. Rest easy, Rowdy. The sport won’t be the same without you.”

— “I just talked to him Friday,” Clint Bowyer wrote. “In complete shock, as we all are. The devastation and sadness is beyond words. Praying for Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, his entire family and loved ones.”

— “I’m so sad and stunned to hear the news about KB,” William Byron wrote. “He meant so much to a lot of people, not just myself. Kyle was the best mentor you could ever have. He was incredibly unselfish, cared about his people and his family deeply. And helped shaped my career to what it is. I’m heartbroken.”

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Queer rom-com ‘Courtside’ with real WNBA players in the works

Women’s basketball is finally getting the queer rom-com it deserves.

Media company Run-A-Muck has announced that it is developing “Courtside,” a sports romantic comedy set in the world of professional basketball. WNBA All-Star Gabby Williams, two-time WNBA champion Sydney Colson and 2022 WNBA champion Theresa Plaisance are among those set to appear in the movie, according to Deadline.

“If you like ‘Love & Basketball’ and ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ and ‘Bring It On’ but you found yourself wondering, ‘Could this maybe be a little bit gayer?’ We have great news for you,” Colson said in a Thursday Instagram post. “The answer is yeah, you could always make it gayer.”

Colson, a Texas A&M standout who was drafted to the WNBA in 2011, is also one of the executive producers on “Courtside.”

Written by “Abbott Elementary” writer-producer Brittani Nichols and directed by Carly Usdin, the movie will follow an injury-plagued women’s basketball superstar with championship ambitions who is thrown for a loop when she falls for a teammate.

“Making a movie like this is super exciting to me because I grew up playing basketball,” Colson added. “I would have loved as a young person to see my story depicted … on screen so to see a team of people who want to ensure that others can see characters and storylines that feel personal and familiar to them. I’m so excited about it.”

Colsen and Plaisance, who won a championship together as teammates on the Las Vegas Aces in 2022, share a podcast and also starred in the unscripted buddy comedy “The Syd + TP Show” together. Williams, who plays for France in international competition, currently plays on the Golden State Valkyries.

“It feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this kind of excitement to surround women’s basketball, and I’m excited to blend my love of sports, lesbian tension, and comedy into one project,” Nichols told Deadline. According to the outlet, Run-A-Muck co-founder and “The L Word” star Jennifer Beals is also slated to appear in the project.



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Usyk vs Rico: Oleksandr Usyk champion weighs career-heavy 16st 9lb for fight against Rico Verhoeven

Usyk is one of the sport’s most decorated fighters, an Olympic gold medallist who has unified both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions across 24 unbeaten fights.

On paper, a rise on the scales may prompt questions about why he is operating outside his most effective weight, particularly against a boxing novice.

Fury’s conditioning in his 2023 bout with Francis Ngannou, when he was dropped and laboured to a narrow points win over the MMA fighter, is often cited as an example of how preparation and focus can come under scrutiny in crossover fights.

In Usyk’s case, however, his approach and discipline have remained consistent throughout his amateur and professional career across weight classes, with the Ukrainian considered one of the sport’s ultimate professionals.

He said at Thursday’s news conference that when a stoppage opportunity presents itself, he will take it.

The increase on the scales could therefore suggest he is looking to carry more power into the contest and planning a quick victory.

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Katherine Legge attempts ‘The Double,’ the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600

Indiana’s lack of glamour is a point of pride, rooted in Midwestern practicality and endless flat fields of corn.

Lately, though, the Hoosier state has been elevated by towering sports figures. And on Sunday, two will be the fresh faces of the Indianapolis 500, which attracts more spectators than any other single-day sporting event in the world.

Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark will be the grand marshal. National championship-winning Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti will drive the honorary pace car.

But even those high achievers might be awestruck by one of the race car drivers. Or at least what that driver will attempt.

Not only will Katherine Legge be the only woman among the 33 drivers in the Indy 500, which begins at 9:45 a.m. PT on Sunday. The 45-year-old motorsports trailblazer from England will then fly to Charlotte to race in the NASCAR Cup’s Coca-Cola 600, which begins at 3:29 p.m. PT.

That’s 1,100 miles of left turns around two oval tracks.

On the same day.

As impressive as undertaking what is known simply as “The Double” are Legge’s travel plans from Indianapolis to Charlotte. Five hours and 44 minutes separate the starts of the two races. The Indy 500 takes longer than three hours to complete. The commute will take close to two hours.

Legge plans to hustle. She will hop into a helicopter moments after the Indy 500 and head to a nearby private jet that will zip her 366 miles to Concord Airport near Charlotte in an hour. Another helicopter will drop her onto the Charlotte Motor Speedway infield. A golf cart will take a beeline to her Chevrolet Camaro in time for the green flag.

At least that’s the plan.

“Being focused for a three-to-four-hour IndyCar race then a five-hour NASCAR race, it’s the same as driving from New York to Daytona Beach pretty much at, gosh, an average of 200 miles an hour,” Legge said. “You cannot lose focus for a second of any of that. I don’t think anybody can comprehend that.”

Legge is the first woman and only the sixth driver overall to attempt The Double. Although her career has included IMSA sports cars and Formula E in addition to IndyCar and NASCAR, she has never attempted anything this challenging.

John Andretti, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson and (rest in peace) Kurt Busch are the others who have tried.

Larson is the most recent, finishing 18th in the Indy 500 and 37th in the Coca-Cola 600 a year ago. He also tried in 2024 but didn’t get to his car in time in Charlotte because of a rain delay in Indianapolis.

The documentary “Kyle Larson vs. The Double” premiered Wednesday on Prime Video. It follows the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion through preparation, logistics and grueling reality of getting through the day.

Legge is beginning to relate.

“I was thinking about what I’m going to do with a hybrid strategy at the same time as telling people about how I’m going to do the double,” she said. “It’s this weird disconnect, right? Where you’re like, ‘That’s so cool.’ And conceptually, you know exactly what’s involved, but it doesn’t sink in.”

Busch, who tragically died at 41 on Thursday from an undetermined illness, turned in a valiant effort in 2014, finishing sixth in the Indy 500 despite having limited experience in IndyCar. Engine problems torpedoed his chances in the Coca-Cola 600, however, and he completed only 271 of 400 laps on the 1.5-mile track.

“It was a challenge I put forth for myself,” Busch said. “I enjoyed it. I soaked it in.”

Only once in five attempts did Gordon complete both races, finishing eighth in Indianapolis and 16th in Charlotte in 2002. A year earlier, Stewart turned in the most impressive double, finishing sixth at Indy and third at Charlotte.

Andretti was pioneer of The Double in 1994, finishing a respectable 10th before flying to Charlotte with a nurse and registered dietitian to ensure he stayed hydrated. Andretti was penalized for missing the drivers’ meeting, however, and sent from the No. 9 starting position to the rear of the field. He crashed and withdrew on the 91st lap.

Content with one race Sunday will be defending Indy 500 winner Álex Palou, who will start on the pole after a four-lap qualifying average of 232.248 mph. Six different drivers have won the race in consecutive years.

Legge, who will be racing in her fifth Indy 500, will start in the No. 26 position. Actor and Indianapolis native Brendan Fraser will be the honorary starter and wave the green flag. It will be the beginning of an exhausting day.

“Honestly, I’m doing it because it’s a really cool thing to do, and it’s kind of like this old-school epic badge of honor that you get for doing both races in one day,” Legge told Fox Sports. “I’m not doing it to leave a legacy.

“You can do anything that you put your mind to if you want it enough. It would be remiss of me to not take that responsibility seriously, but at the same time, that’s not why I set out to do it. I set out to do it because I love to race.”

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Prep talk: Fremont, once best in City Section baseball, plays for Division III title

First-year baseball coach Dino Flores of Fremont High teaches health, and for the entire semester, he had a freshman from Venezuela, Roiber Colmenares, sitting in class.

One day, Colmenares asked Flores a strange question.

“Hey Mr. Flores,” he said in Spanish. “Do you know how I can join the baseball team?”

“Yes I do,” Flores said.

Colemenares told him playing baseball was all he did in Venezuela.

Then Flores had Colemenares show him how to field a ground ball with an imaginary ball in class.

“That’s when I knew we had something special,” Flores said. “Just his movement you could tell he’s a baseball player.”

With Colmenares leading the way, Fremont has advanced to face Hamilton in Friday’s 2:30 p.m. Division III final at Stengel Field. The Division II final will have South East playing Roosevelt at 5:30 p.m. at East Los Angeles College.

“He’s our best hitter and best pitcher,” Flores said of the 5-foot-8, 140-pound freshman.

Fremont used to be a baseball power, having won five upper-division City titles, the last in 1963. There also was a 3A title in 1992.

“The history is well documented,” Flores said.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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