win

It was too much to ask of United States Vice President JD Vance that he hammer out a peace agreement with representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran after the first direct meeting of the two sides in more than a decade.

But it is not too much to ask for enemy combatants to maintain the ceasefire and for negotiators to come back to the table for a second round of meetings.

As of now, we still have a ceasefire. The question remains: Can America win it?

For President Donald Trump, this question is existential. If voters perceive that the US lost the war against Iran, the Republicans will lose Congress and the president would be on the political hot seat for his last two years in office.

If, on the other hand, voters perceive that this conflict with Iran was worth it and life returns to normal by the summer, then the Republicans have a better chance of breaking even in November’s midterm elections.

What would it take for the US to win the ceasefire and eventually get a peace agreement?

Well, first, the Strait of Hormuz must be open to all shipping. This must be the number one objective for the Trump administration as it is the one thing that has the most impact on the global economy and, most importantly for a domestic audience, the price of oil. Policy planners at the White House didn’t fully appreciate how Iran could seize control of this critical chokepoint in international commerce, but they appreciate it now.

Second, the US must increase domestic pressure on the Iranian regime. Stopping the bombing is a good way to do that. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been significantly weakened by the joint US-Israeli attacks. Our intelligence community needs to do everything it can to strengthen the Iranian protest movement, arming them with weapons and resources. Bombing bridges and oil refineries would have been a significant blunder by the Americans because it would have made it much more difficult for insurgents within the country to mount any kind of opposition.

Third, the US must mend its relationships with its traditional allies. This isn’t just about Iran. Russia and China look at the tensions within NATO, and they rejoice. A more united Western world, especially when it comes to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, is essential.

Fourth, the Trump administration needs to improve its messaging game. Right now, the US is thoroughly divided when it comes to this war. Even elements of Trump’s political base are deeply sceptical of the campaign. I understand the motivation behind the president’s maximalist rhetoric, but trying to convince your opponents that you are a madman who just might put his finger on the button comes with some downsides.

Our allies were frightened, the American people were concerned, the pope was aghast. Even some of the president’s biggest political fans called for him to be removed via the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution, which provides for replacing a sitting president due to incapacity. Messaging from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hasn’t been much better. Calling this another Christian crusade is not helpful to our long-term goals in the region.

Fifth, the president needs to paint a picture of what peace would mean to the Iranian people and to the region in general and then sell it to them. What is happening with Venezuela is a perfect example of what could happen with Iran. We cut off the head of government there, but the rest of the political body is still mostly in place. We do not need a total change in the regime. We do need a total change in the attitude of the current regime.

Sixth, the president needs to firmly lay out what we expect from a lasting peace agreement and what we need from the Iranian regime. The first thing we need is actual peace. Enough with funding terrorism, terrorist proxies and never-ending war against Israel. Peace means peace. The nuclear programme must never be turned into nuclear weapons.

Seventh, the president needs to make sure Israel’s objectives are aligned with ours. This would require some blunt talk between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Clearly, the Israeli prime minister sold Trump a bill of goods when he told him that this would be a quick war that would topple the Iranian regime at a relatively low cost. That hasn’t happened.

I appreciate how the Israelis are sick and tired of getting missiles sent their way from Hezbollah. But a forever war seems to be a key component of the Netanyahu political campaign, and that simply does not work for the American people any more.

The US and Israel need to be on the same page about what their objectives are now that we are in a lull in the fighting. This is critical to win this ceasefire.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Rally Croatia results

1. Takamoto Katsutu (JAP)/Aaron Johnston (IRL) Toyota 2:51:15.8

2. Sami Pajari (FIN)/Marko Salminen (FIN) Toyota +20.7 seconds

3. Hayden Paddon (NZL)/John Kennard (NZL) Hyundai + 2:07.7

15. Josh McErlean (IRL)/Eoiin Treacy (IRL) M-Sport Ford +12:23.1

20. Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Martin Wydaghe (BEL) Hyundai +20:00.8

24. Adrien Fourmaux (FRA)/Alex Coria (FRA) Hyundai +49:12.5

25. Jon Armstrong (IRL)/Shane Byrne (IRL) M-Sport Ford +49:31.1

27. Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Scott Martin (GBR) Toyota +56:14.8

32. Oliver Solberg (SWE)/Elliot Edmundson (GBR) Toyota +1:19:02.2

Championship standings

1. Takamoto Katsuta (JAP) 81 points

2. Elfyn Evans (GBR) 74

3. Oliver Solberg (SWE) 68

4. Sami Pajari (FIN) 53

5. Adrien Fourmaux (FRA) 49

Australian teenager Gout Gout has run 200m faster than sprinting great Usain Bolt did at the same age.

The 18-year-old clocked a superb time of 19.67 seconds to win at his national championships on Sunday.

It was the first time that Gout had gone under the 20-second mark legally, after a wind-assisted 19.84 last season, and is the leading time in the world this year.

He had the quickest-ever time by a 16-year-old – setting a national record of 20.06 – when he burst on to the scene in 2024. Sunday’s mark in Sydney was quicker than the Jamaican eight-time Olympic champion’s time of 19.93 back in 2004.

Aidan Murphy, who was second to Gout, also beat the 20-second mark with a time of 19.88.

“This is what I’ve been waiting for,” said Gout, who was born in Queensland to parents from South Sudan.

“We have such incredible athletes in Australia and me being able to race these athletes, we push each other to the limits. Two Australians sub-20. I mean, this is amazing.

“There’s a big weight off my shoulders knowing I ran it legally, and I have the speed and my body to run times like that. So, it definitely feels great, and ready for more.”

Gout has indicated that he will skip the Commonwealth Games, which begin in Glasgow on 23 July, to focus on the World Under-20 Championships in Oregon in early August.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was tracking right-hander Emmet Sheehan’s velocity against the Rangers Saturday, but it wasn’t going to be his primary measurement of the start.

“I think right now, where he’s at, the hitters will tell us the most, not the radar gun,” Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 6-3 win.

Sheehan had both in his first quality start of the season.

Just look at the way he attacked Jake Burger in the sixth inning to close his outing. Sheehan threw three fastballs in the at-bat. That pitch averaged at 95.2 mph on Saturday, almost 1 ½ mph over his season average. And even as his pitch count climbed into the mid-70s, he was sitting at around 94 mph.

Dodger Teoscar Hernández watches his three-run homer clear the left center wall during a win over the Texas Rangers Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

The last pitch he threw was a slider off the plate. Burger was able to get a piece of it, but only enough to ground out to first.

Saturday’s start was Sheehan’s best based on both consistency and results. He held the Rangers to three runs and four hits in six innings.

He’d found a cue in his work between starts. And if the adjustment unlocks a consistent run, that would do a lot to stabilize the Dodgers’ rotation at the back end.

“One of the big things this week was the glove tap,” Sheehan said. “Just timing everything up. Before, I feel like I was getting in good positions, I just wasn’t timing everything up the right way. I think that helped a lot.”

He was cruising through most of it — other than the two home runs he surrendered to Rangers leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo.

Sheehan turned around his start immediately after the first long ball, on the second pitch of the game.

He came in throwing hard, pumping 96.2 mph on the first fastball, a ball inside, and 95.7 on the second. The latter drifted over the plate, and Nimmo lined it to straightaway center field, just over the “395” printed on the wall.

Sheehan, undeterred, retired the next eight batters. Nimmo hit a two-out ground-rule double that bounced over the left-field fence in his next at-bat, but Sheehan struck out Ezequiel Duran on a slider to quickly end the inning.

Only two Rangers besides Nimmo reached base against Sheehan. Evan Carter drew a leadoff walk in the fifth, and Josh Jung led off the sixth with a single into shallow center field.

Other than that, Sheehan recorded six strikeouts and generated mostly groundball contact.

He was also pitching with a lead for most of his outing, thanks to a solo homer from Shohei Ohtani and three-run shot from Teoscar Hernández in the first. The Dodgers added to their lead in the third inning with two walks, a single, and a run-scoring double play.

So, when the Rangers’ lineup turned over again, and Nimmo stepped up to the plate with a runner on base in the sixth, Sheehan was working with a four-run cushion.

Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia celebrates after earning a save during the Dodgers’ win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Sheehan stayed away from his fastball, but Nimmo managed to get a hold of an inside slider.

Again, Sheehan responded with three straight outs, this time all infield grounders.

The Dodgers’ bullpen turned in a scoreless performance for three innings, even with Roberts staying away from closer Edwin Díaz, whose velocity was down Friday in his first blown save of the season.

And in the eighth, center fielder Andy Pages kept up his red-hot offensive start to the season with an RBI single into left field for insurance.

The Dodgers are off to the best offensive start of any National League team, whether they’re measured by runs (89), batting average (.297), slugging percentage (.507) or offensive fWAR (30.0).

The unknown entering the game was Sheehan, who had been working through directional issues in his delivery.

“There’s a little bit of east-west with him, and that’s kind of how he gets his power,” Roberts said. “But I think that towards the end of the year and spring, it got a little bit too east-west, where you’re just not back to front as far as direction.”

Everything was synced up for him Saturday, and even Nimmo couldn’t ruin that breakthrough.

“It can definitely be tough sometimes,” Sheehan said. “The past like month and a half we’ve been trying to work on it. It felt like at times it wasn’t progressing the way it should, but just stuck with it.”

Snell feels good after live BP

Left-hander Blake Snell threw an inning of live batting practice at Dodger Stadium on Saturday before the Dodgers’ game against the Rangers, taking a new step in his rehab progression.

“It’s very big,” Snell said. “…To be able to face two good hitters and feel good — I’ve got a lot of work to do still, but definitely a big step.”

Snell was delayed in his buildup entering spring training, after pitching through the postseason. He also dealt with shoulder issues last season, sidelined for about four months with what the Dodgers identified as inflammation in his left shoulder.

“I feel great,” Snell said. “I’ve done a lot of different things than I did last year when I was in this position. So I feel way better. I’m just very excited about how I feel right now, where I’m at, getting back to some normalcy again feels really good. I just can’t wait to pitch.”

He revisited old workouts, added Pilates to his routine and changed his diet.

Snell, an avid gamer, has also kept up his Twitch livestream activity while on the injured list. He recently responded to a harsh comment from a critic about his injury while streaming, cursing as he challenged anyone to match his World Series contributions amid pain. The clip naturally circulated widely on social media.

“I’m trying to game with my people, then trolls want to get in there and got something to say,” he said and then broke into a smile. “I should watch my language a little bit, but outside of that, it was pretty true. I’m going to have fun, going to be myself. I’ve got to watch my language though. If my mom sees that. … She probably will.”

He’s bracing for her call if she does.

Snell will continue to build up his workload in a simulated game environment, before eventually leaving on a minor-league rehab assignment. He didn’t say how many live BP sessions he’d need before that next step.

“You got to talk to the jefes,” he said.

Sitting in the dugout, Snell nodded up to the field where some of those bosses — president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Brandon Gomes and Roberts — stood talking.

Roberts later speculated that Snell would build up to about three innings before pitching in games.

“I just miss pitching, it’s what I love,” Snell said. “So to be able to do that again, I was very excited coming to the field today. Like, I finally get to throw and pitch and see where I’m at, see if I’m good, bad, kind of figure myself out.”

On Saturday, he just wanted to throw strikes, see how his stuff played, and get feedback from utility player Tommy Edman and outfielder Alex Call, who faced him.

“The next one I want to be more crisp, want to hit locations more,” he said. “I only have so many starts left before I’m back. So I really have to hone in and make sure these weeks are very important.”

Injury updates

Edman, who underwent ankle surgery this offseason, is still on track to be activated around late May, Roberts said Saturday. In addition to taking live batting practice, he’s been running, but not quite at full speed, according to Roberts.

Shortstop Mookie Betts (strained right oblique) played catch on the field before the game Saturday.

AUSTIN, Texas — Defender Maya Yoshida scored a first-half goal, Erik Thommy tallied in the second and the Galaxy beat Austin FC 2-1 on Saturday.

Yoshida took a pass from Marco Reus in the 34th minute and scored for the first time this season to give the Galaxy a 1-0 lead. Yoshida has six goals in 80 appearances for the Galaxy. Reus has three assists this season and 15 in 34 career appearances.

Thommy gave the Galaxy a two-goal lead in the 78th minute with his first goal for the club. Thommy had 19 goals in 101 appearances over four seasons with Sporting Kansas City. Defender Emiro Garces subbed into the match in the 66th minute before notching his first assist this season and his third in 36 appearances. Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski also snagged an assist.

Austin cut it to 2-1 in the 85th minute on Myrto Uzuni’s second goal of the season and his eighth in 34 career matches. Defender Guilherme Biro earned his first assist after collecting one through his first 67 appearances and Facundo Torres grabbed his fourth in his first season with Austin after tallying 16 in three seasons with Orlando City. All four of Torres’ assists have come off set pieces.

The Galaxy’s Erik Thommy points to the sky after scoring against Austin FC on Saturday in Austin, Texas.

(Scott Wachter / Getty Images)

Marcinkowski turned away five shots for the Galaxy (2-3-2) in his third start this season.

Brad Stuver totaled five saves for Austin (1-3-3).

The Galaxy picked up their first road win of the season while handing Austin its first loss at home.

Austin swept the Galaxy last season — 1-0 at home and 2-1 on the road.

Up next

Galaxy: Visit FC Dallas on Saturday.

Former world heavyweight champion David Haye described Tyson Fury’s win over Arslanbek Makhmudov in his comeback fight as an “optimal performance”.

Fury returned to the ring after a 15-month absence to secure a unanimous decision victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It was not a vintage display, but Haye believed it was a good return considering the ring rust Fury could have been dealing with.

“Fury did exactly what he needed to do,” Haye told Netflix.

“That was the optimal performance for him. If he could pick the type of performance to put forward, it would be exactly that.

“He took all his tools out of the box and polished them up.”

Retired multiple weight world champion Andre Ward agreed with Haye’s assessment, downplaying suggestions was a soft reintroduction for Fury.

“Some will say Makhmudov is limited, but he’s good enough,” Ward said.

“You can’t take away from what you’ve seen from Tyson Fury offensively and defensively tonight.”

Four-time world champion Carl Froch said Fury “boxed well” and taking zero damage will be a positive for the 37-year-old.

“He’s been out the ring for [nearly] 16 months and he put in a 12-round performance at a good pace,” Froch said.

“The first couple of rounds were close, but then he took over against a dangerous puncher.

“He got hit with a couple of little shots, but you can see by his face he’s not marked up.”

Four years ago, at the McDonald’s All-American game, future Bruins Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez stood side by side at the end of the contest, having been named co-MVPs. It was the first time the two MVPs of the annual event were headed to the same college program.

Now, as the only remaining members of UCLA’s 2022 No. 1 recruiting class, they have reached their ultimate goal: an NCAA championship. Their work ethic, their high character, their loyalty, and the pride they take in wearing the four letters on their jerseys will long be remembered and appreciated. With fellow senior and graduate-student teammates — Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalic, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens, all transfers from former Pac-12 teams — they have put themselves into the Bruin record books.

To this awesome group of young women: Thanks for the memories and the joy you have brought to Westwood. You will be missed.

Sandy Siegel
Sherman Oaks

After witnessing their first-round victory in person, the UCLA women looked ready to make a run in the NCAA tournament. What we saw was a way to compete in any style of play. There was a little bit of everything. But clearly they were the best team. Congratulations on your first title. I can’t wait to see the banner hanging in the rafters. Being a lifelong fan of UCLA sports, it just looks right when you see it in lights. UCLA BRUINS, NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

David DeLong
Thousand Oaks

As a Trojan alum, it was awkward, but nonetheless, I was elated to see UCLA knock off USC. Party on!

David Marshall
Santa Monica

The UCLA women’s basketball team’s first NCAA national championship was especially sweet because they had to defeat USC in the title game!

Nick Rose
Newport Coast

Long live the Pac-12 Avengers!

Mark Ryan
Fullerton

What a great article on Gabriela [Jaquez] by Mirjam [Swanson.] I just so loved rooting for this UCLA women’s team because they’re such wonderful people as well as players. Having said that, Gabriela would have been my choice for MVP, but I’m fine with Lauren [Betts.]

Michael Reuben
Anaheim Hills

It was refreshing to watch the postgame after UCLA soundly defeated the University of South Carolina on Sunday. Everyone was crying — players, coaches, losers because they lost, winners because they won. This was so much nicer than the angry confrontation between coaches at the end of the South Carolina-UConn game on Friday, after which [Geno] Auriemma petulantly stalked off. As in politics, women seem to do it better without men.

Henry A. Hespenheide
Hermosa Beach

Remembering Lopes

Growing up in L.A. during the 1970s, the photo of Davey Lopes sliding into second against Dave Concepcion brought back memories of the Dodgers’ rivalry with the Big Red Machine during that decade. Being a huge fan of those Dodger teams, a large color photo of the Dodger infield of [Steve] Garvey, Lopes, [Bill] Russell and [Ron] Cey adorned my DTLA office for many years.

Davey Lopes was the most exciting of that great infield and the inspirational leader of the ‘74, ‘77, ‘78 and ‘81 World Series teams. Not only was he superior at stealing bases — he stole 47 at the age of 40 — but also hit for power, as exemplified by his team-leading three homers and seven RBIs in the ‘78 World Series. RIP, Davey.

Ken Feldman
Tarzana

Garvey, Cey, Russell and Lopes. What an infield! I grew up with that group, and they cemented my love for the Dodgers at a young age. Every spring you could count on those four as starters in the infield. Davey Lopes was just superb. A terrific base stealer who had over 500 steals in his career. Always reliable at second base and at the plate. He was an All-Star his last four years with the Dodgers, culminating with the World Series win in 1981 over the hated Yankees. Davey, we will miss you for sure.

Dave Ring
Manhattan Beach

Davey Lopes was the heartbeat of those great Dodgers teams — grit, intelligence, and pure excitement every time he reached base. For fans who grew up watching that legendary infield, his passing feels deeply personal, but his legacy will endure.

Steven Ross
Carmel

Championing fans

I had the privilege of attending Major League Baseball ownership meetings for a decade. Arte Moreno and his then team president, John Carpino, were the absolute leaders in advocating that MLB needed to be as financially fan friendly as possible. In my opinion, the Angels fully back their desire to have a sustainable and comfortable fan experience by offering a wonderful game-day fan experience.

When I am able to attend an Angels game, I do not hear gripes about parking costs, concession prices or ticket prices. The stadium staff at every level are simply wonderful and always so welcoming. And while I have no stats, the number of families and children in attendance appear significant.

Should the team ever come under different ownership, I hear that one of the under tapped values of owning the Angels is the ability to increase ticket and related revenues. The proven focus on having a sustainable fan game experience is the sole dictate of the owner.

Lew Wolff
Los Angeles

Sticker shock

After taking the time to sign up for LA28 with the hopes of getting an opportunity to purchase tickets for the Olympics, including tickets to the opening ceremony, I was gravely disappointed after receiving a time slot for purchases to learn that opening ceremony tickets were “currently unavailable.“ In further checking for other opportunities to purchase reasonably priced tickets, I also was disappointed to see that the cheapest tickets available for some of the high-interest sporting events were in the hundreds of dollars. It doesn’t look like the plan to have locals purchase tickets and fill the seats for the venues is going to work out the way LA28 thought it would. Shame on them.

Ruthanne Rozenek
Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Email: sports@latimes.com

Orange Lutheran (12-3) is the midseason No. 1 team in Southern California high school baseball.

The Lancers completed a four-game sweep at the Boras Classic South on Friday night, winning the championship game 4-1 over Norco.

Orange Lutheran’s pitching depth was impressive all week.

Ricardo Hurtado had a single and a home run and Brady Murrietta added two hits. Starting pitcher Blake Killinger was able to contain hot-hitting Norco (15-2), giving up five hits and one run in 5⅓ innings. Jacob Melendez hit his fourth home run for Norco since becoming eligible on March 27.

Orange Lutheran has won two prestigious tournaments in the same year — the Boras Classic South and the National High School Invitational in North Carolina. Perhaps the Southern Section’s computer rankings will reflect that feat after the Lancers were ranked No. 51 in this week’s Southern Section power rankings.

Orange Lutheran will face Northern California champion, St. Mary’s, next Saturday in the Boras Classic championship game at Santa Clara University.

Corona 7, Newport Harbor 5: A five-run fourth powered the Panthers. Joseph Flores Jr. had a two-run home run and Anthony Murphy added two hits and two RBIs for the Panthers.

Los Osos 4, JSerra 3: A four-run seventh helped Los Osos overcome a 3-0 deficit. The big hit was a three-run home run by Dominic Rodriguez.

St. John Bosco 2, Fountain Valley 1: James Clark had two hits, including an RBI single.

Ayala 6, Gahr 4: Easton Sarmiento contributed two hits, including a home run. Luke Payne threw 3⅔ innings of scoreless relief.

Mater Dei 6, Aquinas 5: The Monarchs opened a 6-0 lead and hung on. Ezekiel Lara had a three-run home run.

San Diego Patrick Henry 4, Huntington Beach 3: Ely Mason had two hits and two RBIs for Huntington Beach.

Arcadia 5, Corona Centennial 0: Andrew Cooper threw the shutout, giving up three hits. Jordan Vogel had a triple and single.

Royal 5, Moorpark 1: Dustin Dunwoody struck out 12 in 6⅔ innings.

Banning 9, San Pedro 2: AJ Herrera threw a three-hit complete game. He also had three hits.

El Camino Real 13, Cleveland 1: JJ Saffie had three hits and three RBIs and Jackson Sellz added three hits and two RBIs. Hudson December gave up one run in five innings.

Birmingham 4, Taft 3: The Patriots scored three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to win a West Valley League game. Carlos Acuna hit the tie-breaking home run in the seventh. Aidan Martinez hit a three-run home run in the sixth and also struck out four in 1⅓ innings of relief. Nate Swinson had a two-run home run for Taft.

Granada Hills 6, Chatsworth 2: Max Szczech had a three-run double for the Highlanders.

Bell 4, South Gate 3: Gustavo Ramirez finished with three hits in an Eastern League win.

Garfield 6, Legacy 3: Doubles by Omar Martinez and Nathan Gaytan in the third sparked the Bulldogs.

Sierra Canyon 6, Sylmar 3: Carl McMullan contributed two hits and two RBIs for Sierra Canyon. Matthew Torres homered for Sylmar.

La Mirada 5, Servite 3: Ian Aguayo hit a two-run home run for La Mirada.

Etiwanda 19, Warren 9: Adam Ornales must have been a little tired after scoring six runs and getting three hits in Etiwanda’s win.

La Habra 2, Cypress 1: Bobby Brooks threw a complete game for La Habra.

Villa Park 12, El Dorado 2: Dominic Gutierrez hit a grand slam and Justin Lopez had four hits for Villa Park. Xavi Cadena contributed three hits for El Dorado.

Calabasas 10, Agoura 9: The Coyotes scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh, with Trevor Chang winning it on an RBI single.

Loyola 6, Providence 1: Jack Murray had a two-run home run for Loyola.

Softball

Orange Lutheran 11, Huntington Beach 0: Rylee Silver contributed three hits and also struck out six in five scoreless innings.

Norco 8, Eastvale Roosevelt 5: Coral Williams finished with 15 strikeouts for Norco.

It was Max Muncy’s night.

His third home run — a no-doubt-about-it 401-foot walk-off to right-center field, gave the Dodgers an 8-7 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday at Dodger Stadium.

They improved to 10-3, winning despite closer Edwin Díaz’s first blown save as a Dodger.

Muncy’s first home runs, in the second and fourth innings, gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead and then pulled them within a run, 3-2.

Those homers — Nos. 2, 3 and 4 this season — gave him 213 for his Dodgers’ tenure, tying and then surpassing Steve Garvey for third-most in the franchise’s Los Angeles history.

Muncy is only the second player in Dodgers history to have a walk-off homer as part of a three-home run game, joining Don Demeter, who accomplished the feat on April 21, 1959, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Max Muncy hits a walk-off home run to cap his three-home run night in an 8-7 win over Texas.

It marked the second three-homer game of Muncy’s career and his 20th multi-homer game.

And they kept the Dodgers in a game that went back and forth, up and down, bobblehead style.

Andy Pages went three for three with four RBIs and had a go-ahead two-run double and a two-run home run to provide crucial insurance that kept his club in the game.

His double in the sixth — he smacked Robert Garcia’s 84-mph slider into right field to bring home Muncy and Teoscar Hernández — gave the Dodgers a 5-4 lead.

And Pages’ two-run home run to center field off Luis Curvelo in the eighth brought home Muncy, who had singled. It also brought his MLB-leading batting average to .449 — and wasn’t just icing on the cake but fortification against the Rangers’ hitters who wouldn’t quit.

After Dodgers’ starter Tyler Glasnow exited after pitching six innings and giving up four runs on five hits — including two home runs — while striking out seven, Alex Vesia and Tanner Scott both pitched a scoreless inning before closer Díaz entered in the ninth.

The Dodgers’ closer gave up a single to former Dodger Joc Pedersen and then a two-run home run to Evan Carter that cut the lead to 7-6. Then Ezequiel Duran singled in Sam Haggerty to tie the score.

The Dodgers made it interesting by playing from behind for the ninth time in 13 games: The Rangers quickly responded to Muncy’s first homer, taking a 3-1 lead in the third inning when former Dodger Corey Seager teed off for a 409-foot, three-run home run to center field.

Max Muncy hits a walk-off home run to lift the Dodgers to an 8-7 win over the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

(Back on June 12, 2024, in his only other game at Dodger Stadium as a member of the Rangers, Seager hit a three-run home run. That one was a go-ahead blast off Walker Buehler that gave Texas a 3-2 victory.)

In the fifth inning Friday, Wyatt Langford deposited a Glasnow curveball into the Dodgers’ bullpen; his first home run this season pushed Texas’ advantage to 4-2.

Shohei Ohtani then singled to right to move Freeland to third — and, notably, to extend his on-base streak to 44 games, the most ever for a Japanese-born player and the fourth-longest such streak in Dodgers history.

Ohtani has also reached base on all seven of his bobblehead nights.

This season, the Dodgers determined that they needed two games — Friday and July 8 — to honor Ohtani’s “Greatest Game” with the bobblehead treatment.

Max Muncy runs the bases after hitting his walk-off home run in the ninth inning against Texas on Friday night.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

On Friday, all 53,675 fans went home with a bobbling figurine of Ohtani at the plate, a memento honoring his performance in Game 4 of the NLCS last October. He not only pitched six shutout innings and struck out 10 in that 5-1 NLCS-clinching victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, but he also hit three home runs that traveled a combined 1,342 feet.

The Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas won’t take bereavement leave or travel back to his native Venezuela following the sudden death of his father, Miguel Rojas Sr., manager Dave Roberts said before the game.

“There’s a lot going on in Venezuela,” the Dodgers manager said. “And a lot of his family is kind of dispersed around the world, essentially. He just feels they’ve got a handle on it down there, so he’s going to stay with us.”

John Carlson scored three goals for the first hat trick of his 17-year NHL career, and the Ducks ended their six-game losing streak with an emphatic 6-1 victory over the San José Sharks on Thursday night at Honda Center.

Leo Carlsson, Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano also scored and Beckett Sennecke had two assists for the Ducks, who jumped to a 4-0 lead and dominated their Pacific Division rivals for their first win since March 26.

Carlson scored two power-play goals in the third period, connecting with 5:57 left to secure the first hat trick of his 1,156-game career. The veteran defenseman has been exactly what the Ducks needed when they acquired him at the trade deadline, scoring 12 points in 13 games while steadying the back end for one of the NHL’s worst defensive teams.

Lukas Dostal made 16 saves, but the Ducks fell 7:20 short of their first shutout in 160 games since last season’s opener on Oct. 12, 2024 — also against San José.

Shakir Mukhamadullin scored and Yaroslav Askarov stopped 27 shots for the Sharks, who had won five of seven to surge into playoff contention.

Carlsson put the Ducks ahead less than three minutes after the opening faceoff, driving the net and finishing for his 28th goal.

Carlson scored only his second goal in a Ducks uniform later in the first, blasting it home around Sennecke’s screen. San Jose didn’t get its first shot on goal until 13 minutes into the period.

Killorn tapped in a pass from Sennecke off a two-on-one rush for his 14th goal in the second.

Neither team was called for a penalty until San José’s Collin Graf was binned for hooking with 10:20 to play, and Carlson fired home his second goal on the ensuing power play.

Vatrano scored only his second goal since Dec. 7 in the waning minutes.

Up next for the Ducks: vs. Vancouver at Honda Center on Sunday.

SAN FRANCISCO — Fans from New Zealand and Australia held signs toward the camera. They had traveled thousands of miles to watch Warriors star Stephen Curry play.

One sign crossed out “play” and replaced it with a frowning face.

They were instead treated to a steady performance from LeBron James, who led the Lakers to a 119-103 win over the Warriors on Thursday, with 26 points and 11 rebounds. The Lakers kept pace with the Houston Rockets in a tight race for the No. 4 seed in the West.

Battling a chronic knee injury in the latter stages of the season, Curry watched from the sideline. His absence in the Warriors’ last home game of the season also put a damper on what could have been another enthralling matchup between the league’s two biggest stars.

Between the artistry of Curry and the physicality of James, they’ve been faces of the NBA, Lakers coach JJ Redick said. But with the 41-year-old James not under contract after this season, the generational stars may never compete on an NBA court against each other again. Redick called the idea “dark.”

“It’s been fun to watch as a fan,” Redick said of the rivalry between Curry and James, “and it’s been fun to be a part of it the last couple years.”

Curry greeted James before the game. Now a sneaker free agent after his high-profile departure from longtime sponsor Under Armour, Curry honored his contemporary with a blue and yellow version of the LeBron X iD sneakers.

Trying to avoid their longest losing streak of the season, the Lakers (51-29) relied on James to steady the ship. After the Lakers gave up a 9-0 run to start the second quarter, he hit a contested three out of a timeout to get the team back on track. He fed the ball to Deandre Ayton, keeping the big man engaged for 21 points on nine-of-11 shooting with five rebounds.

Losing James before Tuesday’s game against the Thunder added to an emotional week for the Lakers. They lost Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in the same game in a blowout loss in Oklahoma City last week and had to face the Thunder again without James. Jaxson Hayes was a late scratch Tuesday and remains day-to-day after missing Thursday’s game as well.

Lakers star LeBron James shoots during a win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

(David M. Barreda / Los Angeles Times)

Redick admitted the Lakers were not prepared to compete against the Thunder at home Tuesday. He recognized trying to inject some energy into his team by calling early timeouts and subbing out veterans such as Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt perhaps didn’t help, especially after a heated exchange with Vanderbilt was caught on camera.

“What I told the team today — I think this is important — is we have had a very disjointed season because of all the injuries and throughout the year, we, collectively, staff, players, we’ve had to figure out the best path forward with whatever group is available,” Redick said. “And that’s no different right now. We have to figure out over these next three games and over next week, the best path for this team to play winning basketball.”

Through the emotional ups-and-downs, Redick checks in with Reaves and Doncic daily. Doncic, currently in Spain receiving treatment on his injured hamstring, is in “relatively — relatively good spirits,” Redick said. Doncic is “attacking” his rehab, Redick said, but being away from the team has taken a toll on his psyche. Reaves, who is out with a Grade 2 left oblique strain that is expected to take four to six weeks to heal, has benefited from staying with the team.

“I think for both of those guys, there is, like, a carrot,” Redick said. “If we can get this season extended, they can come back and they can play. Those guys love playing basketball.”

The Lakers lost the No. 3 seed, and are fighting to maintain home-court advantage over Houston, which won its eighth straight game Thursday. Both teams have two games remaining and the Lakers have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Jonny Clayton came from 5-2 down to beat Michael van Gerwen 6-5 and claim his third nightly win to move top of the Premier League.

Van Gerwen missed four match darts in total as the Welshman reeled off four straight legs to take the win in Brighton.

Victory takes Clayton, who began the evening in third, three points above Luke Littler after the world champion was beaten by Stephen Bunting in the quarter-finals and failed to add to his points tally.

While Van Gerwen had the edge both in terms of average and checkout percentage in the final, Clayton produced when it mattered as he made the seven-time champion pay for failing to wrap up the match at 5-2 and 5-4 and forced a decider.

Clayton then finished it in style, hitting two 180s in the leg before sealing it on double 16.

“I thought the game was over at 5-2 up for Michael,” Clayton told Sky Sports.

“He missed, he gave me a chance. You’ve got to take chances. That last leg was probably my best of the game.

“I’m back on top of the table, Luke Littler can start chasing me again.”

Despite falling just short of a first nightly win since the opening week in Newcastle, Van Gerwen’s run to the final helped him shore up his play-off place and open up a four-point gap to fellow Dutchman Gian van Veen in fifth.

If you’re able to get junior pitcher Tanner Brown of Huntington Beach High to crack a smile, you have to be the greatest comedian in the world

“He plays angry,” coach Benji Medure said.

He’s the “other” left-hander on the team. While Jared Grindlinger, a likely first-round draft pick, gets most of the attention, don’t forget about Brown, who had the save in a win over St. John Bosco at the Boras Classic on Wednesday.

He’s 2-0 with a 1.94 ERA.

“I like to play with fire,” he said.

Left-hander Tanner Brown of Huntington Beach.

(Nick Koza)

He wears his emotions on his sleeve. So if something bad happens, watch out. If something good happens, you can exhale.

Asked when he smiles, Brown said, “When the job is done.”

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

Before a single term has been negotiated, Trump is claiming total victory over Iran, but with leadership intact, enrichment continuing, and a new Strait of Hormuz toll that didn’t exist before the conflict, is this really a win? Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett explains.

Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, hitting six three-pointers, and the Clippers recovered after blowing a 23-point lead to beat rookie Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks 116-103 on Tuesday night.

It was Leonard’s 55th straight game with 20 or more points in the Clippers’ first win in three tries against the Mavs this season.

Leonard played in his 62nd game, and he’ll have to appear in the final three games of the regular season to reach 65 and be eligible for postseason awards such as league MVP and All-NBA honors.

Darius Garland added 22 points, Derrick Jones Jr. had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Brook Lopez had 11 rebounds for the Clippers.

After scoring 96 points in his previous two games, Flagg had 25 points and nine rebounds. The Mavs made 25 of 26 free throws, with Max Christie hitting 10 of 10. AJ Johnson had their lone miss late in the game. Marvin Bagley III had 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

The Mavs tied the game in the third and then took just their second lead, 80-77, on a basket by Ryan Nembhard. Leonard scored seven of the Clippers’ final 11 points to send them into the fourth leading 89-84.

The Clippers scored 17 consecutive points to start the game. They extended the lead to 23 points on Lopez’s three-pointer. They shot 68% from the floor and went into the second ahead 39-26.

The Mavs responded with a 21-8 run to tie it 47-47 on Bagley’s three-pointer. Flagg was limited to one basket in the second.

From there, the Clippers closed with an 18-8 spurt to lead 65-55 at halftime. Leonard scored their final seven points on a three-pointer, a basket off his offensive rebound and two free throws.

Up next for the Clippers: vs. West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday to complete a back-to-back.

José Soriano pitched eight dominant innings and the Angels got home runs from Zach Neto and Jo Adell in a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

Neto launched a leadoff shot on Chris Sale’s first pitch, and Soriano (3-0) struck out 10 as the Angels won their third consecutive game. The right-hander gave up one run and three hits without issuing a walk, throwing 69 of his 96 pitches for strikes.

Soriano gave up a solo homer to Drake Baldwin and a single to Matt Olson in the first, then retired 19 straight batters before Mike Yastrzemski led off the eighth with a single.

Mauricio Dubón homered off Angels reliever Chase Silseth in the ninth. Atlanta put two on with two outs before Jordan Romano replaced Silseth and got Yastrzemski to fly out for his fourth save.

The Angels played without star center fielder Mike Trout, who exited Sunday’s game against Seattle after getting hit on the left hand by a 94-mph fastball in the eighth. Trout’s hand swelled so quickly he struggled to remove his batting glove, but X-rays were negative and he is listed as day to day.

Sale (2-1) entered 8-0 with a 1.24 ERA in 11 career games against the Angels, but Neto slammed the left-hander’s first pitch, a 95-mph fastball, for a homer to left field.

Angels star Zach Neto celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Braves on Monday.

(Joe Scarnici / Getty Images)

Sale retired his next nine batters but fell apart during a three-run fourth in which the Angels drew two walks, were twice hit by pitches, had two runners forced out at the plate and hit one ball out of the infield.

Logan O’Hoppe walked and Yoán Moncada was hit by a pitch, both with the bases loaded, to account for two runs. Bryce Teodosio drove in a run with an infield single for a 4-1 lead.

Jorge Soler opened the fifth with a single, and Adell drove a first-pitch fastball 411 feet to left for a two-run homer — his first of the season — and a 6-1 advantage.

Up next: Braves RHP Reynaldo López (1-0, 1.64 ERA) opposes Angels LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-1, 6.52) on Tuesday night.

Adrian Kempe scored the only goal of the shootout in the second round, and the Kings tightened the Western Conference playoff race with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Monday night.

The Kings have played in overtime in seven of its last 10 games — and 32 this season.

Joel Armia opened the scoring for the Kings and Scott Laughton made it a 2-1 lead in the second period. Jared Wright has an assist in a career-best three straight games for L.A.

Steven Stamkos tied it 1-1 for the Predators and Roman Josi knotted it 2-2 early in the third.

Anton Forsberg made 29 saves in the win for the Kings. Saros made 26 saves for the Predators.

The Kings won 58.3% of the faceoffs in the game.

All three series matchups this season went to a shootout, including a 5-4 victory for the Predators in Los Angeles last Thursday.

Up next for Kings: vs. Vancouver Canucks at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.

It was dominating. It was overwhelming. It was powder-blue pummeling, eight-clap crushing, Westwood wonderful.

It was the UCLA women’s basketball team needing barely two hours to complete the struggles of 45 years, a stunningly swarming triumph unmatched in even the finest of Bruin athletic traditions.

Break out a new banner. Make room in the Pauley rafters. A new collection of heroes is coming home, and they started the party early.

For the first time since 1978, and the first time in the NCAA era, the UCLA women are national basketball champions after a 79-51 finals blowout victory Sunday over favored powerhouse South Carolina.

“Oh my gosh,” said weeping star Lauren Betts after the final buzzer.

Oh my, Lauren. This was a heartfelt triumph for the towering tournament Most Outstanding Player who overcame mental health issues to become the toughest figure on the floor.

“I do it for my teammates,” she said during the celebration. “I don’t do it for me.”

Oh my, Gabby. This was a legendary triumph for Gabriela Jaquez, who scored 21 points with 10 rebounds in the finals while her brother, former Bruin star Jaime Jaquez Jr., watched from the stands one day after he scored 32 points for the Miami Heat.

UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez hugs coach Cori Close during the second half of the Bruins’ win over South Carolina in the NCAA women’s national championship Sunday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

“I imagined this moment, I imagined it so many times,” she said. “Oh my gosh, I’m so happy.”

Oh my, Kiki Rice, Angela Dugalic, Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker, this being a victory for the rarest of teams in college basketball — a group led by six seniors and graduate students who scored more than 90% of the points during the tournament and were openly fueled by a desire to play one more game together.

Oh my, Cori, this being a legacy triumph for Coach Cori Close, a John Wooden disciple who led through thoughtful motivation instead of mindless screaming. This was her 15th season as the Bruins’ boss, which previously made her the longest tenured coach without a national title.

“It’s truly indescribable,” she said from the celebration stage afterward. “The loyalty, the steadfast spirit, the character that they’ve chosen day in and day out. … I am just so humbled that they’ve chosen to commit to our mission.”

One of Close’ mantras is, “Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.”

In Sunday’s finale, it was always all of them, a scrambling, scrapping bunch that stunned the three-time champion Gamecocks into submission in the third biggest blowout in women’s final history.

This was UCLA’s first finals appearance in the NCAA era, and they were trying to win their first title since Anne Meyers-Drysdale led the Bruins to an AIAW championship in 1978.

Yet they never blinked.

“This was a business trip for us,” said Dugalic. “We had the mentality that the job’s not finished. Now the job is finished.”

Jaquez set the tone in the first quarter by following a Dugalic miss with a flying layup as she was sent sprawling to the floor. She was fouled, converted a three-point play, and the Bruins were quickly sending a message.

They would not be intimidated. They would not be pushed around. And they would play every second, as evidenced by the first-quarter, buzzer-beating trey by Rice as she tumbled backward to give them a 21-10 lead.

The Bruins didn’t even panic when their leader seemed to panic, as Betts spent nearly half of the first quarter on the bench complaining that, “I’ve got something stuck in my throat.”

UCLA coach Cori Close, center, celebrates with her players after guiding the Bruins to the NCAA women’s basketball national championship on Sunday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Trainers checked her throat, gave her an inhaler and eventually nursed her back on to the court, where she told an ESPN interviewer that her throat was just dry from the desert air.

The Bruins kept the heat on during a second quarter in which they made mistakes, seemed to lose momentum, then collected themselves to maintain their huge edge. At one point UCLA committed four consecutive turnovers and the Gamecocks closed the gap to 11, but then UCLA’s defense got tough again and layups by Rice and Kneepkens helped them regain their advantage.

At halftime UCLA led 36-23 and the game was essentially over.

Jaquez put the bow on it when she hit a late three-pointer that made it 79-45, her shot followed by a smile and a scream to the heavens.

Highlights from UCLA’s win over South Carolina in the NCAA women’s basketball national championship game.

“Gabs is incredible,” said Leger-Walker. “She is that person that you never doubt is going to give her all. She impacts the game in so many ways.”

Leger-Walker ended the afternoon dancing with her teammates just as they have danced all season.

“I’m still processing the fact that we are national champions,” she said.

Believe it. These Bruins will be dancing forever.

UCLA players celebrate after defeating South Carolina for the NCAA women’s basketball championship.

Before they head to north London, those present in east London will remember this experience for a long time.

Leeds sold out their entire 9,000 allocation, taking up all the space behind one of the goals and contributing to a fantastic atmosphere.

For most of the game, the Whites looked in complete control. Japan’s Ao Tanaka gave them a first-half lead, with England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubling their advantage with a 75th-minute penalty that looked to have killed the game off.

But in the 11 minutes of injury time, Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi scored to take the tie into extra-time.

Taty Castellanos and Pablo both had goals ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee (VAR) in a breathless extra-time period, where Leeds also had two shots cleared off the line.

There was added drama as Areola suffered a leg injury at the end of injury time, meaning Herrick – who was on loan at fifth-tier Boreham Wood as recently as January – was handed a first Hammers appearance in the 120th minute and just before the shootout.

He saved from Piroe, but Perri ensured he would be the goalkeeping hero with his two saves.

“This is the magic of the cup, anything can happen and today was a crazy and memorable game. Happy that we won the match and we are into the semi-finals now,” said Perri.

“For this fanbase it shows the magic of them, the love they have for this team. It is a pleasure to play for this team.”

Yamal’s unhappiness at the end of the match against Atletico Madrid was over missed scoring opportunities, Flick says.

Lamine Yamal’s apparent anger at the end of Barcelona’s win over Atletico Madrid stemmed from his inability to score a goal during the crucial La Liga fixture and was not linked to any off-field incidents, says the Catalan club’s manager, Hansi Flick.

The Spanish forward was visibly unhappy in the closing moments of the closely fought match in Madrid and did not celebrate with teammates when Robert Lewandowski scored the winner in the 87th minute on Saturday.

“He was a little bit angry,” La Liga leaders’ head coach, Flick, told reporters after the match.

The 18-year-old hit the post with a dinked effort after Fermin Lopez laid the ball off to him during the first half in a tense battle on the pitch.

A few minutes earlier, Yamal displayed great control, skill and vision to receive a ball in his own half, nutmeg an Atletico player and provide an open pass for Lopez in front of goal, but the 22-year-old failed to convert it into a goal.

“He [Yamal] gave it his all but was unlucky when it came to scoring or providing the final pass,” the German coach said.

“In the end, everything is fine.

“Of course, he has emotion. This was the game, with emotion, but he’s in the dressing room, and everything is good.”

Lewandowski’s dramatic late winner was celebrated by the Barcelona players on the pitch and bench, but Yamal looked subdued as he trudged on the pitch by himself.

Once the referee blew the full-time whistle, Yamal walked past Flick, who tried to placate his star player, and the two exchanged a few words before the forward headed back towards the dressing room.

Flick said Yamal’s reaction, or lack of it, was not “because of how he played, he played good”, and elaborated on his star player’s exasperation. “At the moment, he does not have this fortune that he scores the goals, but it can come back.”

Yamal has been at the centre of an Islamophobia controversy in Spanish football after he slammed anti-Muslim chants during his national team’s friendly match against Egypt in Barcelona on Tuesday.

At the ⁠⁠RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of La Liga club Espanyol, Spanish supporters chanted “Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim” during the ⁠⁠World Cup warm-up match, which ended in a goalless draw.

It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid’s Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior in particular repeatedly racially abused.

Yamal is a Muslim player whose father moved from Morocco to Spain. He issued a damning statement on Instagram in the wake of the controversy.

“I am a Muslim. Yesterday at the stadium the chant ‘the one who doesn’t jump is the Muslim’ was heard,” he posted on Instagram in the aftermath of the match.

“I know I was playing for the rival team and it wasn’t something personal against me, but as a Muslim person it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.”

Yamal and Barcelona will return to action against the same opposition on Tuesday, as they host the fourth-ranked Spanish team in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal at the Camp Nou.

The fixture will provide another opportunity for the young player to add to his goal tally of 19 this season. He has scored 14 goals in La Liga and five in European competition.

“We have three days now to prepare for the next match,” Flick said when asked about the upcoming fixture.

“It’s a very important one, and he [Yamal] will be in a better mood than after the game.”

Nikola Jokic outshone fellow Most Valuable Player contender Victor Wembanyama with a game-high 40 points as the Denver Nuggets ended the San Antonio Spurs’ 11-match winning streak.

Serb Jokic, a three-time winner of the NBA’s MVP award, starred as Denver recorded their eighth straight win with a 136-134 triumph in overtime.

Wembanyama led San Antonio with 34 points but the Frenchman’s team squandered a 107-96 advantage in the fourth quarter.

Both players are among the leading names to claim this season’s coveted individual award, given to the best performer during the regular season, and were full of praise for the other after the match.

Jokic said of Wembanyama to ESPN: “I think the first time I played against him, I told you guys he’s going to change the league. He’s going to change basketball.

“I still think that. And I think he has an opportunity, a chance to be the most unique basketball player to ever play the game.”

Reflecting on defeat, Wembanyama said: “I think it was an amazing game. One of the most fun games. I wish we could have closed it out.

“It was a real test against a team that’s playing for something right now. They’ve got the best offensive player in the world.”

Both teams have already clinched a place in the post-season play-offs, which begin on 18 April.

But while San Antonio are assured of a top-two seeding in the Western Conference – they trail reigning champions Oklahoma City Thunder – Denver’s final placing within the top six is still to be decided.

The Thunder can move closer to a third straight Western Conference title against the Utah Jazz on Sunday, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seeks back-to-back MVP crowns.

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic could be out of MVP contention after the NBA’s leading scorer was ruled out for the rest of the regular season with a hamstring injury on Friday.

Satisfied is perhaps the best word to describe how Norco High pitcher Coral Williams felt after tossing a three-hit shutout in the Gold Bracket championship game of the Michelle Carew Softball Classic.

Williams recorded five strikeouts, Angelina Gonzales hit a pair of home runs and the Cougars blanked Fullerton 7-0 to capture their sixth tournament title Saturday night at Peralta Park in Anaheim.

The finals showdown between teams ranked second and third in CalHiSports.com’s top 20 rankings was decided early. Kendra Nelson walked to begin the game, then Gonzales lined an inside pitch deep over the fence in left field to make it 2-0. Isabella Ray hit a solo shot to left in the fourth and in the fifth Gonzales unloaded on another homer to left to give Williams a four-run cushion that was more than she needed.

“It was the same pitch both times — I think they were trying to surprise me on the second one,” said Gonzales, who had three homers in five games. “If I didn’t get it done I knew the next player would do the job. We have each other’s backs.”

Williams, the CIF Southern Section Division 1 Player of the Year last spring, was named the most valuable pitcher of the tournament after giving up only one unearned run in 24 innings. She threw a four-hitter with nine strikeouts in Wednesday’s victory over Millikan and tossed a six-hitter with 10 strikeouts in a 2-1, 10-inning triumph over Anaheim Canyon on Friday.

“I felt confident in my preparation for this game and told myself to stay loose and don’t overthink,” Williams said. “I pitched around the zone a lot so they couldn’t do damage.”

The No. 3 Cougars (14-2) have allowed only two earned runs, and six total, while shutting out 13 opponents this season.

“I love playing behind Coral,” said Gonzales, the Cougars’ left fielder. “She makes my job easier.”

Utah Valley-bound Hayley Brock was a force at the plate for Fullerton (16-2) and singled her first time up against Williams. She was chosen most valuable player of the tournament after going 11 for 18 with four home runs, two doubles and 14 RBIs.

“It’s a great feeling to be named MVP, it just sucks coming up one win short,” said Brock, who was robbed of a second hit on a diving play at second base in the fourth inning. “That pitcher is so good. You want to attack her earlier in the count. You don’t want to get to two strikes with her.”

Norco’s Angelina Gonzales celebrates after hitting the first of two home runs against Fullerton in the Michelle Carew Softball Classic Gold Bracket championship at Peralta Park in Anaheim on April 4, 2026.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Williams admitted she was wary of Brock’s prowess at the plate.

“I just had to be smart with my pitches and trust my defense,” she said. “We all need to be loose tonight and not be as tense and uptight.”

Norco advanced to the finals by blanking Orange Lutheran 2-0. Peyton May scattered five hits over six innings, striking out eight batters. Sadie Burroughs belted a solo homer in the second and Savannah Gonzalez added an RBI double to center in the fifth as the Cougars prevailed in a rematch of their 2-1 victory in the Norco Showcase finale in Chino Hills in February.

Orange Lutheran’s Rylee Silva, who had 135 strikeouts as a freshman last spring, struck out five Cougars. She and the No. 7 Lancers (10-5), who edged Norco 1-0 in the semifinals last year before falling to Rosary Academy in the final, then lost to Ganesha 10-2 in Saturday’s third-place game.

Fullerton blasted five homers off of Ganesha ace Ava Phillips in its 9-4 semifinal triumph. Brock had a pair of two-run shots, Malaya Majam-Finch had a three-run home run and a solo and Andrea Montes added a solo homer as Fullerton won its ninth straight, a streak that began March 7 with a 3-2 upset over Norco at the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Arizona. Katelynn Mathews threw a seven-hitter with a strikeout and improved to 11-0.

Phillips allowed only four hits and struck out seven in Ganesha’s 3-2 upset of Loomis Del Oro in the first round Wednesday, then the junior transfer from Rosary outdueled Marina ace Mia Valbuena in a 4-1 win for the Giants (10-3) on Friday.

Los Alamitos (12-8) shared fifth place in the Gold Bracket with Chula Vista Mater Dei, the 2025 SoCal Division I regional champion. After throwing back-to-back no-hitters versus Rio Mesa and Los Altos on Wednesday to lift the Vikings into the top bracket, Valbuena was not in the circle in the seventh-place game against Anaheim Canyon, but her twin sister Avi hit an RBI double to tie it 2-2 in the top of the seventh.

The Comanches (12-8) prevailed 4-3 on a single by Emma Lindauer that scored Bella Alcala for the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

Santa Maria St. Joseph took an early 3-0 lead and hung on to defeat Los Altos 4-2 for the Silver Bracket title. Jasmine Campos and Aaliyah Zamano had RBI hits for the Conquerors, who fell to 14-8.

Brooke Lebsock had a grand slam and Janai Stover added a two-run homer as Riverside King (14-4) won the Bronze Bracket with an 11-0 victory over Modesto Central Catholic.

Lauryn Kim homered and Kayla Cisneros, Addy Everett and Lizzie Hobbs each had two hits in Millikan’s 7-6 triumph over San Diego Cathedral in the consolation final.

The tournament debuted as the Canyon Tournament of Champions in the mid-1980s. Following the passing of Michelle Carew, who died from a rare form of leukemia in 1996 at the age of 18, it was renamed in her memory. She was the daughter of Angels Hall of Famer Rod Carew.