May 21, 2022 Issue, Page 4 of 24

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Sports ry May 21, 2022 OU men’s golf: Sooners rally, OU softball: Star win regional title in dominant fashion pitcher Jordy Bahl Tarik Masri, The Norman golf, because we don’t play a punch their ticket to the NCAA McAllister was in a tie for Transcript home event.” Championships at Grayhawk eighth place coming into the Auburn saw its lead slip Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ari- final round, but finished the still ‘day to day’ ‘As Logan McAllister made away after bogeying four of zona next week. the walk up the ninth fairway, the first eight holes. Playing in “We had all five guys under day with seven birdies to take a large crowd had formed be- the same group as the Tigers, par, and as a golf team, I just fourth place with a total score with arm soreness hind the green. Oklahoma got off to a fast don’t think you can ever com- of 208. He finished three shots ‘The gallery that was stand- start for the third round in a plain when you have five guys back of Ole Miss’ Jackson Su- Jesse Crittenden, The May has always done very well ing in front of the clubhouse at row with all five players sitting under par,” OU head coach ber, who took home the indi- Norman Transcript under pressure. She showed Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club under par. Ryan Hybl said. “A very, very vidual title at 11-under that last year and she’s been erupted when the Oklahoma Still, the Sooners couldn’t special day for us to come out par. There was a noticeable showing it this season. “Tve had really nice final absence for Oklahoma dur- City-native tapped in a par get too comfortable with their here, and to not only clinch a ing the team’s two games last She’s started 12 games putt to finish out the front nine lead. Through three rounds, spot to go into Grayhawk, but rounds this year and for some weekend at the Big 12 Tour- this season, posting a 12-0 4-under par. When McAllister they went a combined 32-un- to win on our home turfis a big reason the final round gets me nament. with a 1.11 ERA and 76 looked up at the scoreboard der par on the front nine alone. deal.” going a little bit more,” McAl- OU freshman _ pitcher strikeouts in 69.2 innings. Even if Bahl plays, Gasso sitting in front of the 10th tee- On the back nine, the Sooners Still, despite the team en- lister said. “I wish I could chan- Jordy Bahl missed the tour- could box, the Sooners had flipped a entered the day 13-over par tering the day with a good nament with arm soreness look to get all of the six-stroke deficit coming into through two rounds. chance to advance, the pres- nel it a little bit more in the and was unable to play dur- team’s pitchers in the game the day, into an eight-stroke ‘The team’s difficulties down sure was mounting for the first and second rounds, but ing the Sooners’ 4-3 loss to against Prairie View A&M lead with nine holes to go. the stretch wouldn’t return on Sooners to pull out a win in to be able to do that today and Oklahoma State in the tour- on Friday. Hope Trautwein Bueled by its home crowd, Wednesday, though, as all five front of their home crowd. to play some really good golf nament championship. When has started 15 games on asked if Bahl would return the mound this season and Oklahoma battled through players finished the side even “We were in a good spot to a tough back nine to win the par or better. In the end, Ste- make the top-five, but at the when it mattered a little bit for the Sooners’ regional this pitched 10.1 innings last NCAA Regional at Jimmie Aus- phen Campbell Jr’s 71 (1-un- end of the day, we were trying more was awesome to see.” weekend, Gasso wasn’t able weekend, and Macy McAdoo to give much of an update. could see the field after deal- tin OU Golf Club by 10 strokes der) was the Sooners’ highest ‘to go out and win this tourna- Welch and Goodman fin- “Still day to day,” Gasso ing with a hip injury for most over Auburn. round of the day. ment,” McAllister said. “So to ished in a three-way tie for said of Bahl’s status. “The goal of the season. “It's awesome,” McAllister McAllister, Chris Gotterup, go out and to have the low final fifth place with total scores of is to get her pain free and But Gasso emphasized said. “I don’t know how many Drew Goodman and Patrick round by three or four is huge 210 (6-under). Gotterup rolled we're still working in that di- that the Sooners are in a bet- people were actually out here, Welch each finished inside the going into Grayhawk. We leave in a pair of birdie putts, and rection, [There's] a lot of dif- ter place entering this post- but we had really, really nice top-10. in less than a week and to be ferent things that we're try- season compared to last year. able to carry that momentum was the only OU golfer to post ing to do for her. Doctors are crowds, and it was good to The Sooners finished 22 “We've got three pitchers have that, because you don't shots ahead of fifth-placed into the first round is gonna be a bogey-free round at the tour- involved. If it’s doable, it will that can handle the business get that very much in college Utah, who was the last team to huge.” nament. be done, but we're not going to do it if it’s not comfortable on the mound with an offense enough for her to do it.” that can score them runs, Bahl has quickly blos- a defense that’s been [hot- US Soccer achieves equal pay goal, splitting somed into one of softball’s best pitchers during her first ter] as of late than they have [been] all season,” Gasso said. collegiate season. She's start- “I just like [that] we don’t World Cup revenue evenly between men, women ed 23 games on the mound, posting a 21-1 record with have to depend on pitchers throwing shutouts. And last Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles ven A. Bank, the Paul Hastings side and U.S. Soccer. We're dluded a $24-million payment a 0.95 ERA in 132.1 innings year, it becamea hitters team. pitched. She’s struck out 199 Times professor of business law at just excited that this is how we from the federation to the batters while surrendering We were trying to outhit UCLA. were able to get the deal done.” players and was contingent on just 63 hits. teams, and I don’t foresee us US. Soccer has agreed to But the groundbreaking What the women’s team a promise to equalize pay be- Earlier this month, she having to handle those types separative collective bargain- part of the two CBAs involves loses is the guaranteed sala- tween the men’s and women’s of things this weekend. Our was named the Big 12’s Co- pitchers ing agreements with its men’s World Cup prize money. The ries of $100,000 that U.S. Soc- teams. Pitcher of the Year and was can shut some teams and women’s national teams U.S. received $9 million from cer paid to the top 16 players ‘This week's ratification of a selected to the All-Big 12 down and we were in a dif- that will guarantee equal pay FIFA for reaching the round in the national team pool last new CBA would appear to have First team. ferent space last year at this for players on both sides, likely of 16 in the 2014 World Cup, year. Since 2005, every CBA met those conditions, but it Bahl’s last appearance time.” ending the six-year legal fight the last it played in, while the the women have negotiated must still be approved by the came in the second game of Jocelyn Alo top three fi- between the women’s squad women received $4 million for with U.S. Soccer has included the Bedlam series earlier this nalist for Player of the Year court and the players who filed and the federation over sala- winning the Women's World a version of that basic salary month, and Gasso said she’s ‘The home run queen could ries and working conditions. Cup in 2019. Under the newly the lawsuit. structure in recognition of the working hard to get back on add another accolade to her “This is a truly historic mo- ratified CBAs, all that money low wages many women’s pro- For Cone, re-elected in the field. historic career next month. ment,” U.S. Soccer President would go into one pot and, af- fessional teams paid. But with March to a four-year term as Cindy Parlow Cone said. “These ter the federation subtracted salaries spiraling in Europe and US. Soccer president, the CBA “With this injury, she’s ‘Alo was nameda top-three handling it very optimisti- fimalist for the 2022 USA agreements have changed the its cut, would be divided equal- with the domestic NWSL now agreements end a two-decade cally,” Gasso said. “She's frus- Softball Collegiate Player of game forever here in the Unit- operating under a new CBA of fight for equal pay that began ly among the players on the trated she can’t help the team, the Year award, the organiza- ed States and have the poten- two teams. its own, national team players when she was a World Cup- but she’s confident she’s go- tion announced Wednesday. tial to change the game around “There's many models you felt comfortable moving away champion player in 1999. ing to get the opportunity to It’s the fourth year in a row the world.” could have taken to equalize from the old model. “When I took over the pres- get back on the field.” Under the agreements, World Cup prize money. This “We progressed. We've out- idency, this was something I Gasso said she was unsure the Sooners have had a final- which run through 2028, is just the one that we landed grown some of the conditions wanted to lead on. To be the if she pitched at all during the ist for the award. members of both national on,” said Becca Roux, execu- that may look like we have lost Sooners’ practice Tuesday. She's currently the reign- first country to come to terms teams will be paid equally for tive director of the women’s something,” said Midge Purce, with both the men’s team and “If she did anything today ing player of the year after all competitions, including national team players’ associa- a forward with the national the women’s team and their it was very, very, very light,” winning the award last sea- their respective World Cups. tion. team and with Gotham FC in Gasso said. son, putting her in a position For friendly games, men’s No other national federa- the NWSL. “Our league is actu- [players associations] to equal- If Bahl can’t go, the Soon- to become just the fifth player and women’s players will get tion has agreed to such a far- ally strong enough where now ize World Cup prize money and ers will look at other options. to win the award in consecu- identical roster bonuses and reaching revenue-sharing for- we don’t need as many guaran- equalize everything, every eco- Sophomore Nicole May tive seasons. performance payments based mula, teed contracts. We can be ona nomic term of the contract,” could see a bigger role this Earlier this month, Alo on the outcome of the match “We had conversations, more of a pay-to-play model.” she said. “I'm just so proud that weekend and has experience was named the Big 12 Player and the world ranking of the hard conversations, to get to ‘The men have been working we we've got to this moment. playing in big games. She of the year for the second opponent. The teams will split where we were to where we without a labor contract since ‘There were moments when I pitched in several key mo- year in a row and also claimed broadcast, partner and spon- are now,” said Walker Zimmer- 2018 while the women’s deal thought it was all going to fall ments during the postseason a spot on the All-Big 12 First sorship revenues 50-50 as well. mann, a men’s national team expired in March. Although apart and then it came back to- last year, including the first ‘Team for the fourth time in ‘The federation also agreed defender and a member of the two CBAs, hammered out gether. And it’s a real credit to game of the Women’s Col- her career. to provide equality in venues the players’ union’s leadership at the same negotiating table, all the different groups coming lege World Series last year, Alo broke softball’s career and playing fields, in accom- group. “But it’s something that have been agreed to by the re- together, negotiating at one and she pitched four innings home run record earlier this modations at games and train- we all looked at and are ex- spective players’ associations against Oldahoma State last ing camps, in charter flights tremely proud of: to be the first and the federation’s board of table. weekend. season, hitting her 96th ca- and in staffing, country that has done this, to directors, it does not necessar- “The real turning point “I like what she’s been do- reer homer to surpass former “It’s a big accomplishment equalize, across the board, eco- ily end the equal-pay lawsuit was when we finally were all in ing,” Gasso said. “She's throw- OU player Lauren Chamber- to arrive at a structure all sides nomic terms and prize money. the women filed against the the same room, sitting at the ing really well in practice and Jain. The Hawaii native now could accept, even though the “We saw it as an opportu- federation. In February, the same table, working together getting some big strikeouts sits with 113 career homers devil is always in the details in nity to be leaders in this front two sides reached an agree- and collaborating to reach this and putting these guys in entering the regional tourna- these kinds of deals,” said Ste- and join in with the women's ment on a settlement that in- goal.” pressure situations. Nicole ment this weekend. Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is the talk of Preakness, even if he isn’t racing John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times “The horses up front basically destroyed ner. “This one was off the wall. Granted, he had first three-quarters of a mile. The race fell apart any horses within two lengths of the lead,” said a perfect trip, a beautiful ride, maybe a pace that, alittle bit as it should have. It is what it is. If you BALTIMORE — This year’s Preakness Stakes Craig Fravel, chief executive of 1st/Racing, for- was too hot for the horses that figured, but even don’t learn to turn the page in this game, you're has a different vibe about it. Gone is the excite- merly the Stronach Group, which puts on the then it’s hard to understand what happened. I going to be upset alot and have alot of sleepless ment of the possibility of a Triple Crown win- Preakness. “He had an amazing run and clearly have no answer to that. It was unreal.” nights.” ner. The talk is mostly about the only filly in he didn’t get used up early. He was the only one Lukas is not afraid to try different things and Epicenter is also running in the Preakness the nine-horse field, trained by an 86-year-old that had that much energy left at the end.” has Secret Oath, a filly, in Saturday's race. A filly and is the 6-5 morning-line favorite. racing legend ... and, of course, the horse that It's a common theory that Crown Pride and has won the Preakness six times in its 146-year ‘There is little doubt that Rich Strike’s win did didn’t win the Kentucky Derby but most still Summer Is Tomorrow, first and second in the history. Secret Oath won the Kentucky Oaks for get a lot of mainstream interest. think is the best. UAE Derby, ran much too fast through the be- fillies on the Friday before the Derby and fin- “The Derby is the one event in this sport — Rich Strike’s improbable win in the 148th ginning of the race and brought with them some ished third in the Arkansas Derby against males and we hope the Preakness is a close second — running of the Kentucky Derby will surely come of the better pace-setting horses. The first quar- while enduring a bad trip. that captures the general interest of the pub- up in the discussion for the biggest sports sur- ter-mile was run in 21.78 seconds and the half- Lukas also helped Rich Strike win the Der- lic,” racetrack executive Fravel said. “It’s like in prises in recent memory. Not as surprising, but mile in 45.36 seconds, which would be very fast baseball when people were getting tired of the by ... sort of. It took Lukas scratching Ethereal still eyebrow raising, is the Derby winner skip- for a six-furlong race, never mind 10 furlongs (1 Road the day before the Derby to allow the win- Yankees winning all the time, or at least they ping the Preakness. 1/4 miles). ner into the race as an “also eligible.” used to but not of late. There is the notion that It has happened 11 times since the current “It just changed the whole complexion of “I apologized to [trainer] Steve Asmussen someone else has a shot, someone relatively un- Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes the race,” said trainer Tim Yakteen, who saddled and said, ‘I cost you the Derby, ” Lukas said. known, not prominent players. Messier in the Derby and will run Armagnac in “Obviously if you had looked at the [past per- order was established in 1932. The last time a “I think it invigorates things in multiple Derby winner skipped the Preakness was 2019 the Preakness, “Everybody sort of got pulled up formances of Rich Strike] you would have said, ways, not just fan interest, but when people are when Country House was sick, and never raced to that pace. The pace affected the outcome of ‘Enjoy the day, "Asmussen was set to win his at the sales and looking to buy a horse. This is a again. This time it was the decision of the owner the race. It set up well for some of those horses first Kentucky Derby, after 23 straight losses, game of hopes and dreams. If they think they to save the horse for the Belmont. to have the trip that the winner did.” with Epicenter, who looked destined to win un- have a realistic hope or dream to getting to Still, almost two weeks later, discussion Hall of fame trainer Wayne Lukas, who at 86 til Rich Strike barreled past him in late stretch. that spot and that it’s not always [Bob] Baffert, around the barns turns to the same recurring has seen his share of horse races, doesn’t see it “The only way I can explain it, is it just wasn’t [Todd] Pletcher, Asmussen or the usual leader- question: How did an 80-1 longshot win the as simple. meant to be,” said assistant trainer Scott Blasi, ship group, then I think it’s great for everybody.” Kentucky Derby? “Normally, I could have a comment on and who was attending to Asmussen’s barn while ‘And, everyone also agrees, that the buzz at ‘The answer is much simpler than you might make some sense of it, but I can’t make any the trainer went to a nearby horse sale. “I don’t Pimlico Race Course would be a lot higher this think ... or is it? sense of that one,” Lukas said on the 80-1 win- think anyone saw those fractions coming the week if that 80-1 horse were here.