These former Indiana high school softball players are in the NCAA softball Super Regionals
NCAA softball Super Regionals begin Friday with the winner of these best-of-three series advancing to the Women's College World Series. Meet the five former Indiana high school stars looking to help punch their team's ticket to Oklahoma City.
The freshman from Hanover Central is batting .317 with 20 hits, 13 runs scored and six RBIs. She's swiped six bases and her collection of hits includes two doubles and a homer. Comia is also perfect thus far in the field, notching 14 putouts and 16 assists.
Lowry, a 2024 Tri-West grad, is 6-0 in the circle with a 3.17 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 42 innings pitched. She played a crucial role in the Sooners' come-from-behind win over Arkansas in the SEC tournament, pitching three shutout innings with three strikeouts as OU rallied for an 8-6 win.
A junior utility player from Carmel, Norris has appeared in 29 games as a pinch runner this season, logging seven steals and scoring 12 runs. Liberty, which upset No. 1-seed Texas A&M in the regional, plays at No. 16 Oregon this weekend.
The former Roncalli star is 14-5 with a 3.45 ERA and 89 strikeouts through 111.2 innings pitched (24 appearances). She's thrown seven complete games (four shutouts) and is allowing a .257 batting average against. Rothrock's also logged a hit and two RBIs at the plate. No. 3 Florida hosts Georgia for its best-of-3.
A South Bend St. Joseph graduate, Zache has appeared in nine games this season, collecting two hits in four at-bats. She's scored four runs and notched her first career RBI in the regional against Cal. No. 2 Oklahoma hosts No. 15 Alabama.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Zakai Zeigler lawyers: New Tennessee law prevents NCAA from keeping Vols player off court
Attorneys for former Tennessee basketball player Zakai Zeigler are trying to utilize a new state law curtailing the NCAA's authority to get him an additional year of eligibility. It's the latest twist in Zeigler's federal lawsuit against the NCAA, which challenges the so-called "Four Seasons" rule. The NCAA allows athletes to play four seasons during a five-year period, which can include a redshirt year. Zeigler ran out of NCAA eligibility by playing the past four seasons for UT basketball and not taking a redshirt. He wants to play a fifth season and earn millions of dollars in NIL pay. His attorneys say the NCAA does not have the authority in the state of Tennessee to stop him. The new Tennessee law, Senate Bill 536, allows Tennessee universities and athletes to opt out of NCAA rules if they appear to violate antitrust law. The initial purpose was to shift liability toward the NCAA and conferences and away from the schools in anticipated antitrust lawsuits by athletes unhappy with new player-pay rules in college sports. But broad language in the law – which has not been litigated in any court – strips the NCAA of its power if the association prohibits a Tennessee athlete from earning money. Zeigler's attorneys are seizing on that portion to push for a preliminary injunction that would grant him a fifth year of eligibility. '(The new Tennessee law is) unambiguously clear: Any NCAA action that impacts an athlete's ability to earn NIL compensation or his or her eligibility, like the Four-Seasons Rule, is illegal in Tennessee,' Zeigler's attorneys argued in a brief filed to the Eastern District of Tennessee federal court on June 7. The NCAA countered, accusing Zeigler of exploiting a law that doesn't apply to his case. '(Zeigler's brief) continues his effort to dismantle the NCAA membership's longstanding eligibility rules by any means necessary — this time through a tortured reading of an irrelevant law,' NCAA attorneys wrote in a brief to the court on June 8. 'Common sense dictates that the new Tennessee statute has nothing to do with this case.' The law appeared to be in response to Tennessee v. NCAA, a separate federal lawsuit that challenged the NCAA's rules that prohibited schools from facilitating NIL negotiations with players and recruits. Tennessee and the NCAA reached a settlement in that case in January, the same month that Senate Bill 536 was introduced in the legislature. The new law was signed by Gov. Bill Lee on May 1, and it sparked a fight between UT and power conferences about whether the school had to follow new player-pay rules set forth in the House settlement. However, a provision in the new law said the NCAA shall not 'interfere with, prohibit, restrict, or otherwise adversely affect an intercollegiate athlete's ability to earn compensation … and shall not otherwise impact an intercollegiate athlete's eligibility or full participation in intercollegiate athletic events.' Zeigler has used that language in his fight against the NCAA. Federal Judge Katherine Crytzer could invalidate the state law altogether if she wants. Zeigler has a guaranteed spot on Tennessee's 2025-26 basketball roster if Crytzer allows it. The latest hearing was held in Knoxville on June 6, and both sides are jockeying for a stronger position. Zeigler's attorney, Alex Little, told the judge that Zeigler intends to play for the Vols and was told he had a spot on the team. But Little also said the NCAA wouldn't be able to restrict Zeigler's entrance into the transfer portal, presumably meaning if his injunction request was approved, Zeigler would have the option to play at another school, not just UT. The NCAA argues that its eligibility rules are clear, and Zeigler cannot exceed them. But Zeigler's attorneys say that the law allows UT to determine who plays on its teams, not the NCAA. '(The NCAA) argued that the phrase 'can . . . participate' means that Mr. Zeigler must be eligible to participate under its own eligibility rules,' Zeigler's attorneys argued in a brief. 'But this argument assumes its own premise: that the NCAA — rather than the institution — determines who gets to 'participate in an athletic program (at an institution).'' The NCAA sees a contradiction in UT's apparent support of Zeigler and its acceptance of NCAA eligibility rules. After all, member schools like UT make up the NCAA and adopt its rules. The House settlement, which resolved three federal antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and four power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC), could strengthen the NCAA's position in the Zeigler case. The settlement was approved on June 6, just hours after the conclusion of Zeigler's hearing, and reinforced eligibility rules. The House settlement permitted the NCAA and conferences to cap the number of years an athlete is eligible to receive payments at four years plus a redshirt year, providing that all four of those seasons must be played within a consecutive five-year period. The SEC, which includes UT as a member, agreed to that settlement. 'The State's flagship institution (which happens to be the school Plaintiff attended) is a member of an athletic conference that has agreed to a settlement that expressly affirms the NCAA's Four-Seasons Rule,' NCAA attorneys argued in a brief. 'That same institution, the University of Tennessee, obtained valuable legal releases pursuant to that settlement and unsurprisingly has repeatedly endorsed it. 'It is accordingly hard to imagine the Tennessee legislature passing a law so obviously at odds with the University of Tennessee's legal position and interests.' Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Zakai Zeigler lawyers: Tennessee law supersedes NCAA eligibility rule
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Ex-Louisville basketball star Russ Smith arrested on suspicion of drunken driving
Former Louisville basketball star Russ Smith was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Kentucky over the weekend, according to online records. Smith, a member of the team that won the 2013 NCAA title which was later vacated due to rules violations, was arrested just after midnight on Sunday and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The Louisville Courier Journal reported that officers noted Smith's vehicle driving across multiple lanes, including a crosswalk, and that the vehicle's tags were expired. According to the report, officers detected a "strong odor of alcoholic beverages" on Smith's breath during the traffic stop. Smith reportedly failed a field sobriety test and had a blood alcohol content of 0.073. The Louisville Courier Journal reported that Kentucky law allows that drivers with BAC greater than 0.04 but less than 0.08 may still be charged based on other evidence. Smith reportedly admitted to officers that he had "two bourbon pours neat" before driving. Online jail records indicated that Smith was also charged with not having proper registration plates and reckless driving. He was released on Sunday and is due back in court on Wednesday. The 34-year-old former college basketball player was a member of the 2013 NCAA men's basketball championship-winning team where he averaged 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists in the tournament. The NCAA stripped the basketball program of that title because of a major rules violation years later. Smith spent a brief period in the NBA playing for the New Orleans Pelicans and the Memphis Grizzlies. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Simone Biles clarifies criticism of Riley Gaines, says kids should never be focus
Simone Biles clarifies criticism of Riley Gaines, says kids should never be focus Show Caption Hide Caption Trans teen publishes children's book about inclusivity This transgender teen co-wrote 'A Kids Book About Being Inclusive' with the hopes of inspiring children everywhere. Staff Video, USA TODAY Simone Biles doesn't want anyone picking on kids. The seven-time Olympic champion tried to add some clarity to her exchange last week with anti-transgender activist Riley Gaines, apologizing for her personal criticism but doubling down on her feelings about Gaines' attacks on kids. "My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful. Individual athletes — especially kids — should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over," Biles wrote Tuesday. OPINION: Simone Biles shows her greatness again in standing up for transgender community | Opinion Gaines has made a career out of attacking the participation of transgender women athletes since tying Lia Thomas for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle at the NCAA championships in 2022. She routinely uses her platform to mock and demean transgender athletes, many of whom are minors. On Friday, Gaines posted about the Champlin Park softball team, which won the Class 4A title in Minnesota. The team's star pitcher is reportedly transgender, and Gaines referred to her as "a dude" and said Champlin Park had "hijacked" the title. That drew the ire of Biles, who called Gaines "sick" and a "sore loser." "You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!!" Biles wrote. "But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!! Biles then told Gaines to "bully someone your own size." Since then, Gaines has repeatedly posted about Biles, often in personal terms. She even likened Biles' defense of transgender athletes to Larry Nassar's abuse. Nassar is the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State team physician who sexually abused Biles and hundreds of other girls and young women, often under the guise of medical treatment. Biles didn't weigh in further on the participation of transgender athletes in Tuesday's post, saying instead that everyone wants "a future for sport that is fair, inclusive, and respectful."
