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Today is Monday, May 5, the 125th day of 2025. There are 240 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On May 5, 1961, astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. became America’s first space traveler as he made a 15-minute suborbital flight aboard Mercury capsule Freedom 7.

Also on this date:

In 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte, 51, died in exile on the island of St. Helena.

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In 1862, Mexican troops repelled French attacks on the city of Puebla de los Ángeles in the Battle of Puebla, also known as the Battle of Cinco de Mayo.

In 1925, schoolteacher John T. Scopes was charged in Tennessee with violating a state law that prohibited teaching the theory of evolution. (Scopes was found guilty, but his conviction was later set aside.)

In 1945, in the only fatal attack on the U.S. mainland during World War II, a Japanese balloon bomb exploded on Gearhart Mountain in Oregon, killing a pregnant woman and five children.

In 1973, Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby, the first of his Triple Crown victories, in a time of 1:59.4 — a record that still stands.

In 1981, Irish Republican Army hunger-striker Bobby Sands died at age 27 at the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland on his 66th day without food.

In 1994, Singapore caned American teenager Michael Fay for vandalism, a day after the sentence was reduced from six lashes to four in response to an appeal by President Bill Clinton.

In 2016, Lonnie Franklin Jr. was convicted of 10 counts of murder in the “Grim Sleeper” serial killings in Los Angeles that targeted poor, young Black women over two decades.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor Lance Henriksen is 85.
• Comedian-actor Michael Palin is 82.
• Actor Richard E. Grant is 68.
• R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn is 50.
• Actor Vincent Kartheiser is 46.
• Actor Danielle Fishel is 44.
• Actor Henry Cavill is 42.
• Singer-songwriter Adele is 37.
• R&B singer Chris Brown is 36.
• Tennis player Aryna Sabalenka is 27.
• Olympic figure skating gold medalist Nathan Chen is 26.
• Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz is 22.

GAINESVILLE — The University of Florida plans to hire school president Santa Ono away from the University of Michigan.

Ono was recommended as the search committee’s only finalist to be considered by the board of trustees on Sunday night.

“Dr. Ono’s proven record of academic excellence, innovation and collaborative leadership at world-class institutions made him our unanimous choice,” said Rahul Patel, chair of the school’s presidential search committee.

The school’s board selects the president and the appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors, per state law.

Ono is expected to be on campus Tuesday for a series of opportunities to connect with students, faculty, and administrators.

“Few moments in higher education are as exciting as this one at the University of Florida,” Ono said. “No other public university combines UF’s momentum, its role as the flagship of one of the nation’s most important states, the extraordinary support from state leaders, and a shared vision across its entire community.”

Ono is set to replace Kent Fuchs, who became the school’s interim president last summer after ex-U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse stepped down. Sasse left the U.S. Senate, where he represented Nebraska, to become the university’s president in 2023.

Sasse announced in July he was leaving the job to focus on his family after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Soon thereafter, there were reports that Sasse gave six former staffers and two former Republican officials jobs with salaries that outstripped comparable positions and spent over $1.3 million on private catering for lavish dinners, football tailgates and extravagant social functions in his first year on the job.

The amount was about double the spending of his predecessor, Fuchs, who was brought back to head the university on a temporary basis.

“If I could select a dream candidate for the University’s next president, it would be Santa Ono,” Fuchs said. ”His demonstrated record of success at the best universities, his leadership style, and caring personality have allowed him to work effectively with faculty, students, alumni, staff and other stakeholders everywhere he has been.”

Nearly three years ago, the University of Michigan hired Ono after he led the University of British Columbia. He previously served as president of the University of Cincinnati and senior vice provost and deputy to the provost at Emory University in Georgia.

As U.S. colleges pull back on diversity, equity and inclusion practices as they respond to the Trump administration’s orders against diversity practices, the University of Michigan was among the first schools to make major DEI rollbacks to avoid federal scrutiny. Ono had said the school will find other ways to support students, including an expansion of scholarships for low-income students.

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

General Daily Insight for May 05, 2025

Looking for good intentions can be healing today. As the passionate Leo Moon trines sensitive Chiron, we may wind up changing our views regarding situations that hurt us in the past. Clever Mercury then sextiles confident Jupiter at 1:21 pm EDT, fueling our optimism to move forward. Under this influence, big ideas might come to us out of nowhere! After Luna shifts into grounded Virgo, we’ll be in a better position to pin down the practical details. Inspiration isn’t everything, but it’s a start.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Telling your side of the story could be a relief. You likely have your reasons why you handled certain things the way you did. As articulate Mercury in your sign aligns with brave Jupiter in your communication sector, you’re equipped to stand by them. Sometimes, simply being willing to keep talking is enough to get you past an initially disapproving reaction. Your own shame about the situation might add to your discomfort, so try to separate that from what anyone else is saying.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

A financial matter might have a surprising solution at this time. As inquisitive Mercury in your 12th House of Secrets helps abundant Jupiter in your finance zone, revisiting a situation you haven’t thought about in a while could be fruitful. Things have potentially changed since you last looked into it! You’ll certainly have a right to celebrate if this works out, but don’t broadcast any gains too widely — you need peace more than you need the ego boost of validation from others.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Taking a leadership role in your community could go well for you now. As verbal Mercury in your social 11th house encourages prominent Jupiter in your sign, you may be seen as a strong spokesperson for a view that many of your peers hold. Perhaps the issue you’re dealing with is so heavy that others are afraid of saying the wrong thing. You can acknowledge the serious nature of the problem without being dour at every moment. It’s okay to live a little.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

A professional victory could currently be bigger than it appears on the surface. As brilliant Mercury in your 10th House of Career engages with fortunate Jupiter in your private 12th house, you may see how your recent achievement has the potential to shape your path forward in a more significant way. The prospect of financial gain might also be exciting for you. Let things play out for a while before you make any definite announcements in public, but enjoy the opportunity to dream!

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Bringing something thought-provoking to the table is a great way to have fun with friends today. When witty Mercury in your intellectual 9th house stimulates gregarious Jupiter in your social sector, you’ll probably be in the mood to go beyond the usual routine chatter. Others are likely to enjoy whatever discussions you start, but you’ll have to take the initial risk. You might also reveal more personal information than usual as the conversation unfolds, but this doesn’t have to be a bad thing!

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

A significant alliance could currently bring you closer to your goals. As calculating Mercury in your 8th House of Joint Resources collaborates with powerful Jupiter in your ambitious 10th house, knowing what you can’t do all by yourself is just as important as identifying your personal strengths. You still might not love the idea of having to rely on someone else, but everyone needs assistance sometimes — and it’s probably not necessary to emphasize that part of the story. Focus on what gets results!

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Finding out where a companion stands on big issues could be an important step at the moment. As curious Mercury in your relationship sector questions opinionated Jupiter in your 9th House of Beliefs, you’ll probably manage to understand each other well enough. However, you might learn a few things that are different from what society has told you to believe. Try to trust your lived experience — if whatever you’re hearing isn’t harmful to others and truly resonates with you, it can’t be that bad!

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Getting a task done may require thinking outside the box today. There’s a chance that you’re getting lost in the weeds of trying to follow a specific procedure. While detail-oriented Mercury in your responsible 6th house notices benevolent Jupiter in your sharing sector, you might want to look at the big picture — are you even the right person to be doing this job? Delegating or asking for help isn’t always fun, but consider the possibility that it could benefit everyone involved.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Remembering to have fun with a loved one might be exactly what your connection needs at this time. While creative Mercury in your playful 5th house energizes bold Jupiter in your partnership zone, taking a break from your usual routine can help you rediscover each other in a healthier context. You may physically travel somewhere together, but try not to fall into disappointment if that isn’t workable — just relaxing at your usual hang-out spots in whatever way feels natural could be rejuvenating too!

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Improving your current home environment could be an excellent use of your time. As insightful Mercury in your domestic zone collaborates with high-energy Jupiter in your productive 6th house, you’ll have the physical brawn to direct toward any demanding tasks, but you’ll also have the brains to make sure that you’re focused on the most useful ones. Still, don’t be afraid to ask someone else involved in the situation for help — it’s a great opportunity to build a stronger relationship!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Sharing what brings you joy could be worth the trouble right now. Perhaps you’ve had uncomfortable experiences trying to tell others about your passions in the past. Thankfully, as candid Mercury in your communication zone connects with exuberant Jupiter in your 5th House of Pleasure, you’re better prepared to convey how something feels good. Don’t focus on convincing your audience that this activity is right for them — whether or not it is, the important part is for them to understand it works for you.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Figuring out what makes you feel secure is crucial. As precise Mercury in your resource sector checks in with prosperous Jupiter in your 4th House of Foundations, you can probably tally up exactly how much money you have available to throw at a given problem. On the other hand, remember that cash isn’t the only tool in your box. A solution that gives you a chance to take pride in your effort might lift your self-worth, so consider going that route.

MIAMI GARDENS – There’s an incorrect perception, perhaps due to media messaging, that the Crypto.com Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix is only for the rich and famous, that you must spend thousands of dollars to have a good time.

That’s not true from a recent three-day experience, which included walking more than 15 miles around the campus, interviewing about a dozen people, and casually chatting with many others.

It turns out two people can have a great day at the Miami Grand Prix for about $300.

That minimal-cost good time total breaks down to a pair of one-day grandstand passes at $70 apiece and parking for $45, leaving $115 for food, drinks and merchandise.

“We do want it to be for everybody,” said Tom Garfinkel, managing partner for the Miami Grand Prix.

The Miami Grand Prix isn’t cheap by any definition.

A hamburger can cost $22, a beer can cost $12 and water is $6.

However, it seemed the vast majority of the estimated 275,000 people who attended this year’s three-day racing event/party at the International Miami Autodrome (Hard Rock Stadium) had a great time watching Oscar Piastri of McLaren earn his sixth career win by defeating teammate Lando Norris, last year’s Miami Grand Prix winner, and Mercedes’ George Russell. 

Timothy Heard, a 54-year-old from Chilicothe, Ohio, estimates he’s been to more than 100 NASCAR events. 

To say Heard was impressed by the Miami Grand Prix would be a huge understatement.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” said Heard, a Daytona native who was attending the event with his son, Timothy Jr., to celebrate his 16th birthday.

“Nothing NASCAR does compares to this… we’ve been to a lot of NASCAR races but the atmosphere here, the people, the food. Everything totally blows NASCAR away.”

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For the fourth consecutive year, the Miami Grand Prix was a veritable who’s-who of celebrities.

However, Friday’s crowd, which basked in sunny and pleasant weather, seemed more middle-income and younger than Saturday or Sunday.

That might be because it was the cheapest one-day pass.

Garfinkel, who also serves as president and CEO of the Miami Dolphins, thinks the crowd was the same as last year.

“I just think maybe people look at it a little differently,” he said. “You’re looking through different eyes and noticing it more. I don’t know that it’s fundamentally different than it was last year, or the year before.”

Saturday’s full-house crowd, which battled intermittent rain but had the benefit of cloudy skies to keep the heat away, was a bit more of an older, high-income crew. 

Kaskade, the American DJ/producer, rocked the Hard Rock Beach after Saturday’s wet and wild Sprint race that was won by Norris, followed by Piastri (who was the driver for Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s hot lap Friday) and Ferrari superstar Lewis Hamilton.

Among those in attendance Saturday were Miami Heat president Pat Riley, hip-hop artist Pusha T, hip-hop artist/singer Travis Scott, and Michael Strahan, the NFL Hall of Fame player and TV personality.

Sunday’s guests included Tagovailoa, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, DJ Khaled, the world-famous hip-hop artist and producer, actors Michael Douglas and Terry Crews, musician Seal, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

The Miami Grand Prix said 60 percent of fans attending the races are Floridians, and 80 percent of those fans are from South Florida.

Meredith Moody, who lives in Orlando, attended her second Miami Grand Prix this year. She brought her sister, Elizabeth, along.

She enjoys the Miami Grand Prix for more than just the racing.

“It has a lot of little hangout spots,” Meredith said Sunday.

“They entertain in between (races),” Elizabeth said.

“There’s fresh flowers and trees,” Meredith said. “And little spots to take pictures with people. And a lot of local food vendors.

“Very local and celebratory,’ Elizabeth said of the atmosphere.

Steve Kent, a 73-year-old resident of Reno, Nev., has been to many Formula 1 Grand Prix races.

Montreal. Singapore. Austin. Las Vegas.

This was his first Miami Grand Prix.

“This one looked cool,” he said Saturday.

And the verdict?

“It’s been good,” he said.

Everything wasn’t peaches and cream, though, at the Miami Grand Prix.

Kent said the traffic leaving the Miami Grand Prix was brutal Friday.

Garfinkel said the traffic issues are largely caused by construction on the Turnpike and there are talks to alleviate the situation in the future.

Meredith Moody wasn’t happy about some things with the Miami Grand Prix app, such as what she said was poor information guiding her to her parking lot. She also wasn’t happy about having to use a portable restroom after spending lots of money for her ticket package.

Overall, however, things seemed to run smoothly while attempting to provide something for everyone.

The Miami Grand Prix, after all, is a multi-faceted entertainment venue — featuring areas such as The Beach, The Promenade, The Fountains, Sunrise Key, etc. — that offer lots of variety.

“I kind of envisioned it like a Disneyland map,” Garfinkel said of the campus. “Like, do you want to go to Treasure Island or Magic Mountain or Pirates of the Caribbean, whatever?

“And that’s kind of how it is. Do you want to go to the beach? Do you want to go to the yachts? Do you want to go to this bar? Do you want to go to this restaurant? Let’s go get a Miami slice pizza and then let’s go to the champagne tent. And so I think from that standpoint there’s just so much to do here.”

Of course, there’s a bottom-line truth to the Miami Grand Prix that organizers want you to remember.

“This is a motorsports event,” said Tyler Epp, president of the Miami Grand Prix.

To that end, anecdotally it seems more people were actually watching the race this year than just coming out to party. It seems more people attending the race are becoming racing fans.

In this battle to win hearts and minds, and turn curiosity-seekers into F1 fans, the Miami Grand Prix seems to be doing that, sometimes at a relatively reasonable cost.

Race officials want fans to experience the good-time-at-a-reasonable-price messaging for themselves. And the rest, they think, will take care of itself.

“I do believe that fan bases are built at events not on television,” Garfinkel said. “I think you become a fan at the event, so if we can create a great festival atmosphere here for casual fans, and then they come, they’re going to fall in love with the racing.”

By JENNA FRYER

MIAMI GARDENS — The first time Oscar Piastri arrived at the Miami Grand Prix as a Formula 1 driver he was in the slowest car in the field and only narrowly avoided finishing last.

Fast-forward two years and Piastri and McLaren Racing have come full circle.

Piastri maintained his advantage in the F1 championship fight by winning at Miami on Sunday for his fourth win through six races this season. Piastri has won three consecutive F1 races for McLaren Racing, where he and teammate Lando Norris are trying to dethrone four-time defending champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull.

McLaren has won Miami the last two years, with Norris on top last season for his first career F1 victory.

“It’s just incredible, the hard work that’s gone in,” Piastri said of McLaren. “I remember two years ago here in Miami, we were genuinely the slowest team. I think we got lapped twice and to now have won the Grand Prix by over 35 seconds to third is an unbelievable result of the hard work of every single person.”

Piastri is the first McLaren driver to win three consecutive F1 races in 28 years; Mika Hakkinen did it with a win in the 1997 season finale and then victories in the first two races of 1998.

He widened his lead over Norris in the driver standings to 16 points, while Verstappen trails Piastri by 32 points.

Norris’ win at Miami last season snapped Verstappen’s two-year winning streak at the course surrounding Hard Rock Stadium. Norris also won the sprint race on Saturday — Piastri dominated but a late safety car cost him the victory — but Verstappen won the pole in qualifying.

Verstappen, who announced the birth of his first child Friday morning, has been determined to disprove the myth that fatherhood would make him a more conservative driver. It was evident as he darted away at the start and then aggressively held off Norris’ challenge for the lead.

The Red Bull and McLaren were side-by-side and Norris was trying to edge ahead of the Dutchman, but he ran off track and lost four spots. Norris said Verstappen forced him off track and there was nothing he could do but try to avoid running into a wall — but F1 took no action against Verstappen.

“What can I say? If I don’t go for it, people complain. If I go for it, people complain,” Norris said. “You can’t win. But it really just how it is with Max — it’s crash or their pass.”

Verstappen was unapologetic after fading to fourth and insisted he raced within the rules.

“I mean, I had nothing to lose, so I also wanted to have a bit of fun out there,” Verstappen said, adding McLaren’s strong start to the season is “not frustrating at all.”

“We are here to win and today we were miles off that, so it doesn’t really matter,” Verstappen said.

Norris recovered from the early incident and picked his way back toward the front, but not before Piastri took control away from Verstappen on the 14th of 57 laps. McLaren has decided it will allow Piastri and Norris to race each other cleanly without team orders, and Norris was cleared to challenge his Australian teammate for the victory.

In the waning laps, Norris was able to close the gap but could never catch Piastri and settled for second in a 1-2 finish for McLaren. The two held a nearly 40-second advantage over George Russell of Mercedes, who finished third.

Alex Albon of Williams was fifth, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes was sixth and Charles Leclerc was seventh after Ferrari ordered Lewis Hamilton to give his teammate the position in the closing laps. Hamilton was eighth.

Carlos Sainz Jr. was ninth for Williams and Yuki Tsunoda was 10th for Red Bull.

Doohan in doubt

Jack Doohan ran into another car on the opening lap and then crashed on the second lap — a showing that won’t quiet chatter the rookie is on the verge of being replaced at Alpine by Franco Colapinto.

There have been media reports in Argentina that Colapinto will replace Doohan at F1’s next race, later this month in Italy. It was dismissed at the start of the Miami weekend by Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes, who indicated “as it is today” the Australian would still be in the seat at Imola.

“I think it was a sponsor from Argentina off-camera giving his view on Franco, when he’s going to be in the car. I’m sure there’s a lot of people in Argentina who’d like him in the car this Sunday,” Oakes said about the speculation. “We’ve been pretty open as a team that that’s just noise. Jack needs to continue doing a good job. But it’s natural that there’s always speculation there.

“As it is today, Jack is our driver along with Pierre (Gasly),” he continued. “We’ve been pretty clear on that. We always evaluate, but today that is the case.”

Doohan, who didn’t complete two laps Sunday and finished last, has yet to score a point this season through six races. His best finish was 13th at the Chinese Grand Prix.

MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Nick Kurtz tripled with one out in the ninth inning and scored on a pinch hit by Tyler Soderstrom to lift the Athletics to a 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Sunday.

Kurtz sent an 0-1 pitch from Anthony Bender (1-1) down the left-field line and Soderstrom singled up the middle two pitches later to give the Athletics the three-game series and improve to an AL-best 13-7 on the road.

The Athletics (19-16) grabbed the lead in the second when Miguel Andujar and Jacob Wilson led off with singles against Marlins starter Edward Cabrera. Both scored on a two-out double by Gio Urshela. Dane Myers threw Urshela out at home on a single by Jhonny Pereda to end the inning.

Miami tied it in the fourth with a two-out, bases-empty rally off Athletics starter JP Sears. Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers had base hits and Myers drove in both with a double.

Sears allowed two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. Mitch Spence (1-0) got five outs for the win and Tyler Ferguson retired three straight for his first save.

Cabrera gave up two runs on seven hits in 5 2/3.

Key moment

Kurtz notched his first extra-base hit in his 11th game since being called up from Triple-A Las Vegas. Soderstrom moved from first base to the outfield to get the 6-foot-5 Kurtz in the lineup.

Up next

Athletics: RHP Luis Severino (1-3, 3.30) starts Monday in the first of three against Seattle to begin a six-game homestand. The Mariners will start RHP Bryce Miller (2-3, 3.52).

Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-3, 8.31) starts Monday’s opener of a three-game series against the Dodgers, who have not named a starter.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The Panthers beat the Maple Leafs en route to their Stanley Cup Final in 2023, so they are familiar with the returning team’s stars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.

But after winning the Stanley Cup last year, three former Florida contributors — defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, forward Steven Lorentz and goalie Anthony Stolarz — left for Toronto. Now the Panthers will have to take down their former teammates as they try to take another step toward repeating as Stanley Cup champions. Florida and Toronto start their second-round playoff series Monday at 8 p.m. in Toronto.

“Good for all of them,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “I think Oliver Ekman-Larsson had established his career long before he came to us and was a big part of our success last year. But both those men — Steve Lorentz and Anthony — are at a new level, a new opportunity for them in Toronto, and they’ve made the most of it. They’ve played very, very well. We’re happy for them.

“Those guys — they’re not just ‘were’ a big part of it; that story gets to endure in our locker room for the men that played, so they still are a big part of that story. I’m happy they’ve been able to find a place where their opportunity and their input to the success of the Toronto Maple Leafs is really important.”

Both Ekman-Larsson and Lorentz are playing more for Toronto than they did for the Panthers last year, but Stolarz has been one of the Maple Leafs’ headliners.

Stolarz, who excelled when backing up Sergei Bobrovsky last year, started a career-high 33 games and rewarded Toronto with a 21-8 record, a league-leading .926 save percentage and a 2.14 goals-against average. Now he and Bobrovsky will go head-to-head.

“We had a good relationship, yeah, that’s true,” Bobrovsky said. “It was a good partnership, as well, last year. It’s going to be good. It’s going to be fun. He’s a good goalie.”

Despite the familiar faces of former Panthers and Maple Leaf veterans, Maurice said there is not much carry-over from the 2023 series, which Florida won in five games.

“There’s no value of any history with that other than we learned in Game 4 of that series what it’s like to go into a clinching game and try to hope out a win,” Maurice said. “We’ve carried that lesson forward with us. I think we learned that. But all the other players have completely changed. They’ve also had a fairly significant style change in their game with the coaching change. It was still our first year here, so we had a style change, too. … Half our teams are different, so there’s not much at all to be used from that series.”

The Panthers have the same coach and many of the same stars. But when they faced Toronto in 2023, they were an upstart No. 8 seed hat had just taken down one of the best regular-season teams in league history. Two years later, they are reigning champions with a lot more postseason experience.

“I think experience is the one aspect of it,” captain Aleksander Barkov said. “We have a lot of guys who went through those series and that year and last year and now this year. We have a lot more experience playing in the playoffs. But every year is different.”

The complete second-round Florida-Toronto schedule:

Game 1: Panthers at Maple Leafs, Monday, 8 p.m.

Game 2: Panthers at Maple Leafs, Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Game 3: Maple Leafs at Panthers, Friday, Time TBD

Game 4: Maple Leafs at Panthers, Sunday, May 11, Time TBD

Game 5: Panthers at Maple Leafs, Wednesday, May 14, Time TBD, if necessary

Game 6: Maple Leafs at Panthers, Friday, May 16,Time TBD, if necessary

Game 7: Panthers at Maple Leafs, Sunday, May 18, Time TBD, if necessary

GAINESVILLE — Kendra Falby, Florida’s speedy and risk-averse center fielder, knows only one speed — all out.

The Gators senior star twice robbed Oklahoma’s hitters and later stole home to lead her team past the top-ranked Sooners on Saturday to capture the final series of the regular season and catch a wave of confidence entering the postseason.

Falby and the Gators now aim to find another gear as ninth-ranked UF (43-13, 14-10 SEC) moved past a disappointing April — when Florida was 8-7 — at the expense of softball’s gold standard.

“We flipped the page. April’s over,” she said. “We’re in May now, and it’s go time.”

UF center fielder Kendra Falby (right) and right fielder Taylor Shumaker celebrate after Falby prevented a home run against Oklahoma during the Gators 6-4 win Saturday at Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium in Gainesville. (UAA Communications/Madilyn Gemme)

The Gators are the sixth seed at this week’s SEC Tournament and will face the winner of Ole Miss vs. Missouri at 5 p.m. Wednesday on the SEC Network.

A six-time tournament winner and the defending champions, Florida enters having done something it had not under Hall of Fame coach Tim Walton, a 1,000-game winner and two-time national champion at the school.

After losing the series opener to Oklahoma 6-5 in extra innings Thursday, the Gators soundly beat the Sooners 9-4 Friday, and then held them off the next day for the program’s first series win against the nation’s top-ranked team.

“It’s huge,” said sophomore pitcher Keegan Rothrock, who moved to 12-5 with the win. “That’s a big, big momentum, just them being who they are, and us being the Gators just knowing that we can do it.”

Patty Grasso’s dynasty, the four-time reigning national champions, still walked away comfortably with the SEC title during their first season in the league. But OU also posted its most losses since the 2017 squad finished 61-9 after defeating Florida in the Women’s College World Series final — one of seven Sooners national titles since 2013.

“It tells you just what kind of a league this is,” Walton said. “This is one of the toughest regular seasons I can remember, just top to bottom, just how many good players there are in this league, up and down every lineup.

“It’s just crazy.”

Few rosters feature the Gators’ embarrassment of riches.

Freshman phenom Taylor Shumaker’s first career grand slam — and the team’s 10th of the season — highlighted UF’s Game 2 win, the Gators’ first regular-season victory since 2013 against the nation’s No. 1 team and first at home since 2007.

UF sophomore pitcher Keegan Rothrock winds up to throw against top-ranked Oklahoma Saturday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville. (Courtesy UAA Communications)

The Gators entered the game coming off a 6-5 loss in nine innings sent into extras by sophomore second baseman Mia Williams’ two-run home run, her 19th in 2025 — three shy of Brittany Schutte’s single-season record 22 set in 2011.

On Saturday, Falby stole show, inspiring a sold-out crowd to chant her name more than once during the final regular-season game of a career spanning 252 appearances, all of them starts for the native of Odessa.

“It was awesome,” she said. “Any way I can help shift momentum the best I can, I try to do my best to do that.”

Yet the team’s leading hitter (.437) and run producer (63) along with being the reigning Gold Glove winner in center field wasn’t quite sure how to handle the shower of adulation at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

When she asked Walton, Falby recalled him telling her, “It’s OK to wave.”

The Sooners would have liked Falby to have been less self-assured in the field or on the base paths.

Falby first robbed OU first baseman Cydney Sanders of a home run after she corralled a 220-foot blast to center field and caught the ball as it cleared the fence to preserve UF’s 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.

With the Gators ahead 3-2 in the top of the sixth, Falby chased down a line drive by catcher Isabela Emerling in the right-field gap that likely would have scored Abigale Dayton from first base.

“Is there a better defensive player in the country? I don’t care what position,” Walton asked.

Florida softball coach Tim Walton reacts during the Gators' 6-4 win Saturday against top-ranked Oklahoma as his program captures its first series against the nation's No. 1 team. (Courtesy UAA Communications)

The fleet-footed Falby soon showcased her base-running prowess during a critical 3-run inning that began with a solo shot by sophomore Ava Brown over the left-field wall and ended with the Sooners trailing 6-2. A passed ball from Sooners ace Sam Landry (18-4) bobbled by Emerling gave Falby her opening.

“It’s all instincts,” she said. “There was no hesitation. I’m like, ‘I’m going, I’m going.’ Then I ended up scoring. I was like, ‘Yes …’”

Walton summed up Falby’s trio of big plays as “a run saver, a game saver and a game changer.”

“What a day she had,” he said.

Oklahoma did put up a final-inning fight, beginning with a 2-run home run by shortstop Gabbie Garcie but ending with two Sooners stranded on base as Brown held on for her fourth save.

“She’s got guts,” Walton said of the sophomore.

The Gators now have the kind of momentum a team could ride a long way.

“I’m just so excited to see what this team does moving forward,” Falby said. “This was a huge weekend for us.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Up next …

No. 6 Florida vs. winner of  No. 11 Ole Miss vs. No. 14 Missouri

When: 5 p.m., Wednesday.

Where: Jack Turner Stadium, Athens, Ga.

TV: SEC Network

By EVENS SANON and DÁNICA COTO

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Dozens of protesters marched up the hills of Haiti’s capital on Sunday demanding an end to persistent gang violence as they called on the country’s prime minister and transitional presidential council to resign.

It’s the latest protest to reflect growing anger and frustration over a surge in violence as gangs try to seize full control of Port-au-Prince.

“The only thing the Haitian people are asking for is security,” said Eric Jean, a 42-year-old bus driver with a large Haitian flag tied around his neck. “We’re losing more neighborhoods, more people are dying, more people are fleeing their homes.”

Also joining the protest was Marc Étienne, who blamed gangs for raiding his small business and leaving him homeless. The 39-year-old now lives in a squalid, makeshift camp like tens of thousands of others forced to flee their homes after gangs razed their communities.

Étienne called for a new government as he blamed the current leaders for the ongoing violence and an increase in the number of children joining gangs.

“Haiti cannot be run among friends,” he said. “The city is dying because the (council) is not doing anything to make it better.”

A vow to fight gangs

Sunday’s demonstration comes a day after hundreds of people gathered in Port-au-Prince to honor several community leaders killed in recent clashes with gangs.

“Freedom or death!” the mourners shouted on Saturday as the leaders of the Canapé-Vert neighborhood entered a small stadium where the memorial was held.

Videos posted on social media showed the leaders carrying automatic weapons and wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with pictures of those killed. Many wore balaclavas to cover their faces and protect themselves from possible retaliation by gangs.

Clad in white, the mourners raised their fists and clutched hands in the air as a man on stage roared in Haitian Creole, “The blood is not going to be shed in vain! The fight is what?”

“Just beginning!” the crowd answered in unison.

The unidentified man on stage said the community would never forget the slain leaders as he condemned gang violence. “People are dying, and they don’t even know why they’re dying,” he said.

Canapé-Vert is one of the few neighborhoods that has yet to fall to gangs that control at least 85% of the capital. It also is known for having one of Port-au-Prince’s most powerful neighborhood organizations, led in part by frustrated police officers.

In early April, Canapé-Vert leaders organized a large protest that became violent as they, too, demanded that Haiti’s prime minister and its transitional presidential council resign.

Attacks of ‘indiscriminate and brutal nature’

Sunday’s demonstration and other recent protests have decried the country’s spiraling crisis, with more than 1,600 people killed and another 580 injured from January to March.

In mid-March, hundreds of people armed with sticks and machetes, accompanied by members of an armed environmental brigade, successfully ousted more than 100 suspected gang members that had seized control of a Catholic school, according to a new report issued by the U.N. political mission in Haiti.

But the ouster is only one of a handful of successful fights against powerful gangs backed by certain politicians and some of Haiti’s elite.

Last year, more than 5,600 people across Haiti were killed, according to the U.N.

Gang violence also has left more than one million people homeless in recent years.

Gunmen in recent months have targeted once peaceful neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince that would give them easy access to Pétion-Ville, a residential area where banks, embassies and other institutions are located.

In a February attack on Delmas 30, gunmen “indiscriminately fired on the population in the neighborhood, killing 21 men and injuring eight others,” according to the U.N. report.

In a separate attack on a nearby neighborhood where the French embassy is located, at least 30 people were killed, many of whom were traveling in small colorful buses known as tap taps, according to the report.

Other victims include at least 15 people who were family members of police officers.

Gangs also have attacked multiple communities in Haiti’s central Artibonite region, killing adults and small children as they fled.

“The indiscriminate and brutal nature of some of these attacks shows the gang’s strategy to spread panic and reduce the resistance of the local population,” according to the BINUH report.

Meanwhile, Haiti’s National Police, bolstered by a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police, has struggled in its fight against gangs as the mission remains underfunded and understaffed, with only 1,000 personnel of the 2,500 envisioned.

In a push to crack down on gangs, the U.S. government on Friday officially designated Viv Ansanm, a powerful gang coalition, and Gran Grif, the largest gang to operate in Haiti’s central region, as foreign terror organizations.

Critics warn the move could affect aid organizations working in Haiti at a critical time, since many are forced to negotiate with gangs to supply people with basic goods including food and water.

___

Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Game times and sites provided by FHSAA.com

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Wednesday

4A

8. Okeechobee at 1. American Heritage

5. Miami American at 4. Somerset Academy

7. Dr. Joaquin Garcia at 2. Archbishop McCarthy

3A

8. Mater Lakes Academy vs. 1. Coral Springs Charter at Cypress Park, Field 2, Coral Springs, 6 p.m.

5. Pompano Beach at 4. St. Brendan, 6

6. LeBelle at 3. Cardinal Gibbons, 5

2A

8. Chaminade-Madonna at 1. Westminster Christian

5. Palmer Trinity at 4. Oxbridge Academy, 4

6, King’s Academy at 3. Miami Florida Christian, 6

1A

8. Berean Christian at 1. Miami Schoolhouse Prep

6. Mater Bay Academy at 3. Westminster Academy

Thursday

7A

5. Spanish River at 4. West Broward, 4:30

7. Coral Glades at 2. Western, 6:30

6. Stoneman Douglas at 3. Park Vista

8. Vero Beach at 1. Wellington

5. Palm Beach Central at Port St. Lucie Centennial, 4

7. Cypress Creek at 2. Jupiter

6A

4. Fort Lauderdale at 5. Monarch

7. Cooper City vs. 2. South Plantation at Pop Travers Park, Plantation, 6:30

6. West Boca Raton at 3. Miami Braddock, 3:30

8. Melbourne at 1. Palm Beach Gardens

5. Dwyer at 4. Valrico Bloomingdale

5A

8. Varela at 1. St. Thomas Aquinas

5. Bayside vs. 4. Pembroke Pines Charter at Silver Lakes Park, Pembroke Pines, 5

7. McArthur at 2. Stuart South Fork

6. Plantation at 3. Sebastian River