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SUNRISE — For the second straight game, the Rangers and Panthers needed overtime to decide a winner. And for the second straight game, it was New York celebrating at the end.

Alex Wennberg scored the winner in overtime, deflecting a shot from defenseman Ryan Lindgren into the net and giving the Rangers a 2-1 lead in the series with a 5-4 win at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Sunday.

“Obviously, not happy with the end result,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “But some good things in the game that we can take to the next game. All we’ve got to do is recover now and move on.”

At the start of the third period, Game 3 did not appear headed to overtime. The Rangers had a 4-2 lead and had stolen the momentum from the Panthers. Cue Barkov.

After coach Paul Maurice switched up the lines, the Panthers started showing life again. Barkov got Florida back in the game with a tip-in goal with 14:56 left in the third period, and defenseman Gustav Forsling scored the game-tying goal less than two minutes later. Although the Panthers dominated much of the third period, they could not get a winner in the last minutes of regulation.

“Sometimes you need to create something different, and I guess it worked for us in the third period and we got going,” Barkov said. “We just moved better and competed a little better.”

The Panthers offense was firing early, though, before entering a second-period drought. Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider went to the penalty box for a delay of game, and Florida’s leading goal-scorer in the regular season, Sam Reinhart, made New York pay.

Reinhart received the puck from Barkov, weaved in front of Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin and beat the former Vezina Trophy winner with a backhand shot over his shoulder for the game’s first goal less than three minutes into the game.

After initially struggling to break through the Panthers’ defense, the Rangers struck back with 12:43 left in the first period. Former Panther Vincent Trocheck delivered a pass to Alexis Lafreniere to split Florida’s defenders, and Lafreniere scored on a breakaway.

Twenty-five seconds later, Goodrow — New York’s overtime hero from Game 2 — put a shot past Bobrovsky to give the Rangers their first lead.

But the Panthers stuck with the Rangers. Reinhart got Florida right back in the game, beating Shesterkin with a backhand shot for the second time on a power play with 5:13 left in the first period.

The Rangers appeared to pull away in the second period. Lafreniere matched Reinhart with his second goal of the game, working the puck past Florida defender Dmitry Kulikov and putting the Rangers ahead 3-2 with 4:37 left in the second period.

While defender Jacob Trouba was serving a four-minute penalty, Goodrow scored his second goal of the game to put New York ahead 4-2. The Rangers killed off the four-minute penalty on Trouba, but the Panthers were not going to go down without a fight. After being kept off the board in the second period, they scored twice in the third period to send the game to overtime.

“I just thought you find the guys that are going partway through the game, and sometimes you’ve got to throw them together,” Maurice said.

Florida lost Sunday’s game despite dominating New York for parts of it. The Panthers had 108 total shot attempts to the Rangers’ 44, according to the hockey analytics site Natural Stat Trick.

“It’s not fun, for sure,” forward Anton Lundell said. “It’s the playoffs, you know? You have to look through the game and move on. It’s a long series, and you can’t get stuck on one game or one stage. You need to move on, and that’s what we’re going to do now.”

The Panthers will try to even the series again in Game 4 on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Sunrise.

“Sometimes you want to keep the growl,” Maurice said. “A lot of times in the playoffs, you’re making sure that you keep that energy full. You cut off your losses and you let it go. Then there’s times you want to keep it and eat it and let it burn for a while and find a different kind of energy source.”

A man with “significant lacerations to the side of his body” was airlifted for medical treatment after two airboats collided Sunday in Broward County.

Broward Sheriff Fire-Rescue received an emergency call about the collision shortly after 10:30 a.m., the agency said in a news release.

The accident was at Mack’s Fish Camp in southwestern Broward, near the Miami-Dade County line. It’s so close to Miami-Dade that crews had to travel into Miami-Dade to get to the scene, said Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane.

The injured man was taken by Fire-Rescue’s Air Rescue unit to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. Kane said six or seven other people were involved, but all said they weren’t injured.

Mack’s Fish Camp is located just north of Krome Avenue and west of U.S. Highway 27 in southwestern Broward County. It describes itself on its Instagram page as a place where “Ol’ Florida and the Gladesmen Culture still continue.” Its Gladesmen Airboat Tours offers tours and bass fishing.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the incident, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

General Daily Insight for May 26, 2024

Crafting clever plans is possible at this time. While the grounded Capricorn Moon trines logical Mercury at 4:49 pm EDT, we’ll be attuned to our practical needs yet flexible enough to meet them in innovative ways. Luna also sextiles serious Saturn, reminding us to strategize for the long haul. That said, feeling too hemmed in isn’t good — as the Moon squares individualistic Mars, we might lash out. We must remember that our structures exist to serve us, not the other way around.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Thinking critically about your finances can show you an ideal way to achieve your goals now. As the impulsive Moon in your ambitious 10th house squares aggressive Mars in your sign, the first idea that comes to mind might be a little rough. You’re not obligated to carry it out just because you thought of it. Still, you must start somewhere! Although you may not get everything you want today, putting in the time necessary to reach a solid solution should pay off.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Presenting an articulate case for your beliefs is now possible. As the intimate Moon in your 9th House of Philosophy harmonizes with verbal Mercury in your sign, you can put your views into words that people will find relatable. Others who are committed to the same cause are likely to be impressed, so it’s a good way to solidify your bond with them. You might have to sacrifice some of your privacy, but the resulting strength in numbers should make up for it.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Dealing with a private or confidential matter may be necessary today. While the sensitive Moon in your intimate 8th house clashes with demanding Mars in your social sector, perhaps the people around you have an idea that something’s going on and want you to give them more information. Directly saying whatever it takes to shut them up might be tempting — on the other hand, they could twist whatever update you provide to create additional trouble. You’re allowed to set authoritative limits!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

You may currently enjoy an opportunity to meet a lot of people and socialize widely. Perhaps you’ll discover an exciting individual you’d like to get to know better one-on-one. If you’re not on your home turf, though, you might need to follow someone else’s agenda for the gathering. Disrupting the plan, even if you think you have a superb reason, could speedily draw the wrong kind of attention. Be patient and figure out another time to develop the connection you crave.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Your responsibilities may currently stand in the way of an adventure you crave. Understandably, you could find this frustrating. On the other hand, as the perceptive Moon in your productivity sector aligns with brilliant Mercury in your goal-oriented 10th house, sticking with an undesirable task might show you something rewarding — you’re probably closer than you think to a major breakthrough! Anyone depending on your efforts will likely be grateful for your commitment, so consider the benefits of their praise and appreciation as well.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Doing something fun that’s just for you might be necessary now. While the spontaneous Moon in your individualistic 5th house stimulates curious Mercury in your 9th House of Higher Learning, you may want to go on an adventure that answers a big question you’ve always had. Even so, a loved one potentially isn’t interested in this topic in the same way that you are. Instead of trying to drag them along with you, honor their boundary — it’s good for your relationship.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

You might finally feel comfortable enough with someone to tell them a secret. As the nourishing Moon in your comfortable 4th house trines articulate Mercury in your intimacy zone, this may be what the relationship needs to advance to the next level. However, don’t open up about a wound of yours merely to claim power over the other person or imply that they’re obligated to do what you want — you’d be better off trying to keep your partnership on an even playing field.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Getting to know someone better is presently an option. While the attentive Moon in your communication zone stimulates chatty Mercury in your 7th House of Relationships, you’re equipped to maintain a flowing conversation that will encourage the other person to reveal interesting facts about their life. That said, there’s more to building a relationship than simply gathering as much information as possible. You want your companion to feel valued, not interrogated. You’re allowed to slow down and enjoy your time together!

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Blowing your money on something fun could currently be a tempting prospect. Unfortunately, this potential impulse buy is probably competing with other plausible demands for your funds. While the security-seeking Moon in your finance sector collaborates with calculating Mercury in your responsible 6th house, you can at least see how prioritizing your practical concerns should make your daily life more comfortable. That’s a valid type of pleasure as well, so you don’t have to feel totally deprived if you pursue it.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Making the people around you laugh is almost easy today. As the observant Moon in your sign tickles witty Mercury in your creative 5th house, you’ve got the mental tools to notice the absurdity in your situation and sum it up accurately. You don’t have to say a lot — a quick, trenchant comment is probably just right! That being said, there’s no need to hit below the belt. Avoid mocking anyone’s sensitive personal characteristics, regardless of what they did to provoke you.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Embracing a quiet moment can be rewarding today. As the tender Moon in your contemplative 12th house meditates with ruminating Mercury in your 4th House of Roots, you might take the opportunity to reflect on some incident from your past. Unlocking a modern perspective on it is possible. At this point, though, you probably shouldn’t share your insights with anyone who’s likely to argue with your interpretation. You need to figure out what you think before you get other people involved.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

A business transaction has the risk of getting in the way of a good conversation today. As the nurturing Moon in your social 11th house aligns with talkative Mercury in your communication zone, you’re probably up for a chat with whoever you meet. Meanwhile, either you or the other person might be trying to close a sale. Even if the financial side doesn’t work out for whatever reason, you don’t have to count the interaction as a loss — at least you had fun!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Alex Stone hit a two-run home run to left-center field in the bottom of the eighth Saturday night and the blast gave carried Duke to an 8-2 win over Miami in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.

The win sends sixth-seeded Duke to Sunday’s conference championship game against No 5-seed Florida State on Sunday. Miami was attempting to become the first 11th seed to reach the ACC championship game since 2017.

Stone, a right-handed, second-team All ACC catcher, crushed a 2-2 slider with one out and one off lefty Myles Caba to give Duke its first lead of the game. Later, after Caba was lifted, Devin Obee rocked a two-run homer off Brandon Olivera that made for a 6-2 Duke lead. The blast was measured at 455 feet. Obee finished batting 2 for 3.

Daniel Cuvet’s two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning gave Miami a 2-0 lead before Duke rallied to score a run each in the fifth and seventh to set up Stone’s heroics.

___

AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

Will you please halt all of the hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing?

Cease and desist with all of the castigation and consternation.

And, for the sake of the late and great Beano Cook, stop with these ridiculous doomsday scenarios that college football is circling the drain now that the NCAA and the power conferences have agreed to allow schools to directly pay players for the first time in the 155-year history of the sport.

Believe me, college football will not only continue to survive, it will thrive just as it always has for one very simple reason:

It’s idiot-proof.

Completely and totally idiot-proof.

The leaders, er, non-leaders of college athletics have been trying to screw up the game for generations, but somehow some way it just keeps getting bigger and better.

In fact, I believe this week’s groundbreaking settlement of a federal antitrust lawsuit — a decision that has compelled the NCAA and its member schools to pay more than $2.7 billion in reparations over 10 years to past athletes and forced  them into a revenue-sharing plan in which each school will spend up to roughly $20 million per year to pay its athletes — might actually help. That’s right; it might actually convince college football leaders to — gasp! — practice fiscal restraint and stop spending money like Aunt Phyllis on Black Friday.

Granted, I’ve been told by a handful of college athletic leaders, including UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir and Florida AD Scott Stricklin, that there currently isn’t the $20-25 million in most schools’ athletic budgets to pay players. And, yes, there is certainly a huge fear that many of the non-revenue Olympic sports like tennis, track, swimming and golf could get cut if schools are responsible for paying all of their athletes.

It’s not so far-fetched to envision a day when all of these football-funded athletic departments will field a football team, a men’s basketball team and a baseball team with a corresponding number of women’s sports such as basketball, softball and soccer. The rest of the Olympic endeavors would then become club sports made up of students who are already on campus. This could be devastating to the United States Olympic movement, which has greatly benefitted from a collegiate feeder system whereby Division I schools spend an estimated $5 billion annually on Olympic sports.

Of course, it doesn’t have to come to that; there are plenty of places where colleges can cut costs and come up with enough money to pay athletes.

Let’s start with this: Stop giving college football coaches these foolish fully-guaranteed $10-year, $100 million contracts and then having to pay Jimbo Fisher $77 million over the next eight years after you fire him. If Texas A&M took the $77 million in buyout money it’s giving Jimbo, it could pay all 85 of its scholarship football players about $113,000 a year over that same eight-year span.

Also, let’s stop hiring an army of football staff members you don’t really need. Does Florida coach Billy Napier, who reportedly has the biggest support staff in the SEC, really need 75 support staff members with titles like Gamechanger Coordinator and Director of Football Logistics? It’s become the norm for schools to spend mega-millions every year on football support staff that includes dozens of analysts, quality control coaches, video assistants, trainers, tutors, sports psychologists and nutritionists. Hell, the grad assistants even have grad assistants.

My running joke over the last couple of years has been: Do college football programs really need a Coffee-Making Coordinator and a Director of Cream and Sugar Dispersal?

As iconic former UF coach Steve Spurrier told the Florida Times-Union recently: “Just because you hire the most people doesn’t mean you’re going to win. All these extra people, I question how much that really helps.”

Cracked Spurrier once when I asked him how many nutritionists he had on his staff when he was dominating the SEC: “We had one, and it was me. I used to go around during meals and tell the players to stop eating just meat and potatoes and go put something green on their plates. That’s how we handled nutrition back then.”

Finally, let’s stop building swanky facilities and stadiums just for the sake of building them. These plush palaces are equipped with fancy Italian tile, barber shops, swimming pools, mini golf courses, laser-tag rooms, lazy rivers, virtual reality studios and zero-gravity chairs.

Former Orlando City coach Adrian Heath told me once about the years when he lived in Austin and became friends with the soccer coaches at the University of Texas. One day, one of the coaches informed Heath that the Longhorns were breaking ground on a new soccer stadium.

Heath was startled.

“Why are you building a new stadium?” Heath asked in his British brogue. “The one you have now is quite nice.”

Said the coach: “Our athletic department has all of this money, so we need to spend it on something.”

Now they can spend it on paying players, which is probably where they should have been spending it decades ago. If college presidents, ADs and conference commissioners had had just a modicum of foresight, they could have avoided the mass chaos happening today involving the transfer portal, NIL and now pay-for-play.

Then again, college football has lacked foresight and innovation throughout its history. These incompetent leaders have done their best to ruin the game with their selfish, greedy motives. They’ve allowed conferences to cannibalize each other in the name of the almighty TV dollar and disregarded traditional rivalries and geographical logic.

They’ve made the NCAA irrelevant by negotiating their own separate TV contracts and by cutting their own governing body out of the College Football Playoff process.

Only begrudgingly — at the order of the federal government — did they allow college players to earn money through NIL and then absurdly put rules in place saying that fans and boosters were in charge of raising the cash and doling it out to the players. All so they could preserve the illusion of amateurism.

Through it all, college football has and will survive because it is more than just a game; it is a social and cultural phenomenon that unites communities and galvanizes fan bases. Throughout the generations, the lifeblood of the sport flows not from the boardrooms but from the tailgates and living rooms across America.

The game endures and grows and is somehow immune to the turmoil and anarchy surrounding it.

College football, more than any other business in the history of the world, is utterly and completely idiot-proof.

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on X (formerly Twitter) @BianchiWrites and listen to my Open Mike radio show every weekday from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen

Western junior Ali Solo delivered exactly what the doctor ordered Saturday afternoon as she tossed a two-hit shutout and the Wildcats topped Seminole 2-0 for the Class 7A girls softball state championship game at the Legends Way Ball Fields in Clermont.

Solo, who has been battling a cold for the past two weeks, pitched a gem as she struck out nine and retired the last 11 batters she faced in a 90-minute game. Solo (19-4) faced 23 batters, just two over the minimum.

“I’ve been taking Advil and medicine that my doctor gave me, and I just have a little bit of a cough,” Solo said by phone. “I was feeling really confident (today). Very peaceful. I felt everything was going to go smoothly.

“Winning this (state championship) means everything to me,” she added. “I knew my team would come through. All the hard work we put in, everything paid off.”

Solo got all of the runs she needed in the fourth when senior Jade Castillo crushed a double off the right-field fence to plate two runners and give Western, the second-ranked team in the state, according to Max Preps, its second state championship in school history, and first since 2018 when it stunned two-time defending champion West Orange 7-0.

The championship game was a classic pitchers duel between Solo and USF signee Seminole senior pitcher Anne Long, who retired the first 10 batters in a row, including six by strikeout, before the Wildcats (27-4-1) broke through with two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

With one out in the fourth, sophomore Brooke Bacaris ended Long’s bid for a perfect game with a single to right-center field and senior Arlette Caravaca followed with a single to left. After junior Danae Falquez flew out to center, Castillo lined a 1-2 pitch for a double off the right field fence scoring Bacaris and Caravaca for a 2-0 lead over the Seminoles (18-8). Those were the only hits off Long the entire game.

“Honestly going into the game, I knew it was going to be a pitcher’s duel. Castillo said. “In that at-bat, I just wanted to put it in play because that was my only job. I was sitting on a curve ball because she threw a curve and drop curve to me earlier. It was my pitch.”

Solo got out of trouble in the second where she gave up a one-out double to freshman Ava Hertz and a single by sophomore Addison Poe in the top of the fourth.

Western finished out the year winning seven straight after a 10-3 loss to Coral Springs Charter in the BCAA Big 8 championship. The Wildcats were forced to come from behind in its past three games before Saturday. They rallied from a 5-1 deficit against defending state champion Spanish River for a 10-5 victory in the regional semifinal before back-to-back, eight-inning 4-3 wins over Park Vista and Jupiter.

“Ali is wired a little differently,” Western coach Johnny Bradshaw said. “She is very competitive. In addition to pitching the past several games with a cold, people don’t realize she took a line drive off her pitching hand in the district final. She took us to the state final four as a freshman and today she took us to the state championship.

“It is very emotional,” Bradshaw added. “People don’t know how much work they put into this. They are dedicated to their craft.”

Western (27-4-1) rallied for a 4-3 victory over Jupiter in eight innings in the state semifinal.

The Wildcats trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth but managed to tie the game at 2-2 on RBI hits by Caravaca and then Emma Mosher. In the top of the eighth, Jupiter’s Emma Lucchesi singled in Rylee Lewis, the automatic runner at second to start the inning for a 3-2 advantage. Western senior Alana Cypress delivered a two-run, walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, driving in Madison Mejia and Solo for the 4-3 win.

Mavericks, Patriots fall in state softball semifinals

In other state games, Archbishop McCarthy, making its first appearance in the state final four, lost 5-2 in the Class 5A state semifinal

The Mavericks, who had never gotten past the regional semifinals, seized a 2-0 lead in the first inning as junior Sienna Garcia had a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice bunt by senior Chantalle Guillou. Archbishop McCarthy sophomore Izabel Baron also came around to score in the after drawing a walk. The Maverick’s defense ultimately cost them as they allowed five unearned runs off four errors.

American Heritage lost 10-0 in six innings to Baker County in the Class 4A state semifinal. Baker County would lose in the championship game 1-0 to Eustis. Junior Arianna Reynolds and senior Analie Diaz picked up the only hits for the Patriots in the contest.

Months after a Fort Lauderdale woman went missing in Spain, a grand jury indicted her husband on kidnapping charges, prosecutors announced Friday. Meanwhile, his defense attorney has filed a motion arguing for his release from a Miami prison.

The motion and a recent cross examination bring new details to light about what might — or might not — have happened the day that Ana Knezevich disappeared in Madrid. Blood was found in her apartment, and yet detectives have not concluded whose it is. Knezevich had been feeling suicidal, but because of her husband, investigators said. Meanwhile, defense attorneys argued that her husband, David Knezevich, flew to Serbia days before her disappearance, not as part of a kidnapping plot, but to take care of his disabled, elderly mother.

David Knezevich, 36, was arrested at Miami International Airport on May 4, months after Ana’s disappearance in early February. He is accused in a federal complaint of driving from Serbia to Madrid, where his 40-year-old wife was staying, spray-painting the cameras at her building, and leaving with a suitcase. He also had a woman translate a message for him into Spanish; the same message was later sent to Ana’s friends and family from her phone the last time anyone ever heard from her.

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Last week, a grand jury indicted David Knezevich on one count of kidnapping, the U.S Attorney’s Office announced Friday. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, with a likely sentence of 10 to 12 years, Assistant U.S Attorney Lacee Monk said at the court hearing over his detention earlier this month. But if Ana Knezevich is found dead, he could face the death penalty.

Chief Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres ultimately ruled in favor of keeping David Knezevich jailed because he is a flight risk, though he said the decision was a “close call” and that the evidence is largely circumstantial. On Thursday, Knezevich’s defense attorney, Jayne Weintraub, filed a motion opposing the ruling, pointing to Torres’ own comment and arguing that her client has no reason to leave South Florida, where he has a brother and two businesses.

“There are significant legal issues presented in this case and, as Magistrate Judge Torres noted, it is a defensible case, which is a reason for Defendant to stay and fight the charges and not to flee,” the motion concludes.

Prior to Torres’ ruling, Weintraub cross examined Agent Alexandra Montilla, one of the lead Federal Bureau of Investigations agents on the case, pointing to the limitations of the evidence investigators currently have on David Knezevich.

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Some of the details raised in the cross examination paint a more harrowing picture than previously known. Ana Knezevich had gone to Madrid not just for a vacation but to escape her husband, who she was afraid of, Montilla said, according to a transcript of the cross examination. Despite reports earlier on that there was no sign of struggle in the apartment, police had found blood “in various places of the apartment,” though Montilla said they did not include that in the complaint because they do not have the DNA results yet.

Ana Maria Knezevich, a 40-year-old Fort Lauderdale businesswoman, disappeared in Madrid in February. A grand jury indicted her husband on kidnapping charges, prosecutors announced Friday.

Weintraub pointed out other details to complicate the story. The two were in an open relationship and Ana Knezevich was dating other men, Montilla confirmed. Ana Knezevich also had a history mental health issues and had described herself as suicidal in messages with other people, though Montilla said that was because of “the issues she was having with David.”

Investigators have interviewed all of the men Knezevich went on dates with, Montilla said.

Another issue raised in the defense motion was whether the case should be tried in the U.S in the first place. Prosecutors had argued during the hearing that it should because David Knezevich only flew to Serbia from the U.S to commit a crime. But the defense said that he went to Serbia to visit his mother, and investigators do not have enough evidence to suggest that he went to Spain for criminal purposes.

“The defendant’s mother lives in Serbia, she is an amputee, she’s elderly and sick and disabled. She’s in a wheelchair and he tries to see her as often as he can and take care of her properly. He goes there frequently through the years to see his mom and that’s why he flew into Serbia,” Weintraub said, according to the transcript. “He did not go to Serbia to go to Spain.”

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Investigators had written in the complaint that David Knezevich was shown on surveillance video purchasing spray paint and duct tape in Madrid, evidence they used to connect him to his wife’s disappearance. Weintraub argued that still does not mean he traveled to Spain to commit a crime.

“But you wouldn’t drive 7,000 kilometers to buy paint and duct tape,” Torres said.

“Judge, maybe he was going to paint the apartment,” Weintraub said. ” … Maybe he was going to visit somebody. Maybe they were getting back together again. Maybe Ana said come see me. Maybe he never went to see Ana and he saw somebody else. We don’t know.”

Ultimately, Torres chose to keep David Knezevich imprisoned because of his history of travel and the nature of the charges against him, which could become murder charges depending on what investigators find.

Knezevich is being held in the Federal Detention Center in Miami. His arraignment has been set for June 3.

GAINESVILLE — The Florida softball team’s 12-game winning streak carried it to the cusp of a trip to the WCWS.

The Gators (50-13) now have to bounce back from their first loss in a month, a 5-2 decision Saturday against Baylor during Game 2 of the NCAA Super Regionals.

“I don’t even remember what it was like it’s been so long,” star shortstop Skylar Wallace said.

Coach Tim Walton, vying for his 12th trip to Oklahoma City, is confident his players will respond.

“We’ve done it all year,” he said. “This has not been an easy year. Yeah, we won 50 games. But there’s plenty of times team had the opportunity to roll over and die — they didn’t.

“They just always found a way.”

UF designated hitter Reagan Walsh leads the Gators with 17 home runs after a solo effort during the Gators’ 5-2 loss to Baylor at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville. (UF’s University Athletic Association Communications)

UF answered a humbling 13-2 no-show April 24 at home to Florida State by run-ruling rival Georgia 9-1 two days later in Athens. An 11-6 loss the next day to the Bulldogs was the Gators’ last defeat until Baylor got the best of them.

Baylor (36-22) rode a stellar pitching performance from RyLee Crandall and power-hitting first baseman Shaylon Govan’s bat to within a game of their first WCWS trip since 2017.

After losing Game 1 4-2 Friday, the unseeded Bears believed they could keep up with the No. 4 Gators.

“A lot of people see us as the underdog, but we don’t see ourselves as that” said Govan, who set the tone with a 3-run home run in the top of the first inning.

Crandall (17-8) kept the Gators guessing with a variety of pitches and speeds to hold UF to just 5 hit. The sophomore from New Mexico herself threw the kitchen sink at Walton’s explosive lineup.

“Everything, up, down, left, right, fast, slow — you have to,” Crandall said.

UF coach Tim Walton cajoles his team during a 9-1 win against South Alabama as the Gators advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals May 19 in Gainesville. (Courtesy Chris Spears Photography)

Wallace was the only Gator to solve Crandall’s deception, continuing her postseason tear with a 3-of-3 day featuring an RBI single in the fifth inning to score center fielder Kendra Falby and cut the lead to 4-2.

“This team has a lot left in the tank,” Wallace said. “I think we got a little shook. We got away from who we are.”

Designated hitter Regan Walsh’s solo home run to open the top of the second inning was the only other hit by a UF starter; pinch hitter Baylie Goddard started the bottom of the fifth with a single after stepping in for struggling freshman Mia Williams.

Meanwhile, left fielder Korbe Otis, who is hitting .463, was 0 of 2. SEC Player of the Year Jocelyn Erickson, who entered with an SEC-leading 79 RBI, struck out once and grounded out twice with runners on base as UF produced its fewest runs since a 2-1 win May 2 against No. 8 Texas A&M.

“We’ve been an offensive team all year,” Walton said. “We scored 6 runs in two games … it’s not enough.”

UF shortstop Skylar Wallace was 3 of 3 at the plate on a day the Gators managed just 5 hits during a 5-2 loss to Baylor in Game 2 of the NCAA Super Regionals May 25 at Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium in Gainesville. (UF’s University Athletic Association Communications/Molly Kaiser)

The Gators will also need a better day from pitcher Keegan Rothrock (29-7). Walton replaced her with fellow freshman Ava Brown three batters in the game after Govan’s 3-run shot deep over the center-field fence.

But Walton’s teams historically rise to occasion when facing elimination in Super Regionals.

The Gators have won their past four Game 3s during Super Regionals — 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022 — and are 5-1 overall under the 51-year-old coach.

Wallace said the key Sunday will be to play with freedom and confidence earned over months of preparation and 63 games that one loss does not erase.

“What, 10 months now we’ve playing together and working every single day together? Those relationships build,” she said. “Just dive into those relationships. Trust that the work’s there. Trust you know what you’re doing.

“Just play softball, get after it, get dirty.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Gainesville Super Regional

Game 3: Florida vs. Baylor (if necessary)

When: Sunday, 2 p.m.

TV: TBD

• A member of the United States Special Operations Command Parachute Team comes in for a landing on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• People cheer as the United States Special Operations Command Parachute Team comes in for a landing on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• People enjoy the classic car show on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Beachgoers displayed their flags on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Kids play on the inflatable water slides on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Beachgoers displayed their flags on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Kids play on the inflatable water slides on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Life in Technicolor (Coldplay Tribute Band) performs during the Great American Beach Party on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Beachgoers on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Kids play on the inflatable water slides on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

• Beachgoers on Fort Lauderdale Beach during the Great American Beach Party on Saturday, May 25, 2024. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

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MIAMI GARDENS — Dominican-born undrafted rookie offensive lineman Bayron Matos had an interesting — but essential — first English phrase learned when he moved to the United States at 17 years old: “I’m hungry.”

“Every time somebody used to ask me something, I say, ‘I’m hungry,’ ” he explained at Miami Dolphins rookie minicamp earlier this month, where he went back and forth answering questions in English and Spanish.

“B, ‘how are you?’ I say, ‘I’m hungry.’

“B, ‘you’re going to school today?’… ‘I’m hungry.’

“That’s my answer to everything, for like seven months.”

Now, Matos’ hunger comes in the form of trying to make the Dolphins’ roster this offseason as a tackle prospect with an infectious personality who never played a down on the offensive line in college at USF.

To make it would make him the first NFL player born in the Dominican Republic to accomplish such a feat.

“Not just as a Dominican, but representing all Latin America,” he said in Spanish. “I’m pure Latino, and I’m very proud to represent my country and other Latin countries, too.”

Prideful of his heritage, Matos can readily list a top three Dominican athletes when pressed for it on the spot.

He says David Ortiz, also known as “Big Papi,” Pedro Martinez and Robinson Cano. Three baseball players, which is fitting, as about one out of every 10 Major League Baseball players hail from the Dominican Republic. He mentioned Cano and the New York Yankees’ Juan Soto as Dominican athletes that have reached out to him on his journey to make it in the NFL.

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And just because he didn’t go that route, don’t let that fool you on the diamond. He can still throw a 90 mph fastball.

But he originally moved to the U.S., first with a host family in Tennessee, from the Caribbean nation to play basketball. Al Horford and Karl-Anthony Towns, whose mother is Dominican although Towns was born in New Jersey, are some of his inspirations on the hardwood.

Matos, listed at 6 foot 7, 313 pounds, played in the post as a power forward with the USF basketball team.

But where he has the potential to make an impact as a professional is in football. He walked onto the Bulls’ football team and played 11 snaps between games against BYU and Howard in 2022 — but all of those were either as a defensive lineman or on special teams to block kicks.

In determining his ceiling as an offensive tackle, it’s telling that he had multiple teams interested in him after the draft ended. The Dolphins saw enough in him to offer him $247,500 guaranteed, a high figure for an undrafted prospect.

“It’s opportunity,” Matos said of signing with Miami. “They gave me the opportunity to be here, and I’m really grateful for that. Not a lot of people take a chance on a guy that’s never played the sport before, and the organization did.

“The coaching staff, great coaching staff, great people, great coaches. They take care of the players and they develop players. And man, it’s Miami. It’s like being home. I love the weather. I love the heat. It’s good.”

Matos can feel much more at home in Miami than he did making the initial transition from the Dominican Republic to Tennessee.

“It was a big difference. Thanks to my host family, they made the transition easier,” he said in Spanish. “Miami is like being in the Dominican Republic. The same weather. It feels good. It’s warm. It feels great.”

Now six years since migrating, he knows enough about football to compete in the NFL after having no familiarity with the sport when he first moved.

“I didn’t know anything. Nothing,” he said. “But when I moved to the United States, my family would put it on and between attending college and being here, I’ve learned a lot.”

And blocking feels natural to him, similar to boxing out for a rebound in basketball.

Matos has studied tape of eight-time Pro Bowl tackle Tyron Smith, who made the move from the Dallas Cowboys to the New York Jets this offseason.

He can handle the strong, enthusiastic coaching style of Dolphins offensive line coach Butch Barry and benefit from learning behind Miami left tackle Terron Armstead once he joins the team this offseason.

You can expect him to be vocal on the football field too, given how talkative and passionate he is in the interview setting.

“Football is a beautiful sport,” Matos said. “I love the game. I love to talk. I love to yell. I like to scream, be loud. I love that.”

Matos’ signing comes through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, which promotes opportunities for foreign prospects. Because he’s in the program, he gives the Dolphins a roster exemption, allowing them to have 91 players this offseason instead of 90.

Home Inspections: What to Do Before Selling This Spring  AOL

By Josh Garber | NerdWallet

Pride month is approaching in the U.S., typically celebrated in June. But Pride events aren’t confined to a single 30-day period. Because these events are often tied to a region’s history of LGBTQ+ equal rights movements, they happen at different times in locations around the globe.

If you want to branch out from attending Pride locally (or celebrate beyond June), consider booking a trip to visit one of these six LGBTQ+ events around the world.

1. MemDay Weekend Women’s Festival in Provincetown, Massachusetts (May 23-27)

Commercial Street is Provincetown’s main drag, dotted with shops, bars and performance venues. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

A historic artist colony and top LGBTQ+ destination, the picturesque Provincetown, Massachusetts is known for celebrating individuality and free expression. Ptown, as it’s called locally, hosts several LGBTQ+ events throughout the year, including MemDay Weekend Women’s Festival, celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary and transgender individuals.

MemDay happens at the end of May, just before the start of Pride Month. It’s put on by LesbianNightLife, which calls MemDay the largest lesbian takeover in the country.

Events at MemDay Ptown include the MoonLit Pool Party and the Freedom Boat Cruise. If you’re single, there’s a ticket called the Single & Social Pass, which includes speed dating, a coffee meetup and a singles tea dance.

Provincetown is easily accessible to visitors from out of town. Travelers can take a 1.5-hour ferry ride from Boston to Provincetown for $108-$120 round-trip.

2. Berlin Pride (June 28-July 28)

There are few better places to dance and be your full self than Berlin, a global center for clubbing and queer life. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Berlin Pride is an excellent option if you’re looking for a Pride event with an eclectic mix of people who’ll keep you dancing all day and night. Berlin, Germany’s capital city, is known for its acceptance of gay, lesbian and queer people.

“What makes Berlin Pride great is its inclusive nature — Berlin is by definition a space that embraces and welcomes the alternative,” said Jason Lindo, a California native who previously lived in Berlin, in a text message.

One of the highlights of Berlin Pride is the Christopher Day Street Parade, where up to 750,000 people parade across the city. Berlin Pride is focused on more than just fun, though. Organizers also spearhead a political campaign and publish demands each year.

June and July are some of the most popular months to travel to Europe, so to save on flights across the pond, consider booking a cheap flight to a nearby destination. There are plenty of budget airlines and trains that can help you get to Berlin if you find a cheap transatlantic flight to another European city. Intra-Europe award flights can also be relatively inexpensive.

3. Amsterdam Pride (Aug. 2-4)

Folks crowd Amsterdam’s iconic canals for the annual Pride parade of boats. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

The International LGBT+ Travel Association calls Amsterdam Pride “one of the greatest gay events in the world.” It features street parties, circuit dance parties and the main event: a parade of boats through Amsterdam’s famous canals, which are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Dave Saunders is a British expat living in Los Angeles who attended Amsterdam Pride in 2023.

“Amsterdam Pride is great because it’s unique — the parade is held on the canals, and the Pride floats are barges. The sides of the canals are covered in throngs of people celebrating and cheering on the barges,” he said in a text message.

If you want to plan ahead for a landmark version of Amsterdam Pride, mark your calendar, as Amsterdam will be hosting WorldPride 2026.

4. Taiwan Pride (Oct. 24-27)

Party it up, but be sure to explore all the attractions and nature that Taipei and its surroundings have to offer. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Taiwan Pride is the largest LGBTQ+ Pride event in East Asia, with an estimated 176,000 people joining the 2023 march, according to the Taipei Times. It’s not surprising that Taiwan Pride attracts such a large crowd, as Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019.

While you could easily spend your entire trip at Taiwan Pride, there are also plenty of free hikes and other attractions in Taipei to keep you busy.

“If you’re visiting Taipei for Taiwan Pride, be sure to check out Elephant Mountain, an easily accessible hike that offers views of the Taipei skyline, including Taipei 101,” said David Chou, an American based in San Diego who has been to multiple Taiwan Prides, in a text message.

5. Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (February/March)

U.S. travelers can get an off-season Pride experience in Sydney at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Australia’s largest LGTBQ+ celebration is Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, an annual event that lasts about two weeks in February and March. The timing works well for U.S.-based travelers looking for a warm-weather getaway in the winter because Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras falls during the end of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Plus, there’s enough time between now and next year’s event to start collecting points or miles to book an award flight to Australia.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is big in size and star power. This year, the event’s signature parade included 12,500 marchers, 200 floats and 250,000 spectators. Mardi Gras has also featured some of the world’s top musicians, with past performers including Dua Lipa, Cher, Sam Smith and Kylie Minogue.

If you want to add some time on the beach to your Sydney Mardi Gras experience, check out the Bondi Beach Party — a dance party for 15,000 revelers on Bondi Beach

6. Cape Town Pride in South Africa (March)

The natural beauty of Cape Town, South Africa — including Lion’s Head mountain — gives travelers visiting for Pride plenty to explore. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

While smaller than the other events listed — just over 3,000 individuals took part in Cape Town’s parade earlier this year — Cape Town Pride is notable as a rare celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride in Africa. Homosexuality is still illegal in more than 30 African countries, according to Amnesty International.

When you’re not taking part in Pride activities, be sure to check out some inexpensive Cape Town highlights, including hiking Lion’s Head, visiting the penguins at Boulders Beach and enjoying a beach day at Camps Bay.

Ways to save on travel to LGBTQ+ events

While many Pride parades are free, the travel and other LGBTQ+-friendly events may not be. Here are some ways to save while celebrating:

• Look for Pride Month hotel packages. Some hotels offer discounted rates and extra perks like a welcome gift or a free bottle of wine.
• Book early. Some of the paid events for Pride Month and other LGBTQ+ celebrations offer early bird discounts if you buy tickets ahead of time.
• Use points and miles to cover the costs of flights and hotels. If you spend on a travel credit card, you might be able to use points or miles, instead of cash, to help cover your travel costs.

More From NerdWallet

• Travel Junk Fees Are a Virus With No Easy Fix
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Josh Garber writes for NerdWallet. Email: travel@nerdwallet.com.

The article 6 LGBTQ+ Celebrations Around the World Worth a Trip originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Corinne Purtill | Los Angeles Times (TNS)

LOS ANGELES — Late last year, a group of whistle-blowers submitted a report to the National Institutes of Health that questioned the integrity of a celebrated University of Southern California neuroscientist’s research and the safety of an experimental stroke treatment his company was developing.

NIH has since paused clinical trials for 3K3A-APC, a stroke drug sponsored by ZZ Biotech, a Houston-based company co-founded by Berislav V. Zlokovic, professor and chair of the department of physiology and neuroscience at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Three of Zlokovic’s research papers have been retracted by the journal that published them because of problems with their data or images. Journals have issued corrections for seven more papers in which Zlokovic is the only common author, with one receiving a second correction after the new supplied data were found to have problems as well.

For an 11th paper co-authored by Zlokovic the journal Nature Medicine issued an expression of concern, a note journals append to articles when they have reason to believe there may be a problem with the paper but have not conclusively proven so. Since Zlokovic and his co-authors no longer had the original data for one of the questioned figures, the editors wrote, “(r)eaders are therefore alerted to interpret these results with caution.”

“It’s quite unusual to see this volume of retractions, corrections and expressions of concern, especially in high-tier influential papers,” said Dr. Matthew Schrag, an assistant professor of neurology at Vanderbilt who co-authored the whistle-blower report independently of his work at the university.

Both Zlokovic and representatives for USC declined to comment, citing an ongoing review initiated in the wake of the allegations, which were first reported in the journal Science.

“USC takes any allegations of research integrity very seriously,” the university said in a statement. “Consistent with federal regulations and USC policies, this review must be kept confidential.”

Zlokovic “remains committed to cooperating with and respecting that process, although it is unfortunately required due to allegations that are based on incorrect information and faulty premises,” his attorney Alfredo X. Jarrin wrote in an email.

Regarding the articles, “corrections and retractions are a normal and necessary part of the scientific post-publication process,” Jarrin wrote.

Authors of the whistle-blower report and academic integrity experts challenged that assertion.

“If these are honest errors, then the authors should be able to show the actual original data,” said Elisabeth Bik, a microbiologist and scientific integrity consultant who co-wrote the whistle-blower report. “It is totally human to make errors, but there are a lot of errors found in these papers. And some of the findings are suggestive of image manipulation.”

Given the staid pace of academic publishing, publishing this many corrections and retractions only a few months after the initial concerns were raised “is, bizarrely, pretty quick,” said Ivan Oransky, co-founder of Retraction Watch.

The whistle-blower report submitted to NIH identified allegedly doctored images and data in 35 research papers in which Zlokovic was the sole common author.

“There had been rumblings about things not being reproducible (in Zlokovic’s research) for quite some time,” Schrag said. “The real motivation to speak publicly is that some of his work reached a stage where it was being used to justify clinical trials. And I think that when you have data that may be unreliable as the foundation for that kind of an experiment, the stakes are just so much higher. You’re talking about patients who are often at the most vulnerable medical moment of their life.”

Over the years, Zlokovic has created several biotech companies aimed at commercializing his scientific work. In 2007, he co-founded ZZ Biotech, which has been working to gain federal approval of 3K3A-APC.

The drug is intended to minimize the bleeding and subsequent brain damage that can occur after an ischemic stroke, in which a blood clot forms in an artery leading to the brain.

In 2022, USC’s Keck School of Medicine received from NIH the first $4 million of a planned $30-million grant to conduct Phase III trials of the experimental stroke treatment on 1,400 people.

In Phase II of the trial, which was published in 2018 and called Rhapsody, six of the 66 patients who received 3K3A-APC died in the first week after their stroke, compared to one person among the 44 patients who got a placebo. Patients who received the drug also tended to report more disability 90 days after their stroke than those who got the placebo. The differences between the two groups were not statistically significant and could have been because of chance, and the death rate for patients in both groups evened out one month after the initial stroke.

“The statements that there is a risk in this trial is false,” said Patrick Lyden, a USC neurologist and stroke expert who was employed by Cedars-Sinai at the time of the trial. Zlokovic worked with Lyden as a co-investigator on the study.

One correction has been issued to the paper describing the Phase II results, fixing an extra line in a data table that shifted some numbers to the wrong columns. “This mistake is mine. It’s not anybody else’s. I didn’t catch it in multiple readings,” Lyden said, adding that he noticed the error and was already working on the correction when the journal contacted him about it.

He disputed that the trial represented any undue risk to patients.

“I believe it’s safe, especially when you consider that the purpose of Rhapsody was to find a dose — the maximum dose — that was tolerated by the patients without risk, and the Rhapsody trial succeeded in doing that. We did not find any dose that was too high to limit proceeding to Phase III. It’s time to proceed with Phase III.”

Schrag stressed that the whistle-blowers did not find evidence of manipulated data in the report from the Phase II trial. But given the errors and alleged data manipulation in Zlokovic’s earlier work, he said, it’s appropriate to scrutinize a clinical trial that would administer the product of his research to people in life-threatening situations.

In the Phase II data, “there’s a coherent pattern of (patient) outcomes trending in the wrong direction. There’s a signal in early mortality … there’s a trend toward worse disability numbers” for patients who received the drug instead of a placebo, he said.

None are “conclusive proof of harm,” he said. But “when you’re seeing a red flag or a trend in the clinical trial, I would tend to give that more weight in the setting of serious ethical concerns around the pre-clinical data.”

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The NIH paused the clinical trial in November, and it remains on hold, said Dr. Pooja Khatr, principal investigator of the NIH StrokeNet National Coordinating Center. Khatr declined to comment on the pause or the trial’s future, referring further questions to USC and NIH.

The NIH Office of Extramural Research declined to discuss Rhapsody or Zlokovic, citing confidentiality regarding grant deliberations.

ZZ Biotech Chief Executive Kent Pryor, who in 2022 called the drug “a potential game-changer,” said he had no comment or information on the halted trial.

Zlokovic is a leading researcher on the blood-brain barrier, with particular interest in its role in stroke and dementia. He received his medical degree and doctorate in physiology at the University of Belgrade and joined the faculty at USC’s Keck School of Medicine after several fellowships in London. A polyglot and amateur opera singer, Zlokovic left USC and spent 11 years at the University of Rochester before returning in 2011. He was appointed director of USC’s Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute the following year.

A USC spokesperson confirmed that Zlokovic has retained his titles as department chair and director of the Zilkha institute.

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

I'm a Home Inspector: Here Are 7 Key Signs That House Is a Money Pit  MSN