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Today’s Bible verse
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalms 42:11 NIV
Online Sudoku
Friday’s podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2353920/15129826
Sooners advance to Big 12 semis
ARLINGTON, Texas — Top-seeded Oklahoma advanced to Friday’s semifinals at the Big 12 Championship with a 7-5 win over seven-seed Kansas Thursday afternoon.
The Sooners (36-18) rallied from an early two-run deficit and a season-high seven errors to earn their 10th victory of the last 11 games.
A two-run, go-ahead home run from freshman Jaxon Willits in the fourth pushed the Sooners in front before OU added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh.
On the mound, starting RHP Kyson Witherspoon worked four innings without surrendering an earned run, striking out six. Senior Carter Campbell got the win in relief, hurling three scoreless, hitless innings with one walk to improve to an undefeated 4-0 on the year.
OU jumped in front in the first courtesy of a sacrifice fly from sophomore Easton Carmichael after a leadoff single from junior John Spikerman.
Kansas (30-22) answered with three unearned runs at the top of the second off one hit and three OU miscues. Witherspoon limited the damage by stranding the bases loaded, his first of two escapes with the bases juiced.
The Sooners got one in the home half of the second on an RBI single from junior catcher Scott Mudler. The Jayhawks got the run back in the third on an RBI single to push their lead back to two through three.
At the top of the fourth, after walking the bases loaded, Witherspoon struck out the side to get out of the jam. The final strikeout took 12 pitches before the sophomore righty got Kansas’ Ty Wisdom looking.
OU took advantage of the scoreless top half from KU, putting up three runs on three hits at the bottom of the fourth. After a leadoff double from senior Kendall Pettis and another RBI single from Mudler, Willits launched his ninth home run of his frosh campaign to deep right center to give OU the lead.
A scoreless fifth and sixth ensued as Campbell retired six straight. To the seventh, OU added insurance via an RBI triple from senior Michael Snyder after a leadoff triple from Carmichael. Junior Jackson Nicklaus plated OU’s other run of the frame on an RBI triple, a half inning after the Sooner second baseman made an exceptional play in the field, catching a flyout in shallow right and doubling up a runner at home.
OU right-handed relievers Dylan Crooks and Malachi Witherspoon secured the win for OU, combining to close the game in the eighth and ninth with just one KU run allowed on two hits.
M. Witherspoon earned his fourth save of the season by stranding two, including the tying run.
Pettis paced OU at the plate with a 3-for-4 showing, while Willits, Carmichael, Nicklaus and Mudler all had two-hit days. Willits and Mudler each brought in a pair to lead OU.
The Sooners registered 14 hits in the contest, their 34th game of OU’s 54 with double-digit hits.
All five KU runs were unearned, as the Sooners have yet to surrender an earned run at the tournament through two games following Wednesday’s 4-0 shutout over TCU.
OU advances to a 12:30 p.m. CT semifinal matchup Friday with the winner of Friday morning’s elimination game between nine-seed TCU and seven-seed Kansas. The two semifinal matchups are single elimination. The championship game is Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU
Friday’s semifinal can be seen via Big 12 NOW on ESPN+ and heard locally in Oklahoma on SportsTalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM or nationwide on The Varsity app.
Tickets for the tournament can be purchase via Big12Sports.com or at the gates at Globe Life Field.
OSU falls to UCF in extra innings
ARLINGTON, Texas – Oklahoma State dropped a 7-6 contest to UCF in 10 innings at the Big 12 Championship Thursday night at Globe Life Field.
With the loss, the second-seeded Cowboys fell to 37-17, while the Knights, the tourney’s No. 8 seed, are now 35-18.
OSU will face 10th-seeded Texas Tech Friday at 4 p.m. with a berth in the tourney semifinals on the line. Should the Cowboys advance, they would take on UCF at 7:30 p.m., with the winner earning a spot in Saturday’s title game.
In Thursday’s game against the Knights, Carson Benge continue his hot hitting to lead the Pokes as he went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.
Gabe Davis took to the loss on the mound to fall to 1-4. The right-hander was one of four pitchers used by the Cowboys, with starter Brennan Phillips lasting just one inning.
Davis worked 3 1/3 innings and allowed one run on three hits while striking out three and issuing three walks.
OSU jumped out to an early lead in its first at bat. Zach Ehrhard led off the inning with a double, and Benge brought him home with a single. After a walk, Aidan Meola ripped an RBI double to right-center field to make the score 2-0.
The Cowboys weren’t done as Colin Brueggemann plated the third run with a sacrifice fly before Lane Forsythe executed a perfect squeeze bunt to bring home a run and extend the lead to 4-0.
But the lead did not last long as UCF rallied to tie the score in the second, taking advantage of the Cowboys’ wildness on the mound. After a hit by pitch and two walks to open the inning, the Knights scored their first two runs on wild pitches.
Trailing 4-2, the Knights got an RBI double from Mikey Kluska before a two-out single off the bat of Lex Boedicker brought home the tying run.
The game remained deadlocked until the fifth when Benge led off the inning with his 16th homer of the season, a blast into the bullpen in right-center field.
UCF answered via the long ball to take its first lead of the game in the seventh as Matt Cedarburg delivered a two-run homer to put the Knights up 6-5.
This time it was OSU responding. Forsythe drew a one-out walk in the eighth, and Tyler Wulfert followed by ripping a double off the wall in left field to bring home the tying run.
After the game went to extra innings tied 6-6, UCF scored the go-ahead run in the 10th on a two-out RBI single by AJ Nessler.
Hogs knocked out of SEC Tournament
HOOVER, Alabama – Peyton Holt’s first career multi-homer game was not enough to power No. 5 Arkansas (43-14) past No. 2 Kentucky (40-13) in a 9-6 elimination-game loss Thursday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in the SEC Tournament.
The Razorback outfielder led the charge offensively, bashing a pair of home runs and matching his career high with four RBI in Thursday’s setback. For the season, Holt is now slashing .309/.409/.468 with six homers and 23 runs batted in.
Working on a pitch count, Razorback ace and SEC Pitcher of the Year Hagen Smith tossed 36 pitches over his two-inning start. The junior left-hander, who was charged with his first loss of the year, struck out four while allowing two unearned runs on two hits and a walk, lowering his nation-leading season ERA to 1.48 and raising his season strikeout total to 154.
Kentucky scored twice in the first inning on a pair of errors before extending its lead to 6-0 with a run in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Arkansas, however, responded with a four-spot in the top half of the sixth, thanks to Wehiwa Aloy’s RBI groundout followed by Holt’s three-run homer – his first of the day – with two outs in the inning.
Aloy collected his team-leading 55th RBI of the season to put the Razorbacks on the board before Holt’s three-run blast cut the deficit to 6-4. Right-hander Brady Tygart made his first relief appearance of the season in the bottom half of the sixth and tossed a scoreless frame before he was tagged by the Wildcats for three runs (one earned) in the seventh.
Trailing by five, Arkansas got one back on Holt’s second homer, which was a one-out solo shot to left in his very next at-bat. Jared Sprague-Lott chipped in with a two-out solo blast in the ninth, but the Razorbacks would come up short, 9-6.
Sprague-Lott was one of three Hogs, including Holt and Stovall (2-for-4), to record multiple hits in Thursday’s game. The senior third baseman, who finished 2-for-5, is slashing .295/.431/.494 with eight homers and 25 RBI on the season.
In relief, Mason Molina also emerged from the bullpen and spun two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Over his last two appearances, the junior left-hander has tossed five scoreless frames with five strikeouts in relief.
Griffith named Student of the Year
TALIHINA – Kiamichi Tech – Talihina has selected Spencer Griffith as the 2023-24 Student of the Year. He was chosen from among the Student of the Month award winners throughout the year.
Griffith is a member of the Interactive Media program at Kiamichi Tech – Talihina and served as the class historian. He is also a member of the band at Talihina High School. After graduation, he plans to take over his family’s ranch or go to college to become a film director.
“Spencer is a kind and genuine student,” said Lauren Denny, the Interactive Media instructor at Kiamichi Tech - Talihina. “He has the ability to make others feel included and cared about. He has a wonderful sense of humor and strives to go above and beyond on all his tasks. He is well deserving of the Student of the Year award.”
Griffith received a check from The Community State Bank – Talihina Branch. This is their first year sponsoring the award.
“The Community State Bank was pleased to sponsor the Student of the Year award for 2024,” said Melody Goodsell, Assistant Branch Manager, Talihina Branch. “Kiamichi Tech plays a vital role in the success and growth for our area, and we were happy to help them recognize Spencer with this honor.”
Kiamichi Tech is part of the Oklahoma CareerTech system, which offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts and operates on 60 campuses across the state. CareerTech plays a vital role in developing a world-class workforce for Oklahoma employers and prepares Oklahomans to succeed in the workplace, in education and in life.
The weather
Another chance of rain and storms for Friday in Heavener and LeFlore County.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon with additional thunderstorms Friday night. Some storms may be severe.
The high is forecast to be 83 degrees with a low of 70.
Sunrise is 6:09 a.m. Sunset is 8:22 p.m.
Average temperatures for May 24 are a high of 83 and low of 57. Records for the date were a high of 91 in 1972. The record low was 36 in 1985.
Last year, on May 24, the high was 82 with a low of 64.
Tuesday’s high was 80 with a low of 56.
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The calendar
Calendar of events for Heavener and LeFlore County.. If you are a non-profit, school or church, submit an event. This is a free service for non-profits and and churches so let us know if something is going on. CONTACT us.
Monday
LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.
Tuesday
Funeral service for Loretta Ruby Bullard
Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC
Wednesday
Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC
Thursday
Meet the candidates luncheon
Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon
Heavener VFW bingo 6:30 p.m. Highway 59 North
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Today in history
1883
Brooklyn Bridge opens
After 14 years, the Brooklyn Bridge over the East River opens, connecting the great cities of New York and Brooklyn for the first time in history. Thousands of residents of Brooklyn and Manhattan Island turned out to witness the dedication ceremony, which was presided over by President Chester A. Ar... read more
American Revolution
1775
John Hancock becomes president of Congress
Crime
1989
Lori Ann Auker disappears from a parking lot
Inventions & Science
1844
Samuel Morse demonstrates the telegraph with the message, "What hath God wrought?"
Sports
1935
1964
Riot erupts at Lima, Peru soccer match, killing hundreds
U.S. Presidents
1797
Thomas Jefferson inquires about a former flame
World War I
1917
British naval convoy system introduced
World War II
1941
German battleship, the Bismarck, sinks Britain's HMS Hood
Service planned for Loretta Bullard
Loretta Ruby Bullard, 97, of Wister passed away May 22, 2024 and was born Dec. 30, 1926.
Funeral service is 10 a.m. Tuesday at Church of God Seventh Day in Wister, with Lamar Ford, and Jay Forrest officiating. Burial will follow at Maxey Cemetery in Wister under the direction of Evans & Miller Funeral Home of Poteau.
Survivors are daughters Eva Alexander, Bonnie Prigmore, Lynn and Alan Shelbourne; brother, Maurice Midgley; grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Herman Bullard; sons Curtis and David Bullard, and J.D. Delap; sisters Vina, Opal, Margaret and Ann; and brothers Charlie, William, Moss and Dee.
Pallbearers are Jake Donahoe, Fred Midgley, Jay Forrest, Bobby Dickson, Ronnie Hicks, and Lonny Hicks.
You may leave an online message at www.evansandmillerfuneralhome.com.