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Bible verse of the day
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 NIV
Blast from the past
Joke of the day
What’s the saddest day of the week?
Monday mourning
Today’s poll
Today’s crossword
Daily suduku
The top 10 stories
1. Israel hails ‘success’ in blocking Iran’s unprecedented attack. Biden now seeks diplomatic response
2. Iran’s attack on Israel raises fears of a wider war, but all sides have also scored gains
3. US helps Israel shoot down ‘nearly all’ Iran-launched attack drones as Biden vows support
4. Officer, bystanders hailed for confronting and stopping a man who killed 6 at a Sydney shopping mall
5. Small earthquake shakes Southern California desert near site of Coachella music festival
6. Scottie Scheffler leads Masters by 1 shot on a wild day of movement
7. The last day of the NBA regular season is Sunday. Expect chaos and lots of it
8. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese headline one of the most anticipated WNBA drafts in years
9. Bird flu is spreading to more farm animals. Are milk and eggs safe?
LeFlore County scoreboard
LeFlore County sports scores from Saturday.
Baseball
Spiro 19, Westville 4
Spiro 20, Westville 4
Wister 9, Tupelo 1
Slow pitch softball
Whitesboro 8, Wright City 0
Whitesboro 11, Wright City 3
Wister whips Tupelo
WISTER—In a matchup of two top five teams Saturday, Wister scored an impressive 9-1 win over Tupelo in high school baseball.
Wister is 13-6 and ranked fifth in Class 2A while Tupelo is 13-5 and ranked third in Class B. Wister is at Tushka Tuesday.
Landon Donaho pitched all six innings of the run-rule win. He allowed six hits and one run with six strike outs and no walks.
Riley Crane led the Wildcats’ offense. He was 4-4 with four runs and a RBI, Tucker Wooten homered while going 2-3 with three RBI and two runs and Dartyn Meeks had a 2-3 game with a run scored.
Wister 9, Tupelo 1
THS 0 0 0 1 0 0—1 6 5
WHS 2 0 3 1 0 3—9 10 1
Spiro whips Westville twice
SPIRO—Spiro easily swept a doubleheader from Westville in District 3A-7 baseball play Saturday.
Spiro won the opener, 19-4, then completed the sweep with a 20-4 win in the second game. Spiro is 12-11 overall, 6-4 in district play. Westville is 2-16 and 0-10. Spiro visits district leading Cascia Hall Monday.
In the opener, Spiro actually trailed 4-0 before scoring 19 runs in the bottom of the third to end the game by run rule.
Justice Barnes started and went two innings before Davis Carter threw the final two innings. Barnes allowed three hits and four runs, three earned with three strikeouts and five walks. Carter allowed no hits or runs while striking out two.
Hayden Reed tripled and was 2-4 with four RBI and two runs and Corbin Miller was 2-2 with two RBI and two runs.
Spiro 19, Westville 4
WHS 2 2 0 0—4 3 5
SHS 0 0 19 x—19 6 0
Spiro continued its offensive explosion early in the second game, scoring six times in the first inning before adding 12 in the third to again end the game by run rule.
Bryson Graham got the win for Spiro. He pitched two innings, allowing one hit and three runs, all earned, with five walks and two strikeouts. Ryan Restine threw one inning, allowing one hit and a run with two strike outs and a walk.
Miller homered and was 3-3 with two runs and a RBI, Hunter Sparks homered twice while going 2-4 with five RBI and two runs, Tanner Hambright homered and doubled while going 2-2 with four RBI and a run and Carter doubled while going 1-2 with three runs.
Spiro 20, Westville 4
SHS 6 2 12—20 12 0
WHS 1 2 1—4 2 3
OU slugs to series victory Over KSU
NORMAN — Oklahoma took the conference series over Kansas State with a 11-4 win Saturday in front of a sellout crowd at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman.
The Sooners (20-14, 10-4 Big 12) stayed atop the Big 12 standings with their 10th conference win of the season, powering past the Wildcats (21-12, 7-7 Big 12) with nine extra-base hits. OU blasted a trio of home runs courtesy of freshman Jason Walk and seniors Anthony Mackenzie and Michael Snyder.
OU starting right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon was in a groove to start the game, retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced. The Sooners gave him run support at the bottom of the third. After a walk drawn by sophomore Easton Carmichael, Snyder unloaded on a pitch to left field to give OU a 2-0 lead through three.
OU scratched its fourth run across in the fourth on Walk’s third home run of his freshman campaign, and second homer in the last three games.
After Witherspoon put the Wildcats down in order again at the top of the fifth, the Sooners added another three runs on four hits in the bottom half. Snyder led off the frame with a double, leading to a Mackenzie two-run home run over the left field wall, his fourth of the season. Three batters later, after a Kendall Pettis double, junior Scott Mudler brought him home on a ground-rule double to make it 6-0 Sooners through five.
K-State made a rally at the top of the sixth, scoring four runs on four hits. After a pair of singles, a two-run triple, RBI single and run-scoring groundout put KSU on the board. The four runs in the sixth would all the Wildcats would score in the game as senior lefty Carter Campbell entered and went two scoreless innings.
OU put an exclamation point on the win in the eighth with five more runs on six hits and a KSU error. Mudler led off the frame with his second double of the day before back to back bunt singles from freshmen Jaxon Willits and Walk. Mudler scored on Walk’s bunt down the right line, prior to a two-run double from Carmichael. After an RBI single from Mackenzie and a Wildcat error that allowed freshman Isaiah Lane to score, the score blossomed to 11-4, OU.
Kyson’s twin brother, Malachi Witherspoon, entered in the eighth and retired six of the seven batters he faced to close the game, striking out a pair.
K. Witherspoon (3-2) earned his third win of the season, going 5.1 innings and allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. The OU pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts, good for the 17th time of OU’s 34 games that the OU arms have registered double-digit strikeouts.
At the plate, Walk recorded his first three-hit game of the freshman’s career, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Mackenzie brought in a trio, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
Saturday’s attendance of 4,011 ranked fourth in program single-game attendance at L. Dale Mitchell Park as the crowd witnessed OU’s second home Big 12 series victory of 2024.
The teams meet for the series finale Sunday at 2 p.m. CT. The game can be seen via SoonerVision on ESPN+ and heard locally in Oklahoma on SportsTalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM or nationwide on The Varsity app.
For the Fans: Sunday will be the annual Bark in the Park game where fans are encouraged to bring their dogs. A waiver must be signed at the front gate.
Single game tickets and mini-plan options for home games at L. Dale Mitchell Park are available via SoonerSports.com/tickets.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.
OSU wins Cincy series
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State clinched its fourth-straight Big 12 series win with a 12-5 victory over Cincinnati Saturday night at O’Brate Stadium.
With the win, the 20th-ranked Cowboys improved to 24-11 and 9-5 in conference play, while Cincinnati fell to 20-15 and 7-7 in the league.
Offensively, Carson Benge led the way for the Pokes, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Aidan Meola had two hits and tied his career-high with five RBIs.
Brian Holiday picked up the win on the mound, improving to 3-2. The junior right-hander worked six innings, striking out four and allowing three runs on eight hits.
Evan O’Toole recorded his first-career save as he pitched the final three innings and struck out four while giving up a pair of runs.
The Bearcats took the game’s initial lead on an RBI single from Tommy O’Connor in the first inning, but the Cowboys responded quickly in the bottom of the frame.
Jaxson Crull touched base with a leadoff walk, and Zach Ehrhard followed with a fielder’s choice, with Crull reaching second on an error. Up next, Benge drew a walk, and two batters later, Meola smashed a grand slam to left field, his fourth home run of the season, to create a 4-1 lead.
That advantage grew again with a Colin Brueggemann leadoff home run in the fourth, which marked his team-high eighth homer of the season.
Cincinnati cut its deficit to 5-2 in the fifth, but the Cowboys’ offense erupted in the bottom of the inning with seven runs on seven hits to take control of the scoreboard.
Benge struck first with a leadoff double, and Nolan Schubart followed with a single to set up Meola’s fifth RBI of the game, which came on a single.
Next up, Brueggemann tallied a base hit on a full count to create a 7-2 advantage, and Lane Forsythe continued his momentum after his heroics in the series opener with an RBI shot up the middle to add one more. The Pokes weren’t finished as Ehrhard delivered a two-RBI single before Benge recorded his third hit of the day with a bases clearing triple to cap the frame.
Cincinnati tallied two more runs in the seventh, making the score 12-5, but O’Toole kept the Bearcats off the scoreboard over the final two frames to secure the series for the Pokes.
OSU will look for the sweep in Sunday’s finale, with first pitch scheduled for noon.
Alabama tops Arkansas in Game 2
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama. – No. 1 Arkansas (30-4, 12-2 SEC) swatted three homers, including Peyton Holt’s two-out, game-tying solo shot in the top of the ninth, but lost, 4-3, in 10 innings against No. 25 Alabama (23-12, 5-9 SEC) Saturday evening.
The Razorbacks and Crimson Tide will close out the weekend series with a winner-take-all rubber game tomorrow afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, April 14, on SEC Network+.
Arkansas starter Mason Molina logged his first quality start of the year, spinning six innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts. The junior left-hander lowered his season ERA to 3.32 in 43.1 innings over nine starts this season.
Alabama did its only damage against Molina with a pair of solo home runs, jumping out to an early two-run advantage over Arkansas. The Razorback offense, however, would respond in the fifth and sixth innings on solo blasts by Peyton Stovall, his fifth of the season, and Jared Sprague-Lott, his fifth of the year and second in as many nights, respectively.
Alabama scored the go-ahead run on a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth, breaking a 2-2 tie to take a one-run lead into the ninth. Crimson Tide closer Alton Davis II retired the first two he faced before Holt stepped up to the plate.
The Greenwood, Ark., native unloaded on the first pitch he saw, hammering the ball over the wall in left center to tie the game at three apiece in the top half of the ninth. Holt, who was making his first career start in left field, finished Saturday’s game with a team-leading three hits, including his first home run of the season, a run scored and an RBI.
In the bottom of the ninth, right fielder Kendall Diggs laid out to make a sensational diving catch on the warning track to rob Alabama infielder Justin Lebron of a game-winning hit and help force extra innings. Arkansas could not capitalize in the top of the 10th, however, as Davis retired the Razorbacks’ 9-1-2 hitters in order.
After a leadoff double, the Crimson Tide would score the game-winning run on a throwing error to pull out a 4-3 victory, snapping the Hogs’ 11-game winning streak and forcing tomorrow afternoon’s rubber game to decide the series.
Arkansas right-hander Brady Tygart, who is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 36.2 innings over eight starts this season, will toe the rubber and go up against Alabama lefty Zane Adams (2-2, 4.85 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale.
For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).
The weather
Partly cloudy skies early with skies clearing later in the day Sunday in LeFlore County.
The high is forecast to be 82 degrees with a low of 66.
Sunrise is 6:47 a.m. Sunset is 7:50 p.m.
Saturday’s high was 85 with a low of 62.
Average temperatures for April 14 are a high of 74 and low of 46. Records for the date were a high of 86 in 1972. The record low was 30 in 1970.
Last year on April 14, the high was 83 with a low of 66.
The calendar
Calendar of events for Heavener, LeFlore County and southeastern Oklahoma.. If you are a non-profit, school or church, submit an event. This is a free service for non-profits and churches, so if you want your event published, send an email to craig@heavenerledger.com
Monday
LeFlore County commissioners meet 9 a.m.
High school baseball: Victory Christian at Heavener; Talihina at Cameron; Howe at McCurtain; Gans at LeFlore; Panama at Red Oak; Stigler at Poteau; Spiro at Cascia Hall; Whitesboro at Haileyville
High school softball: Sallisaw at Heavener; Panama at Pocola; Quinton at Whitesboro
Tuesday
Heavener at Idabel meet
High school baseball: Heavener at Wilburton; Howe at LeFlore; Central Sallisaw at Panama; Pocola at Haworth; Poteau at Stigler; Cascia Hall at Spiro; Savanna at Talihina; Tushka at Wister; district baseball.
High school softball: Kiowa, LeFlore at Red Oak; Panama at Whitesboro; Stigler at Talihina; District softball
High school soccer: Regent Prep at Heavener; Dove Science at Poteau
Poteau Chamber of Commerce banquet
Poteau Evening Lions Club meet 6 p.m. CASC
Wednesday
Poteau Rotary Club meets noon EOMC
Thursday
Poteau Kiwanis Club meets noon
Heavener VFW bingo 6:30 p.m. Highway 59 North
High school softball: Keota at Cameron; Panama at Wister; Howe at Poteau
High school baseball: Spiro at Salina Tournament
HUA, city council meetings 6 p.m. Heavener City Hall
Friday
Heavener at Broken Bow meet
High school softball: Cameron at Spiro; Pocola, Tahlequah at Muskogee; Poteau at Muldrow
High school baseball: Panama at Hartshorne; Spiro at Salina Tournament; Wister at Wilburton
High school soccer: Heavener girls at Porter; Poteau at Regent Prep
Saturday
Heavener, Poteau clean-up drive
High school baseball: Heaener at Eufaula; Muldrow at Poteau; Spiro at Salina Tournament
Today in history
1865
John Wilkes Booth shoots Abraham Lincoln
President Abraham Lincoln is shot in the head at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865. The assassin, actor John Wilkes Booth, shouted, “Sic semper tyran... read more
1980s
1988
Soviets agree to withdraw from Afghanistan
African History
1986
U.S. bombs terrorist and military targets in Libya
American Revolution
1775
First American abolition society founded in Philadelphia
Art, Literature and Film History
1828
"Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language" is printed
1932
1969
Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand tie for Best Actress Oscar
Great Depression
1935
“Black Sunday" Dust Bowl storm strikes
Natural Disasters & Environment
1944
Explosion on cargo ship rocks Bombay, India
Sports
1910
Taft becomes first U.S. president to throw out first pitch at MLB game
1960
Montreal Canadiens win fifth consecutive Stanley Cup
1996
Greg Norman blows six-shot Masters lead in epic collapse
World War I
1918
American pilots engage in first dogfight over the western front
Secret fruit salad recipe
We know, we know... secrets don't make friends. We realized we've been gatekeeping this recipe for too long and we've finally decided that you need to have it, too! We're letting this Secret Fruit Salad out of the bag and once you munch on it, you might understand why we've kept it to ourselves all this time. It's bursting with juicy flavors from rosy strawberries, tart blueberries, smooth peaches, and sweet grapes! Every taste is so fresh and delightful... it's practically summer in a bowl. Secret Fruit Salad is a secret no more! Whip it up and try it for yourself.
Ingredients
1 pound strawberries, quartered
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
2 peaches, sliced
2 cups grapes
2 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix powder
Directions
Step 1 -In a large bowl, add the strawberries, the blueberries, the raspberries, the peaches, the grapes, and the pudding mix and toss to combine.
Step 2 -Serve.