🥎 Going, going, gone…the regular season of the Athlete’s Unlimited Softball League ends this week and there’s no chill. (I think young people say that?) Utah and Chicago have both punched their tickets to the postseason, but they’re not done with each other yet. The Talons and Bandits go head-to-head this weekend for the No. 1 seed and a bye straight into the Championship Series. Meanwhile, the real drama is in the race for the third and final playoff spot, where the Portland Cascade and Oklahoma City Spark, this year’s two expansion teams, are battling to keep their seasons alive. Leading the charge are former UCLA teammates Megan Grant for Portland and Maya Brady for Oklahoma City. They played together at the 2024 Women’s College World Series, and now they’re on opposite sides of the fight to get in. Games run Thursday through Monday, full schedule and how to watch at AUSL.
🤸‍♀️ Last call isn't just for bars, it's also for gymnastics meets. This Saturday it's the U.S. Classic at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, and for some gymnasts, it's the final chance to punch their ticket to next month's Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Olympian Jade Carey and World Champions Leanne Wong and Skye Blakely have already qualified, so this is a great chance to enjoy their performances without having a heart attack. Two-time NCAA champion Katelyn Ohashi has a lot more riding on it. At 29, she’s back for her first elite season since 2013, and after falling short of the qualifying score in her last attempt, it’s do-or-die time. Catch all the action this Saturday, July 18th, from 7 to 9 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and Peacock.
🏀 With the All-Star break next week, every WNBA team wants to close out the first half hot, but nobody's doing it like the Valkyries, who carry an eight-game win streak into Saturday's home game against Washington. Minnesota hosts Portland the same night, your chance to catch Rookie of the Year front-runner Olivia Miles, back and cooking after missing two games with a calf injury. At the same time, the Liberty and Fever meet in a primetime matchup on CBS. You're going to have to cave and get three screens. If you survive Saturday, may as well keep it rolling into Sunday, which brings three more games back to back to back, Sparks-Wings at 1 p.m., Sky-Dream at 4 p.m. and Sun-Mercury at 7 p.m. Don't overthink it. Just give in. Full schedule and how to watch at WNBA.com.
