General

Live updates from Auburn baseball’s regional game against Stetson

Auburn baseball returns to Plainsman Park to host Stetson in its NCAA tournament regional. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Central Connecticut State was eliminated from the regional after falling to NC State 12-0. The Wolfpack will meet the loser of Auburn and Stetson in a win or go home game Sunday afternoon.

Here’s a live update stream from the Tigers game against Stetson:

First Inning

• Auburn’s Chris Rembert files out on the Tigers first at bat. Eric Guevara strikes out and Ike Irish gets out at first base.
• First pitch 8:06 p.m.

Pregame

Starting pitchers

Auburn: RHP Sam Dutton (6-3, 3.58 ERA) Stetson: RHP James Hayes (4-0, 4.47 ERA)

Auburn starting lineup

1. RF Chris Rembert
2. 3B Eric Guevara
3. LF Ike Irish
4. 1B Cooper McMurray
5. DH Lucas Steele
6. 2B Eric Snow
7. CF Bub Terrell
8. C Chase Fralick
9. SS Deric Fabian

Stetson Starting lineup

1. 3B Isaiah Barkett
2. 2B Juan De La Cruz
3. SS Lorenzo Meola
4. 1B Landon Moran
5. LF Foster Apple
6. RF Jordan Taylor
7. DH Evan Griffis
8. CF Landon Russell
9. C Danny Perez

Officials: Nate White (HP); Eric Goshay (1B); David Uyl (2B); Zach Neff (3B)

Jerry Humphrey III covers Auburn sports forAL.com. You can follow him on X at @Jerryhump3or email him at [email protected].

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Republican doubles down on ‘we’re all going to die’ Medicaid cut defense: ‘Embrace my Lord and savior’

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst on Saturday doubled down after she said “we all are going to die” as she addressed potential changes to Medicaid eligibility at a town hall in north-central Iowa on Friday.

Her comment was met with shouts and groans.

In a social media video on Saturday, Ernst joked about the outrage.

“I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So I apologize,” Ernst said in the video.

“I’m really, really glad that I didn’t have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy,” Ernst added. “For those who would like to see eternal and everlasting, I encourage you to embrace my lord and savior, Jesus Christ.”

She had been consistent in her message throughout the contentious forum at a high school in Parkersburg, Iowa, as she defended the tax and immigration package that has passed the House and is now under consideration in the Senate.

Facing several constituents concerned about cuts to Medicaid, she defended the $700 billion in reduced spending, saying it would keep immigrants in the U.S. illegally and those who have access to insurance through their employers off the rolls.

Then someone in the crowd yelled that people will die without coverage.

“People are not … well, we all are going to die,” Ernst said, drawing groans. “So, for heaven’s sakes. For heaven’s sakes, folks.”

“What you don’t want to do is listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable,” Ernst went on. “Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid we will protect.”

House Republicans last week muscled through the massive spending and tax cut package, dubbed “the big, beautiful bill” at the urging of President Donald Trump, by a single vote. It now moves to the Senate.

Ernst made clear Friday that any measure that emerges from the Senate will look different from the House version.

Republicans have defended the new work requirements for nondisabled adults without dependents and stepped up eligibility verification, saying the generated savings will sustain the program for vulnerable populations. Democrats warn that millions of Americans will lose coverage.

A preliminary estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the proposals would reduce the number of people with health care by 8.6 million over the decade.

Video of Ernst’s comment started making the rounds among Democratic elected officials and candidates. Ernst is up for reelection in 2026.

“This morning, Joni Ernst said the quiet part out loud,” said Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, in a statement. He added that Republicans do not care “about whether their own constituents live or die as long as the richest few get richer.”

AL.com contributed to this report.

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Houston Texans coordinator provides update on former Alabama standout

Injuries caused Christian Harris to miss most of the Houston Texans’ 2024 season, and he hasn’t been practicing with the team this offseason.

But Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said on Friday the NFL team expects the former Alabama standout will have completed his rehab work in time for the start of training camp in late July.

“He’s here working like he always is,” Burke said. “Again, another guy – I sound like a broken record. Christian’s been doing his thing. Again, all these guys are on a little different plans and routines. The goal is to get all these guys ready for camp, and he’s on track to be there for us.”

In his second NFL season, Harris recorded 101 tackles in 16 regular-season games in 2023. Then in a 45-14 playoff victory over the Cleveland Browns, Harris had eight tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one interception, which he returned 36 yards for his first NFL touchdown.

But in 2024, a calf injury in training camp landed Harris on injured reserve. After he missed the first 13 games of the season, Harris returned to the Houston lineup for three games before an ankle injury caused him to miss the regular-season finale. Harris returned for the Texans’ two postseason contests, but he played only eight defensive snaps.

Injuries to Harris and other linebackers allowed another former Crimson Tide standout, Henry To’oTo’o to step forward for the Texans. His time on the field jumped from 436 defensive snaps as a fifth-round rookie in 2023 to 830 in 2024, and To’oTo’o led Houston with 105 tackles last season.

Former Pro Bowler Azeez Al-Shaair returns as a starter, too, although he missed six games last season.

This offseason, the Texans signed linebacker EJ Speed as a free agent after he made 142 tackles in 15 games during his sixth season with the Indianapolis Colts.

Houston completed the first of three weeks of Phase 3 of its offseason program on Friday. After their practice on June 11, the Rams will break until the start of training camp.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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BetMGM bonus code ALCOM1500: Claim a $1,500 first-bet bonus for Knicks vs. Pacers

The New York Knicks live to play another day after a decisive victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals is Saturday night, with the Pacers looking to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals with a win. Sports bettors who plan to check out the game can claim a $1,500 first-bet bonus when registering with today’s BetMGM bonus code ALCOM1500.

BetMGM bonus code ALCOM1500 at a glance

BetMGM bonus code ALCOM1500: How to claim your $1,500 bonus

No online sportsbook delivers as big as BetMGM. The self-proclaimed King of Sportsbooks gives all new users a $1,500 first-bet bonus that serves as a fallback plan if your first wager doesn’t win.

Follow these instructions to claim the offer.

1. Click one of our BetMGM bonus code links or banners.
2. Choose your state and answer the questions in the required fields, including code ALCOM1500. If you register using our link, the code will appear automatically.
3. Pick a banking method and deposit at least $10 into your new account.
4. Bet $10 or more on Knicks vs. Pacers or any other sporting event.

If your first bet wins, you collect your winnings as usual. However, if your first bet loses, the welcome bonus kicks in.

Users who wager less than $50 on their first bet and lose will receive one bonus bet equal to the amount lost. Users who wager $50 or more will receive five bonus bets worth 20% of the amount lost. For example, users who wager $100 and lose will receive five $20 bonus bets.

The maximum amount of bonus bets that can be awarded is $1,500. All bonus bets can be used on any other game, but they must be used within seven days of receipt or they will expire.

BetMGM Sportsbook existing user promos

The fun doesn’t stop once you’ve used your BetMGM welcome bonus. All users can grab one or all of the below daily promotions throughout their sports betting journey.

• NBA playoffs second chance: If your pick to score the first basket in an NBA game doesn’t score first but scores second, you get your stake back.
• No Sweat Bets: If your wager loses, you’ll receive a bonus bet to try again on another game.
• Odds boosts: Get enhanced odds on select betting markets.
• Referral bonus: Get a friend to sign up with your link and claim a $100 bonus.

How to use your BetMGM bonus bets for Knicks vs. Pacers

Best bet: Jalen Brunson points Under 31.5 (-120 odds)

Jalen Brunson has been great in this series, but his three highest-scoring games (43, 36 and 32 points) came in Games 1, 2 and 5 at Madison Square Garden. In Games 3 and 4 at Indiana’s Gainbridge Field House, he scored 23 and 31 points.

There’s no shame in scoring 31 points (or even 23), but if he scores 31 on Saturday night, he will not cover his scoring prop. Brunson scored 23 points in Game 3 and the Knicks won, so New York has a formula for success without its leading scorer shooting for the moon.

Brunson averaged 24.4 points in five road playoff games against Boston and Indiana. Look for him to be good in Saturday’s road game but not awesome.

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Trump pulls nomination of billionaire with Alabama ties to head NASA

The White House is backtracking on its choice of a tech billionaire with deep ties to Alabama’s space industry to be the next leader of NASA, according to multiple news reports.

SpaceNews reported Saturday afternoon that the Donald Trump administration is withdrawing its nomination of Jared Isaacman. Administration spokeswoman Liz Huston told NBC News, “it’s essential that the next leader of NASA is in complete alignment with President Trump’s America First agenda.”

The move comes as the Senate was preparing to vote in the coming days on Isaacman’s nomination. His nomination cleared a Senate committee in April, with Huston saying at the time that Isaacman, “is exceptionally qualified to advance President Trump’s bold agenda to restore American leadership in space science, technology, and exploration. We look forward to the Senate’s swift confirmation of him.”

Isaacman is founder and CEO of the credit card payment processing company Shift4 Payments. He is a close ally of Elon Musk, having twice purchased flights into space aboard the latter’s SpaceX rockets.

Musk, the former head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, left his post recently after publicly rebuking the president over what he saw as waste in next year’s spending plan.

Isaacman attended U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge as a child and, in 2022, donated $10 million for the construction of the facility’s Inspiration4 Skills Training Center. He is also a member of the class of 2022 U.S. Space and Rocket Center Space Camp Hall of Fame.

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Tuscaloosa bar says it’s closing for good

A bar on The Strip in Tuscaloosa announced Saturday it will close for the final time.

Unique, which opened in 2021, posted on its Facebook page that it is “permanently closing after today.”

“We want to thank all of those for the love and support over the last four years, it’s been an amazing ride,” the post read.

Unique replaced Egan’s, a dive bar in the heart of the Strip, which closed in 2021 after 42 years of operation.

Unique was temporarily closed in January by court order after the bar’s owners were fined $3,100 for not providing proof of worker’s compensation insurance, AL.com reported.

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Oregon-Utah Valley free livestream: How to watch NCAA Baseball Tournament Regional, TV, time

The No. 12 Oregon Ducks play against the Utah Valley Wolverines in their NCAA Baseball Tournament Regional tonight. The matchup will begin at 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Ducks enter this matchup with a 42-14 record, and they have won 11 of their last 12 games.

In order to win this game, the Oregon squad will need to rely on their star player Jacob Walsh. He currently leads the team with 59 RBI and a .336 batting average, so he will look to continue his offensive success this evening.

The Wolverines enter this matchup with a 32-27 record, and they have won four consecutive games. In their most recent game, the Wolverines defeated Abilene Christian 11-9.

In order to pull off the upset, the Utah Valley squad will need a great performance from their star player Jayden Smith. He currently leads the team with a .403 batting average.

Fans can watch the NCAA Baseball Tournament Regional for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

• Where to watch Knicks-Pacers game 6 tonight: Free livestream, TV, time
• UCLA-Texas Tech free livestream: How to watch Women’s College World Series, TV, time
• PSG-Inter free livestream: How to watch UEFA Champions League Final today, TV, time
• Oklahoma State-Duke free livestream: How to watch NCAA Baseball Tournament Regional, TV, time
• Florida-Tennessee free livestream: Where to watch Women’s College World Series, TV, time

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Child among 2 wounded in midday Gardendale shooting

A child was among two people shot Saturday in Gardendale.

Police Chief Scott Banks said the shooting happened just after 12:30 p.m. in the Jamestown Manor Community.

The incident, he said, appears to be domestic-related and may have been accidental, but investigators are still trying to sort out details.

Officers responded quickly to the scene and secured the area.

Both victims were taken to area hospitals. The chief said their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening at this time.

“Officers have everyone in the incident,” Banks said.

“We recognize the community’s concern, especially with a juvenile involved, and we are working diligently to gather all facts and ensure a thorough investigation,” he said.

More information will be released as it becomes available.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call investigators at 205-631-8787.

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World’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be dismantled in Alabama

A Vermont company has been awarded more than a half-billion dollars to dismantle a historic aircraft carrier in Mobile.

According to a Pentagon procurement notice posted Friday, NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services LLC of Vernon, Vt., has been awarded a $536,749,731 firm-fixed-price contract for “the dismantling, recycling, and disposal” of the former USS Enterprise, CVN-65.

The Enterprise was the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier when it launched in 1961. It was the only vessel of its class to be built, and 1,123 feet, was the longest ship to ever serve in the U.S. Navy.

“The Big E” completed 25 deployments during 51 years of service, according to Naval History and Heritage Command. The carrier was deactivated in 2012 and decommissioned in 2017.

The Navy’s effort to dispose of the decommissioned nuclear-powered carrier has been more than a decade in the making, AL.com has reported. The Navy has said it would see significant cost savings by outsourcing the dismantling to a private company rather than undertaking it at a Navy facility.

The notice states NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services will be responsible for any hazardous materials encountered during the dismantling, “including low-level radioactive waste, [which] will be packaged and safely transported for disposal at authorized licensed sites.”

Work is expected to be completed by November 2029.

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Haze over Alabama: What’s going on with the skies?

Alabamians sick of clouds and rain and looking forward to clear skies may have to wait a bit longer — but it’s not because of rain.

It’s smoke from faraway wildfires.

The cold front that brought in a last round of rain and storms on Thursday shifted the wind pattern and brought in smoke from the Northwest.

According to The Associated Press, smoke from dozens of wildfires in central and western Canada is traveling south, pushed by winds high in the atmosphere.

And that smoke may hang around in Alabama until next week, according to the National Weather Service.

The AP reported that the smoke could affect air quality in parts of the Midwest, but so far that is not an issue for Alabama.

As of Saturday afternoon, Alabama’s air quality in many spots was in the moderate zone, according to AirNow.gov, and that is expected to continue on Sunday.

Here is the air quality forecast for Sunday:

The smoke in the air is not expected to cause any visibility issues in Alabama, and it could help amplify the sunsets and sunrises thanks to smoke particles in the air.

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