MOTOR SPORTS
Cindric wins Xfinity race
Austin Cindric saved his car from a serious spin early in the race and dominated late Saturday at Dover International Speedway to win his third Xfinity Series race of the season. The 22-year-old Cindric showed flashes throughout his career on the 1-mile concrete track that he could take the checkered flag. Cindric was second and third in two Xfinity races last season and had never finished worse than ninth in six previous Dover starts. He connected with Ty Gibbs near the end of the first stage and the No. 22 Ford swiveled a bit until Cindric straightened it and kept it on pace for the win. Cindric led the final 51 laps. Cindric finished 30th last week at Darlington but still came into Saturday with a 39-point lead over Daniel Hemric in the points standings. He won his 11th career Xfinity race; he had six last season. Josh Berry, who makes his Cup debut today, was second and Justin Allgaier was third.
VeeKay scores first victory
Rinus VeeKay continued IndyCar's youth movement Saturday by scoring his first career victory with a win on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Dutchman became the third first-time winner through five races this season -- the most at this point in the season since 2013. The 20-year-old is the fourth winner 24 or younger to reach victory lane this season, joining Alex Palou, Colton Herta and Pato O'Ward in what is quickly becoming a changing of the guard in IndyCar. Only six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon has been to victory lane so far this year for the veterans as the series heads next week into preparations for the Indianapolis 500.
Father/daughter earn sweep
John and Brittany Force swept the nitro classes Saturday in qualifying for the NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. The 72-year-old John Force topped the Funny Car lineup with a 3.902-second pass at 330.55 mph. Daughter Brittany Force took the No. 1 spot in Top Fuel with her track-record Friday run of 3.662 and 333.08. John Force has qualified first 161 times. The 16-time season champion won the last of his 150 Funny Car event victories in 2019 outside Seattle.
GOLF
Burns remains in front
Sam Burns still has the lead going into the final round of the AT&T Byron Nelson despite more magic on the 18th green from local favorite Jordan Spieth. Now it's a race to beat the weather in Texas in the final round with a good number of the players headed to the PGA Championship in South Carolina. Burns shot a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke lead over K.H. Lee, who had a 67. Spieth, Matt Kuchar and Charl Schwartzel each shot 66 and were three strokes back along with Alex Noren, who shot 70. The players will switch from twosomes back to threesomes going off the first and 10th tees soon after daybreak today with heavy rain in the forecast. Without delays, the tournament will finish about four hours earlier than normal. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Arkansas Razorbacks) turned in a 75 on Saturday and is at 5-under 211 for the tournament.
Goydos holds 1-shot lead
Paul Goydos shot a bogey-free 3-under 69 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Billy Andrade into the final round of the PGA Tour Champions' Mitsubishi Electric Classic in Duluth, Ga. The 56-year-old Goydos had an 8-under 136 total at TPC Sugarloaf. He has five senior victories after winning twice on the PGA Tour. Andrade eagled the par-5 18th for a 68. First-round leader Stephen Ames followed his opening 66 with a 72 to drop into a tie for third. Glen Day (Little Rock) is tied for 13th place at 3-under 141. Day fired a 4-under 68 on Saturday. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot his second consecutive 77 and is at 10-over 154.
Bland earns long-awaited win
Richard Bland won his first European Tour event on the 478th attempt after beating Guido Migliozzi in a playoff for a dramatic finish at the British Masters on Saturday. Bland became the oldest first-time winner in European Tour history at 48 when he parred the first extra hole at The Belfry after Migliozzi three-putted from long range. Bland carded a superb final round of 66 to set the clubhouse target on 13 under par. England's Eddie Pepperell took a one-shot lead into the final round but the 2018 champion could manage only a closing 73 to fall back into a tie for 11th with tournament host Danny Willett.
Jaeger widens lead
Stephan Jaeger shot a 5-under 65 Saturday at the Holston Hill Country Club and increased his lead at the Knoxville Open to three strokes. Jaeger is at 19-under 191 through three rounds and holds a three-shot lead over Greyson Sigg (65) heading into today's final round. Taylor Moore (Razorbacks) was good for a 4-under 66 on Saturday and is at 8-under 202 for the tournament. Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) fired a 67 on Saturday, leaving him at 6-under 204.
SOFTBALL
Bama tops Florida for title
Alabama coupled a big first inning and the pitching of Montana Fouts to earn the SEC softball championship Saturday, defeating top-seeded Florida 4-0 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Fouts tossed a complete-game three-hit shutout to give Bama its sixth SEC Tournament title and its first since 2012. Alabama scored three runs in the first. Jenna Johnson drove in one run with a bunt single, and the final two runs of the inning came home after a throwing error. Fouts struck out seven and walked one. Alabama added an insurance run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Taylor Clark. Fouts compiled 39 strikeouts during the tournament and broke an SEC Tournament record set by LSU's Britni Sneed in 2002.
TENNIS
Djokovic, Nadal reach finals
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal had starkly different days at the Italian Open in Rome on Saturday. Djokovic regained his cool after throwing his racket off the court in a grueling, rain-delayed quarterfinal victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas by 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, then was to play his semifinal later against local favorite Lorenzo Sonego in the second match of the day for both players. Nadal, meanwhile, kept his time on court to a minimum by ending the surprising clay-court run of big-serving American Reilly Opelka by 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals. The 6-11 Opelka hadn't dropped a set this week and threatened early against Nadal with a series of huge forehands. But Nadal saved four break points in the fourth game of the match then broke in the next game to take control and move within one victory of a record-extending 10th title at the Foro Italico. The women's final will feature French Open champion Iga Swiatek against 2019 Rome champion Karolina Pliskova.
