YSU

YSU
Fraternity renews'Game Ball Relay'
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State fraternity Phi Kapp Tau, and the YSU Athletic Department, will be holding a "Game Ball Relay" on Saturday prior to the Penguins' 6 p.m. game at Kent State.
The relay begins at Stambaugh Stadium's 50-yard line and will conclude at midfield of Dix Stadium prior to the game.
The proceeds of the relay will benefit Paul Newman's "The Hole in the Wall Gang", which was developed to provide children, ages 7 to 17, who battle chronic and life threatening illnesses, with the opportunity to have a normal summer camp experience.
This will be the third time the fraternity has held a relay before the YSU-Kent games. They did it in 1996 and 1997.
LOCAL
Browns party
NILES -- The Ohio Browns Boosters and Hot-101 (WHOT-FM 101.1) will present a Cleveland Browns party Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kahunaville in Eastwood Mall.
Scheduled to appear is Browns wide receiver Quincy Morgan.
Admission is free. For information call 1-866-Browns1 or www.brownsboosters.com.
Strollo is guestat HOF meeting
NILES -- The Mahoning Valley Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame will hold its monthly meeting Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Vernon's Cafe Banquet Center.
The guest speaker will be Youngstown State athletic director Ron Strollo.
For reservations call Steve Telego (330-544-3057) by Sept. 16. Cost is $15 per person.
REGION
Aeros prevail intitle series opener
WEST HAVEN, Conn. -- Grady Sizemore and Ryan Church had three hits each and Brian Luderer drove in two runs to lead the Akron Aeros to a 7-3 win over the New Haven Ravens in Game 1 of the Eastern League championship series Tuesday night.
Francisco Cruceta, who won 13 games in the regular season for the Aeros, allowed three unearned runs in 6 1/3 innings to earn the win.
New Haven's three runs came in the seventh inning, when the Aeros committed three errors on one play.
Dave Gassner allowed 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings for the Ravens and took the loss.
Game 2 of the best-of-five series is tonight. It will be the final game in the New Haven area for the Ravens, who are moving to Manchester, N.H., next season.
Hamilton coach has contract rescinded
HAMILTON -- The city school board has rescinded the contract of a high school football coach charged with drunken driving.
Board president Glenn Stitsinger said the contract was rescinded because Hamilton High coach Eric Gillespie did not have the appropriate teaching certificate required by state law.
"When Mr. Gillespie was hired last year in February 2002, he had a valid Ohio teaching certificate," said district spokeswoman Joni Copas. "He has failed to renew his teaching certificate."
The board voted Tuesday night to rescind Gillespie's contract.
Gillespie, 38, has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to control his vehicle and leaving the scene of a single-car accident. Records from Butler County Area II Court say Gillespie ran off the road and struck a concrete barrier on state Route 129 about 20 miles north of Cincinnati around 6 a.m. on Aug. 9.
NATION
Roddick leadsU.S. into Slovakia
NEW YORK -- U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick will lead an American Davis Cup team that plays at Slovakia this month in a World Group playoff.
Roddick is joined by Mardy Fish, James Blake, Brian Vahaly and twins Bob and Mike Bryan. The nominations by the U.S. Tennis Association and captain Patrick McEnroe were submitted to the International Tennis Federation.
Vindicator staff/wire reports