YSU

YSU
Charity softball
YOUNGSTOWN -- When the Youngstown State and Loyola (Chicago) softball teams take the field for Saturday's Horizon League doubleheader it will be for a good cause. Youngstown State and the Canfield Baseball Club are hosting the twinbill to raise money for Tod Children's Hospital.
First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at McCune Park in Canfield. Donations are $5 for adults; college students with an ID and children 18 and under are admitted free.
All donations will be presented to Tod Children's Hospital on the Miracle Network Telethon in June.
Between games, the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force Reserves and all other active guard from the Mahoning Valley will be honored.
LOCAL
Page, Smith in action
YOUNGSTOWN -- Zack Page of Warren and the Steel Valley Boxing Club will be in action Friday night at the Wheeling Isle Gaming Center.
Page (6-2, 3 knockouts), who has won five straight fights, will be in a four-round cruiserweight fight against Anthony Williams (4-4-1 1 KO) of Whitesville, W. Va.
Adam Smith (4-4, 1 KO), a heavyweight in the Steel Valley stable, will take on Corey Gregory (3-9, 2 KOs) in another four-round bout.
Boardman freshmenset 4x800 record
BOARDMAN -- Boardman High's freshman 4x800-meter relay of Matt Moore, Phil Curl, Dom Corso, Mike Lesko ran 8 minutes, 52.4 seconds to break the school's freshman record of 8:53.47 set in 2004 by Jake Lape, Frank Ocasio, Rick Lape, Adam Haushalter.
REGION
Pirates claim Amezaga off waivers
CINCINNATI -- The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed utility infielder Alfredo Amezaga off waivers Wednesday from Colorado, who designated him for assignment April 12.
Amezaga was expected to join the Pirates in time for today's game against the Reds. The Pirates have two other reserve infielders, Freddy Sanchez and Bobby Hill.
The Pirates optioned outfielder Chris Duffy to Triple-A Indianapolis, opening a spot for Amezaga. Duffy hit .167 in seven games.
Amezaga went 1-for-3 in three games with the Rockies. He spent last season with the Angels, hitting .161 with two homers -- both grand slams -- and 11 RBIs.
NATION
Jockeys and Churchill avoid walkouts
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Churchill Downs and the Jockeys' Guild have struck a deal that will keep riders from boycotting mounts to protest medical insurance and safety issues.
The agreement, announced Wednesday, comes a few weeks before the Kentucky Derby, scheduled for May 7.
Churchill Downs previously sought an injunction to prevent the riders from a boycott that could have disrupted the Derby and other races during the track's spring meet.
According to the "joint stipulation and consent order," the Jockeys' Guild has agreed to instruct its members -- including more than 1,200 riders -- not to stage any activities that would disrupt racing at any of the seven tracks owned by Churchill Downs, Inc.
All-Star game tickets to be sold by lottery
DETROIT -- Tickets to the All-Star game on July 12 at Comerica Park will be sold via an online lottery and will be available only in combination with tickets to other All-Star Week events.
Fans can sign up for a chance to purchase tickets on baseball's Web site or any team's Web site starting May 11, the commissioner's office and the Tigers said Wednesday,
Tim Brosnan, executive vice president for business in the commissioner's office, said available tickets will depend on how many Tigers season ticket holders choose to take their seats.
Roddick beats Ginepri
HOUSTON -- Top-seeded Andy Roddick defeated unseeded Robby Ginepri 7-6 (6), 6-4 Wednesday night to advance to the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.
Roddick extended his record to 5-0 over Ginepri, but this match wasn't a runaway as neither player lost his serve en route to the first set tie-breaker.
All of Roddick's victories over Ginepri have been close; four of their last six sets have been decided by tie-breakers.
In other second-round matches, seventh-seeded Jurgen Melzer outlasted Noam Okun 2-6, 6-2, 7-5. Melzer overcame five break points in the first game of the third set and broke Okun in the 12th game, on the third match point.
Vindicator staff/wire reports