YSU

YSU
Softball
MOON TWP., Pa. -- YSU's doubleheader at Robert Morris was postponed Tuesday due to inclement weather. The doubleheader was rescheduled for 3 p.m. Monday.
LOCAL
Phantoms
BOARDMAN -- The Mahoning Valley Phantoms will offer bus service for Friday's playoff game against the Cleveland Barons in Parma. Buses will leave at 5:30 p.m. from the Ice Zone. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Cost is $7 plus game ticket. The Barons do not sell advance tickets. For details, call 330-965-1423.
The best-of-five series is tied at 1-1. Game Four is 7 p.m. Saturday at the Ice Zone. Tickets are $6.
Scrappers
NILES -- The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will remain on Clear Channel radio for the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
The majority of the 76 games will be on WNIO-AM 1390. Mike Pilch will replace Greg Gania as the team's broadcaster. Gania, who announced games from 2003-05, is now the radio announcer for the Erie Seawolves of the AA Eastern League.
Prep track
GIRARD -- Girard senior Mike Cole set a school record in the discus on Tuesday with a throw of 149 feet, 11 inches, breaking the mark of 149-6 set by Ed Raidel in 1973.
Senior Brien Golden set the school high jump record (6-5) at Hubbard. The old mark (6-4) was set in 1977 by Lou Scarnecchia.
Cycling
PITTSBURGH -- Dan Quinlan and Jim Yankush posted wins at the Mingo Creek Road bicycle race that drew a field of 110.
Quinlan of Greenford was first in the Category 1, 2, 3 race while Yankush of North Lima captured the Masters 40-plus category.
In the 50-plus group, Chis McElhinny and Phil Brozier finished second and third respectively. They are all members of the Mahoning Valley Cycling team.
Sharon Speedway
HARTFORD -- Sharon Speedway will hold its season-opening races on Saturday.
Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6. Tickets are $11 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12-15. Kids 11-and-under are free.
For details, visit www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481.
REGION
Tribe trades Tadano
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics acquired right-handed pitcher Kazuhito Tadano from the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday for minor league outfielder Ramon Alvarado. Tadano, from Japan, was to be optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.
He pitched for Cleveland this spring training, going 0-1 with two saves and a 4.05 ERA in six relief appearances. Tadano was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo -- where he spent most of the 2005 season -- on March 16 and designated for assignment on April 1.
Alvarado played in the Arizona Rookie League last year, batting .296 with six homers and 32 RBIs in 48 games.
NATION
Ohio State recruitnamed top player
INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indiana high school senior who has signed to play for Ohio State in the fall was named the Gatorade National Boys Basketball player of the year Tuesday.
Greg Oden has received the honor for the second year in a row, a feat accomplished only by Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James. Oden, a 7-foot center who plays for Lawrence North, led the undefeated Indianapolis high school to its third state title last month. This season, he averaged 22 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting 74 percent from the field.
The award, given in a partnership with Scholastic's Coach & amp; Athletic Director Magazine, is based on athletic performance, academic achievement and personal character. Oden is an honor roll student and has a 3.6 grade point average.
Last month he was named the Naismith high school player of the year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Many publications have called him the best high school boys basketball player in the country.
James received the award in 2002 and 2003 when he played for Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. He moved directly to the pros, which Oden cannot do because of the new NBA rule that requires players to wait at least one season after their high school class graduates before entering the draft.
Previous winners of the Gatorade award include NBA stars Kobe Bryant, Chris Webber and Alonzo Mourning.
Vindicator staff/wire reports