Thursday, May 24, 2007
LOCAL
Rohan named All-MAC
KENT — Three Kent State baseball players were named to the All-Mid-American Conference first team, including South Range High graduate Greg Rohan.
Rohan, a sophomore, claimed his spot on the first team as the designated hitter. In conference play, he hit .308 with eight homers, 10 doubles and 26 RBIs.
Bethany’s Owens
is second team
BETHANY, W.Va. — Bethany College catcher Brent Owens was named to the Division III Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Second Team All-MidEast Region team Wednesday.
Owens batted .378 this season with four home runs and 34 RBIs.
Champion graduates
selected as all-stars
CLEVELAND — Hillary Beachy (Champion) was one of two freshmen named to the All-NAIA Region IX Team and first team All-AMC North Conference and All-AMC North Freshmen Team by the American Mideast Conference softball coaches.
Beachy, a first baseman, led the Arrows with a .361 batting average and .987 fielding average.
Jaclyn Carpenter (Champion), a freshman, was named to the conference second team for her play at third base. Carpenter batted .284 with eight doubles, five triples and a home run. She had a fielding average of .932.
Freshman Amber Sypert (Maplewood) was also named to the second team as a pitcher with a .310 batting average, a 3.14 ERA and an .891 fielding average.
Freshman Vannessa Dickson (Ursuline) got the honor for her play at second base. Difiore batted .283 and had a fielding percentage of .981.
REGION
Steelers release
punter Gardocki
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran punter Chris Gardocki Wednesday.
Gardocki signed with the Steelers before the 2004 season. The 16-year veteran was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1991 and has also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns.
The Steelers traded up in the fourth round of last month’s draft to take Baylor punter Daniel Sepulveda, the first two-time winner of the Ray Guy award as college football’s best punter.
Gardocki, a Pro Bowl selection following the 1996 season, has never had a punt blocked. He averaged a career-best 45.7 yards per kick last season.
NATION
Niners sign Moore
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers signed defensive end Jay Moore on Wednesday, inking their fourth-round draft pick from Nebraska to a four-year contract.
Moore started 30 games in four seasons with the Huskers, totaling 103 tackles and 12 sacks. He had 17 tackles for loss during a strong senior season.
Moore is the first of the 49ers’ nine draft picks to agree to terms.
Clemens struggles
in second tuneup
TRENTON, N.J. — Roger Clemens didn’t look ready for the major leagues Wednesday night.
The seven-time Cy Young Award winner allowed three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings while pitching for the New York Yankees’ Double-A Trenton farm team against Boston’s Portland, Maine, affiliate.
Clemens wasn’t bothered by the results.
“So far so good,” he said after his second minor league start since signing with the Yankees.
His pitching was shaky at times. He threw 64 of 102 pitches for strikes, struggling with his control. He walked the bases loaded in the first inning and walked in the tying run in the sixth.
Predators being sold to Canadian billionaire
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold reached an agreement to sell his franchise to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie after 10 years of losing money.
Leipold told Predators’ employees of the sale in a meeting Wednesday afternoon in Nashville.
Whether the sale would involve relocation of the franchise remained unknown.
Vindicator staff/wire reports