ysu

ysu

Softball camps

YOUNGSTOWN — The YSU softball team will host three winter hitting camps beginning in January, Coach Brian Campbell announced.

The camps, which costs $40 per participant, are open to girls in eighth through 12th grades and will be at Sluggers Indoor Baseball and Softball Complex in Poland.

The dates of the camps are Jan. 11, Jan. 25 and Feb. 1, Each camp will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Participants are required to bring a bat, running shoes and a helmet.

For more information or a brochure, contact assistant coach Tiffany Patteson at (330) 941-2192 or by email at tmpatteson@ysu.edu.

area

Richards advances

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Former Youngstown SteelHounds captain Chris Richards, who now plays for the Corpus Christi Rayz, has moved into the top five on the Central Hockey League’s all-time assist list.

Richards recorded four assists in Saturday’s win at Amarillo. He has 448 helpers moving past Brett Seguin (447 assists).

Richards (sixth in CHL all-time points) should move past Hardy Sauter within the next few games as he is sitting two points behind the long-time Blazer.

In his career, Richards, who lives in Austintown in the offseason, has 219 goals, 448 assists and 667 points. Over the last three plus seasons, Richards has 308 points in 211 games (with the SteelHounds and Rayz).

TE Heiden done

BEREA — Browns tight end Steve Heiden has torn ligaments in his right knee and will miss the rest of the season.

Heiden injured the ACL during Cleveland’s 30-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. Heiden will undergo surgery Thursday.

Heiden has been starting in place of the injured Kellen Winslow, and the Browns are now down to third-string tight end Darnell Dinkins and rookie Martin Rucker.

Rookie linebacker Beau Bell also will undergo surgery on his right knee for tendinitis and swelling. He had arthroscopic surgery in August to remove loose cartilage from behind the kneecap.

The fourth-round pick out of UNLV was the Browns’ first overall selection. He’s played only briefly on special teams and was not active against Philadelphia.

LeBron’s charitable group cuts staff

CLEVELAND — The nonprofit organization launched by Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James is cutting its staff and some of its charitable work.

The LeBron James Family Foundation will produce the King for Kids Bikeathon next June with consultants instead of staff to lower administrative costs.

The foundation’s Web site lists a staff of six, including Jakki Nance, who became executive director in late 2007.

Details on whether the foundation will exist only as a board of directors or what role Nance may retain were vague.

state

OSU’s Williams enters not guilty plea

FAIRBORN — Ohio State defensive end Nathan Williams pleaded not guilty Tuesday to shoplifting shirts at a Dayton-area mall.

Williams entered his plea through his attorney. The freshman was arrested last Wednesday after being accused of shoplifting three shirts valued at $80 from the Macy’s department store.

Blue Jackets send Norrena to Syracuse

COLUMBUS — The Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday assigned goaltender Fredrik Norrena to the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Syracuse.

The 35-year-old Norrena appeared in eight games with the Blue Jackets this season, compiling a 1-3-2 record with a 3.16 goals-against average. He made 25 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss at the New York Islanders in his last outing Nov. 3.

Norrena has proven to be the odd-man out with the ascension of rookie Steve Mason, who is now starting most of the games ahead of Pascal Leclaire.

nation

Guerrero wins case

SAN FRANCISCO — Former featherweight champion Robert Guerrero is ready to start boxing again after winning a lengthy arbitration case Tuesday against his former promoter.

Guerrero (22-1-1, 15 KOs), a two-time titlist from Gilroy, Calif., hasn’t been in the ring since Feb. 29, when he knocked out Jason Litzau to defend his IBF title. Instead, Guerrero spent the past 10 months fighting for his freedom from a contract with promoter Dan Goossen.

Vindicator staff/wire reports