Sports news digest

YSU

Penguins to honor
King tonight

YOUNGSTOWN — The Horizon League will honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with seven men’s and women’s basketball games today.

The YSU men’s basketball game against Butler tonight at 7:05 p.m. will be one of the featured events for the celebration.

Other games include Butler Univ. women against Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cleveland St. men against Valparaiso, Wisconsin-Green Bay men meeting Milwaukee, Loyola Chicago men against Wright St., Illinois Chicago men taking on Detroit Mercy and Valparaiso women against Green Bay.

AREA

Equipment donation

STRUTHERS — The Midwest Baseball Academy is having an equipment donation drive in conjunction with Major League Baseball for less fortunate kids.

Craig Antush is the site director for the Youngstown camp.

MBA is a six-week event for kids interested in hitting & pitching. This year’s camp will be held at the Cene Park indoor facility in Struthers. The times are 1-6 p.m., with five one hour sessions.

For more info regarding MBA contact the web site at www.midwestbaseballacademy.com. Joe Marker is in charge of equipment collections (937) 448-1250. The MBA will take bats, balls, gloves, helmets.

Thunder get player

 BOARDMAN — The Mahoning Valley Thunder has been assigned Bryceson Lawrence.

Lawrence (5’8, 190) is a defensive back and will be in his first season with the af2.

 A Marion, OH native, Lawrence spent his collegiate career at Tiffin Univ. In four seasons with the Dragons, Bryceson recorded over 100 tackles twice and was named to the All-Independent Team three years in a row. From 2004-2006 Lawrence recorded nine interceptions, 25 pass break-ups and six forced fumbles. As a senior, Lawrence was part of a defense that held opponents to just 14 points and 74 rushing yards a game. Lawrence becomes the second player assigned to the roster who participated in the team’s open tryout January 5th.

Hardhats set to
register players

YOUNGSTOWN — The Steel Valley Hardhats semi-professional football team will conduct registration for players on Jan. 26 at the Roadhouse on South Avenue in Youngstown from 2-5 p.m.

The team also is seeking experienced coaches.

More information may be obtained by calling coach Mark Greene at (330) 559-8050.

Legends have tryout

 NORTH CANTON — The Canton Legends will hold a player tryout event on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Diamond Recreational Center.

Pre-registration is $40 or $50 at the door. For details, call (330) 453-8440.

NATION

Nady, Grabow
reach deals

PITTSBURGH — Pirates outfielder Xavier Nady and left-handed reliever John Grabow bypassed arbitration by agreeing to one-year contracts Friday, the day teams and players exchanged salary numbers.

Second baseman Freddy Sanchez, the 2006 NL batting champion, did not reach an agreement and swapped arbitration figures with the team.

Sanchez, who made $2,750,000 last season, asked for $4.9 million while Pittsburgh offered $4.1 million.

Nady, the Pirates’ right fielder who was sidelined several times with injuries last season, will make $3.35 million, up from the $2,150,000 he made in 2007. Nady hit .278 with 20 homers and 72 RBIs in 125 games.

The deal includes up to $250,000 in performance bonuses, with $25,000 for 475 plate appearances, $50,000 for 525, $55,000 each for 550 and 575 plate appearances and $65,000 for 600.

Grabow’s salary will be $1,135,000, a raise of $302,500 from the $832,500 he made last season. He can earn $75,000 in bonuses, with $20,000 for 65 appearances, $25,000 for 70 games and $30,000 for 75 games.

Stubblefield pleads

SAN FRANCISCO — Former NFL defensive lineman Dana Stubblefield pleaded guilty Friday to lying to investigators in the BALCO steroids case, making him the first football player charged in the long-running federal investigation.

Stubblefield, a three-time Pro Bowl player who testified before the BALCO grand jury in November 2003, was charged with making false statements to federal agents about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The charges, unsealed in federal court, allege Stubblefield lied to an IRS agent when he said he had not used steroids linked to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative and denied receiving performance enhancers from BALCO founder Victor Conte.

The plea deal calls for the 37-year-old Stubblefield to spend zero to six months in prison, though U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said she is not bound by that agreement and can sentence him to up to five years. He is to be sentenced April 25.

Stubblefield and his attorney, Mike Armstong, declined to comment as they left court.

Vindicator staff/wire reports