Local Schedules

LOCAL

Schedules needed

The Vindicator requests varsity spring sports schedules from high school athletic directors. They can be emailed to sports@vindy.com, faxed to (330) 747-6712, or mailed to Sports Editor, The Vindicator, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown 44501-0780.

Senior Golfers

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mill Creek Senior Men’s golf league will begin its 46th season on May 14 at the Mill Creek Golf Course.

The league is currently looking for new members who are age 55 or older. The league will hold a sign up day on April 9 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Mill Creek Golf Course snack bar.

The season lasts 18 weeks. Teams of four golfers will be assigned and nine holes are played each Wednesday and Friday mornings beginning at 8 a.m. Play is rotated between the North and South courses. Golfers who cannot play twice a week are welcomed as alternates.

During the season there will be two field days with prizes awarded for special events. The field days are July 14 and Sept. 15. Dues for the season are $45 and must be paid at sign up. Green fees are paid each play day. Senior rates and golf carts are available.

For more information contact Dave Veitz at (330) 758-9151 or Bruce Beranek at (330) 758-1304.

NATION

Wood misses relief stint

MESA, Ariz. — Chicago’s Kerry Wood missed a one-inning relief appearance Wednesday because of lower back spasms, putting the competition for the Cubs’ closer job on hold.

The development was “a little bit of a setback, but nothing, nothing serious,” manager Lou Piniella said.

Wood, a former starter who has suffered shoulder injuries the past few seasons, had the inside track for the job over Bob Howry and Carlos Marmol. He was scheduled to pitch one-inning stints back-to-back for the first time this spring against the Oakland A’s Wednesday and the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

Wood, who has also experienced back spasms in past years, underwent treatment and will be reevaluated Thursday.

Seton Hall coach suspended

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Seton Hall basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez was suspended by the university for next season’s first Big East Conference game for criticizing the officiating after a loss to Rutgers in the regular-season finale.

Athletic director Joe Quinlan on Wednesday called Gonzalez’s conduct on March 9 “unacceptable” and “not representative” of Seton Hall sports. The school said he failed to comply with university and conference policies.

“The Big East provides the best roster of game officials for our students in the country,” Quinlan added in statement. “They represent the game and the conference with great integrity and dignity. We regret any embarrassment this episode may have brought to the Big East and our fellow institutions.”

Reds trade pitcher to KC

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds have traded relief pitcher Brad Salmon to the Kansas City Royals.

The Reds said Wednesday they will receive either a player to be named or cash.

The 28-year-old Salmon made his major league debut in 2007. The right-hander pitched in 26 games with an 0-1 record and 4.13 ERA for the Reds while splitting time between Cincinnati and Triple-A Louisville. He struck out 22 batters in 24 major-league innings.

Bonds still wants to play

NEW YORK — Unsigned and thus far unwanted, Barry Bonds still wants to play this year.

“I’m not going to retire. I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he told MLB.com Tuesday. “I’m working out. I’m training. If my phone rings, it rings. If it don’t, it don’t. I have a cell phone. I have a Blackberry. They work. If something comes up, I’m sure they’ll let me know. I’ll come back in July if I have to. It depends on the circumstances.”

Baseball’s home-run king was indicted in November on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice stemming from 2003 grand-jury testimony in which he denied knowingly using illegal performance-enhancing drugs. He pleaded innocent.

More testing on UCF player

ORLANDO, Fla. — An autopsy is inconclusive on the death of a Central Florida football player.

The Orange County Medical Examiner’s office said Wednesday that more testing will be needed to determined what killed 19-year-old Ereck Plancher. Plancher lost consciousness Tuesday after strength and conditioning drills. UCF was scheduled to start spring practices Wednesday, but those drills have been indefinitely postponed.

Vindicator staff/wire