ysu
ysu
Loyola sweeps pair
CHICAGO — In a Horizon League softball doubleheader Saturday, Loyola defeated YSU twice, 9-1, 6-1.
YSU (2-13, 0-2) had just one hit in the opener — senior Bethany Hafley’s first career home run. Loyola is 8-12, 3-1.
In the nightcap, senior Jamie Fornal hit her first home run of the season for YSU’s lone score.
area
Special Olympic team falls in final, 50-25
BOWLING GREEN — The Mahoning County Public Special Olympics basketball team was handed a 50-25 setback by Richland County Special Olympics in the state championship game Saturday at Bowling Green Univ.
John Michael Snitzer and Patrick Weiry each scored 10 points for Mahoning County, while Jared Ausnehmer chipped in with four as the team completed its season with a 7-3 record, 3-1 in tournament action.
The Richland Bears took a 14-9 lead in the first quarter, then built a 34-23 advantage by intermission.
Carolyn Thomas, coach of Mahoning County, said, “It was a tough game. They weren’t big, but very fast. Eight of their kids were fast and we only had two that were.
“We didn’t think we would get this far, and although we lost, second place isn’t that bad even though are kids wanted to win,” said Thomas.
Ausnehmer was chosen Most Valuable Player of the season. Jesse Bays sparked Richland County with 23 points and James Oakley added 14.
Curbstone Coaches
BOARDMAN — Sharon Speedway track announcer Jim Pollock and Fitch High wrestler Tony Jameson will be guests of the Curbstone Coaches on Monday.
Pollock will speak about the Hartford track’s upcoming season, while Jameson will be given a plaque for his 2008 state weight-class championship.
The luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Blue Wolf Catering facility on Lockwood Blvd. is open to the public.
state
Christian leaves Kent; will coach at TCU
FORT WORTH, Texas — TCU hired Jim Christian away from Kent State on Saturday, hoping his penchant for 20-win seasons with the Golden Flashes translates to the moribund Horned Frogs.
Christian was introduced during a news conference at TCU on Saturday afternoon.
Christian was 138-58 in six years at Kent State, winning at least 20 games each season. The Golden Flashes were 28-7 this year, losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament to UNLV.
Neil Dougherty was fired by TCU on March 16, three days after a 14-16 season ended. He had a year left on his contract. Dougherty was 75-108 in his six seasons, with a winning record only once.
At Kent State, the 41-year-old Christian became the first Mid-American Conference coach to win 20 games in each of his first six seasons. But he didn’t win a postseason game, losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament twice and the NIT three times.
After the Golden Flashes went 25-9 with an NCAA appearance in 2005-06, Christian got a new seven-year contract through the 2012-13 season.
The other known candidates for the TCU job were Oral Roberts coach Scott Sutton, Tennessee-Chattanooga coach John Shulman and Buzz Peterson, the director of player personnel for the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats.
Kent State will conduct a national search for Christian’s replacement, athletic director Laing Kennedy said.
nation
Big Brown takes derby
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Big Brown is Kentucky Derby bound. The 3-year-old colt made it three big wins in a row with a dominating victory in the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Big Brown, ridden by Kent Desormeaux and trained by Rick Dutrow, left from the unfavorable No. 12 post position, but got off to a quick start and led throughout the 1 1-8-mile Grade 1 race. Big Brown has been the “buzz” horse on the Derby trail for weeks, having won his only other two races by a combined 24 lengths. This time, Big Brown won by 5 lengths over Smooth Air.
world
Oxford Univ. tops Cambridge
LONDON — Oxford University beat defending champion Cambridge on Saturday to win the 154th annual Boat Race along the River Thames for the third time in four years.
The favored eight-man Oxford crew finished the 4.25-mile race in 20 minutes, 53 seconds. Cambridge crossed in 21:13 in the slowest race since 1947. The race was run in steady rain and a gusty wind.
The favored eight-man Oxford crew broke clear after Cambridge failed to take advantage of a midrace bend.
America’s Cup update
LORIENT, France — Two sailors from Alinghi’s America’s Cup crew were airlifted to a hospital Saturday after their boat capsized during a training session.
Crewmen Piet van Niekerk and Francesco Rapetti escaped serious injury after the 60-foot trimaran capsized off of the French port city of Lorient, Alinghi said in a statement.
The remaining sailors hung on in the Brittany coast’s turbulent waters before being rescued.
Cycling in review
MANCHESTER, England — Bradley Wiggins took his third gold medal of the track cycling world championships Saturday, and American racer Jennie Reed captured bronze in the women’s sprint.
Wiggins and partner Mark Cavendish rode to victory in the men’s madison event. Germany took the silver medal, with Denmark capturing bronze.
Victoria Pendleton and Chris Hoy each won a second medal of the championships, giving Britain nine golds of the 14 decided so far.
Vindicator staff/wire reports