Sports Digest: Softball wins

ysu

Softball wins

GREEN BAY, WISC. — Freshman Katy Potokar went 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs batted in and sophomore Cheryl Cale turned in another solid pitching performance as the YSU softball team (12-35, 6-16 Horizon League) defeated Green Bay Sunday in the regular season finale, 8-3.

Potakar’s run-scoring single in the top of the first gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead and her solo home run — her fifth of the year — in the top of the fourth sparked a three-run frame to give YSU a 4-2 edge.

After the Phoenix answered with a run in the bottom half of the fourth, the Penguins used back-to-back two-out singles to boost the lead to 8-3 in the top of the sixth.

Cale picked up her team-leading eighth win of the season firing her 11th complete game. She scattered six hits.

area

Prep teams needed

BOARDMAN — The Boardman High School boys and girls track teams are looking for more schools for the “Last Chance Qualifier” relay meet.

The meet will be held May 10 at Boardman with field events beginning at 10 a.m. and running relays at 11 a.m.

For details call Denise Gorski at the Boardman athletic office, (330) 726-3423.

Thiel sweeps Bethany

GREENVILLE, Pa. — Junior starting pitcher Josh Tedesco (Ursuline) ran his record to 10-3 as the Thiel College baseball team defeated Bethany 8-4.

Tedesco went eight innings and allowed four runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts.

Thiel (26-12, 8-4 Presidents’ Athletic Conf.) also won the nightcap, 17-6.

Bethany is 10-28-1, 1-10.

Hiram softball

MEADVILLE, PA. — Third-seeded Denison defeated Hiram, the fourth seed, 13-2, in the championship round of the North Coast Athletic Conf. Tournament.

Denison (25-10) took an early lead, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Hiram (18-20) got on the board thanks to a RBI double by freshman outfielder Jena Ervin (Canfield).

REGION

Big mistake

CLEVELAND — Now here’s an apology that makes cents, er sense.

According to a report by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Papa John’s issued an apology on Sunday to Cleveland Cavaliers fans for the No. 23 T-shirts sporting the word “Crybaby” with the company logo at Friday’s Wizards playoff game in Washington D.C. The shirts, which were issued by a D.C.-area Papa John’s store, referenced a quote earlier in the week by Wizards center Brendan Haywood, who labeled LeBron James a crybaby.

The company will sell a large, one-topping pizza for 23 cents at 40 Cleveland-area stores. The discount is not available in the Youngstown area.

“At Papa John’s, we’re huge fans of Cleveland, the Cavs and LeBron James,” said a company statement. “Everyone wins, and we wish the same for the Cavs and LeBron through the playoffs.”

The company will donate the proceeds, along with $10,000, to the Cavaliers Youth Fund.

nation

Rapids beat United

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Jacob Peterson scored one goal and Facundo Erpen added another to lift the Colorado Rapids over D.C. United 2-0 on Sunday in the MLS.

The victory extended United’s (2-4-0) winless streak to nine in away games against the Rapids.

The Rapids (3-3-0) avoided a three-game losing streak with the win and are tied for the lead in the Western Conference with Dallas.

Christian Gomez passed the ball in the 53rd minute to Peterson, who fired a shot past goalie Zach Wells. Erpen sealed the Rapids’ win with a header in the 72nd minute.

Beach volleyball

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Kerri Walsh, one-half of the team that won the Olympic gold medal in Athens and the top hope for a U.S. victory in Beijing, withdrew from a tournament Sunday because of lingering effects from right shoulder surgery.

Walsh and May-Treanor won the gold medal in 2004 and they clinched a berth in Beijing a year early, winning all eight of the international tournaments they played in last year as Olympic qualifiers.

Walsh had surgery in November to clean up to remove the bone chips, bone spurs and scar tissue that had been building up in her right shoulder, but said she didn’t expect it to slow her down.

Vindicator staff/wire reports