Area

Area

Local softball

The PONY national softball tournaments will not be held in the Valley in 2009.

PONY released its dates and sites for tournaments next summer. The 8U and 10U national tournaments will be held in Wilmington, Del.; the 12U and 14U tournaments in Cary, N.C., and the 16U and 18U tournaments in Akron.

Figure skating

BOARDMAN — The Autumn Fest figure skating competition will be held at the Ice Zone today.

Clubs from Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Kettering, Columbus, Dayton and Meadville (Pa.) will compete alongside the Mahoning Valley Phantoms Figure Skating Club.

Over 50 skaters comprising seven clubs will be participating in the all-day event, with age groups ranging from three years old to adult.

The event begins at 11 a.m.

Fights tonight

GIRARD — A mixed martial arts event will be held this evening at the Metroplex.

The 13-bout card starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the door.

Winter racing set

MERCER, Pa. — An automobile racing show will be held at Mercer Raceway Park on Jan. 3, beginning at 1 p.m.

For details call (724) 964-9300.

Jon Jones honored

CLEVELAND — The Northern Ohio PGA picked Todd Lancaster of the Westwood Country Club as its player of the year.

Jon Jones of the Youngstown Country Club was honored as the assistant of the year and the teacher of the year.

nation

Crosby rests

PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby has an undisclosed injury, and it’s unclear if the Pittsburgh Penguins star will be able to play tonight against St. Louis.

Crosby left Thursday night’s game at Phoenix early in the third period. After the game, a 4-1 loss by the Penguins, he would only say he had “some discomfort.”

The injury appeared to be to Crosby’s lower body — even though he was struck in the upper body by a Coyotes player’s stick at one point.

Penguins spokesman Frank Buonomo would not elaborate on the injury Friday. Crosby was not available for comment because the team canceled a scheduled practice Friday after landing in St. Louis just before dawn.

Pirates decline option

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have declined their $2.6 million 2009 option on outfielder Jason Michaels.

The 32-year-old does not get a buyout. Michaels batted .271 last season.

He was drafted in 1994, 1996, and 1997, but did not sign, before he was selected by Philadelphia in 1998. He stayed with the Phillies through 2005 and then went to the Cleveland Indians before being traded to Pittsburgh on May 9. He has a career batting average of .224.

Duval in contention

PALM COAST, Fla. — David Duval hasn’t played in the windy, wet conditions since the British Open this summer. Just like then, he managed to work himself into contention at the Ginn sur Merr Classic on Friday.

Winless in seven years, laboring at No. 233 on the money list and playing his final PGA Tour event of the year, Duval put together a strong round of 3-under 69 at the Ginn Ocean Hammock Resort that left him only two shots behind Ryan Palmer going into the weekend.

Bean leads Champions

SONOMA, Calif. — Andy Bean made five birdies in six holes through intermittent rain showers, finishing at 10-under 134 to take a one-shot lead over Nick Price after two rounds in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Bean rolled to a 6-under 66 at Sonoma Golf Club despite regular lashings from a storm that’s expected to blast Northern California’s wine country on Saturday. At the halfway point of the Champions Tour’s season-ending event, he nearly made six consecutive birdies to start the back nine, barely missing a putt on the 12th.

world

Hull takes lead

INCHEON, South Korea — Katherine Hull shot a 6-under 66 to open a two-shot lead over Amy Yang after the first round of the LPGA’s Kolon Championship on Friday.

Defending champion Suzann Petterson struggled to a 5-over 77 in windy, gloomy conditions at the new Sky 72 golf club in Incheon, just to the west of Seoul. Petterson made the turn at 4-over and managed only one birdie in her round.

Hull, ranked No. 35 in the world, didn’t have nearly as much trouble. She shot 3-under on the front side and, after a slip-up at the par-4 11th, birdied four of her final six holes to take the early lead in the $1.6 million event.

Vindicator staff/wire reports