YSU

YSU

Penguins No. 6 seed, play Butler Tuesday

LORAIN — The Youngstown State baseball team will be the No. 6 seed and play in the opening game of the 2009 Horizon League baseball championship against No. 7 Butler at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

The Penguins and Bulldogs will play a single-elimination contest for the rights to move on and play No. 3 Wright State on Wednesday at 3 p.m. The tournament will be held at The Pipe Yard in Lorain, Ohio. If YSU can advance past Butler, the rest of the tournament will be a double-elimination format.

YSUsports.com will carry live audio of Tuesday’s contest and the rest of Youngstown State’s games in the tournament if the Penguins advance.

Stewart, Kahne due for Blaney Classic

HARTFORD — NASCAR Nextel Cup super stars Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart have announced that they will participate in the Warren Harley-Davidson 410 sprint car segment of the inaugural Boardman/Diamond Steel Lou Blaney Memorial Classic on Tuesday, July 7.

The race is being held to honor the memory of Lou Blaney, a Hall of Fame short-track competitor, who passed away in January following a lengthy illness.

local

Bryan Visingardi in football classic

NEW MIDDLETOWN — Bryan Visingardi, a four-year starter as kicker and punter for Springfield Local High School, has also been selected to participate in the Ohio North-South All-Star Classic football game at Ohio Stadium next month.

Visingardi made first-team All-Ohio in Div. VI, first-team All-Inland District and first-team Inter Tri-County League Tier One.

Visingardi’s name was omitted from a Sunday story on local players.

Last season, Bryan had two game-winners for us,” Springfield football coach Sean Guerriero said of the outcome of games that hinged solely on Visingardi’s foot. “He’s definitely one of our better kids,” said Guerriero, Springfield’s head coach the last two seasons. “He’s an all-around great kid.”

Recently, Visingardi signed to attend Slippery Rock University where he’ll kick for the Rockets’ football team and play baseball.

“He’s going to try to do both,” said Guerriero, a former YSU receiver from Poland.

Window World’s season was good

BOARDMAN — It was a good year for bowlers in the Window World Wednesday Night Men at Boardman Lanes.

The league had five 800s for 2008-09, including the house record of 855 by Jerry Mariotti.

Mariotti also had one of eight 300s, while John Bossone rolled three, Will Larson a pair and one each by Jon Zimbardi and Rob Sanfrey.

Bossone, who had two 800 series, finished with Window World’s high average of 240.25.

OHIO

Tulsa runner wins Cleveland Marathon

CLEVELAND — Joel Stansloski, a 23-year-old runner from Tulsa, Okla., was the first to cross the 32nd Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon finish line with a time of 2:27:37.

Jackie Baumgartner, 25, of New York City won the women’s marathon, finishing in 2:57:49.

Ohio runners also led the men’s half marathon, with 25-year-old Chris Paulett of Columbus crossing the finish line with a time of 1:13:57.

pennsylvania

Penguins’ Gonchar returns to practice

CANONSBURG, Pa. — Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar has returned to practice and hopes to play in the Eastern Conference finals opener today.

nation

Superboat races

MARATHON, Fla. — Powerboat racers William McComb and Rick Turmel led Patron/Rock Star to a victory in the Superboat Vee Unlimited class at the Marathon Offshore Grand Prix on Sunday.

McComb of Sarasota, Fla., and Turmel of Williamston, N.C., averaged 76.78 mph over a 143‚Ñ4-lap course to win a field that included 15 boats.

The lone entry in the Turbine class was Aquamania, which averaged 110.09 mph.