Sports digest

AREA

Wolverines 4th in Mideast poll

GROVE CITY, Pa. — The Grove City College women’s cross country team is ranked fourth in this week’s United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III Mideast Region Poll.

Johns Hopkins is first in the region, followed by Dickinson and Haverford. Messiah is fifth in the regional poll.

Saturday, Grove City placed ninth in the 25-team Oberlin College Inter-Regional Rumble in the Wolverines’ regular-season finale. The meet featured several of the nation’s premier Division III cross country programs.

Grove City will compete in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 31 in Latrobe, Pa.

NATION

Several Chargers miss practice with flu

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers have had numerous players miss practice as they continue preparations for Sunday’s game at Kansas City.

Running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Jacob Hester, wide receiver Buster Davis and linebacker Jyles Tucker were unable to practice Thursday.

Coach Norv Turner said, “We have a little bit of the flu going around.”

Others not working were cornerback Antonio Cromartie (knee) and center Nick Hardwick (ankle). Cromartie is expected to play Sunday; Hardwick is out until December.

Veteran umpires picked for Series

ANAHEIM, Calif. — An exceptionally experienced group of umpires will officiate the World Series, reflecting baseball’s desire to shift the conversation elsewhere in a postseason that has featured a slew of controversial calls.

The Fall Classic crew, which should be announced shortly, includes longtime crew Joe West, Dana DeMuth and Gerry Davis, as well as Brian Gorman, Jeff Nelson and Mike Everitt. All have worked the World Series before.

In 24 of the past 25 World Series, the crew featured at least one umpire working his first finals.

An industry official confirmed the report, and noted that baseball higher-ups took special notice of the eligible umpires’ work in the Division Series.

For instance, neither Phil Cuzzi nor CB Bucknor received the honor. In Game 2 of the American League Division Series between the Yankees and Twins, Cuzzi incorrectly ruled that Minnesota’s Joe Mauer hit a foul ball when it was in fact easily fair. Bucknor, meanwhile, made several bad calls against the Red Sox in the other ALDS between Boston and the Angels.

The unwanted attention has carried onto the Championship Series. In Tuesday night’s ALCS Game 4, crew chief Tim McClelland made a pair of terrible calls at third base, and Dale Scott erred in a call at second base. Neither McClelland nor Scott was eligible to work the World Series since, as per the umpires’ collective bargaining agreement, officials can’t work consecutive postseason series.

Aussie O’Hern leads Frys.com Open

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Brandishing a hot putter on a warm afternoon, Australian Nick O’Hern cruised to a career-low 63 and the first-round lead in the Frys.com Open on Thursday.

O’Hern, who finished at 7 under, putted only nine times while posting a 28 on the par-35 back nine at Grayhawk Golf Club. Eight of O’Hern’s nine birdies came in that stretch.

Bob Heintz and Heath Slocum were one stroke back at 64, and D.A. Points, Rory Sabbatini, Greg Owen and Rickie Fowler shot 65s to finish two shots off the lead.

With little wind on an 82-degree day in the desert, scores fell as players attacked Grayhawk’s Raptor Course.

Fire defeats Chivas USA, 1-0

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — The Chicago Fire clinched a playoff spot by beating CD Chivas USA 1-0 in their season finale Thursday night.

The Fire (11-7-12) got an own goal from Chivas’ Eduardo Lillingston in the 68th minute.

The forward headed Cuauhtemoc Blanco’s corner kick — Chicago’s 14th of the game — past goalkeeper Zach Thornton.

The victory snapped the Fire’s 0-4-2 stretch and secured Chicago’s fifth consecutive appearance in the MLS Cup playoffs, where it will hold the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Fire’s opponent will be determined this weekend as six teams are vying for the last two spots.

The loss by Chivas also allowed defending MLS Cup champion Columbus to clinch the Supporters’ Shield for having the best regular-season record.

Staff/wire reports