SPORTS DIGEST || Thomas selected for Horizon League honors

Thomas selected for Horizon League honors

INDIANAPOLIS

Youngstown State sophomore Haley Thomas was named the Horizon League softball batter of the week.

Thomas batted .550 (11-for-20) as her Penguin squad went 3-3 on the week, all in league action.

The Simi Valley, Calif., native collected seven runs and three RBIs while also recording three multi-hit games.

Thomas finished the week with a .800 slugging percentage, connecting on three doubles and one triple.

The award marks her second weekly honor of the season (March 8) and of her career.

Benson picks Walsh

CANFIELD

Canfield High School senior Nick Benson will play baseball at Walsh University next year.

An infielder, he has earned two varsity letters at Canfield.

Football camp is Saturday at Stambaugh

youngstown

The Youngstown City Schools will have a football camp at YSU’s Stambaugh Stadium on Saturday.

The camp is open to city school children in grades 5-8.

For details call (330) 744-6955.

Boxer Valero kills himself, police say

CARACAS, Venezuela

Former boxing champion Edwin Valero, who had a spectacular career with 27 straight knockouts and flouted a tattoo of President Hugo Chavez on his chest, hanged himself in his jail cell Monday after being arrested for stabbing his wife to death, police said.

The former lightweight champion used the sweat pants he was wearing to hang himself from a bar in the cell, said his lawyer, Milda Mora.

Valero, 28, had problems with alcohol and cocaine addiction and struggled with depression. He had previously been suspected of assaulting his wife and was charged last month with harassing her and threatening personnel at a hospital.

White named USHL player of the year

CHICAGO, IL

The United States Hockey League announced that Omaha Lancers forward Matt White was named B2 Networks USHL player of the year as determined by a vote of League coaches.

White, 20, was second in USHL scoring this season with 82 points (35g, 47a) in 57 games, finishing just one point behind Tri-City Storm forward Jaden Schwartz.

White was one of three players this season who led the league with 35 goals (Anders Lee of the Green Bay Gamblers and Tyler Barnes of the Waterloo Black Hawks also totaled 35 goals).

Eight of his goals were shorthanded, which was one shy of tying the USHL record.

Juventus to play exhibition at Red Bulls

SECAUCUS, N.J.

Juventus will play a postseason exhibition at the New York Red Bulls on May 23.

Juventus figures to be missing several regulars who will be with national teams preparing for the World Cup. Among the Azzurri players on Juventus are goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon; defenders Fabio Cannavaro, Giorgio Chiellini and Fabio Grosso; midfielder Mauro Camoranesi; and forward Vincenzo Iaquinta.

Midfielders Felipe Melo (Brazil) and Christian Poulson (Denmark), and defender Martin Caceras also could be with national teams.

Defender Zdenek Grygera could play at Red Bull Arena on consecutive days — the Czech Republic meets Turkey there in an exhibition on May 22.

Declines in wagering, horses affect race track

ARCADIA, Calif.

Santa Anita’s recently ended 75th annual winter-spring meet was hurt by bad weather that led to cancellations and declines in overall handle and a reduced inventory of horses to run.

Heavy rain in January and February forced the cancellation of five days of racing, including two Saturdays when major stakes races were scheduled.

Track president Ron Charles says uncertainty over whether racing would be held hurt as much as the cancellations.

Vindicator staff/wire reports