SPORTS DIGEST || Mooney’s McCarthy hired at Notre Dame

Mooney’s McCarthy hired at Notre Dame

YOUNGSTOWN

Cardinal Mooney High graduate Kyle McCarthy will begin his football coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Notre Dame. McCarthy finished this season on the Oakland Raiders’ practice squad, where he reinjured his right knee and was forced to undergo his fourth surgery on the knee.

“It’s been a tough decision to make but I feel physically it is time to move on from playing,” he wrote in a text to The Vindicator on Thursday. “I still have a strong passion for the game.”

McCarthy, who has also played for the Broncos and Chiefs, was a standout safety for Notre Dame, leading the team in tackles as a junior and a senior. He missed the 2012 NFL season after injuring the knee in training camp.

YSU adds Rumph, two players to softball team

Youngstown

Vicky Rumph has joined the Youngstown State University softball team’s coaching staff as a volunteer assistant. Rumph, who will work with the catchers, served as a student assistant during the 2013 fall season. A two-time All-Horizon League second-team selection, she is YSU’s career runs batted in leader with 123 and is the only YSU player to finish her career with a .300 batting average (.316), 20 home runs and more than 100 RBIs.

Also, Katerina Smallcomb and Chancy Williams have signed grant-in-aids to join the program this season. Smallcomb, a sophomore infielder from Ukiah, Calif., played one season at Mendocino Junior College and batted .442 with 20 RBIs. Williams, a sophomore pitcher from Paris, Texas, played one season at Paris Junior College where she was 16-7-1 with 98 strikeouts, a 2.99 earned-run average and 5.28 strikeouts per game. Both will have three years of eligiblity with the Penguins.

Indians extend contract with Mahoning Valley

NILES

The Cleveland Indians have extended their Player Development Contract with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers through the 2016 season. The Scrappers have been affiliated with the Indians since 1999. Sixty-four former Scrappers have played in the major leagues, 16 of which are on MLB rosters including CC Sabathia, Victor Martinez and Jason Kipnis.

Nine former Scrappers are on the Indians 40-man roster: Cody Allen, Lonnie Chisenhall, Preston Guilmet, Kipnis, Erik Gonzalez, Jesus Aguilar, Vinnie Pestano, Jose Ramirez and Josh Tomlin.

Loggains ready to join Browns staff

CLEVELAND

Former Titans offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains is in the process of joining the Browns offensive staff as quarterbacks coach, a source told cleveland.com. Loggains, 33, could still end up in the mix for the offensive coordinator job, another source said. The Browns interviewed former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday and Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo on Thursday for their coordinator vacancy.

Loggains spent the previous six seasons with the Titans, including the 2013 season and the last five games of 2012 as coordinator.

Staff reports