SPORTS digest

YSU men’s cross country ends season

Madison, Wis.

The Youngstown State men’s cross country team finished the season strong by placing 17th at the Great Lakes Regional Championships at the Thomas Zimmer Cross Country Course Friday afternoon.

This marks the highest team finish at the Great Lake Regional Championship in YSU cross country history. The Penguins competed against 30 teams and ran against nearly 200 runners beating out Milwaukee, Kent State and Valparaiso.

Sophomore Ryan Sullivan led the Penguins by placing 57th with a time of 32:12.3. Senior Austin McLean clocked a time of 32:23.1 to take 66th place. Junior Ethan Wilson finished 87th with a time of 32:47.9. Alan Burns ran a time of 32:55.5, Jon Hutnyan posted a time of 33:14.9, and Mike Navratil finished with a time of 34:17.3.

Boston gets closer Kimbrel from Padres

BOSTON

The Boston Red Sox have acquired closer Craig Kimbrel from the San Diego Padres for four prospects.

The Red Sox assume $25 million remaining on Kimbrel’s contract in their first big acquisition since Dave Dombrowski took over as president of baseball operations on Aug. 18. Kimbrel was obtained by the Padres in a blockbuster deal the day before the 2015 started.

The deal was announced Friday night.

Kimbrel had 39 saves in 43 chances for the Padres, who underachieved despite a roster makeover by general manager A.J. Preller.

The Padres receive outfielder Manuel Margot, infielders Javier Guerra and Carlos Asuaje, and left-hander Logan Allen.

Asuaje spent 2015 with Double-A Portland, Margot split the season between Class A Salem and Portland, and Guerra was with Class A Greenville. Allen, Boston’s eighth-round draft pick, split time between Boston’s rookie-level affiliate and Class A Lowell.

Rousey has humble plans for her reward

MELBOURNE, Australia

For a woman who admits she never needs to work again and is being courted by Hollywood executives, Ronda Rousey has a decidedly modest plan to reward herself if she successfully defends her UFC bantamweight title against Holly Holm on Sunday.

“I want to get some vertical gardens in my house,” Rousey said Friday when asked what she’d treat herself to with her prize money. “I don’t think they’re that expensive though. But that’s what I want. I have simple tastes.”

Vertical gardens generally retail for as little as $100.

“I don’t have a (big) yard, it’s like a small little thing and I kind of wanted to put vertical gardens on my walls because I don’t really have many plants,” Rousey said. “I ordered some grass to come in so my dog could pee on it.”

The UFC has brought its showcase UFC 193 to Australia this week, with the Rousey-Holm fight overshadowing the men as the main event in front of an expected record UFC crowd.

The pair were involved in a minor scuffle Saturday at the weigh in after Rousey objected to Holm making contact with her face during their stare down.

Kessler helps USC hang on to beat Colorado

BOULDER, Colo.

Cody Kessler threw three touchdown passes in the second half, Adoree’ Jackson blocked a field goal to set up a score and Southern California hung on to beat Colorado 27-24 on a frigid Friday night for its fourth straight victory.

Trailing by two touchdowns to a 16-point underdog, the Trojans (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) woke up on offense and scored 24 straight points. It was their 10th straight victory over Colorado (4-7, 1-6).

Kessler gave the Trojans their first lead on a 2-yard pass to tight end Taylor McNamara late in the third quarter. The defense preserved the win by forcing a fourth-down incompletion on Colorado’s final possession.

Colorado turned to freshman quarterback Cade Apsay when Sefo Liufau left with a sprained foot in the second quarter. Apsay finished with 128 yards and two TD passes.

Staff and wire reports