SPORTS DIGEST || Scrappers fall behind, can’t rally on road

Scrappers fall behind, can’t rally on road

state college, pa.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers gave up two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings as the State College Spikes won 4-3.

Tommy Edman walked to start the State College fourth but a two-out double by Ryan McCarvel drove him in. Jeremy Martinez doubled later in the inning to double the lead.

Anthony Ray hit a two-run home run to right the next inning to make it 4-0 Spikes.

Michael Tinsley got the Scrappers on the board in the sixth with an RBI single before Luke Wakamatsu hit an RBI double in the seventh to score Paul Gonzalez.

Todd Isaacs brought home Gabriel Mejia on a sacrifice fly to bring Mahoning Valley to within a run.

Mejia reached as the tying run in the ninth but was stranded at first base.

The Scrappers (3-12) continue their series against the Spikes (11-4) tonight at 7:05 p.m. Micah Miniard gets the start for Mahoning Valley (0-1).

Grace just misses Olympic shot put bid

eugene, ore.

Former Youngstown State thrower Bobby Grace qualified for the final round of qualifying for a spot on the USA Olympic shot put team, but came up short in the final.

Grace snatched up the final spot during qualifying with a throw of 65 feet four and three-quarters inches and threw 65 feet nine and three-quarters inches in the finals on his third throw, good enough for eighth place.

The final qualifying spot went to Darrell Hill, who threw 70 feet 11 and three-quarters inches.

Correction

Canfield softball player Bayann Jadallah was misidentified in a photo caption in Friday’s Vindicator sports section on Page B1.

Painkiller lawsuit against NFL to proceed

SAN FRANCISCO

More than 1,500 former players claiming that NFL teams and their training staffs dispensed powerful drugs while misleading them about the health risks will get their day in court.

Federal judge William Alsup of the Northern District of California denied a motion Friday to dismiss the players’ lawsuit, allowing the discovery phase of the trial to begin.

The lawsuit names each of the NFL’s 32 teams individually and a new group of named plaintiffs — 13 in all — among them Cowboys Hall of Fame defensive back Mel Renfro and Etopia Evans, the widow of former Vikings and Ravens fullback Chuck Evans, who died of heart failure at age 41.

In denying the motion to dismiss, Alsup also noted the lawsuit claims the teams’ conduct was “intentional,” as opposed to “negligent,” and thus illegal. Players contend they were routinely and indiscriminately given powerful painkillers, often without prescriptions or even a cursory exam, to mask pain and injuries and get them back on the field without regard for their long-term health.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy declined comment.

Wales stun Belgium, head to Euro semis

LILLE, France

Wales stormed back from a goal down to beat Belgium 3-1 in a pulsating quarterfinal on Friday at the European Championship.

This time Wales did not need to rely on its star player Gareth Bale, as it fought back from trailing in the 13th minute to secure its first ever berth in a semifinal of a major tournament.

Unheralded forwards Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes settled the game with goals in the 55th and 85th minutes. In Robson-Kanu’s career-best moment, he deceived three defenders.

Vokes came on as a substitute to meet Chris Gunter’s cross with a glancing header and spark wild celebrations in the Welsh corner of a stadium packed with Belgium fans among the crowd of nearly 46,000 people.

As the stadium emptied, Wales players and fans paid tribute to Iceland by copying the celebration ritual of the other feel-good story of an overachieving small nation at Euro 2016.

Staff and wire reports