SPORTS digest

Northern Kentucky sweeps YSU in baseball

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY.

Northern Kentucky erupted for eight runs in the eighth inning to steal a win in game one, and scored the first five runs in game two to sweep a doubleheader over the Youngstown State baseball team.

Sunday’s scores were 8-7 and 12-8 at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

Andrew Kendrick, Alex Larivee, Nico Padovan and Billy Salem all homered for the Penguins in the doubleheader. Larivee’s solo homer in the top of the seventh inning in game one gave Youngstown State a 7-0 lead on the Norse. Kendrick also homered in the opener, and Padovan and Salem hit round-trippers in game two.

YSU game one starter Michael Semonsen pitched seven shutout innings, limiting the Norse to four hits and one walk while striking out six. NKU did all of its damage in the eighth off Joel Hake, and the final five runs scored with two outs.

Youngstown State will play its home finale on Tuesday as it welcomes Kent State to Eastwood Field for another Field Trip game. First pitch against the Flashes is set for 11 a.m.

Ursuline softball ousts Crestview

New Middletown,

Jordyn Kenneally tossed a three-hitter and struck out 11 as Ursuline (20-3) beat Crestview 2-1 for a sectional title.

Ursuline got on the board in the first inning when Caroline Aey doubled and McKenzie Shells hit a two-out single. In the fourth inning, Adi Quattro got her second hit and advanced to third on an errant throw before Megan Ross’ RBI single.

For the Rebels, Brittany Coblentz led off the fifth with a single, and scored on a passed ball. In the sixth, Crestview’s Emma Smith and Haley Eskra reached base on Irish errors before Kenneally struck out the next two batters and induced a pop-up.

Today, Ursuline plays Waterloo at Springfield High School in the district semifinal.

Correction

The Run with the Knights 5K in Boardman will be June 25 with a 9 a.m. start at St. Charles Church. An incorrect date was listed in Sunday’s edition.

Fake bomb postpones Premier soccer match

MANCHESTER, England

A fake bomb left behind during a security exercise led police to evacuate Manchester United’s home stadium on Sunday, disrupting the final day of the English Premier League season and bringing embarrassment to one of the world’s best-known sports teams.

The Premier League has rescheduled the match for Tuesday.

Police initially described the device as “incredibly lifelike” as United’s planned match with Bournemouth was canceled, to boos from some fans, and a controlled explosion was carried out.

But hours later, bomb technicians reported it was a fake. And a later statement by police said the device had been inadvertently left in a toilet during an earlier training exercise involving sniffer dogs.

The series of events Sunday came amid tightened security at Premier League stadiums following last year’s Paris attacks that targeted the Stade de France sports stadium as well as cafes, bars and a concert hall. It also followed the British government’s announcement Wednesday that it was raising the nation’s threat level due to intelligence indicating the “strong possibility” of attacks in Britain by factions of the outlawed Irish Republican Army.

49ers’ Hayne retires

SAN FRANCISCO

Former Australian Rugby League star Jarryd Hayne’s NFL experiment is over, as he announced his retirement Sunday from the San Francisco 49ers in order to join the Fiji Rugby Sevens team for the Rio Olympics.

“I simply could not pass that chance up,” Hayne said. “The Olympics has been something I have admired since I was a little boy, and it is an opportunity I feel very similar to me joining the NFL.”

Playing eight games with one start for the 5-11 Niners, he had 17 carries for 52 yards and six catches for 27 yards while also returning eight punts for 76 yards.

Staff/wire report