SPORTS digest

Three area volleyball players make All-PAC

Three local volleyball products made the All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Canfield’s Emma Hartshorn (Grove City) and Lakeview’s Alaina Lytle (Geneva) were All-PAC honorable mentions as freshman.

Heartland Christian’s Olivia Test (Geneva) made the second team.

Indians’ Anderson undergoes surgery

cleveland

Cleveland Indians right-hander Cody Anderson had elbow surgery and will need two months to recover.

Anderson, who went 2-5 with a 6.68 ERA in nine starts this season, was bothered by pain in his elbow late in the year. The team said he was diagnosed with impingement in the back of the elbow joint.

The 26-year-old underwent an arthroscopic procedure in Dallas on Wednesday. The team said Anderson will begin a throwing program in two months and is expected to be ready for the start of the 2017 regular season.

Coming off an impressive rookie season, Anderson won a spot in Cleveland’s starting rotation in spring training, but struggled in April and May. He spent most the season bouncing back and forth between the Indians and Triple-A Columbus. Anderson had seven stints with Cleveland.

Anderson was used exclusively as a reliever in the second half by manager Terry Francona.

FIU player attacked with boiling water

miami

The girlfriend of Florida International University tight end Jonnu Smith is facing a felony aggravated battery charge after police say she poured boiling water on him during an argument.

An arrest report says 20-year-old Mary Gaspar, who is five months pregnant, told officers she had been angry that Smith wasn’t paying attention to her Oct. 31 when she boiled a pot of water in his dorm room and then dumped it on him, causing severe burns and hospitalization.

Gaspar was arrested two days later. Court records show Gaspar has pleaded not guilty.

Smith is third in FIU history with 17 career touchdown catches, and fourth with 175 receptions. He caught 39 passes for 441 yards and three touchdowns this season and will likely be considered for the NFL draft.

When contacted by the Associated Press, Gaspar’s attorney declined to comment.

Cards’ Holiday becomes free agent

scottsdale, ariz.

Outfielder Matt Holliday became the final free agent, formally leaving the St. Louis Cardinals when he and the team agreed to waive a provision in his contract that would have guaranteed his 2017 salary if he finishes among the top 10 in NL MVP voting.

The 36-year-old certainly will not finish among the top 10 when voting is announced Nov. 17, so the move makes him a free agent one week earlier. He hit .246 with 20 homers and 62 RBIs in 110 games, missing substantial time after his left thumb was broken when he was hit by a pitch on Aug. 11.

He was brought into the Cardinals’ season finale to play left field in the ninth inning. He was given a standing ovation and taken out before the next pitch. On the start of the season’s last weekend, the Cardinals said they planned to decline his $17 million option for 2017.

FIFA head pleads guilty to federal charges

new york

Former Venezuela soccer federation president Rafael Esquivel has pleaded guilty to federal charges in New York.

The case is part of a U.S. investigation into corruption among senior figures in the sport and its top governing body, FIFA.

Esquivel pleaded guilty Thursday to racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Prosecutors say he participated in bribery schemes related to the awarding of contracts for the media and marketing rights.

He faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.

He’s also agreed to forfeit $16 million — raising total forfeitures in the scandal to over $200 million.

Staff/Wire reports