Sharon Speedway races rained out

May 15, 2017 at 12:00a.m.

Hartford

Racing got under way on Saturday at Sharon Speedway, but rain halted the competition, washing out the scheduled “Steel Valley Thunder” opener for the third straight week.

Rain checks will be good for the next two events in addition to the next Penn-Ohio Pro Stock Championship event on July 22 when the 2016 “Apple Festival Nationals” make-up feature will be added.

Saturday, a “Steel Valley Thunder” program is set featuring the Big-Block Modifieds, Stock Cars, Econo Mods, Junior Sprints for kids plus the E-Mods.

Pits open at 4 p.m. with grandstands at 5 and racing at 7. Sharon Speedway is owned by the Blaney, Weller, and Kirila Families and is a 3/8-mile dirt track located on Custer-Orangeville Road near the intersection of state Routes 7 and 305.

For more information, check out the website at www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481.

YSU baseball team loses doubleheader

OAKLAND, MICH.

Oakland hit a walk-off three-run home run in a 7-5 victory in game one, and the Golden Grizzlies took game two 8-6 to sweep a doubleheader against the Youngstown State baseball team on Sunday at the Oakland Baseball Field.

The two victories allowed the Golden Grizzlies to secure a spot over Youngstown State in the Horizon League Tournament. The Penguins conclude conference play with a 9-21 record, and they will have four non-conference games next week to complete the 2017 campaign.

YSU will play at Kent State on Tuesday, and the Penguins will host Rider on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Eastwood Field.

Miocic retains UFC heavyweight title

DALLAS

Stipe Miocic beat Junior Dos Santos with a first-round technical knockout to defend his heavyweight title at UFC 211 on Saturday night.

In the co-main event, Joanna Jedrzejczyk scored a unanimous, five-round decision over third-ranked Jessica Andrade to defend her women’s strawweight championship.

Since the heavyweight division was formed in 1997, only Miocic, Randy Couture, Tim Sylvia, Cain Velasquez and Brock Lesnar have won two title defenses.

Miocic (17-2) avenged his loss to Dos Santos in December 2014 in Phoenix, which was a five-round match that left both fighters bloodied.

The 34-year-old Miocic claimed his crown with a first-round knockout of Fabricio Werdum in May 2016 in Brazil. He defended against Alistair Overeem last September at Cleveland with a first-round knockout.

Jedrzejczyk (14-0) has defended her title five times since defeating Carla Esparza in March 2015 here at American Airlines Center.

Saturday’s victory was Miocic’s fifth straight since his loss to Dos Santos.

Steve Palermo, 67; was MLB umpire

Former big league umpire Steve Palermo, whose accomplished career ended when he was shot trying to break up a robbery in 1991, has died. He was 67.

Major League Baseball announced Sunday that Palermo had died, without providing details. Palermo, who lived in the Kansas City area, had been in poor health.

Palermo broke into the majors late in the 1976 season and joined the American League staff the next year. He worked the 1983 World Series, several playoff series and the All-Star Game. He consistently drew praise from players, managers and fellow umpires for his work.

In July 1991, Palermo was having a late-night meal in Dallas when two servers who just left were mugged. Palermo chased the attackers and was shot, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

Palermo eventually was able to walk, with the help of cane, and continued his recovery. He later became an umpire supervisor for MLB.

Staff/wire report