SPORTS digest

Rider breaks shutout late to beat YSU

NILES

Rider scored four runs in the sixth inning to bust open a pitchers’ duel and beat the Youngstown State baseball team 6-0 on Friday at Eastwood Field.

YSU’s Collin Floyd and Rider’s John Yocum cruised through five shutout innings before the Broncs’ four-run sixth. Rider had just two runners in scoring position in the first five innings, and Youngstown State did not have any.

Rider’s Harrison McClure walked on a full count to start the top of the sixth, and, after a fielder’s choice, Mike Volaski’s RBI double to center broke the scoreless tie. Tyler Kaiser walked as Floyd’s last batter, and Jesse Slinger allowed a single and a walk as Rider went ahead 2-0. Brian Uliana then hit a bouncing single up the middle off Joe King, YSU’s third pitcher of the inning, to plate two more runs and make the score 4-0.

The Broncs added two more runs in the seventh on another bases-loaded walk and an error.

Busch wins truck race

CONCORD, N.C.

Kyle Busch raced to his second straight NASCAR Truck Series victory Friday night, leading 90 of 134 laps in a dominating run at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Busch has 48 career Truck Series victories and 173 wins overall in NASCAR’s top three series, also winning 38 Cup races and 86 Xfinity events.

Busch led all three stages en route to his seventh Truck Series win at Charlotte.

Points leader Johnny Sauter was second. Christopher Bell, Busch’s teammate who started on the pole, battled back from a lap down to finish third. Ryan Truex was fourth, followed by Timothy Peters and Matt Crafton.

Sharapova enters Wimbledon qualifying

LONDON

Maria Sharapova will play in the Wimbledon qualifying tournament.

The 2004 champion at the All England Club, who returned last month from a 15-month doping ban, said in a post on her website that she will not request a wild card into the main draw at Wimbledon.

Earlier this week, Sharapova had her request for a French Open wild card rejected by Roland Garros officials.

The 30-year-old Russian retired from her second-round match at the Italian Open on Tuesday after apparently injuring her left thigh.

Since the end of her ban, Sharapova has used wild-card entries to play three events on the WTA Tour to get her world ranking up to a level where she can automatically enter anywhere again.

Bundesliga gets first female referee

FRANKFURT, GERMANY

Referee Bibiana Steinhaus has been promoted to the Bundesliga for next season and will be the first women working games in Germany’s top division.

In an interview published on the German soccer federation’s website, Steinhaus said she feels “disbelief, delight, joy, relief, curiosity.”

The 38-year-old German is already proven at the top of the women’s game. She refereed the 2011 Women’s World Cup final, the 2012 London Olympic final and will work the Women’s Champions League final on June 1 in Cardiff, Wales.

She has also worked in the second division of the Bundesliga for a decade.

Kobe Bryant gives assist to high schoolers

INDIANAPOLIS

Kobe Bryant has come through with an assist for some high school students in Indiana by getting them out of a final exam.

William Pate is a student at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. He told Bryant on Twitter that if the retired NBA superstar gave him a retweet, the students wouldn’t have to take a final exam.

Pate included a picture of himself and his teacher shaking on the deal. Bryant came through on Thursday, quoting Pate’s request and adding a note , “Hope you have an A in this class.”

Staff/wire report