SPORTS digest

YSU baseball team falls to Rider, 7-5

NILES

Rider scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning then held off a rally by the Youngstown State baseball team for Saturday’s 7-5 victory at Eastwood Field.

The Penguins’ four seniors in the lineup each had hits in their final collegiate games, and three seniors made appearances on the mound for YSU.

Youngstown State finished 15-40 in its first season under head coach Dan Bertolini,

YSU’s Andrew Kendrick increased his school record for home runs in a season to 17 with a solo blast in the third inning as part of a three-hit day. The junior first baseman hit five more home runs than any other Penguin has had in a season.

Trey Bridis added his eighth home run, and Anthony Rohan, Lorenzo Arcuri and Web Charles each had two hits.

Senior Kevin Yarabinec pitched the first six innings for YSU and was charged with three earned runs on seven hits. Senior Ryan Smith and Joel Hake combined to pitch a scoreless seventh inning, and Joe King pitched the final two innings.

Curbstone to hear YSU band director

BEAVER TOWNSHIP

Brandt Payne, Youngstown State University marching band director, will be the guest speaker at Monday’s luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at The Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

Saturday night all right for amateur fighting

YOUNGSTOWN

Fourteen amateur bouts are planned for Saturday’s boxing show at the Ukrianian Hall, 1025 N. Bella Vista Ave.

A co-main event features Cleveland Golden Glove lightweight champion Johnny Ford from Alliance opposing New York City’s Ofascio Falcon. The other has Struthers’ Michael Sullivan, a two-time KO drugs champion, facing undefeated John Paul Vazquez of Cleveland. Youngstown’s Isaac Chapman will fight Pittsburgh’s Rome Baxter.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. and fights will begin at 7 p.m.

General admission tickets cost $25 and $20 at the door. Ringside seats are available for $40. To purchase, call Haskell at 724-699-1725.

Warriors one win from another sweep

SAN ANTONIO

Kevin Durant had 33 points and 10 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors beat the injury-riddled San Antonio Spurs 120-108 to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals.

Golden State has a chance to complete its third straight series sweep in Game 4 on Monday night. The Warriors are the third team in NBA history to win their first 11 playoff games. Cleveland is 10-0, with a 2-0 lead over Boston in the Eastern Conference final.

Stephen Curry added 21 points and became the franchise leader in postseason points, passing Hall of Famer Rick Barry.

Already without leading scorer Kawhi Leonard and starting point guard Tony Parker, the Spurs lost David Lee to a left knee injury in the opening quarter.

Predators take 3-2 series lead

ANAHEIM, Calif.

Pontus Aberg scored his first career playoff goal with 8:59 to play, and the Nashville Predators moved to the brink of their first Stanley Cup Final with a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Saturday night.

Aberg scored on a rebound of Filip Forsberg’s shot for the Predators, who took a 3-2 series lead despite the injury absence of top scorer Ryan Johansen and captain Mike Fisher.

Pekka Rinne made 32 saves in the Finnish goalie’s latest dominant playoff performance in Anaheim, where the Predators have won five of their last seven playoff games over two seasons.

Chris Wagner scored for the Ducks, who lost starting goalie John Gibson to injury during the first intermission.

Game 6 is Monday in Nashville.

Staff/wire report