SPORTS DIGEST || YSU soccer team to host Spring ID Camp

YSU soccer team to host Spring ID Camp

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State Women’s Soccer Team will host a Spring ID Camp March 31 at the Watson and Tressel Training Site.

This camp is open to any female soccer players for girls in grades 9th through 12th grade and costs $130 per player. Check-in at the camp is at 8 a.m.

The Youngstown State Women’s Soccer ID Camp is to provide opportunities for high-level players to develop.

The ID camp features elements of training, small and full-sided play, as well as question-and-answer forums with current members of the YSU Women’s Soccer program.

For more information, please contact Assistant Coach Tara O’Brien at tobrien02@student.ysu.edu.

Murray takes leave after father’s death

PITTSBURGH

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray is taking a leave of absence from the team following the death of his father.

The Penguins announced Wednesday that James Murray, Matt’s father, died on Tuesday in Ontario, Canada. Matt Murray, who backstopped Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017, will be away from the team indefinitely.

Murray took a brief trip home last week to tend to what the team called a “personal matter” at the time.

The Penguins begin a three-game West Coast road trip on Wednesday in Anaheim.

Pirates fans urge MLB to force Nutting to sell

PITTSBURGH

Some Pittsburgh Pirates fans are signing a petition to express their frustration following the team’s decision to trade star outfielder Andrew McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants.

As of Wednesday, more than 28,000 fans signed a petition on change.org asking Major League Baseball to force Pirates owner Bob Nutting to sell the team.

Writing “we deserve better,” the petition’s starters aim to reach 35,000 signatures to protest the direction Nutting and the front office have taken in the offseason. Pittsburgh sent top starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to Houston on Saturday, then sent McCutchen to the Giants, shedding the organization of $20 million in salary in the process.

Nutting, who took over as the team’s principal owner in 2007, called the decision to trade McCutchen the most difficult of his tenure.

Houston’s Ariza, Green suspended 2 games

Houston’s Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green have both been suspended for two games for entering the Los Angeles Clippers’ locker room after a game earlier this week to confront another player.

The NBA announced the suspensions Wednesday.

Ariza and Green went into the Clippers’ locker room after a game Monday night in Los Angeles, one that was marred late by on-court chippiness. Ariza had been ejected from that game in the final moments, as was the Clippers’ Blake Griffin.

Ariza has started in all 40 of his appearances with the Rockets this season. Green has been with the Rockets for 10 games, all off the bench.

Verizon, NBA agree to new streaming deal

NEW YORK

Yahoo users will be able to stream eight basketball games for free under a new deal with the NBA.

Verizon, which owns Yahoo, is hoping to use sports to build a digital ad business to rival Facebook and Google. The company now lets anyone watch NFL games on a mobile Yahoo app; before games were limited to Verizon customers.

Fans can choose the eight games they want once they sign in, but local and nationally televised games are blocked. It isn’t limited to Verizon wireless customers.

Verizon will also have a daily highlights show and may make other original sports programming. It will work with the NBA on fan fantasy experiences, including custom highlights.

Staff/Wire Report