SPORTS DIGEST || Valley All-Star Classic set for Eastwood Field

Valley All-Star Classic set for Eastwood Field

NILES

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will host the fifth annual High School Valley All-Star Classic, presented by Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods and media partners 21 WFMJ-TV and WBCB, at 6 p.m. June 8 at Eastwood Field.

Tickets are on sale now and are $5. They are available at the Eastwood Field ticket office or by calling 330-505-0000. Tickets also can be purchased online at www.mvscrappers.com.

Sharon Speedway rained out again

HARTFORD

Sharon Speedway got in a few heat races before rain washed out the rest on Saturday.

Rusty Wheeler, Bobby Whitling, Jason Fosnaught, and Chris Schneider opened the night by winning the four Stock Car heats. Rex King, Jr., Jim Weller, Jr., and Jimmy Holden won The Mod Tour heats before light rain hit the track. Rex King was victorious in the fourth Mod Tour heat race before rain washed out the rest of the racing.

Grandstand rain checks from Saturday night will be honored for the next two Menards “Super Series” events, while pit passes will be good for the remainder of the season for any $30 pit pass event.

Salah confident in World Cup return

Egypt forward Mohamed Salah says he is “confident” of being fit for the World Cup after hurting his shoulder playing for Liverpool in the Champions League final.

Salah left the field in tears in the first half after landing heavily following a tussle with Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos. It was 0-0 at the time, and Madrid went on to win 3-1 on Saturday.

In a post on Twitter on Sunday, Salah said “it was a very tough night, but I’m a fighter. Despite the odds, I’m confident that I’ll be in Russia to make you all proud.”

He added “your love and support will give me the strength I need.”

Egypt is playing in the World Cup for the first time since 1990. Its first group game is against Uruguay on June 15.

Salah scored 44 goals for Liverpool in all competitions this season.

Gophers beat Purdue for Big Ten title

OMAHA, Neb.

Ben Mezzenga singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and threw out what would have been the tying run at home in the eighth, and top-seeded Minnesota beat Purdue 6-4 in the Big Ten Tournament championship game Sunday.

The regular-season champion Gophers (41-13) won their first tournament title since 2010 and 10th in 37 years under coach John Anderson.

Minnesota had outscored the Boilermakers 40-15 in two regular-season games, but this one was close throughout. The Gophers came back three times from one-run deficits in the first six innings. They went ahead in the bottom of the sixth on singles by Luke Pettersen and Mezzenga.

Mezzenga made his huge defensive play after Evan Kennedy doubled off All-Big Ten reliever Max Meyer. Charlie Nasuti pinch ran and tried to score from second when Evan Warden singled into left field with two outs. Mezzenga came up throwing and nailed Nasuti at the plate. The play was upheld after a video review.

Froome earns Giro d’Italia victory

ROME

Chris Froome has won the Giro d’Italia for his third consecutive Grand Tour victory.

The four-time Tour de France champion had no trouble protecting his 46-second lead over defending champion Tom Dumoulin in Sunday’s mostly ceremonial final stage through historic Rome.

Froome has now won the Tour, Spanish Vuelta and Giro in succession, becoming only the third cyclist to hold all three Grand Tour titles at the same time. He is the first to achieve the feat since the Vuelta was moved to the end of the season in 1995.

Eddy Merckx won four straight between 1972 and 1973 and Bernard Hinault took three in a row in 1982 and 1983.

Staff/wire report