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Providence finishes Hopewell
17 May 2008 at 7:35am
Scoreless game in the seventh inning. Providence's Tyler Zupcic strode to the plate with the go-ahead run on third.

How'd the Panthers handle the pressure?

Coach Danny Hignight winked at Zupcic. Twenty seconds later, Zupcic broke up the pitchers' duel with a triple to the fence in right field.

It was the key hit in Providence's 2-1 victory at Hopewell in an N.C. 4A third-round playoff Friday.

"You do what you have to do in that situation," said Zupcic, a junior center fielder. "Try to find a hole. It was a fastball, a little up and a little out."

Zupcic's hit scored courtesy runner Matt Lee. Cory Smith opened the seventh by getting hit by a pitch. Zupcic, after tripling, scored on a passed ball for a 2-0 lead.

"Tyler got up to the plate relaxed," Hignight said. "That kid's as cool as a cucumber. He's the guy you want up in that spot."

Providence will play Tuesday at nationally ranked South Caldwell (24-1), which beat Weddington 4-0 Friday.

Providence (20-8) used dominant pitching for the third straight playoff. Winner Richie Shaffer, a junior who has committed to Clemson, pitched a two-hitter and struck out 11. The only batter he walked was picked off.

Shaffer's lone mistake was an 0-2 fastball that Hopewell's Jack Lane blasted over the right-field fence to cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh.

Shaffer rallied by striking out the next two batters to end it. Hopewell finished 23-5.

The game was intense, with three hit batters (all Providence), several umpire/coach discussions and terse exchanges between fans.

Providence's three playoff wins have been on the road. The Panthers have allowed two runs in 21 playoff innings.

"We couldn't be more confident in each other," Zupcic said. "Anybody that goes out there, we know they can do the job."

Providence stranded five runners in the first three innings, including four in scoring position. Losing pitcher Adam Waters (9-2), who pitched a three-hitter, made good pitches to wiggle out of jams.

"We were close to getting runs for four straight innings," Hignight said. "I told our guys the opportunity is going to present itself. Just be patient."

In the first game, the 49ers hit two home runs and had 14 hits to win 8-2. Rob Lyerly hit his 14th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the first, and drove in three runs.

Charlotte (39-14, 18-8) is tied with Xavier for first place in the Atlantic 10 with one game left in the season.

Today's game against Rhode Island (29-24-1, 15-10-1) is at noon. A win would give Charlotte at least a share of the Atlantic 10 title.

The 49ers are assured of a first-round bye in next week's Atlantic 10 tournament. The top two teams receive first-round byes.

No. 2 Tar Heels beat No. 1 Miami

Adam Warren struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings, leading North Carolina to a 10-6 victory against Miami.Warren (8-1) gave up four runs and four hits, and walked two. He got some help from the offense, which scored three times in the second and fourth innings.

Tim Fedroff went 3-for-5 and homered for North Carolina (44-10, 21-7 ACC) in the sixth, and Seth Williams went 2-for-5 with three RBIs.

Mark Sobolewski hit a grand slam for the Hurricanes in the sixth, and Yonder Alonso hit a solo homer in the eighth.

No. 4 FLORIDA STATE 1, No. 20 N.C. STATE 0: Jack Rye drove in Buster Posey with a sacrifice fly in the eighth and three Seminoles (45-9, 23-6 ACC) pitchers combined on a three-hitter against the visiting Wolfpack (37-17, 19-9).

SOUTH CAROLINA 7, TENNESSEE 5: Phil Disher went 2-for-3 and drove in a run, lifting the host Gamecocks (36-19, 14-15 SEC) against Tennessee (27-28, 12-17).

CLEMSON 7, CENTRAL FLORIDA 3: Matt Sanders went 4-for-5 and drove in two runs, leading the Tigers (29-25-1) at Central Florida (31-24).

DAVIDSON 6, UNC GREENSBORO 2: Chase FitzPatrick's single and Tommy Piacenza's double in the top of the ninth keyed a three-run inning for Davidson (12-37, 4-23 Southern) as the Wildcats broke the game open at UNC Greensboro (31-25, 15-12).

EAST CAROLINA 17, MEMPHIS 3: Dustin Harrington (five RBIs), Brandon Henderson (five RBIs) and Ryan Wood each had four hits, Kyle Roller had three and Corey Kemp added two for the Pirates (39-16, 13-10 C-USA) at Memphis (16-38, 4-18).

Division II playoffs

CATAWBA 5, TUSCULUM 1: Alex Fairweather (8-2) pitched a six-hitter and David Thomas hit his 21st home run of the season and scored twice, leading the Indians (42-16) against Tusculum (41-14) in the NCAA Division II South Regional in Tampa, Fla. Catawba plays Tampa at 11 a.m. today. Tusculum plays Carson-Newman in an elimination game at 3 p.m.

CARSON-NEWMAN 7, STILLMAN 5: Derek Long (2-for-4 with three RBIs) and Nick Achberger (2-for-4, two RBIs) led the Eagles (42-17), who built a 6-2 lead by the fifth and held on to eliminate Stillman (26-26) in the NCAA Division II South Regional.

MOUNT OLIVE 6, NORTH GEORGIA 2: Ryan Schlecht (13-0) pitched a four-hitter, Erik Lovett homered and Dylan Holton had an eighth-inning RBI-triple, leading Mount Olive (51-5) past North Georgia (41-21) in the second round of the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional at Mount Olive.

BELMONT ABBEY 3, ERSKINE 2: Seth Waller, who starred at West Rowan, had a sixth-inning RBI-single to break a 2-2 tie and Michael Raymond struck out 13 and tossed a two-hitter, leading Belmont Abbey (41-21) against Erskine (44-13) in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional.

TICKETS: Prices range from $30 to $85. If purchased in advance, pick up tickets at Will Call (Gate 4).

SCHEDULE: Thunder Cup 50 (Thunder Cars), 5:15 p.m.; Sprint Cup drivers Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch and Greg Biffle in Pennzoil Victory Challenge (burnouts, doughnuts), Sprint Showdown, 7:46 p.m.: Sprint All-Star Race, 9 p.m.

TIPS: You can bring headset for radio broadcast; scanners (available for rent); binoculars; comfortable shoes; rain ponchos or a jacket (ponchos available at speedway); beer (but not into The Speedway Club or Suites); each fan can bring in one cooler no longer, wider or taller than 14 inches until one hour after the start of the race; cell phone. Can't bring umbrellas or strollers inside grandstand area; illegal drugs; grills, fireworks; weapons of any kind; folding chairs; glass containers; pets (except animals assisting those with disabilities); scaffolds; golf cars; noise makers, horns, helium balloons, beach balls.

ENTERTAINMENT: Multi-platinum recording artist 3 Doors Down will perform a 75-minute concert at 3:30 p.m. in the infield between Turns 1 and 2. Admission is free with a ticket to the Sprint All-Star Race.

I almost forget he is evil. Where are Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans when you need them?

Busch, you'll recall, nudged Dale Jr. two weeks ago at Richmond International Raceway. The nudge led to a crash and the crash led to Earnhardt losing the lead and the race.

Fortunately, Earnhardt fans are forgiving. Estimated date on when they'll forgive Busch: May, 2018.

Busch is an unlikely bad guy. Bad guys are supposed to have presence. When Tony Stewart walks into a room, you know. There is a simmering, anything-can-happen quality about him, and I mean that as a compliment. He has things to say.

When Busch walks into the media center at Lowe's Motor Speedway Friday afternoon, a public relations official has to tell reporters in the buffet line that Busch is about to speak. Busch is only one room away, and that's where the rep goes. Almost nobody follows.

Let's go to the scoreboard: Flank steak, potatoes and cookies 1, Sprint Cup points leader 0.

And then Busch gets into a race car. And everybody watches.

Ask the folks who know the sport which driver has the most talent and for years you heard Jeff Gordon or Stewart. Now? You hear Busch.

He turned 23 only 15 days ago (which makes him four days older than New Orleans point guard Chris Paul. Who do you think is better at his job?).

Regardless of the series he runs or the vehicle in which he runs it, Busch makes the race his. Enjoy him, or don't, while you can. He says he plans to retire to at 30 and race Formula One.

"How's that?" Busch asks.

He is serious, at least, about getting into a Formula One car. He plans to test in November or December. If he's good at it, he says he'd some day like to try the Indianapolis 500.

"I think it would be something that would be pretty fun in the future," he says.

But how could he consider walking away from the fun he's having now?

"As long as I'm winning races, I'm having fun," Busch says.

He is a favorite to win the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race tonight. But he won't be a favorite of fans.

Busch says the booing makes him laugh.

"Just because I'm not the most popular guy here, don't hate on my talent," he says. "I guess they do. I don't care."

He adds: "I've pretty much been doomed since I got here. I'm pretty much going to be doomed for the next 10 years. That's why I just try to go out there and send them home unhappy."

Busch says when he made his Cup debut, he was booed because he was Kurt's younger brother.

Now, he says, Kurt is booed "because he's Kyle's older brother."

He gets a laugh from the audience. He finally has an audience. The cookies are gone. IN MY OPINION Tom Sorensen

Top sports stories, based on page views from midnight to 7 p.m. Friday:

1. Williams still waiting on Tar Heels testing NBA water

2. Barkley says he'll pay huge gambling debt

3. UNC forward Stepheson to transfer

4. Fox: Stewart to get shot at kick returns

5. Duke post interests Hart

Planner

RUGBY

WHAT: U.S. Super League quarterfinals, Charlotte Rugby Club (6-1) vs. Denver Barbarians (5-2).

WHEN: Saturday, 3 p.m.

WHERE: Skillbeck Athletic Grounds

COST: $4 and free for 18-under.

We Recommend

SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE7 p.m., SPEED

Dale Jarrett, who has competed at NASCAR's highest level for 24 years, will drive in his last race tonight. Jarrett, 51, has run 668 points races, winning 32 times, including three Daytona 500s.

Jarrett, who won the 1999 Cup championship, will continue his work as an analyst for ESPN, spend more time with his four kids ... and play a lot of golf.

-- THOMAS TORRENCE

TELEVISION & RADIO

Today's TV

All times p.m. unless noted. Schedules subject to change.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

N. Carolina at Miami FOXSS 1

Vanderbilt at Florida SS 1

Arkansas at Mississippi St. FOXSS 4

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Milwaukee at Boston Ch.18 3:30

Chicago White Sox at San Fran. WGN 9

WNBA

Los Angeles at Phoenix Ch.9 3:30

BOXING

Kirkland vs. Albert HBO 9:45

GOLF

Irish Open GOLF 10 a.m.

BMW Charity Pro-Am GOLF 1

Sybase Classic ESPN2 2

AT&T Classic Ch.3 3

Regions Charity Classic GOLF 6:30

NHL

Dallas at Detroit Ch.36 1:30

HORSE RACING

Preakness Day ESPN2 11 a.m.

Preakness Day ESPN Noon

Dixie Stakes ESPN 2

Preakness Stakes Ch.36 4:30

MOTORSPORTS

Indianapolis 500 qualifying ESPN2 4

Thunder Valley Nationals ESPN2 6:30

Sprint All-Star Race SPEED 7

RODEO

Best in Texas Shootout VS 8

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

NCAA Division I regional ESPN2 Noon

NCAA Division II chmps. SS 3

NCAA Division I regional ESPN2 8:30

NCAA Division I regional ESPN2 10:30

Radio Highlights

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Oakland at Atlanta 7WSTP-AM (1490, Salisbury)

MINOR-LEAGUE BASEBALL

Charlotte at Durham 5:15

WFNA-AM (1660, Charlotte)

Hickory at Rome 7

WMNC-FM (92.1, Morganton)

NHL

Dallas at Detroit 1:30

WFNZ-AM (610, Charlotte)

MOTORSPORTS

Sprint All-Star Race 7

WSOC-FM (103.7, Charlotte); WHKY-AM (1290, Hickory); WRHM-FM (107.1, Rock Hill)

Sunday's TV

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Nebraska at Missouri FOXSS 4:30

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

$Cleveland at Cincinnati FOXSS 1

Milwaukee at Boston TBS 1:30

@Oakland at Atlanta SS 1:30

Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs WGN 2:10

N.Y. Mets at N.Y. Yankees ESPN 8

NBA

Cleveland at Boston Ch.9 3:30

CYCLING

Giro D'Italia VS 4

GOLF

Irish Open GOLF 9 a.m.

BMW Charity Pro-Am GOLF 1

Sybase Classic ESPN2 2

AT&T Classic Ch.3 3

Regions Charity Classic GOLF 6:30

NHL

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh Ch.36 3

MOTORSPORTS

Indianapolis 500 qualifying Ch.9 1

American Le Mans Series SPEED 3

Indianapolis 500 qualifying ESPN2 4

MotoGP World Championship SPEED 6

Thunder Valley Nationals ESPN2 6:30

AMA Superbike SPEED 10

OLYMPICS

U.S. men's triathlon trials Ch.36 Noon

RODEO

Best in Texas Shootout VS 9

TRACK & FIELD

adidas Classic ESPN 4

NOTES: @ Available in South Carolina and the N.C. counties of Anson, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Lincoln, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Moore, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Union, Watauga, Wilkes.

$ Available in the N.C. counties of Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Lincoln, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Moore, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Watauga, Wilkes.

Myers, a freshman midfielder, scored the first goal in the Vikings' 3-1 victory against Winston-Salem Mount Tabor in the fourth round of the N.C. 4A playoffs at North Meck.

The Vikings got off to a quick start when Myers followed home a mishandled rebound 11 minutes into the match. They'll play the winner of today's Providence-Ardrey Kell game.

"We were going for the long cross and my job as outside midfielder is to be out there," she said. "I was just doing what I was supposed to be doing. I wasn't really thinking at all. I was just going `it's going in,' and it did."

That quick strike was the spark North Meck (14-3-1) needed to take a 1-0 lead into the break against the No. 10 team in the state. Samantha Sterns padded the Vikings' lead with a goal to open the second half, followed by a goal from Meghan Bullock in the 61st minute.

Mount Tabor (17-5-1), which had an eight-game win streak snapped, avoided the shutout on Mary Reinhardt's goal in the 68th minute, the second goal allowed by North Meck since April 3.

"I'm excited by the fact we got it done tonight," Vikings coach Neil Roberts said. "We really used a lot of energy and emotion against Weddington Wednesday and I feel like we were able to get it done tonight on maybe about 80 percent efficiency."

Mooresville wins 3A track crown

Mooresville's boys won the N.C. 3A track and field championship at N.C. A&T, completing the season's sweep of running titles.The Blue Devils became the first boys' team in N.C. history to win the triple crown (state titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track) in the same season.

"We're excited about it," coach Michael Serefine said. "It's something we used as a motivation tool, especially for the seniors. You can't write a better ending to their senior year."

It started with seniors Jake Deaton and Jamel Allison in the field events, and finished with senior Patrick Campbell in the running events.

Mooresville scored 75.5 points to Winston-Salem Carver's 56.

Deaton, who has signed with Charlotte, capped off an undefeated season by winning the shot put (57 feet, 3.25 inches) and discus (166-7). Allison, who has signed with UNC Pembroke to play football and will also run track, was the meet MVP after winning the long jump (23-91/2) and triple jump (49-21/2) and placing in two other events.

Campbell, who has committed to N.C. State, won the 1,600 (4:18.16), finished runner-up in the 3,200 (9:37.21) and running on the fourth-place 3,200 relay team.

Olympic's Iyevbele wins 1,600 meters

Olympic's Kenyetta Iyevbele won the 1,600 meters in a personal-best 5:07.29 and finished fourth in the 800 meters.

Iyevbele won the 1,600 by beating the defending champion, Jacksonville's Ryanna Henderson (5:11.21), who had won the N.C. 1A/2A/3A indoor 1,600 meter title in February.

It was a situation his second-year team has faced all year, said Bagwell, and one the Knights have felt comfortable with. Ardrey Kell responded with three runs of its own in the second and busted open a close game with three more in the sixth in a 7-3 victory.

The Knights (25-4), ranked third in The Observer Sweet 16, will host North Davidson, which beat Watauga 11-4 Friday night, in a quarterfinal game on Tuesday.

"We've done it all year," said Bagwell. "We talked about all kinds of scenarios and said `guys, we've been there, we've done that. Let's chip away,' and that's what we did."

Clean-up hitter Mike Gragilla followed singles by Aaron Plummer and Sean Pope with an opposite-field home run, his fourth, to give North Meck (21-5) a 3-0 lead. But Ardrey Kell, which left the bases loaded in the first, answered quickly.

Logan Ratledge led off the second with a bloop single that escaped first baseman Adam Eckstenkamper's glove, and Brett Nyenhuis followed with a walk. Jack Reinheimer bunted down the third base line for a single and leadoff hitter Jonny Eaker knocked in a run by slapping a single to center.

With one out, Nyenhuis scored on a fielder's choice and Reinheimer came across on a Vikings' fielding error to tie the score at 3.

Ardrey Kell left-hander Alex Wood (5-0) settled down after his shaky start. Righty Blake Parsley entered in the fifth and picked up the save.

ARDREY KELL 7, N. MECK 3

AKell0301030--7101 N. Meck3000000--383
WP: Alex Wood (5-0), LP: Sean Pope (8-3). Leading hitters: AK: Ryan Stetson 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI; Jack Reinheimer 2-2, 2 runs; NM: Sean Pope 3-3, 2B, run; Mike Gragilla 1-3, HR, 3 RBIs; Records: AK 25-4, NM 21-5.

Arrowood continued his pattern Friday against host Olympic in the N.C. 3A West baseball playoffs by allowing a solo home run by Adam Krause in the first inning.

Arrowood regrouped as he recorded 13 strikeouts to lead R-S Central to a 4-1 win against an Olympic.

"He's a slow starter," said R-S Central coach Chris White, whose team will meet South Point in the next round. "But Ryan was able to settle down after that first home run and shut down their hitters."

The Trojans (20-6) suffered from the loss of catcher Frankie Torres, who broke his finger in the second inning while sliding into second base.

"That made a big difference," said White. "He is their leader, and I know he is a very important part of their team."

Olympic coach Bob Rhodes agreed.

"That was a huge loss," he said.

The Hilltoppers got off to a fast start, scoring in the first inning on a one-run homer by Keith Snethen and in the second inning on an Olympic error that allowed Billy Barnard to score.

R-S Central struck again in the sixth inning, scoring on an RBI from Snethen.

The Hilltoppers added another run on a dropped fly ball hit deep into right field by Barnard that allowed J.P Conner to score the final run.

Childress inducted into Hall of Fame

Longtime Cup owner Richard Childress and six others were inducted Thursday night into the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame in Raleigh.

Former Duke athletics director Tom Butters, former Duke quarterback Leo Hart, sportswriter Bill Hensley, former NFL player Ken Huff, former Guilford golf and men's basketball coach Jack Jensen, former Harlem Globetrotter Fred "Curly" Neal and current North Carolina men's basketball coach Roy Williams were also inducted.

"Only in America can a kid with a dream to drive a race car be fortunate enough to be inducted into the hall of fame of his home state," Childress said. "I'd be remiss if I didn't give Dale Earnhardt a lot of credit for my induction. Racing is a team sport and I've been fortunate to have been able to surround myself over the years with people who are committed to success."

Childress has won six Cup titles, all with Earnhardt, and currently fields three Cup and two Nationwide series teams. -- JIM UTTER

Strawberry to speak at opening of center

YONKERS, N.Y. -- Darryl Strawberry will be the featured speaker at the dedication of the Smithers Alcoholism Treatment and Training Center at St. John's Riverside Hospital on May 21.

His longtime friend, Adele Smithers, president of the Christopher D. Smithers Foundation, is benefactor of the center. Strawberry, a former Yankee and Met, is a recovering alcoholic. Strawberry said he wants to encourage "alcoholics to seek treatment available to them, as I did." -- Associated Press

Dallas Cowboys tickets to start at $59

IRVING, Texas -- The cheapest Dallas Cowboys tickets in the new $1 billion stadium being built in Arlington will cost just under $60.The Cowboys say about 50,000 reserved seats in the upper and lower bowls will range from $59 to $125. Similar tickets at Texas Stadium, where the Cowboys will play their final season this year, range from $50 to $129.

Of the new prices, most of the reserved seats will have options to give the owner the right to buy season tickets for 30 years. The options range from $2,000 to $5,000, per ticket. -- AP

Girardi and Detroit manager Jim Leyland were announced Friday as Francona's coaches for the July 15 game at Yankee Stadium, which is in its final season.

"He doesn't want me to move. I told him, `It's your office. You earned it,' " Girardi said.

The pennant-winning managers from the previous season manage in the All-Star game. Colorado manager Clint Hurdle selected Mets manager Willie Randolph and San Diego manager Bud Black to be on his staff.

Around the leagues

HOUSTON: Shawn Chacon set a major-league record by making his ninth consecutive start without a decision to begin the season. Chacon lasted just 3 1-3 innings against the Texas Rangers on Friday night. He left with the Astros trailing 8-2 after giving up a three-run homer to Josh Hamilton in the fourth. But Houston rallied with five runs in the fifth and another run in the sixth to tie it and get Chacon off the hook.

BOSTON: Friday night's game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox was postponed because of rain. It was rescheduled as the second game of a doubleheader today.

CHICAGO CUBS: The Cubs' crowd of 40,537 Thursday against the Pirates brought season attendance to 1,000,892 through 25 home games -- the quickest they've reached the million mark.

HOUSTON: The Astros put right-handed reliever Geoff Geary on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right groin.

Geary, who has not allowed a run in 10 consecutive appearances since April 26, left Thursday's game at San Francisco because of the injury. He is 1-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 19 appearances.

KANSAS CITY: Catcher John Buck was granted three days of leave because of health concerns for his wife, Brooke, after she gave birth to twins. Cooper and Brody were born 12 weeks prematurely Thursday evening.

NEW YORK: Friday night's Subway Series opener between the Yankees and Mets was postponed because of rain.

.

SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Magowan, 66, the owner who brought Barry Bonds to San Francisco, built a new ballpark and kept major league baseball in the city, is stepping down as managing partner of the Giants.

Transactions in Scoreboard, 13C

Whisler went six innings, allowing one run on three hits.

He had four strikeouts.

The Knights had the lead early, thanks to a pair of big hits from third baseman Royce Huffman -- a second-inning home run and an RBI single in the third.

The Chiefs scored three in the eighth and three in the ninth to pull away.

South Atlantic

HAGERSTOWN 8, KANNAPOLIS 5: The Intimidators came from behind to tie the game at five in the sixth inning, but fell to host Hagerstown in the opening game of a nine-game roadtrip. The loss stopped Kannapolis' three-game win streak.

HICKORY 3, ROME 2: The host Braves took an early 2-0 lead, but couldn't hold off the Crawdads.

CHIEFS 7, KNIGHTS 2

SyracuseabrhbiCharlotteabrhbi Lydon dh4320Owens cf3000 Lopez ss4121Getz 2b4110 Lind lf4013Wise rf4010 Luna 3b5012Eldred dh3000 Adams 2b3000Hufmn 3b4122 Coats cf4110Collaro lf4000 Thigpen c3000Liefer 1b4000 Cannon 1b2100Phillips c4030 Nielsen rf4111Dwkins ss4000 Totals 33787Totals 34272

Syracuse000001033--782 Charlotte011000000--270

E--Syracuse 1. LOB--Syracuse 6, Charlotte 7. DP--Chalrotte 1. 2B--Phillips. HR--Huffman. SB--Lydon, Cannon. S--Thigpen.

SyracuseIPHRERBBSO Murphy7.062209 Gosling2.010004

CharlotteIPHRERBBSO Whisler6.031124 King1.000002 MacDougal1.023321 Perez1.033310
WP--Perez. HBP--Eldred (by Murphy), Owens (by Murphy), Lopez (by Perez, O).

Umpires--Brian Reilly. 1B: Fran Burke. 2B: . 3B: Christopher Conroy. T--2:44. Att.--5,789.

Byrd, seeking his fourth PGA Tour victory, shared the lead with Kenny Perry, Ryan Palmer and two others when the second round began.

The course was drenched with more than an inch of rain Thursday and, though no precipitation fell in the second round, overcast conditions kept the sun from drying off the fairways and greens and making the course play faster.

Perry and Palmer shot 69s to drop into a tie for second. Parker McLachlin, another first-round leader, shot a 70 to drop into a three-way tie for fourth with Charles Howell III (69) and David Toms (69) at 8 under.

Defending champion Zach Johnson (70) and Sugarloaf resident Stewart Cink (71) were seven strokes back at 5 under.

Elsewhere

CHAMPIONS: Andy Bean and Monday qualifier Mike Goodes shot 7-under 65s to share the first-round lead in the Champions Tour's Regions Charity Classic in Hoover, Ala.

Leading money winner Bernhard Langer was two strokes back. A two-time winner this year on the 50-and-over tour, Langer tied for 15th Sunday in The Players Championship on the PGA Tour.

Without an exemption, Goodes had to qualify for the tournament on Monday in North Carolina and matched his best round since joining the Champions Tour in 2006. Two-time defending champion Brad Bryant opened with a 72.

LPGA: Second-round play was wiped out in the LPGA Tour's Sybase Classic in Clifton, N.J., after rain created conditions that would have forced players to compete on two very different courses if the round had been suspended until today.

Tournament officials wiped out play, rescheduled the second round to today and reduced the $2 million tournament from 72 holes to 54.

Annika Sorenstam, Rachel Hetherington and Song-Hee Kim shared the lead after shooting 67s on Thursday. Lorena Ochoa was a stroke back.

EUROPEAN: France's Michael Lorenzo-Vera shot a 2-under 70 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Irish Open in Adare, Ireland.

Lorenzo-Vera, 23, the PGA European Challenge Tour money leader last year, had a 6-under 138 total.

NATIONWIDE: David Mathis shot a 7-under 65 for a two-shot lead at the Nationwide Tour BMW Charity Pro-Am in Greenville, S.C. Matt Weibring is in second at 12-under after birdies on his final three holes to shoot a 7-under 65 at Carolina Country Club.

The tournament pairs professionals with amateurs and celebrities.

The labor agreement is on the agenda for the league meetings in Atlanta on Tuesday.

"If they don't do it next week then it will be soon after that," Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, said Friday. "They want to opt out and we don't."

In the agreement signed in March of 2006, both sides were given the right to get out of the deal by Nov. 8, 2008. League officials noted that doesn't mean a decision could not be made earlier.

That contract was due to expire at the end of the 2013 season.

If the owners nullify it, a move that has seemed inevitable for a while, it would end after the 2011 season with 2010 being uncapped.

Elsewhere

NEW ENGLAND: Coach Bill Belichick lashed out at the team's former video assistant, saying in a televised interview that Matt Walsh was a low-level staffer who was fired for "poor job performance."

"There's not a lot of credibility," Belichick said in an interview broadcast on the "CBS Evening News."

"You know, he's tried to make it seem like we're buddies, and belong to the same book club and all. That's really a long, long stretch."

• INDIANAPOLIS: Peyton Manning is withholding judgment on teammate Marvin Harrison and the star receiver's legal issues. Harrison has been interviewed by police about a shooting near his North Philadelphia car wash last month, but hasn't been arrested or charged.

DON'T FORGET US: Diana Taurasi leads reigning champion Phoenix, which returns intact after averaging a league-best 89.0 points last season.

NEW FACES IN SEATTLE: The Storm improved by acquiring SwinCash from Detroit and signing Sheryl Swoopes and Yolanda Griffith to complement SueBird and Lauren Jackson.

EASTERN POWER: Detroit won titles in 2003 and 2006 and appears to be favored in the Eastern Conference. Deanna Nolan and All-Star game MVP Cheryl Ford, daughter of former NBA star Karl Malone, are the faces of the franchise.

AILING IN INDIANA: Tamika Catchings -- perennially the Fever's leader in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals -- is recovering from an Achilles' tendon injury and will miss the early part of the season.

N.C. CONNECTION: Former Charlotte Sting coach Marynell Meadors takes over the expansion Atlanta Dream, which is counting heavily on former York Comprehensive High and North Carolina point guard Ivory Latta, acquired in a trade from Detroit.

Brendan Gielow followed his opening-round 69 with a one-over-par 72 (141 total) and dropped from first place to second, but teammates Dustin Groves and Webb Simpson jumped from an 11th-place tie into third and fourth after the second round.

Groves shot a second-round 70 and moved into third place at 142, and Simpson shot 71 for a 143 total.

Oklahoma State's Kevin Tway is the leader at 139.

The Deacons are up 10 strokes at 577, followed by Alabama at 587 and Illinois and Penn State at 590

The top 10 teams after today's final round will advance to the NCAA championships, hosted by Purdue on May 28-31.

Elsewhere

• Andrew DiBitetto shot a 4-under-par 67 in the second round of the East Regional in Chattanooga, Tenn., keeping Charlotte in contention to advance to the 30-team NCAA championships.

After two rounds, the 49ers are tied for eighth place with Chattanooga at 5-under 563. Georgia leads at 32-under 536, 19 strokes ahead of second-place Augusta State at 555.

DiBitetto had birdies on three of his first four holes and shot 4-under 67. He has a two-round total of 6-under 136 and is in a three-way tie for eighth place.

Jonas Enander Hedin shot 1-under 70, and Corey Nagy rebounded from a difficult opening round to shoot par 71.

• Clemson is in fourth place and North Carolina is 18th at the West Regional in Bremerton, Wash. The Tigers, at 580, are six strokes behind leader Southern California at 574.

Phillip Mollica leads Clemson with a two-day total of par 144, which is tied for 11th. Chase McFarland leads the Tar Heels at 148, tied for 40th.