The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 21

The Beacon Journal www.Ohio.com Tuesday, May 11. 1999, Page D5 Tribe report NHL Playoffs TRIBE Breaks go Indians' way in 6-4 win Detroit keeping Ranford in goal Now Wright gets time off first two games of the best-of-sev-en series. He made 28 saves in a 4-0 shutout on Sunday and 37 in Friday's 3-2 overtime win. Holland said Osgood's sprained right knee hasn't improved much over the last couple days and he wouldn't play until he gets in a couple of practices. NOTEBOOK Steve Chiasson of the Carolina Hurricanes was drunk when he was killed in a pickup truck accident last week, a toxicology report showed.

His blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit Pittsburgh Penguins fans have teamed up to make an online petition to keep the financially troubled franchise in Pittsburgh. As of yesterday, the petition had gathered more than 21,000 names in 11 days. The address for the "Let's Go Pens!" Web site is: www.robinzine.competition.html. Right wing Mark Recchi signed a five-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on, Flyers team president and general manager Bob Clarke said. Terms of the deal were not released.

Red Wings' Osgood still sidelined with sprained knee heading into Game 3 From Beacon Journal Hire services Editor's note: Last night's game between the Dallas Stars and the St Louis Blues was not completed in time for this edition. For the result, call the Beacon Journal Scoreline at 330-996-3830. Detroit Red Wings backup goalie Bill Ranford might start the remainder of their series with the Colorado Avalanche while Chris Osgood recovers from a knee injury. General Manager Ken Holland said Holland said Ranford will start Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series today and possibly Game 4 on Thursday, both in Detroit Ranford who only seven weeks ago was with Tampa Bay, the NHL's worst team, has started the College basketball this club has more than one way to beat you." Guzman was excused after seven innings, having allowed five runs, seven hits and three walks while striking out seven. Jesse Orosco pitched the eighth flawlessly except for one thing: Cordero hit the first pitch of the inning over the barrier in center for his fourth homer and an important insurance run.

Burba was just erratic enough to keep the Tribe in trouble. Over seven innings, he yielded four runs, six hits and six count 'em, six walks. "I wouldn't say I was in a groove at any time," Burba said "The first three innings were a battle. It was like I was learning how to pitch. Like I was an outfielder who came into the game to pitch." Recognizing his problems, Hargrove was pleased that Burba was able to keep the Tribe in the game.

"Both guys are good veteran pitchers," the manager said of Burba and Guzman. "They know how to survive without their best stuff. "Tonight Dave did just a little better. I was very proud of the way he battled" Wildness helped the Orioles score their first two runs. Baltimore scored its first run on a wild pitch with two outs.

Burba walked in a run in the second after yielding a double, a walk and a hit batter with two outs. And what did Albert Belle do to earn his keep? Burba walked him three times, but the former Tribe slugger singled to advance a rally in the fifth. But Belle also got picked off first by Sandy Alomar, who pounced on a pitch in the dirt and caught Belle before he could return to the bag in the seventh inning. When the game ended Belle was left standing at the alter, so to speak. He was on deck when Lofton ran down B.J.

Surhoff line drive to left center with a runner on second as Mike Jackson earned his ninth save. to minimize the affects of the suspension before dropping the appeal. "I didn't really think this whole process through," Wright said. "I just want to put it behind me and go on with the seasoa" What will it be like not being close to the action? "I love watching from the bench," Wright said. "I'll let you know afterward" The two extra days off between starts shouldn't be enough to allow for rust buildup on Wright's arm.

"I started a couple of times last year with an extra day off," he said. "What normally happens is that I feel too strong. I start rushing myself. So what I have to do is make sure I don't overthrow the ball" In Wright's latest start Sunday against Tampa Bay, he gave up two runs in 6V4 innings to lift his record to 4-0 with a 5.23 earned-run average. His big pitch against the Devil Rays was a curvebalL He credits a new routine by pitching coach Phil Regan for refining the pitch and improving his control "The way we do it now is throw twice between starts (instead of once)," Wright said.

"I like that better, because it helps create a better muscle memory for your mechanics." Wright's biggest area of improvement? "It's my command overall," he said "It's being satisfied knowing that 91-92 is good enough rather than throwing 95-mile-an-hour pitches down the middle." Loss of two players doesn't worry OSU Sanderson transfers, NCAA bans Radojevic for life Continued from Page Dl of the year to go with 16 RBI, which isn't bad for a guy who's accumulated only 79 at-bats. "They've got the type of players who can do the say thing," Justice said They have people who can hit the ball out of the park. And we can do the things that they did On the first two innings)." When Baltimore went ahead again on Jeff Conine's solo homer in the third Richie Sexson tied it with his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the inning. But the Tribe offense is nothing if not multi-dimensionaL Sexson drew a one-out walk in the fifth, and Kenny Lofton laid down his first bunt single of the season to put runners on first and second One out later, Roberto Alomar walked to load the bases, setting stage for Cleveland to punch yet another button in its repertoire: good fortune. Manny Ramirez took a big swing and barely topped a bouncer down the third-base line.

Willis Otanez made a mighty charge for the ball, grabbed it with one hand and threw to first, but Ramirez beat the relay for a an RBI single that scored the Indians' fourth and tying run. Run No. 5, the one that put the Tribe ahead to stay, also was a product of a break going Cleveland's way. Lofton led off the seventh by trying to check his swing. But the pitch caromed off his bat, the ball carrying just inside the third-base line and into foul ground for a double.

Vizquel moved Lofton to third on a grounder to the right side, and Alomar's sacrifice fly accounted for the RBL "That was a great break with the double," Manager Mike Hargrove said "But we showed that Only it's a different league. "I've seen the offense improve tremendously in the past three years," said Carta Brookbank, the only player currently in Racers camp to play the past two years in the league. If the hitters have gotten better, this pitcher would be the one to know. And Brookbank agrees with those who say they definitely have. Dawson knows she's walking into a situation that has changed significantly since 1997, but she is undaunted "I don't want to come back at anything but where I left off," she said Here's where Dawson left off In 1997, she was 30-3 for the WPF champion Wahoos.

She posted a 0.91 ERA, allowed a .188 opponents' batting average and struck out three times as many hitters (150) as she walked (44). It was a dominance Amy Pez-dek had seen before. Dawson's teammate at Northeast Louisiana and also in high school in Alpine, Pezdek watched Dawson her senior year, when she was virtually unhittable. Dawson was 45-10 with a 0.52 The top five players on the all-time NCAA home run list Name, school HR Leah Braatz, Arizona 271 85 Laura Espinoza, Arizona 251 85 Jenny Dalton, Arizona 251 76 Kelli Metzger, Akron 201 57 Ali Viola, Nebraska 209 53 Source: NCAA year. Her 19 homers and 57 RBI lead the MAC.

No other MAC player has more than 11, hit by Kent's Denae Jones. "I just wonder what she'd do if they'd pitch to her," said Parks. "She leads the league in walks. Kent intentionally walked her three times in a game. Ohio U.

played their shortstop and third baseman so deep, it was like they were in short left field" In a Friday doubleheader sweep of Miami, Metzger batted eight times. Three times, she homered Five times, she walked Four of the walks were wtentxmal, something shocking in softbalL "Teams are scared to pitch to her," said Parks. Can you blame them? Quick start In her first college at-bat Metzger hit a homer. "It was a line drive over the center fielder's head" she said "I had to keep running because there were no fences." When she crossed the plate, her teammates greeted her jubilantly. A few teammates said, "I cant believe she has a home Pitcher's five-game suspension starts.

Next start pushed back a day By Sheldon Ocker Beacon Journal staff urUer Now it's Jaret Wright's turn to serve time. Wright was handed a five-game suspension for hitting Darren Lewis with a pitch on April 23 against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, in a game that featured two bench-clearing brawls and four players being disciplined two from each team. Like Jim Thome last week, Wright probably will watch the Indians play from one of the empty broadcast booths on the press-box level of Jacobs Field. "I'll have to ask Jim what to do," said Wright, who will not be permitted in the dugout or the clubhouse during games. Thome, who charged the mound after being struck by a pitch, served his three-game suspension last week.

Wright was ordered to be idle long enough to ensure that he would miss a start But in reality, he won't Because of a day off Thursday, Wright will only postpone his start one day, from Saturday to Sunday, switching places with Dave Burba, who threw last night against the Orioles. The Tribe's deep thinkers had no intention of going through with a hearing in front of American League president Gene Budig, even though Wright filed an appeal. The club was just waiting for a propitious time in the schedule Racers new pitcher ready to reign again Continued from Page Dl terday. "I was always interested in coming back," she said What made her return possible was a January ruling by the International Softball Federation that allows players to compete professionally and maintain eligibility for international play. Dawson will enjoy the best of both worlds, but she's not the only one.

She is one of seven WPSL players who were among the 50 chosen to participate in the Coca-Cola USA Softball Women's National Team Festival in Fresno, on June 8-14. From that group, the rest of the United States' 1999 Pan-American Games team will be chosen. In addition to the National Team Festival players, teams Pluto Zips' Metzger going deep in softball, school Continued from Page Dl has hit so many home runs, that she's fourth on the all-time NCAA list But this is about more than home runs. It's the story of a shaky student who decided to try college mostly because it meant she could play softball and how softball has led her to become a respectable student "My friends thought I'd never make it through the first year at Akron," she said "I'm not saying it's easy, but four years later, I'm still around" Metzger has a 2.7 grade-point average and is majoring in sociology. This is her fourth year at Akron, and she will need another year of school to finish work on her degree.

"But Kelli should graduate if she keeps doing what she has done the last two years," said Akron coach Deanna Parks. "Getting that diploma will mean more to her than all the home runs. Not just because others said she'd never make it but because there were times when she wasnt sure herself." The degree is not the end of the story. Metzger has been drafted by the Akron Racers and will play pro softball as soon as her college season is over. "We'll bring her back next year as a graduate assistant coach so she can help our team and finish her degree," said Parks.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she ended RACERS es to going with a smaller lineup. "My family and I have made a decision that it would be in my best interest to leave Ohio State and pursue my basketball career and education elsewhere," Sanderson said in the statement Sanderson said he had not decided where he will transfer. "Jon wants to play more minutes than he thinks he's going to play here," Geiger said "He wanted to play a lot of basketball and saw this program, I think, as a place where he wasn't going to get the number of minutes in the game that he wanted to have." The NCAA ruled that Radojevic cannot play for any member insti-tution. Radojevic, who had considered going to the NBA prior to signing with Ohio State, will reportedly make himself available for the NBA draft now. Geiger said despite playing only 19 minutes, the NCAA ruled Radojevic could never play college ball in the U.S.

Geiger said Ohio State had proposed a 10-game penalty, but the NCAA ruled against Radojevic. Ne Oriental Staff 0pen 24 Hours 3790 Mahoning Ave, Youngstown, Undw Now Mqmt 330-270-9940I MOEmI BUS toiwrnng foieftttlst. tight? mi toSaxMLCTrnwrjy fteStattorOtw WINDMILL LAKES Golf Club by Golf Digest SENIOR SPECIAL 18 Holes 12 Cart MONDAY-FRIDAY Thru May $eoo Per Person Call 330-297-0440 Play on onto America Best NtvComet ftr. special MOWAY $3.00 -IS Holes and Cart SI 100 Holes and Cart S25.00-18 Holes andVI Carl SUM 9 Holes and IS Cart ubim CaUfor Info about jjj TuesdafiMorning League Call for Info about Our Banquet Facility EMED gliliy IL. mm TKvt r-u fen Associated Press Columbus: Two players expected to be mainstays on Ohio State's team next season sophomore forward Jon Sanderson and 7-foot-3 junior-college recruit Aleksandar Radojevic will not play for the Buckeyes.

Sanderson, who started every regular-season game during Ohio State's turnaround 27-9 run to the Final Four, has decided to transfer. Radojevic, a native of Montenegro who played last season at Barton County (Kan.) Community College, was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for playing four games and a total of 19 minutes and earning $13,000 on a Yugoslavian professional team two years ago. Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien could not be reached for comment Athletics director Andy Gei-ger said the double blow would not have a severe impact on the Buckeyes. "We're thinner in the frontcourt rotation than we want to be, but we'll be fine," Geiger said "We'll be good Don't worry about us." Sanderson, a 6-7 native of Lexington, averaged 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds a game last seasoa He was replaced in the starting lineup by freshman guard Brian Brown in the tournament however, with O'Brien citing matchup advantag- College basketball Akron to sign JC player Carson helped lead Barton CC to 35-3 mark By Jason Butler Beacon Journal staff writer Today, John Carson of Barton County (Kan.) Community College will sign with Akron, Cougars assistant coach Ryan Wolf confirmed The 6-foot-l, 205-pound combo guard is an excellent shooter who is also adept at running an offense. "He knows what to do out there.

He really has a feel for the game," Wolf said Wolf described Carson as a very smart, physically strong player whose defense was a weakness. Carson, who attended Cincinnati two years ago, had narrowed his college choices to Akron and Texas Christian University. Carson is the fifth 1999 Division I signee from Barton, which went 35-3 and lost in the national title game In addition, Akron yesterday announced the signing of Euclid guard Emmanuel Smith, who was voted Ohio's Player of the Year in Division ERA. "A lot of times, we would score one run, and we knew we would win," Pezdek said Dawson doesn't overpower hitters. She keeps them off-balance.

She utilizes pinpoint control, changes speeds, out-thinks the batter. She is a perfectionist who would throw every inning of every game if you asked her to. "Any time someone asks me who I could compare her to, it would be a Greg Maddux of baseball," said Rosemary Holloway, Northeast Louisiana's coach. Like Atlanta's Cy Young winner, Dawson is very durable. For Orlando in 1997, she completed 22 of the 28 games she started and as'a college senior, she threw an unheard-of 400.2 innings.

She obviously won't be called on to pitch that much in Akron, though. She is part of a talented pitching staff that features Brookbank, Amy Kyler and Jodi Dolan, and will probably include All-American draftee Liza Brown out of DePauL But exactly how big a part of the rotation will Dawson be? In the new league, only time willtelL run already." One had been playing for three years and never hit a homer. "I sort of expect to hit home runs," she said "Most of the time, I think I'll hit the ball out It's not that I feel so special, but I've been hitting home runs for a while, so I guess I'm kind of used to it" Metzger will see how that carries over to the new pro level She was the fourth-round draft pick of the Racers, and despite her staggering college statistics, she is not guaranteed a starting job. "We have four catchers, and one of them is Leah Braatz," said Racers coach Mike Bastian. Maybe the name Leah Braatz means nothing to you, but she is the NCAA all-time home run leader with 85.

She played at Arizona, as did the only two other college players to hit more career homers than Metzger. Because Akron is playing in the MAC Tournament that starts Thursday at Northern Illinois, the Racers can't comment on Metzger until her college eligibility is up. They do like her, and may play her at third or first base to slip her bat into the lineup. Parks has confidence in her star, no matter what position she plays. "Kelli responds to challenges," she said "People didn't think she'd make it in school, and she did I believe she'll be a very good pro because that game will bring out the best in her." Rfl (330) 799-0844 HtH LmmJnEW MANAGEMENT 5514 Mahoning Austin Township $10 OFF COUPON 1 $5 OFF COUPON 12 HR.

ALL ORIENTAL STAFF 24 HOURS 7 DWS Follow 1-76 ID Route 46 (Exit 223). Follow 46 South In Mhnnino Awp. Turn rioht l1fl mil, fw thf rinht. Name Sarah Dawson College Northeast Louisiana '97 Position Pitcher Years Pro -2nd Acquired: Draft ('97) Career highlights Pro: Was league MVP in 1997 for going 30-3 with an 0.91 ERA Struck out 150 and walked only 44 in 224 innings Held opponents to .188 batting average and posted seven shutouts College: Was school's first All-American Was a workhorse her senior year, going 45-10 with a 0.52 ERA and striking out 446 batters in 400.2 innings. Comment Dawson returns to the league after taking last year off.

around the league have recently acquired a lot of talent from the collegiate and amateur ranks. On Thursday, when the Racers open against Virginia at Firestone Stadium, Dawson will return to the league where she once reigned up coaching full-time for us." Because she once hit a lot of home runs? "No, because she really knows the game," said Parks. "She's a catcher, and calls all the pitches, I trust her that much. She knows the game so well, and she can relate to other players. I think she has a real future as a college coach." A college coach? The thought still amazes Metzger.

"It was sometime in my freshman year when I suddenly realized 'I can do she said "I can actually do the work, even though I still hate to study. I'm not a great student or anything, but I'm hanging in there." Playing the game Softball is the carrot on the stick. Softball is the glue. Softball is the reason Metzger has stuck it out at Akron. And when it comes to softball, Metzger is Mark McGwire.

A strapping 5-foot-10 right-handed hitter, she doesn't just hit the balL "She smokes ft," said Parks. "She crushes it She hits the ball with so much velocity, it's almost frightening." Yet sometimes, Metzger hits a home run, and comes back to the bench, shaking her head "I really didn't hit that one good" she'll say. Her teammates will demand that she seeks immediate psychological help. They scream, "Are you crazy? There's no such thing as a bad home run." Remember, this is fast-pitch softball, the kind you saw from Dot Richardson and the U.S. team in the 1996 Olympics.

Most scores are in the 3-2 range. Only 4-of-12 MAC teams have batting averages over .250. Metzger is hitting .400 this gjBTP lifclMi i Wail I i.