Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 47

SCOREBOARD! i 2 rzj i 6 BASEBALL HIGH SCHOOLS THE CLARION-LEDGER I JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI -FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1989 NCAA doubles title ate women win BUTCH JOHN Columnist The Clarion-Ledger wins and three losses. They lost only one set and won three tiebreakers in five NCAA tournament matches. Birch and Graham, ranked No. 11, finished with a 14-3 record. Holden and Pollard stopped Birch from becoming the first woman to win the singles, doubles and team national titles in the same year.

Birch defeated Southern Methodist's Jennifer Santrock 6-3, 6-3 Holden and Pollard, ranked No. 3 in the nation and seeded No. 5 in this event, became the first Mississippi State women to, win an NCAA championship. Holden and Pollard, who became the first Mississippi State players to win a Southeastern Conference women's title this year, finished their four-year careers with a school-record 107 wins and 32 losses. The English duo ended this year with a school-record 36 Holden, Pollard defeat Stanford pair 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).

ThClarlon-Ledgf GAINT.SYII.LK, Fla. Mississippi State seniors Jackie' Holden and Claire Pollard won the NCAA women's doubles championship Thursday night with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) victory overlStanford's Sandra Birch and Debbie Graham. Thursday afternoon for the singles championship. She led Stanford to the team title earlier this week. Holden and Pollard picked up on a tern by Stanford to help them win the national title.

"The girls from Florida (who lost to Stanford in the semifinals) told us that on See TITLE, 6F Ole Miss braced for NCAAs, 3F HI stay efeatei und etro mm Pollard pitches Eagles to 'biggest victory in Southern Mississippi By Bill Vilona Gannett News Service COLUMBIA, S.C. Moments after his team reached a new height in the Metro Conference baseball tournament, Southern Mississippi coach Hill Denson placed the accomplishment on a personal pedestal. "I think this is probably the biggest victory in USM history, at least since I've been here," said the sixth-year coach, following the Golden Eagles' 7-4 victory over Vir-einia Tech on Metro Tournament Thursday in the tournament's second round. At least in Southern Mississippi's Metro Tournament history, it ranks as the pinnacle. Since first participating in 1983, the Eagles have never won their first two games.

The achievement sends Southern Mis At Columbia, S.C. Today's games South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech, 10 a.m. Cincinnati vs. Memphis 2 p.m.

USM vs. FSU, 6:30 p.m. Thursday's scores: Southern Mississippi 7, Virginia Tech Cincinnati 11, Louisville Florida St. 9, Memphis State 4. Mississippi duo believes they belong in NFL Carefully, neither man refers to his place with the New Orleans Saints as a "second chance." The phrase would suggest past failure, and neither admits to that, either.

When Deatrich Wise, the ninth-round draft choice of the Seattle Seahawks last year, was cut, it was a matter of "the numbers." And when Michael Simmons, a free agent with the Phoenix Cardinals last year, was let go, he was "cheated out of a chance to play." While attending the Saints' voluntary workouts, Wise and Simmons share a hotel room in suburban Metairie, La. They also share a past. Both were standout defensive linemen in college, Wise at Jackson State and Simmons at Mississippi State. And both went to camp last year as NFL rookies who eventually fell short. Falling short is not a point of pride.

"We don't talk about it much," Simmons said. "We're just trying to put it behind us, and trying to make the team in New Orleans." Jackson State's Wise wises up Each player, two among the more than a dozen candidates for six defensive line spots with the Saints, claims to have learned from his experiences. Each, ironically, was the last lineman cut by his team last season. Wise skipped the usual departure scene early-morning knock on the door, the grim-faced aide mumbling, "Coach wants to see you. Bring your playbook." Wise was in uniform, almost out the locker room door, when he heard.

"I wasn't hurt. I was disgusted," he said. He went into training camp believing it could not happen to him, an idea strengthened with each cut he survived. He left believing his performance had nothing to do with the decision. "I'd be speaking less of myself if I said I felt like I deserved to be cut.

I didn't deserve it. I got caught up in the numbers," Wise said. "And if I did deserve it, I wouldn't admit it." After his release, Wise returned to Jackson and re-enrolled at JSU with the idea of ingto someone's camp this year. He heard from the Los Angeles Raiders and Chicago Bears, but on weighing his options, decided the Saints provided him the best opportunity even with the remainder of the nearly two tons of linemen having the same Wise, who is playing nose tackle and defensive end during workouts that last through June, said he isn't concerned about numbers. "The attitude I have about competition here is like a beauty pageant," Wise said.

"You've got 25 or 30 participants in the beauty pageant, and all of them want the main title. You've got sub-titles Miss Congeniality, best-dressed, most talent but none of them substitute for the ultimate." Simmons aims for 'top six' in a similar analogy, Simmons expressed a similar idea. He said he went into camp last season hoping to be the best of the rookie linemen. He felt he reached that plateau, then discovered how little it meant. He'd been playing end behind Freddie Joe Nunn when, without warning, he was moved to tackle.

Unprepared his own fault and lacking the time to acquaint himself with the job, the move was a washout. And so was he. "I went into camp lackadaisical. I wanted to be the top rookie, and I wasn't thinking about beating out the veterans," Simmons said. "I learned.

Now I'm only thinking about being in the top six in New Orleans." Simmons' NFL future was a little more secure than that of Wise. Shortly after being cut, he worked out successfully for the Saints and was placed on their "ready list" a roster of players who could be signed quickly in case of emergency. He wasn't called, but knew he would have a spot in camp this year. In the interim, Simmons spent time in the weight room, worked to better his technique against the run and tried to get a head start on learning the Saints' defense. Though Simmons is viewed as a prospect at end.

this time he's also prepared should he be asked to move inside. See, he did learn. "I realize in the NFL there are lots of things to consider when picking guys on a roster, but in Phoenix, I got cheated out of a chance to play," he said. "This isn't a second chance. I consider it my first legitimate chance." lX' i 1 i ThA AsftrtriAtftri Proas Patrick Ewing (right), guarded by Michael Jordan, collected 32 points and 1 1 rebounds Tuesday night.

sissippi, 35-24, into tonight's third-round game at 6:30 CDT against top-seed Florida State, a 9-4 winner over Memphis State. The Florida State-USM winner advances into the championship round of the double-elimination event. In Thursday's earlier game at South Carolina's Sarge Frye Field, Cincinnati, 20-29, eliminated Louisville, 27- 22, with an 11-6 victory in 11 innings. The game took four and a half hours to complete. Today's play begins at 10 a.m.

with South Carolina, 34-22, facing Virginia Tech, 34-21, in an elimination game. Cincinnati plays Memphis State at 2 p.m. The Metro Tournament winner secures an automatic bid to next week's NCAA tournament. FSU is already in with an at-large bid, but Denson believes Thursday's win may have locked one up for his Southern Mississippi as well. "I felt we'd get a couple teams from this conference in the tournament, and I felt whoever won two of their first three games would be sitting in good shape," he said.

He'd like those chances even better provided junior Damon Pollard could pitch again. Pollard got his eighth complete game, allowing six hits and shrugging aside eight walks. More importantly, he did not allow a hit over the final four innings. After the Eagles broke a 4-4 tie with three runs in the ninth, Pollard retired Tech in order to end the game. "This was by far my biggest win," said Pollard, who has won three of his last four starts and improved to 10-6.

"I've pitched in big games before like against Mississippi State and LSU, but I've never been able to win." He had extra incentive. On Monday he flew to Dallas to attend the funeral of his grandmother. IMdi New York, down 3-2, must dodge death in Bullring to go home for Game 7. By Fred Kerber New York Daily News An NBA weekend Tonight New York Chicago, 7 p.m. (Bulls lead series 3-2) Saturday Phoenix Los Angeles, 2:30 (first game of the series) Sunday (if necessary) Chicago New York, noon televised on TBS.

NEW YORK Their situations differ, but not their postures. The Bulls hold the series edge over the Knicks, 3 2, so they have a one-loss margin of error. Yet both sides, not just the Knicks, appear to be approaching Game 6 tonight asifit'saGame7. If the Knicks lose, they know their season is over. This is not a best-of-nine series, unless CBS steps in with an 'I was still depressed about it, but I knew I had to See NBA, 6F 66 II I come up here today (Thursday) and pumped it up a lit- 1 tie," Pollard said.

Clinton's unbeaten express flattens Long Beach ArrOWS, pitcher Dietrich Chalk Up 9-1 Win ofthe lineup, to take a 9-1 victory. LongBeachcoachNeilCavesaidtheBearcatsranoutof j. The Arrows advance to the 5A semifinals against the pitching. The Arrows advance to the 5A semifinals against the pitching. to eliminate Coast team "After Terry (Broadus) we drop down to sophomores," Cave said.

"They pitched well until the fifth inning, and then got tired. "They have good pitching. That's what it takes. We are so young, we don't have that yet. We'll be there." Sophomore starter Gary Rath, 5-6, took the loss.

Meanwhile, the last four spots in the Clinton lineup accounted for 12 ofthe Arrows' 15 hits. Senior first baseman Mark Guillory went 4 for 4, Dietrich and Patrick Nation See ARROWS, 6F winner between No. 2 Meridian and Pascagoula. Long Beach ended the season 16-16. Dietrich fired a one-hitter, striking out 11 and allowing two walks.

One batter reached on an error. "(Dietrich) had that injury and has worked so hard getting to where he is," Clinton coach Doug Hutton said. "This is the first night he's thrown like we thought he could this season." Dietrich, 5-0, was stabbed in a fight in February and missed the first part of the season. By Woody Woodrick High School Editor LONG BEACH -Top-ranked Clinton did just about everything right Thursday night to sweep its Class 5A baseball playoff series with Long Beach. The Arrows, 29-0 and ranked No.

1 by The Clarion-LedgerJackson Daily News and No. 19 in the nation by USA TODA got outstanding pitching from senior Darren Dietrich and strong hitting, particularly from the bottom half Barnett report TV today The best: The Bulls are back in Chicago and hope to finish off the New Knicks. Chicago leads the best-of-seven NBA playoff series 3-2. TBS will show the game at 7:05 p.m. Kentucky gets the word A television station reported Thursday night that the Kentucky basketball program will receive two years of probation, including one season of no postseason appearances, when the NCAA report on its alleged rules violations is released today.

Lexington television station WTVQ quoted sources close to the investigation as also saying that the school would possibly lose two scholarships, but there would be no ban on UK games being televised. The university scheduled a campus news conference for 9 a.m. CDT to release the report. Bay Main lake River Bass 2 3 2 Crappie 2 2 1 Catfish 4 4 2 Bream 3 2 2 1-Poor 2-Slow 3 Fair 4-Good S-Excellent Thursday sports BASEBALL American League Athletics 6 Yankees 2 Orioles 3 Indians 2 Rangers 6 Twins 5 Red Sox 5 Angels 2 Mariners 9 Brewers 5 National League Mets5 Dodgers 3 Cardinals 4 Astros 3 INSIDE Jockey Bill Shoemaker announced he will retire next year. 2F.

Fishing is slow on Ross Barnett Reservoir, the main reason being the bass and crappie have scattered. Crappie are being caught on pink and chartreuse jigs in water ranging from two feet to 20 feet. Bass have moved to the ledges and it seems the big ones have separated. Plenty of 12- and 13-inch fish are being caught on ledges in the main lake on worms and lizards and will be plentiful on the river when it slows down. Big bass are being caught in the pads on frogs but are slow.

Catfish and bream are slow. Other lake reports, 2F. The rest: 1 he Cubs meet the Reds at 6:30 p.m. on WGN. German Open tennis is on ESPN at noon, while the U.S.

Challenge gym-- nasties meets is on ESPN at 7 p.m. Complete listing, 2F. a-.