Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 17

Pl fk WwH HPWPWWWBB AIRFARES 5 SECTION FRONT 6 SCOREBOARD 2 GOLF 3 BASEBALL 4 TO SHARE TIPS, IDEAS: Contact: Mike Knobler, sports editor Jackson area: 961-7293 Toll free: 1-800-222-8015 Fax: 961-7224 E-mail: mknoblerjackson.gannett.com OO MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 1998 -THE CLARION-LEDGER JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI Hon Nance wants to hear hurrahs Contact Columnist Rick Cleveland at961-7210orrcleveland jack son gannett com Sosa slugs 47th HR in 2-1 win Cub tied with McGwire for home-run lead after victimizing Astros IU.WB IUIUBI I II The Associated Press if 1,11 A HOUSTON A Sammy Sosa homer and a dominating performance by Kefty Wood. That's enough for the Chicago Cubs these days. Sosa hit his 47th home run, tying Mark McGwire for the major league lead, and Wood struck out 11 in eight innings. But it took pinch-hitter Manny Alexander's RBI single in the 11th inning to give the Cubs a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday. a Yankees win 90th game, 4C Brown tosses 1-hrtter, 4C A if Ex-Hattiesburg star aspires to H-back role By Robert Wilson Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer HATTIESBURG Since the days when he was running over defensive backs for Hattiesburg High, Kelby Nance has been patiently waiting for Harold Shaw and Eric Booth to finish their playing careers for Southern Mississippi.

Shaw and Booth are gone; Shaw to the New England Patriots and Booth to the Baltimore Ravens. It's time for Nance to show people around Hattiesburg that he can still run, run like he did for Hattiesburg High. USM fans at Sunday's Media Day were talking to Nance about their anticipation of watching him gain yards for their Eagles this fall. "I have a lot of fans who remember what I did when I was playing for Hattiesburg High and they have asked me time and time again when I was going to get my shot," Nance said. "Well, the time is here.

I learned a lot from Harold and Eric, and I knew I would have to wait my turn because they were more experienced. I've been waiting, and now I'm ready." Nance is listed as the No. 1 H-back in USMs one-back set, but that doesn't mean he'll be in the starting lineup when the Eagles visit Penn State Sept. 5. He knows that, and that's why he worked hard this summer.

He doesn't want the opportunity that he's been waiting on for two years to slip through his fingers. "I've been lifting weights, running a lot and catching passes this summer," Nance said. "I Nell BrakeThe Associated Press Southern Mississippi running back Kelby Nance is ready to show Golden Eagle fans what he can do. Optimism soars, but don't forget USM's lost stars HATTIESBURG The unprecedented opportunity is so huge and so obvious, Jeff Bower says, he doesn't talk about it with his players. Southern Miss, ranked for the first time ever in preseason polls, plays its first two games against traditional powerhouses ranked higher.

"That's not even something we have to bring up," Bower says. "Our players know. They read the papers, too." The No. 21 Golden Eagles open Sept. 5 at No.

13 Penn State, Joe Paterno's juggernaut. Then, after a week off, USM plays the No. 14 Aggies of Texas who have swept all five previous games with the Golden Eagles. This time, for the first time, the Aggies come to Hattiesburg. Clearly, USM could soar higher, quickly, in the polls.

Just as clearly, the Eagles could tumble fast. Optimism flies at an all-time high in the USM football camp. The Eagles are coming off four straight winning seasons, two straight conference championships, 17 victories over two seasons and a 34-point bowl victory. USM took more fans to the Liberty Bowl last New Year's Eve than have watched most home games in recent years. Season ticket sales have shattered previous records.

Fifteen starters return. comes to town this year. Nebraska and Illinois are locked in for future home dates. etc. and so on and so "It's a great opportunity, it's a great time to be at Southern Miss," says slimmed-down, but still 320-pound offensive guard Shederick Blackmon.

"This is what you play the game for. We know we can win these games. We're not cocky, but we have a whole lot of confidence." Must replace magnificent 7 This isn't meant to throw a damper on the party, but USM must address some rather critical details before making an entrance into the 1998 season before 97,000 fans in Penn State's Beaver Stadium. Seven departed seniors, all whom are in NFL camps as this is written, must be replaced. We're not talking about just replacing seven starters.

We're talking about replacing seven stud-hosses, who were as long on character as they were ability. Cornerback Pat Surtain, the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, is pressing for a starting job with the Miami Dolphins. Safeties Perry Phenix and Jamaal Alexander are battling for jobs with the Tennessee Oilers and Detroit Lions, respectively. Middle linebacker Marchant Kinney, who made 406 tackles over four seasons, now plays for the Phoenix Cardinals. Harold Shaw, who rushed for 1,045 yards and 16 touchdowns, is a big hit with the New England Patriots.

Tight end Terry Hardy, a devastating blocker, now catches his passes for the Arizona Cardinals. Eric Booth, the nation's leading kickoff returner, is with the Baltimore Ravens. And that's not all. Robert Brown, a four-year starter and standout at defensive end, plays for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. No slouches in waiting While Bower acknowledges the quality of the players lost, he is bullish on their replacements.

"Definitely," he answers, when asked whether USM has capable replacements. "I feel good about all those positions." He pointed to what happened two seasons ago when USM was about to open its season at Georgia and three projected secondary starters were missing. "Remember?" Bower says. "We played three people in the secondary nobody had heard much about They were Pat Surtain, Perry Phenix and Jamaal Alexander." USM beat Georgia, and all three contributed significantly. Says Bower, confidently, "We've got some more guys who are going to get their chance now." Tomorrow: Rick Cleveland want to repeat what Harold did last year, gain 1,000 yards in a season." First, Nance must beat out the competition.

Behind Nance, senior Brandon Francis, a converted wide receiver, is pushing hard. Redshirt freshman Dawayne Woods is next. Former walk-on Maurice Gowdy, junior college signee Eric Riggins and high school signee Derrick Nix are also trying to impress running backs coach Steve Buckley. "It could be the most competitive position on the team," Buckley said. "I don't know who is going to be the one to start against Penn State.

We've got a lot to choose from, including Kelby. "We wanted Kelby to come in at 214 pounds. He came in at 220, but that was OK because he made all our conditioning See NANCE, 3C homer tied him with Juan Gonzalez of Texas for the major league RBIs lead at 119. That also matched Sosa's career high, accomplished in both 1995 and 1997. "To tell the truth, I never think about a homer," Sosa said.

Tm just thinking of the situation and what I've got to do when I go to the plate. My situation is different. When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs." Wood, whostruckout 20 against Houston with a one-hitter on May 6, allowed one run and three hits, walking two. Still, he didn't consider himself dominating. "I never would use that word; just so happens I've had good stuff when I've faced them," Wood said.

"I didn't have the same results as the last time but I'm very pleased with the way I threw today." Wood recently complained of a dead arm. Jeff Bagwell didn't notice. "I don't think you can pitch any better than that first time, but he was very effective against us today," Bagwell said. "He's got great stuff. As much as a hitter hates to say anything good about pitchers, anytime you can throw a 3-2 breaking ball for strikes to go with a 98 mph fastball, you're going to be effective." Wood raised his strikeout total to 204, becoming only the fourth Cubs pitcher this century to reach 200.

Sosa homered in the fourth, but Houston tied it in the fifth when Carl Everett doubled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Ricky Gutierrez's sacrifice fly. Gutierrez got the only hit off Wood on May 6. Sosa had gone 17 at-bats without a homer since he hit two against San Francisco on Monday, tying McGwire at 46. McGwire regained the lead Tuesday. "You have to feel good when you play this well against a team in first place," Sosa said.

"It was a great series. It was what we were looking for. We have a lot of confidence in Kerry Wood and he knows that." Matt Karchner, 1-0, gained the win and Rod Beck his 36th save. Former Mississippi State star Jay Powell, 4-5, took the loss. Practice makes perfect for Singh Fiji native's steady play helps him pull away from field for first major title The Associated Press I.

championship at the PGA For Singh a Hindu name that means "Victory" it ended years of grinding away for long hours in search of a game that would give him one of golf ultimate prizes. He would practice on the far end of the driving range where he wouldn't be disturbed. He would rearrange the furniture in hotel rooms to give him room to practice at night. "I've practiced so hard for this," Singh said. "It's a dream come true.

What I did out there was unbelievable." It all paid off Sunday in what amounted to match play against Strieker, two men in search of their first major championship, both playing well enough to put a worthy collection of challengers REDMOND, Wash. The long, lonely hours on the practice range were merely a dress rehearsal for Vijay Singh. He was on center stage Sunday at Sahalee and turned in a star performance. With a lucky bounce out of the trees, a spectacular recovery from the woods and nerves of steel down the stretch in a steady rain, Singh won the PGA Championship with a 2-under 68. The 35-year-old from Fiji two-putted for par on the 18th his fourth par on the toughest hole at Sahalee Country Club to finish at 9-under 271 for a two-stroke victory over Steve Strieker.

It was the 10th time in 1 1 years that a player won his first major Ells AmendoiaThe Associated Press Vijay Singh acknowledges the crowd after winning his first major. Final pit stop boosts Gordon in Pepsi 400 at a distance. Singh finally got some breathing room when he saved par from the bunker on No. 17 from about 18 feet. Strieker couldn't match him, blasting out of the same bunker to 15 feet, but grazing the putt past the left side of the hole to fall two strokes back.

All that stood between Singh and the Wanamaker Trophy was an accurate drive on the 475-yard finishing hole, and he split the middle. Strieker closed with a 70 for 273. Steve Elkington, the 1995 champion, shot 67 and finished third at 274. "I put up a good fight," Strieker said, choking back tears. "It just didn't happen." Mark O'Meara, trying to become the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in one season, was five strokes back in a tie for fourth with Nick Price and Frank Lickliter.

Chargers repelled 3-2 in title game The Clarion-Ledger KALAMAZOO, Mich. The San Garbriel Valley (Calif.) Highlanders scored with 10 minutes left Saturday night to defeat Jackson 3-2 in the USISL Premier Development Soccer League championship game. The Chargers, who won Friday's semifinal 2-0 over Kalamazoo, finished the season 20-1. In the title game, Jackson scored in the first half on Boniven-ture Marutd's goal and in the second half on an on goal when a San Gabriel Valley player deflected the ball into his own goal. "We were better than all our previous foes but these guys, mainly from places like Russia and Armenia, played us even," said Chargers owner Bole Dausman.

The Chargers played without Tood Eason and Paul Oyuga, who accumulated three yellow cards in the previous four matches. I iffi aV mLI3 His 1st win at Michigan Speedway extends winning streak to 4 races The Associated Press i v- Taiaa Laagua Jackson 4 Shreveport 3 National Leagua Reds 8 Expos 1 Pirates 4 Cardinals 1 Cubs 2 Astros 1 Phillies 8 Rockies? Giants 3 Martins 2 Padres 4-2 Brewers 0-4 Dodgers 1 Bravaa 0 Diamondbacks 6 Mets 1 American League Tigers 8 Athletics 4 Blue Jays 8 Angels 4 Twins 8 Red Sox 3 Yankees 6 Rangers 6 Devil Rays 8 Royals 3 White Sox 5 Mariners 3 Indians 5 Orioles 3 Labonte's Pontiac. "This team did an unbelievable job," Gordon said. "When Ray called those two tires there at the end I was shaking my head. I couldn't drive this thing with four good tires, and I didn't know what I was going to do with two.

"That was the magic. The car just needed to be tightened up. Those other guys, on two tires I was able to race with them. Had I raced for very long I wouldn't have been able to do it." Dale Jarrett was third in a Ford, and defending champion Mark Martin runner-up to Gordon each of the previous three races was fourth in a Ford. Tm in shock," Gordon said.

"I cannot believe this. Mark Martin deserved this race more than anyone here this weekend. I real- ly thought that I was going to finish in the top five." Gordon now leads Martin by 97 points in the Winston Cup BROOKLYN, Mich. Jeff Gordon needed a little magic for his drive into the record book Sunday. He got it from his pit crew.

Gordon became the seventh driver in modern NASCAR history to win four straight races, coming from far back to take the Pepsi 400. It was his first victory at Michigan Speedway. "This is just unbelievable to win four in a row and win our first here at Michigan," Gordon said. Gordon took the lead for the only time with eight laps to go, following a pit stop during which crew chief Ray Evernham ordered two right-side tires for the Chevrolet. He then pulled away, crossing the finish fine 1.8 seconds ahead of Bobby "All I had to do was stay calm, but I got excited and didn't wait.

That's why they call them errors. This one was bigger than most." David McCraery The Associated Press Jeff Gordon was all smiles after capturing the Pepsi 400 Sunday. standings. Martin, a four-time Michigan winner, was racing despite the deaths a week earlier of three family members. It was Gordon's 37th victory in 177 career NASCAR Winston Cup starts.

It was his eighth win this season and his 26th career triumphion a superspeedway. Gordon averaged 151.99 mph in matching the late Bobby Isaac for 15th spot in career victories. Mulholland WiB Vavjht-Hemingway Stoii-um be ready for the Ole Miss Rebels' Sept. 5 opener against Memphis? Chicago Cubs reliever Terry Mulholland after his throwing error in the 1 1th inning Saturday gave the Houston Astros a 5-4 win..