The News-Star from Monroe, Louisiana • Page 15

Don NBA playoffs: The Mavericks took a 3-2 lead in their series with the Rockets 3C The News-Star www.thenewsstar.com Tuesday, May 3, 2005 Baseball, 2C Markets, 5C Business, 6C PREP BASEBALL STATE PLAYOFFS Nothing easy on first day time, a win TMs Team scores At Squire Creek 1. Tulsa 301 (13) 2. Nevada 306 (18) Rice 306 (18) 4. SMU (21) 5. Louisiana Tech 313 (25) 6.

Fresno State 314 (26) San Jose State 314 (26) 8. Boise State 316 (28) 9. Hawaii 317 (29) 10. 330 (42) Individuals Sam Korbe, Tulsa 71 T2. Will Dodson, SMU 72 T2.

Jarett Hamamoto, UH 72 T4. Addison Awe, Rice 73 T4. Derek Busby, Tech 73 More scores, 4C 4 ti Weather, course drive scores up By Scott Beder sbeder fthenewsstor.com CHOUDRANT In some of the pre-tournament chatter, there was talk about what number under par it would take to win the Wells Fargo Western Athletic Conference Golf Championship. After Monday's first round at Squire Creek Country Club, a little revision might be in order. With the winds swirling and the undulating greens lightning quick, the Tom Fazio-designed course made the 50 golfers trying to tame her work on every hole.

When the first round was in the books, only one player Tulsa's Sam Korbe had managed to come in under par, with a l-under 71. "I knew it was going to play tough," said Korbe, whose round led Tulsa to first place in the team standings at 13-over 301. "So I knew (after shooting 71) I would be near the top. It's a nice surprise to be in the lead." Only two other players Inside Prep roundup The Sterlington golf team has an 18-stroke lead at the Class 2A tournament. More preps 4C Sportsline A-Train signs deal with Cowboys Free agent running back Anthony Thomas, a Winnfield native, agreed to a one-year deal Monday with the Dallas Cowboys.

A second-round pick out of Michigan in 2001, Thomas (6-2, 225) will provide depth at running back and some veteran experience, especially after the release last week of Richie Anderson. Julius Jones became the top back as a rookie last season for the Cowboys. "Anthony will provide an excellent complement to the other backs we have on the roster," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "He gives us depth and experience. His addition will make us take a long hard look at carrying four backs on the roster in the fall." Associated Press Van Gundy hit with $100K fine The NBA fined Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy $100,000 the largest amount ever for a coach on Monday, a day after he accused officials of targeting center Yao Ming this postseason and said Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is to blame.

While Van Gundy laughed off the penalty and Yao offered to pick up half the tab, the matter jumped to another, far more serious level. Commissioner David 'J 4 Jr -m. i. OCS tops old friend By Keith Prince kprincethenewsstar.com Matt Laird fired, a. bril-, liant four-hit, 14-strikeout gem and catcher Casey Auttonberry drove home three runs to help Ouachita Christian exact a bit of revenge from defending Class 2A state champion Episcopal on Monday.

The Eagles (23-12) finished with a 6-1 regional victory that moves them into a quarterfinal contest at Loyola on Friday. And, it also eliminated the team that beat them in the state final last season. "All we can do is tip our hat," Episcopal coach Chris Counts said, "That was the best overall pitching performance we have seen this year. "Matt had command of all his pitches, he kept us off-balance and as a result he had a ton of strikeouts. It was a masterful performance." "It was probably my best overall game, mainly because I was able to work from ahead of the hitters most of the time," said Laird, whose previous season high was 10 strikeouts against St.

Frederick. "And, I was able to throw all three pitches for strikes consistently," he said, referring to a fastball, curve and changeup all of which produced strikeouts during the day. The Eagles jumped ahead 1-0 in the first when third baseman Sean Nichols scored on a two-out single by Auttonberry. OCS tacked on two more runs in the third and again it was Auttonberry who supplied the knockout punch, this time crushing a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence to drive home both runs. "I always go up there See OCS 4C Episcopal O' i i Jt "1" Jr.

Dan CurrierThe News-Star Matt 'Laird put Ouachita Christian in the Class 2A quarterfinals Monday by striking out 14 Episcopal batters. OCS will now play at Loyola on Friday. Chiefs face Breaux Bridge a 4A regional at 7 p.m. Story, 4C Area scoreboard Tonight's action Inside Former ULM golf coach Rich Merritt has plenty of support this week leading Nevada 4C managed even par SMU's Will Dodson and Hawaii's Jarett Hamamoto. "The wind was a pretty big See GOLF 4C It, A 'fi4 77 Inside, 3C Today's broadcast schedule and Company" previously aired weekly on FM in Ruston.

Grambling State coach Melvin Spears was scheduled to be Fox's first guest on Monday afternoon. "We get an chance to go and talk about Grambling, from both an academic and athletic standpoint," Spears said. "It's a great opportunity to get into local homes to talk about the program and to hear from fans." "Fox and Company" will switch to a five-day format on July 4, said Ed Hebert, the account executive who See RADIO 4C Michael DunlapThe News-Star Former West Monroe standout Preston Smith is tied for 32nd place after he shot an 82 Monday for Louisiana Tech. Boo-yah! Fans get more ESPN Monday's regionals West Monroe and West Ouachita will Class 1A: Cedar Creek 4, Rosepine 3 pay on the road tonight in playoff Clay Alexander's home run in the seventh I ames The Rebels wi be at Evange) at inning lifted the Cougars. i CA tian Life at Vidalia Doyline 3 ffJfl 1 1 the 1 fM 1SV.a in Sterlington upsets No.

1 Sacred Heart Ml- Class unouarant Class Linville 1 Roundup, 4C had a chance if we could play error-free ball and withstand their scoring barrage." The Panthers began the game with a bang as leadoff hitter Justin Lynch lifted a home run over the left-field fence for a 1-0 advantage. Sterlington extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the second when Kaleb Hamby reached on a error and then Jake Ashley drilled a two-out roundtrippcr down the third-base line off Trojan starter Brett Fontenot. After Sacred Heart closed See STERLINGTON 4C rant 9, 12, Starks FM now all sports By Nick Oeriso nderiso a thenewsstar.com RUSTON Duh-nah-nah. Duh-nah-NAH. The familiar musical signature of SportsCenter burst out of local radios on Monday as FM in Ruston began broadcasting ESPN sports programming.

The station, which previously carried a light-rock format, debuted with a primarily national slate though the local program "Talkin Sports with Fox and Company" also broadcast Monday for the first time on 99.3 FM. "There wasn't anything wrong with the other format," said general manager Gary McKenney. "But this is a niche we can serve. Nobody else is doing it." Hosted by Sean Fox, "Fox Stern called the fine that an inves tigation will continue once the Rockets finish their Van GundV playoff run. He said further punishment is possible, even implying that Van Gundy could face a lifetime ban.

"If he's going to say things like that, he's not going to continue in this league," Stern said. "If the attitude reflected in those comments continues to be public, he's going to have a big problem with me as long as I'm commissioner." Stern said the league is both furious at what Van Gundy said and that he refuses to divulge the official he claims told him that referees "were looking at Yao harder because of Mark's complaints" to the league office. Associated Press Horses will be tested at Derby Thoroughbred racing is joining the crackdown on drug cheats. The 20 horses expected to start in Saturday's Kentucky Derby will be scrutinized for illegal substances as much if not more so than their human counterparts in other sports. All horses at the Derby will undergo pre-race blood tests for alkalizing agents called "milkshakes" that help alleviate fatigue, and then a "super test" to screen post-race urine samples, which can detect about 140 different drugs.

The second test will also be used at the two other Triple Crown races, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. It was administered at last year's Breeders' Cup. No horse tested positive. Associated Press an intermediary WmA step," adding rs 1 ft" Courtesy photo Sterlington held Sacred Heart, the top-ranked team in Class 2A, to just three base hits Monday. Union willing to talk about tougher penalties By Tom Dodge Special to The News-Star VILLE PLATTE Top-ranked Sacred Heart finally met its match Monday as Sterlington pulled off a 4-3 regional shocker in Class 2A.

In handing the Trojans (27-2) only their second loss of the season, Sterlington (24-11) will now play host to Westminster in the quarterfinals. "We knew coming in here would be the biggest challenge of our season," Sterlington coach Todd Moore said as his team celebrated. "We thought we YOUR 'HOME'ATEAM A Astros 11, Pirates 4 Andy Pettitte earned his second win of the season as the Houston Astros won their third straight game Monday 2C -t 4 1 i I 7' 9 i 7 NEW union Monday him about penalties. "We the points said in a Last players than start of positive test, 60 days for a third violation and one year for a fourth. The penalty for a fifth failure is at the commissioner's discretion.

Along with stiffening the penalties under his "three strikes and you are out approach," Selig also wants the union to ban amphetamines, to increase random Fehr noted in his letter that the union agreed in January to tougher penalties and said the program was working, adding, "You now request that we further modify our agreement." Selig responded in a statement: "I am fully committed to the proposal made last week in my letter to Don Fehr." "Restoring public confidence in our sport through the elimination of the use of performance-enhancing substances and the establishment of more vigorous and effective testing programs are my highest priorities," Selig said. Ms Selig game suspension for first-time steroid offenders, a 100-game ban for a second offense and a lifetime suspension for a third violation. Earlier in the day, Minnesota Twins reliever Juan Rincon was suspended for 10 days after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. He was the fifth player banned under the Major League Baseball policy, and the most well-known. Under current rules, the first offense draws a 10-day suspension.

The penalties increase to 30 days for a second Associated Press YORK The baseball players' told commissioner Bud Sclig on that it was willing to talk to his call for harsher steroids will look forward to discussing you raised, and other appropriate matters," union head Donald Fehr letter to Selig. week, Selig wrote to Fehr, asking to agree to even tougher penalties the ones that took effect at the the season. Selig now wants a 50- tests and to pick an independent person to handle the big league drug-testing program. mtrntM in iiiiiuu immm vg jf fit? if if 4 f- S. if, I 'A i Vj 2004 CHAMPION unit C'nS 'feu Will 4 rwl 1 1NX' A A.

ft 1 'f i 'it GARY WRIGHT 11 time NCRA Champion ha hnra fit rhillnnrta miar 40 of the South's fastest uc IICIC iu Liiaiicnuc uvci wing cars. See other stars nrc uui icii oicvvai Zack Chapped, Travis Rilat and many more! Bring the a full night of Racing starting at 6:006:30 Hot Laps Races 7PM In addition to the Big Wing Cars EXTRA $500 added to LATE MODELS, WHICH WILL BRING IN SEVERAL NEW CARS See your local favorites compete in Modifieds, Limited Modifieds and Street Stock ft fASCS WING CAR East of Chatham on Louisiana 4....