The Morning Call du lieu suivant : Allentown, Pennsylvania • 43

INSIDE Florida's defense hammers LSU PAGE C3 Islanders roll over the Flyers PAGE C10 THE MORNING CALL MSP0RTS "UPDATE Call Into-tel 610421-8300, Category 8693. SPORTS SCORES 610-821-8300 Categories Page C-2 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1996 Sports JL that he viewed the heavily favored Braves as merely another opponent. No one really believed it, though. "This guy probably wants to beat up the Braves more than anybody in the clubhouse," teammate Brian Jordan said. Gant hit a two-run homer into the Cardinals bullpen in the first FINAL SCORE CARDINALS 3 BRAVES percent isn't good enough now is not the time for O'Neill showed his appreciation by hitting a home run last night.

In yet another move, Torre rested left fielder Tim Raines, who has been bothered by bad knees all season Darryl Strawberry, who started in right on Friday, replaced Raines in left. "I came to the ballpark expecting to play," Raines said. "My leg has been bothering me and Torre thought he'd give me the day off." Said Torre: "Raines has played a lot, and first of all, I wanted O'Neill back in there. I thought I'd give Raines a break he's played every day, every inning." ORIOLES SWITCH. TOO Baltimore manager Davey Johnson finally dipped into his bench last night, in part to shake up an offense that was limited to just three hits in Friday's 5-2 loss.

Johnson sat down designated hitter Eddie Murray and left-fielder B. J. Surhoff both of whom were 2-for-10 in the championship series. Mike Devereaux started in left and Pete Incaviglia opened the game at DH. Devereaux came into the game hitless in two postseason The Yankees start struggling O'Neill and Boggs, give Raines a rest By DAVID GINSBURG Of The Associated Press BALTIMORE New York Yankees manager Joe Torre gave a couple of slumping starters another chance to get their swing in order last night, starting third baseman Wade Boggs and right fielder Paul O'Neill in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.

Both players were benched Friday. Boggs is batting .059 in the playoffs and O'Neill .150. "These guys have done it for me all year," Torre said. "I feel I owe it to the players who have helped us get to where we are now." Speaking of Boggs, who sat out two straight games, Torre said, "Hopefully two days off will help him clear the register." O'Neill, like Boggs, isn't in perfect health. Boggs has been bothered by a sore back and O'Neill is nursing a sore hamstring.

"If O'Neill can do what he can do, fine. But I don't want him to go Ex-Brave Ron Gant gets revenge with 2 HRs, giving St Louis a 2-1 lead. By BEN WALKER Of The Associated Press ST. LOUIS There was a time when Tom Glavine and the Atlanta Braves loved to see Ron Gant hit home runs. A few more like the two he launched yesterday, however, and the Braves will be watching the World Series from home.

Gant connected twice against the team that abruptly dumped Mm two years ago because of a broken leg, leading the St. Louis Cardinals past the Braves 3-2 for a surprising 2-1 lead in the National League Championship Series. "It's a great feeling," Gant said. "I had a lot of things happen to me in my career with Atlanta, a lot of good and a lot of bad. There's a lot of emotion going through me when I play them.

"Yeah, it is sweet because it's against Atlanta, but if it was against the Dodgers, it would be just as sweet." Before this round of playoffs began, Gant insisted over and over inning, then sent a solo shot off Glavine into the shrubs in center field in sixth. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ronnie," Glavine said. "I always wanted to see him play well just not against us." Braves manager Bobby Cox was one of Gant's biggest boosters, too, and hated to see him get released. "I was there that day when the decision was made and it was very emotional," Cox said. "It was tough because Ronnie is the kind of kid you love." Please See CARDS Page C9 Associated Press Atlanta's Andruw Jones leaps in vain for the first of two Ron Gant home runs.

Gant knocked in all three St. Louis runs out there if, physically, ne can compete," Torre said. "Sixty, 70 Please See YANKEES Page C8 Sorenstam takes back lead from FoirdHhamro piayeir d5s beffoire gjarsm 3avies; up by 3 pronounced dead less than an hour after collapsing at Coffey Field in the Bronx. "He was a great, great kid," said Ford-ham athletic director Frank McLaughlin. "This is unbelievable.

The campus is devastated." The junior, a starting defensive back, "was just running and he dropped. There was never a pulse," McLaughlin said. "It's a very tragic situation, both for Fordham and Lafayette," said Dr. Eve Atkinson, Lafayette director of athletics. "There's Please See FORDHAM Page C8 Junior Bill Tierney collapses during warmups forcing the game with Lafayette to be postponed.

By CHRIS OLERT Of The Associated Press NEW YORK A Fordham University football player died after collapsing during pregame warmups, causing a postponement yesterday of the Rams' game with Lafayette. Bill Tierney, 20, of Lyndhurst, N. was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was Rams' Bill Tierney was to have his sister sing the national anthem yesterday. mmk 11 111 AT Perm State gets well-needed victory by pounding Purdue FINAL SCORE PENN STATE The 1st Betsy King Classic, becomes a 2-woman race heading into today's final round.

By DON BOSTROM Of The Morning Call And then there were two. Annika Sorenstam and Laura Davies stand alone after three rounds of the inaugural CoreStates Betsy King Classic. Sorenstam seized the moment with a round as precise as the final inspection line at a Volvo factory. No detail was overlooked as she rolled in five birdies en route to a 67 that gave her a three-round total of 202 and a three-stroke lead over Davies, who labored on the back nine with three bogeys that left her with a 71. Juli Inkster (21 1 Kelly Robbins (212) and Cindy Schreyer (212) were the only others who didn't need the Hubble telescope to see the leader of the pack.

"It should be a two-horse race, but I've seen stranger things happen," Davies said. "Juli is nine back. I know it sounds ridiculous, but anything can happen in golf." Sorenstam doesn't mind the healthy buffer zone she and Davies have forged between the remaining 78 players. "I'm a little surprised," Sorenstam said. "We're all pretty equal, so this doesn't happen very often." Davies anointed Sorenstam the clear favorite to walk away with the $90,000 pot of gold at the end of this 72-hole rainbow.

"She's playing so well right now, the worst she'll shoot is 69," Davies said. "It's still up to me. My plan is to shoot a 65, but that might still not be good enough." "That's nice of her to pick me," smiled Sorenstam. "But I still need to play welL If Laura makes a few more birdies today she will be very dangerous." The dynamic duo provided marvelous theatre set against the serene backdrop of a Berkleigh Country Club in all its glory. PURDUE Associated Press Annika Sorenstam checks the green before putting on No.

7 during yesterday's third-round play. A strong first half propels the No. 10 Nittany Lions to a Big Ten win. By JOHN KUNDA Morning Call Columnist UNIVERSITY PARK A bottom-rung Big Ten team is what Penn State needed yesterday to get back on track. After the derailment last week at Ohio State, the Nittany Lions beat up on Purdue 31-14 much to the delight of the 96,654 who watched on a brilliant sunny Homecoming Day.

The victory wasn't as smooth as the score might indicate. Consider that the lOth-ranked Nittany Lions (6-1 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) had a 24-0 halftime lead, only to fall flat offensively in the final 30 minutes. "We are not a good offensive team, no matter how you twist it," said Paterno. "We have to be more consistent than we showed out The passing game needs help, and one of the reasons it couldn't produce a big play yesterday was because wide receiver Joe Jurevicius, the deep threat, sat the game out. He was suspended one game for cutting classes.

"Jureviciusl has to learn that he's here for an education first," Paterno said sternly. "If he cuts another class, it'll be a two-game suspension. Any cut after that, he's off the team." Jurevicius said it was a "hell week for me," admitting that he did "cut a couple of classes." He added, "That's the punishment, and I accept it." Fifth-year senior Chris Campbell replaced Jurevicius, and while Campbell didn't catch any bombs, rw i 1 In one corner, there was Davies, the regal Member of the British Empire- In the other, Sorenstam, the stoic Swede. Together, they were sheer poetry in motion as they blazed a path around the par 72, layout. Each could threaten the LPGA standard for best winning score of the season for a 72-hole event.

Trish Johnson shot an 18-under 270 to take the Fieldcrest Canon Classic. Davies, the second-round leader by a stroke, threw down the gauntlet with a Please See KING Page C11 7 Associated Press Penn State's Aaron Harris takes off for a few Please See PSU Page C8 there today." yards as Purdue wuiie eurrougns pursue. Fac: Ami Eagles win weir GSamts isiro'11: automatic vn NFL. nthor that should he worrisome for played against them. By TERRY LARIMER Of The Morning Call But, he added, "Maybe by beating the Vikings, we gained a little more respect in the national eye." They did in at least one important eye.

'The last couple of weeks you could see this team turning things around," Eagles coach Ray Rhodes said of the Giants. Rhodes said the Giants have "scaled down" their offense, while doing the opposite on defense and the moves have worked. -3 Please See EAGLES Page CI 4 Eagles fans today as their team tries to bounce back from a humbling loss to the injury-depleted Dallas Cowboys in their last outing. And to add to the concern, after an 0-3 start, the Giants have regained the winning habit, getting by the New York Jets in a battle of winless teams that didn't impress anyone, then knocking off the Minnesota Vikings, who were unbeaten at the time. Brown admitted the Jets win was seen with more humjpr than anything else by the people who follow the at the National Football League's best stadium is 12-8.

Granted, that's the most wins by any opponent at Giants Stadium, but it's hardly over- whelming- Myth: The Eagles have Dan Reeves' number. Fact: Reeves was 4-0 against the Eagles as head coach of the Giants -until he lost a pair of games to them last year. Myth: Giants quarterback Dave Brown can't beat the Eagles. Fact: He lost to tfiem twice last year, but wuu the iirsi two unies ue Myth: Brown throws more passes to the Eagles' secondary than to his own receivers. Fact: He has completed 50 of 90 passes against the Eagles with four interceptions.

It was Tommy Maddox who threw three interceptions in relief of Brown last year. Myth: The Eagles can pretty much count on sweeping the Giants for the second straight year. Fact: Ty Detmer starts at quarterback for the Eaglesftoday. It's that last fact more than any The heated Giants-Eagles rivalry has taken on mythical proportions over the past few years. If you're a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles and your team is about to play the New York Giants, it helps if your memory is either short or poor.

You may be able to come up with a bunch of reasons why an Eagles win over the Giants has seemed almost automatic, but reality indicates that's not the case. Myth: The Eagles always seem to pull off a Miracle at the Meadow-lands. Fact: Actually, the Eagles' record.