The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 19

THE" LINCOLN STAR Thursday, 51283 Page 19 Maskers hold off Missouri in Big Eight Tournament ly, the junior second basemen handled 13 chances without an error and was involved in the Cornhuskers' tournament record-tying four double plays. Eubanks also made a diving catch of a John Marquardt line drive with the score tied and two out in the bottom of the eighth. "Kurt Eubanks is a nails competitor," Sanders said of the former Lincoln East athlete. "He maximizes his ability. You expect that" While Eubanks was "maximizing" Oakes was "stabilizing." The senior right-hander came on in relief of starter Jeff Anderson with one on and no one out in the sixth inning.

After yielding two singles which produced the tying Oakes settled In and limited Missouri to one more hit the rest of the way. lie retired the last eight Tigers in a row. "Our defense was fine; all the hits were fine; and Davis's double (to lead off the ninth) wag fine. But when you go back and lake a look at it, Todd Oakes was the stabilizer," said Sanders. "Somebody had to stabilize it right there," he said, pointing at the mound.

"And Oakes did that. He kept us in a position to win." Oakes opened Nebraska's series with Oklahoma Slate on Saturday and allowed 12 earned runs in 2 innings. Because the Cornhusker pitching staff was arm weary, Sanders waited to take him out. "It wasn't because we had some- By Mike Babcock of The Lincoln Star OKLAHOMA CITY The Nebraska baseball team dodged a bullet in the first game of the Big Eight Conference Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at All Sports Stadium. "I feel like we've been shot at and missed," NU head Coach John Sanders said after his Cornhuskers defeated Missouri 10-9 in a game begun on Tuesday and delayed nearly 24 hours by rain.

Nebraska led 3-0 just two outs into the top of the second inning when the heavy rains came. By the ninth inning on Wednesday, however, that lead was gone and the Cornhuskers were tied with Missouri, 9-9. Despite finishing the game with 14 hits, six of them for extra bases, they had to fashion the game-winning run on "station-to-station" play, said Sanders. Mark Davis led off the NU ninth with a double; Kurt Eubanks sacrificed him to third; and with the infield drawn in, Jeff Carter singled up the middle to send Nebraska into the tournament's second round against top-seeded Oklahoma State, the two-time defending champion. That game is set for 7:30 p.m.

on Thursday. The seventh-ranked Cowboys, 37-13, drew a first-round bye. Oklahoma State swept a four-game series from Nebraska last weekend in Stillwater. According to Sanders, that Tourney at a glance Wednesday's results Nebraska 10, Missouri 9 Iowa State 7, Kansas 6 Oklahoma 6, Kansas State 2 Thursday's games Noon Kansas vs. Kansas State 4 p.m.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State 7:30 p.m. Nebraska vs. Oklahoma State might be to the Cornhuskers' advantage. Oklahoma State's coaches "will tell their people every game is a new experience, and we're going to be telling our people that, too," Sanders said.

"Just because we lost four doesn't mean we're going to beat them now. But I'd be more cautious as a coach if my team had just swept four from a team and then was playing that same team again three days later." The humiliation hasn't dissipated. As a result, "I think a little edge goes to us; we're going to want that ball game as badly as we've wanted any game all season," he said, Junior Anthony Kelley, 5-4 with a 3.69 earned-run average, will pitch for Nebraska. Oklahoma State is expected to counter with left hander Dennis Livingston, 11-2 with a 2.81 earned run average. Livingston pitched a four-hit, 4-1, victory over Nebraska on Sunday night.

Eubanks and pitcher Tcdd Oakes were the key players in Nebraska's victory on Wednesday. Offensively, Eubanks went 3-for-5, with a triple and his fifth home run of the season. Defensive -w i C' 1f 'csi United! 'ress international Turn to: Huskers, Page 20 Nebraska's Dan Boever dives safely back to first as Missouri's Dave Holder makes the tag. 76ers defeat Bucks, 87-81 for 2-0 lead Mike Babcock Sports Ci 'Columnist NBA Playoffs glance Eastern Conference finals Wednesday's result Philadelphia 87, Milwaukee 81 Philadelphia leads series, 2-0) Western Conference finals Tuesday's result San Antonio 122, Los Angeles 113 (Series tied, 1-1) PHILADELPHIA (AP) "We played outstanding defense," said Coach Billy Cunningham after his Philadelphia 76ers took a 2-0 lead in their National Basketball Association Eastern Conference final against the Milwaukee Bucks. Cunningham said Moses Malone just dominated the rebounds down the stretch as the Sixers won 87-81 Wednesday night.

"The name of the game is defense," said Cunningham. "That's what I've preached ever since I began coaching." Malone, who scored 26 after his disappointing first game Sunday, said he did the same things Wednesday, but noted "The results were beter this time. I was a little more aggressive under the boards tonight. And when I got the ball at the top of the circle and they weren't pressing I made my moves to the hoops." Malone, who is playing on a pair of sore knees, got help from Andrew Toney, who scored 20 despite his heavily padded left thigh. The Bucks also played tenacious defense, as the low score indicated.

But in the last three minutes, said Milwaukee Coach Don Nelson, the 76ers' tough defense look away several things that his team likes to do. throws for his 26 points. He also outrebounded Lanier, 17-10. Toney connected on eight field goals and four fouls for his 20, while Johnson posted 12 from the field and one from the foul line for his 25. The winner of this series advances to the NBA championship round, against the survivor of the Western final, between the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, which is tied at a game apiece.

In the first period, Toney scored the first six points of the game, but the Bucks, with Moncrief keying the offense, rallied to go ahead by five with 3:04 left in the quarter. Philadelphia then erupted on a 10-3 surge to lead 20-18 after one period. Malone scored nine of his points in the second quarter, as the 76ers took a 43-39 halftime lead. Philadelphia outscored the Bucks 12-6 lo boost a 31-29 advantage to 43-35. Milwaukee, however, scored the final four points of the half.

Charlie Criss. the Bucks' 5-fool-8 guard, led his team in the second period with eight points. The "6ers led 71-61 after three quarters, outscoring Milwaukee 9-2 in the final 3 minutes of the period. Summary, schedule, Page 20 In the first game. Nelson said, "we held Moses down.

But tonight he got away from us." The best-of-seven series now shifts to Milwaukee for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Sunday. During the regular season, the 76ers beat the Bucks two out of three in Milwaukee. The Western Conference series, tied 1-1 after San Antonio's 122-113 win Tuesday night, shifts to San Antonio for games Friday night and Sunday. Philadelphia led by 11 at 77-66 with 9:53 remaining in the final period. Milwaukee then outscored the Sixers 14-3 to tie the game at 80 with 3:10 on the clock Marques Johnson, who scored 25.

and Sidney Moncrief, with 21, each scored five in the Milwaukee rally. But the 76ers moved ahead to stay as Cheeks, who tallied 15, connected with a 15-foot jumper, then passed to Erving under the basket for a field goal that sent Philadelphia ahead 84-80 with 2:18 to go. The only scoring after that was one of two free throws by the Bucks' Bob Lanier, to make it 84-81, and a field goal and free throw by Toney for the final score. The 6-foot-10 Malone, who in the series opener was held to just 14 points and 12 rebounds, collected 11 field goals and four free "That's a tough defense," Nelson said of the 76ers. A number of the Bucks, including Nelson, praised a blocked shot by Bobby Jones with Milwaukee trailng 82-80.

Jones, whose steal of an inbounds pass had led to the 76ers' 111-109 overtime victory in the series opener, blocked a shot by Brian Winters that would have tied the game. The ball went to Maurice Cheeks, who passed to Julius Erving under the hoop. Erv-ing slam-dunked it for a four-point lead that stood up. "I thought Bobby had a little more than the ball on that play," said Nelson, "but he made a good play, I'll give him that." Nelson said of going home trailng 2-0, "My feeling has always been that you take them one at a lime and do your best to win." Another Gill update OKLAHOMA CITY Right now, the odds' are very good that Turner Gill will play football for Nebraska next fall. The odds that he'll spend the summer before his senior season as a Cornhusker playing professional baseball however, are much more difficult to set.

Gill considers them to be, perhaps, 50-50. "There's a chance," he said after going three-for-five in Nebraska's 10-9 victory over Missouri in the first round of the Big Eight Conference Baseball Tournament on Wednesday afternoon. "I'm thinking about going that way." The Cornhusker junior has been beset by interview requests from the local news media since he arrived in Oklahoma on Saturday, Most have centered on his interest in pursuing a baseball career. A Tulsa writer suggested that when University of Oklahoma football boosters hear about the possibility of Gill's signing a baseball contract after the major league free agent draft in June, they'll set up a fund to make certain he does. Money, of course, is a major consideration, and Gill isn't foolish enough to say how much it would take.

Scouts are interested Among other things, the figure depends on how high he's drafted and which team drafts him. Somebody will The scouts aren't hiding their interest. Some teams will ignore the fact that Gill refused a $90,000 offer from the Chicago White Sox to sign out of high school while others will "look at me as a high risk because I turned that money down," he said. "They won't want to waste a high pick." Some teams won't back off because of Gill's interest in playing football in the fall even though he realizes "not a lot of teams would like a player to do that." Others will pass on him because they think "there's no telling what I'm going to do which is true." In any case, baseball remains Gill's professional preference. "I still have doubts about football," said GilL "If I had a good (senior) season, I'd probably be a high draft choice.

But I'm not sure I'm good enough to play pro football. "I know I can play (pro) baseball" This baseball season, his first in two years, has been dramatic proof of that. "I wanted to show myself and the scouts that I still had the ability to play. I never had any doubts I could." El way's move scary Gill watched Stanford quarterback John Elway manipulate the New York Yankees and the National Football League and come away with the money he wanted from a team for which he was willing to play. "It's scary what Elway did," Gill said, adding: "He may have hurt my chances." Baseball teams may be hesitant to spend a high draft pick on Gill for fear he'll do the same thing Elway did use one sport as leverage against the other.

The uncertainty and speculation about Gill's athletic future will continue until the June draft. He's talked with baseball scouts, whose interests are best served by being noncommittal, just as his options are greater if he keeps them guessing to some degree. Gill would like to play professional baseball; he's not hiding that fact But he has no idea which team will draft him, how much hell be offered, or in which round hell be drafted. When those questions are answered, he'll sit down with his family and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of getting started this summer. In any case, his intention is to play football for Nebraska this falL That could change, of course, but Gill doesn't think it will.

He can't be more specific than that because so much depends on the major league draft, something over which he has no control. tMmim, I4A Goit Foida Lincoln Star Northeast's Ron Nelson (7) slides safely Into second base as Southeast's Ron Isaacson (20) tries to make the tag. Southeast scrambles to win district title Sports on TV us close and TJ (Todd Johnson) did the same kind of job he did to get us to state last year," Brolhorst "Pitching was our only question mark early in the season, but the kids have gained the confidence they need to win. They showed that here in the district," he said. "We competed and got what we needed.

I had confidence and (he kids won because they played with confidence. "We have a philosphy that we have to make things happen and everybody, all 18 players, did that in all three of these district games." he said. Pairings for next week's state tournament will be announced Saturday. The tournament will run Wednesday, Thursday and Satur-; day- Box score, Page 21 ning run. "Are you kidding? Yes, I was nervous when I saw the bunt sip and had two strikes on me," Lee said.

"We figured Northeast wasn't expecting a bunt, and for sure didn't expect one with two strikes," Southeast Coach Randy Brolhorst added. The Knights added a needed insurance run in the sixth when Kightlinger singled, stole second, advanced on a single and scored on a wild pitch. Northeast threatened in the sixth inning, when Burt singled and scored on Doug Kapeller's grounder, and Dave Lowe followed with a But Johnson struck out two of the next three batters in the inning to protect the 6-5 lead. He got the side out in order in the seventh for the save. "Marty Clough came in and kept ning on a double by Scott Deines, a triple by Tony Burt, a single by Terry Schroer and three walks.

The Rockets missed an opportunity for another run in the inning when Ron Nelson, running for Deines, tried to score on Burt's triple, but missed third base and after returning to third, was thrown out at home for the first out in the inning. Southeast left the bases loaded in the third inning, but Kightlinger stroked a two-out two-ran double in the fourth to tie the game at 4-alL The Knights kept Northeast in check in the fourth and fifth, turning double plays in each inning. Then, with one out and men on second and third in the top of the fifth inning, Lee bunted with two strikes, scoring Johnson for the win lead. "Southeast took advantage of just about every opportunity we gave them," Northeast Coach Bill Fagler said. "It seemed like every time they needed something they got it.

"There are four parts of baseball hitting, fielding, pitching and nlng and we had just hitting tonight," Fagler said. "Southeast had all four parts going tonight" The Rockets, who still hold hopes for a wild card berth in the state tournament next week with a 12-5 record, jumped on Southeast for two runs on two hits and an error in the first inning. Marks tied the game in the top of the second when he reached across the plate for a two-run single. But Northeast pounded In two more runs in the bottom of the In- By Ken Hambleton of The Lincoln Star Lightning rarely strikes twice in the same place. But Lincoln Southeast stunned Lincoln Northeast for the second straight year in a wild 6-5 decision in the District 5 championship baseball game Wednesday night before some 500 fans at Sherman Field.

Southeast, which entered the tournament with a 7-7 record, earned its fifth consecutive victory behind the hitting of Steve Kightlin-ger and Dave Marks and a squeeze bunt by pinch-hitter Mike Lee. Todd Johnson, who pitched the Knights past top-seeded Lincoln East Tuesday, and Marty Clough, who earned the win over Lincoln High in the tourney Monday, combined to protect Southeast's narrow letlc League Thursday Football Inside the USFL. 7 p.m., 12:30 a.m., GD Other sports Sportscenter, 7 a.m., 9 6:30 p.m., 10 p.m., a.m., fJD 12:30 p.m., 15J Auto Racing, Pomona, off-road racing, 3 p.m., 11 p.m., (3D F.A. Soccer, p.m., CD Top Rank Boxing, Collins vs. Fernandez, Jr.

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