News Record from North Hills, Pennsylvania • Page 15

North Hills News Record NHL playoffs B3 Paul Stuart, Sports editor, 1-800-874-9994 SECTION Wednesday, April 16,1997 At a glance Tuesday's scores Baseball National League Pittsburgh 3. San Diego 2 Colorado 10, Chicago Cubs 7 St Louis 9, Florida 3 San Francisco 8, Philadelphia 4 Atlanta 3, Cincinnati 0 Montreal 7, Houston 5 Mets 5, Los Angeles 0 American League -DetroirSrMilwaukeeT --Boston 7, Oakland 2 Baltimore 3, Minnesota 1 Kansas City 7, Toronto 5 Anaheim 6, Yankees 5 Roundup, B4 Atlanta 109, New Jersey 101 Utah 127, Phoenix 122 Milwaukee 92, Toronto 85 Houston 123, LA Clippers 119 San Antonio 108, Seattle 88 The Associated Press Ken Griffey Jr. singles Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians. -Griffey, who No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, who became the first black player in the major leagues 50 years ago.

Seattle won, 8-4. Horse racing Meadows driver wins race Dave Palone hit the 5,000 victory plateau Tuesday when he won the ninth race at Ladbroke at the Meadows. Palone, 35, is the fourth youngest driver to hit the mark and just the 23rd driver to do so. He also is the first local driver to Virginia recruit Young golfers hope to follow Tiger tracks Pirates' Womack takes one for team By Jeff Martinelli Staff writer The question atop the brochure for Mike Passmore's Simply Great Golf School for youths at Pine Creek Golf reads: "Are you Tiger Woods?" Few young, area golfers might repeat the "I am Tiger Woods" statement heard on the Nike TV commercial, but they definitely are noticing his impact. Woods, 21, might payoffr Masters Sunday with a record- "We were prepared for the breaking 18.nnripr.par srnrp coming of Tiger Woods," said Jim "I got more interested in golf after seeing Tiger play," said Andy Cleary, 15, of Ross, who was about to hit a bucket of balls Tuesday at Pine Creek.

"'He brings more youth to the game and is getting a lot more sponsors." Few needed to look hard to see the Nike "swooshes" on his hat and sweater during the final round of the Masters. Although there were critics of the $40 million deal Woods signed with Nike in the fall, Inside Vincentan's Jared Reck is named to the small school all- state basketball team B2 Shaler Area and North Allegheny feel wrath of April Showers B2 Area sports roundup B2 Broadbent, manager of Hacker's Helper in Mclntyre for it." carrying very little Nike (merchandise) to about 20 percent of our clothes are Nike (now) That's why we brought it in here. We knew he would be a hot commodity." With the $40 million in Nike endorsements and likely more to come, there is speculation that Woods could rise to the popularity level of Michael Jordan. "I would say he's definitely in thaUeaguer said DarylMoore. whoalso wasTfltfihg our stores, we went from Turn to TIGER, B2 Defense helps Shaler junior By Frank Pastor Staffwriter SHALER; The Shaler Area baseball team discovered that defense wins more than championships.

It wins games, too. After committing five errors in a one-run loss to Butler earlier this season, Shaler fihalar 2 played a flaw- B.rfir. Iess ame in Blltler 0 the field to win the rematch, 2-0, Tuesday at Shaler's Hilltop field. Jeff Hack threw a shutout, and Shaler scored both its runs on sacrifice flies, as the Titans won their third consecutive game. "I had confidence in my defense today," Hack said.

Shaler remained in a tie with Seneca Valley-- a 5-1 winner -over North-Hills in Section 5-AAA Shaler and Seneca Valley trail first-place North Allegheny by a half game. Butler (2-3, 5-4) slipped into fourth place, games behind North Allegheny. "It feels good, because we knew we could beat (Butler)," said Shaler third baseman Joe Laslavic. "We're playing our best right now. Hopefully, we can keep it going." Head coach Jerry Matulevic overhauled his defense after five Shaler errors helped Butler erase a three- run deficit ma.

5-4 Butler victory March 27. Laslavic, who is a senior, moved from shortstop to third base. Senior Justin Skeel went from second base. -fiebltmau Bail Schwartzbauer and junior Dennis Turn to BASEBALL, B2 CHRISTOPHER HORNER, staff photographer Jeff Hack delivers a pitch Tuesday during Shaler Area's 2-0 victory over Butler. Hack pitched a six-hit shutout.

The Associated Press PlrataB Patrick downplays end-of-seasoii skid Tony Womack has never had so little time to react so long to otti- dally win a game. Womack was hit in the face by Sterling in ilhfllndi Inninf, got to his feet minutes later and wobbled to first base with a trainer at his side. When he tojiched wrapped up the Pirates'3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres Tuesday at Three Rivers Stadium. Womack threw up his right hand in front of his face, but Hitchcock's split-finger fastball ricocheted off die rookie's arm and caught him in the upper forehead. Womack didn't have to be so heroic under baseball rules, manager Gene Lament could have -used a pinch runner but he was determined to get up.

"I've never had a pitch come so close to my face," Womack said. "I never lost consciousness. I just wanted to make sure I didn't feel any blood. I could hear guys yelling at me, 'Nobody's in a hurry but, when you can, please get up and touch first'" Hitchcock, a starter working out of bullpen because the Padres have three off-days this week, said, "I'm tryingjojhrqwjt in the and Fffit the guy'ufthe head. That's pretty good." The Pirates had lost five in a row at home and 11 of 13 to the Padres but are 3-1 against them this season.

"A team like the Pirates scares you," said Tony Gwynn, who was 2- for-4 with a solo homer in the sixth off Jon Lieber. "They want to show everybody they can play. They play us tough." Greg Vaughn hit his third homer in the ninth off Pirates closer John Ericks (1-0) to tie it, but Jason Kendall and rookie Jose Guillen singled to start the Pirates ninth off Padres starter Andy Ashby (0-1). The Padres retired Kendall at third on Joe Randa's failed bunt mtpt; and Hitchcock replaced Ashby. Pinch-hitter Kevin Young then singled to left his fourth hit in seven at bats this season.

Womack quickly fell behind in the count 0-2 fouled off two sliders before being struck Severe Padres players stood and watchec icainen PITTSBURGH: Michael Shin, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward from Richmond, agreed to attend Pitt. The Associated Press --Shin is the sixlh playei to sign a letter of intent for Pitt, joining Attila Cosby, John Finneman, Stephen Flores, Ricaido Gieet and Chfis" NHL playoffs Inside Stanley Cup playoffs against the Seabrooks. Shin scored 17.3 points per game and averaged 13.6 rebounds last season for Monacan High. Coach Ralph Willard may obtain letters of intent from recruits until May 15. Auto racing Bump, comments get Bodine fined DAYTONA BEACH, NASCAR officials announced driver Geoff Bodine was fined for his actions during Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

NASCAR fined Bodine $10,000 for "on-track actions and comments made during a post-incident interview," officials said. Officials ruled the incidents "actions detrimental to automobile racing." In the race, Bodine and Jimmy Spencer had three confrontations. The first was as both battled for position on lap 422. "Spencer just ran into me," Bodine said Sunday. "That was ahipiH HP'S a jffit." is being secretive about who will start in goal B3 Thursday as clear underdogs.

The Flyers 4 5 2 4 1 3 were among the league's top five teams during the regular season, and the Penguins (38-36-8) Series-by-series previews B3 couldn't finish among the top five in the Eastern Conference. One victory in the Penguins' final three road games would have a different outcome and a different first-round opponent in the postseason. But Penguins coach Craig Patrick said the team's standing at the end of the regular, from everybody, we've got a good season isn't too important chance to beat them. They've had a weie jusl Irving lu play good, great year, and they're a good sound hockey," Patrick said after hockey club. So it's going to be a Tuesday's practice.

"I think, for the most did that Biggerstaff assisting him, touched first to officially end the game. -The-Pirates' go-ahead run in the sixth also scored in unusual fashion Al Martin whn wont srni from second as shortstop Chris Gomez misplayed Kevin Elster's -hard-hk grounder "We got in a hole real earl7 in Boston, but we played well afterward. It would have been nice to get a win on the road but that's all behind us now." Individual matchups will be critical when the series begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Patrick said. "If we're playing good, solid hockey and get 100 percent effort Forward Jaromir Jagr, nursing a groin injury, had a response to those already counting the Penguins out of the playoffs.

"If I would be an announcer, I wouldn't give the Penguins much of a chance either," Jagr said. "I think they've got a better team than us. But everybody forgets that we've got Mario Lemieux. That's a big difference." JeYmaine Allensworth scored the first run of the Pirates' two-ru sixth when first baseman Wall Joyner ill-advisedly chose to to first on Mark Johnson's grounef ball before throwing home. "Wally thought hejsas'closer to the bag than h-ewas," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said.

"Wally knows better, himself. and he's mad From staff and wire reports Coming up Tennis: North Allegheny will play host to Shady Side Academy at 3 today in Section 2 Bell re-signs with Steelers PITTSBURGH: Steelers safety Myron Bell hopes to test his motto on the free agent market next season. "It'll be greater later," Bell said Tuesday after signing a one-year, $361,000 contract "I live by that motto." Bell, who started at strong safety for the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, said he'll test his the open next "Next year I'll be unrestricted, and hopefully, good things will happen," he said. "Until then, I'm not unhappy about-coming back- to-4he- Steelers for another year as a role player." The Steelers made the one- year tender offer to Bell to protect their rights to compensation in case they lost him Rick Starr Talent surrounds Bettis in Steelers' backfield Fifth of a seven-part series on the Steelers' needs in the NFL draft, By Rick Starr Staffwriter 0 PITTSBURGH: Jerome Bettis' power running style fit the Steelers' attack so well, they gave him $14.4 million to stick around four more years. However, the Steelers have no immediate plans to draft another 240-pound runner to back up their featured performer.

The Steelers will shift gears from power to speed if 195-pound Erric Pegram or 193-pound Fred McAfee are needed to replace Bettis. "We like the change-up," said offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. -With suvcn running backs-tinder contract to compete for five positions on the final roster, the Steelers aren't expected to use a primary pick for a runner in this weekend's seven-round draft "We're always looking for a quality guy if there's one available, but it's not a priority," Gailey said. "But at some point there will be a TODAY defensive backs linebackers defensive linemen quarterbacks running backs ends offensive linemen good to pass up because we have we might not need a running back, things change so fast in this business." As things stand, it will be hard for a rookie to find a job at a position that is one of the team's strengths Bettis is considered the best player the Steelers acquired in the 1996 draft after he arrived in a draft- Steelers' draft needs at a glance Running backs The Steelers hope to hop on "The Bus" and follow running back Jerome Bettis for the next four years However a serious groin injury to Bettis late last season proved that a team can never have enough quality running backs Top draft prospects RB Antowain Smith RB Wamck Dunn flB CoreyBtHon FB Jerald Sowell FB Marc Edwards Houston Florida State Washington Tulane Notre Dame 6-2 5-7 6-0 6-0 6-0 224 179 222 224 236 Backups under contract for 1997: RB Erne Pegram, RB Fred McAfee RB Terry Richardson, RB Bobby Phillips FB Jon Witman I Starters under contract for 1997: RB Jerome Bettis FB Tim Lester Bettis rushed for career highs with 1,431 yards, 320 carries and 11 touchdowns. He piled up 10 100- yard games in the regular season including five in a row Bettis led the offense until sustaining a groin injury He was held to 43 yards rushing in the Steelers coach Bill Cowher made re-signing Bettis his team's No 1 priority "He's a good fit for this team and this city," Cowher said With fullbacks Tim Lester and Jon Witman in front of Bettis and Pegram and McAfee behind him, the Steelers have their franchise.