http://www.aikenstandard.com/rss/sports/ Sports from The Aiken Standard en-us SportsNewsTheAikenStandardhttp://feedburner.google.com http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0640-BC-BKN-76ers-Celtics-1stLd-Writethru-05-27-1251--4028549
BOSTON -- Rajon Rondo had 18 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 85-75 in Game 7 on Saturday night to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics will open the third round of the NBA playoffs in Miami against the Heat on Monday night.

Rondo scored nine straight Boston points, helping the Celtics turn a three-point edge into a double-digit lead after Paul Pierce fouled out with 4:16 left in the game.

Andre Iguodala scored 18 points, and Elton Brand and Jrue Holiday had 15 apiece for the 76ers, who eliminated the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round but couldn't do the same with the Celtics.

Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Ray Allen hit a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers after missing his first five attempts. Pierce had 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out. That's when Rondo took over.

The point guard, rebounding from his worst performance of the playoffs in Game 6, scored on a baseline drive and followed it up with a long 2-pointer (originally scored a 3) with 2:47 left. Then he made a 3-pointer with a little more than 2 minutes left to make it a 10-pont game and, after Brand scored on a tip-in, Rondo went to the line as the crowd chanted "M-V-P! M-V-P!" and hit a pair of free throws to leave Boston with an 80-70 lead with 1:44 left.

The Celtics will now face the actual NBA MVP - LeBron James - along with Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Heat. Miami advanced to the conference finals by eliminating the Indiana Pacers in six games.

Miami beat Boston in five games in the conference semifinals last year. In 2010, the Celtics eliminated the Heat in the first round and then knocked James and the Cavaliers out in the second.

- his final game with Cleveland before defecting to Miami.

Philadelphia had one last chance to cut the deficit with 100 seconds to play after Holiday made a 3-pointer to cut it to seven points. Pierce was left with nothing to do but cheerlead, waving his arms to encourage the crowd as Garnett went to the line with just under a minute left.

He made one of two, but Holiday lost the ball on the way to the basket and Rondo made a pair of free throws with 54 seconds left and then Allen, who had just three points to that point after missing his first 5 attempts from 3-point range, made a pair as the crowd chanted "Beat the Heat!"

Jodie Meeks' 3-pointer rimmed out, the ball bounced to the floor and Rondo got his hands on it for his 10th rebound. He chucked it over his head into the frontcourt, where the Celtics dribbled down the 24-second clock.

Pierce picked up two fouls seven seconds apart with about 8 minutes to play, then his fifth with 5:16 left. Coach Doc Rivers left him in, and Pierce picked up No. 6 a minute later - a charging call against Thaddeus Young out by the free throw line;.

Boston got off to a fast start, taking a 10-2 lead thanks to four assists and two rebounds from Rondo in the first 3 minutes. The Sixers tied it before the end of the quarter, but the Celtics again pulled ahead and took a 41-33 lead into the half.

The lead grew to 11 before the Sixers scored seven straight points and then, trailing 53-45, they scored another seven in a row to cut the deficit to a point. Garnett made a high floater at the buzzer to give Boston a 55-52 lead at the end of three quarters.

Notes: Seven of the first nine fouls were called against the Celtics. ... It was the 25th anniversary of Larry Bird's steal, and pass to Dennis Johnson, on Isiah Thomas' inbounds pass to beat Detroit in the 1987 playoffs. ... CNN anchor John King, a Boston native, took in the game from courtside. ... Philadelphia shot 28 percent from the floor in the first half. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 23:51:47 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0640-BC-BKN-76ers-Celtics-1stLd-Writethru-05-27-1251--4028549 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0481-BC-BBN-Braves-05-27-1273--4028348
ATLANTA -- The Braves' longest losing streak this season and a series of injuries and health problems have caused manager Fredi Gonzalez to reach a long way for a positive spin.

Atlanta's losing streak reached six games Saturday with an 8-4 defeat to Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals.

"We may be the best team that's lost six in a row in the major leagues right now," Gonzalez said.

Bryce Harper homered, and Danny Espinosa added a three-run drive to lead Washington's 12-hit attack. The Braves fell three games behind the Nationals in the NL East.

Before the game, the Braves placed Chipper Jones on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised left leg.

Dan Uggla's two-run, tying homer in the fifth was the big hit for the short-handed Braves.

Catcher Brian McCann is recovering from an illness and did not start. First baseman Freddie Freeman was a late scratch as he struggles with his vision while wearing contacts.

Juan Francisco had three hits, including a double off Tom Gorzelanny to lead off the ninth. Craig Stammen gave a one-out walk to pinch-hitter Jack Wilson. Tyler Clippard earned his third save by striking out Michael Bourn and ending the game on McCann's pinch-hit popout.

"We're not playing particularly well right now," Gonzalez said. "And there are no excuses. We've just need to get it going."

Strasburg (5-1) was not sharp but still won. He set a season high with four walks while giving up four runs and six hits in five innings. He had six strikeouts.

The temperature for the first pitch was 90 degrees, and Strasburg soon was shaking sweat off his right arm between pitches. The heat may have contributed to Strasburg's difficulty controlling his fastball.

"I'd try one thing, and it wouldn't work, and I'd try another thing, and it wouldn't work," Strasburg said. "It was just one of those days. I'm not really happy with it, but the bottom line is we won."

Mike Minor gave up four runs on six hits in five innings, marking the sixth straight start he has allowed four or more runs. His ERA rose slightly to 6.98 but there are no signs the left-hander is about to lose his spot in the rotation.

"I feel like there are more positives out of this game than the previous games," Minor said. "It was another home run; it was four runs. But I feel like I pitched a lot better. I used all my pitches today."

Added Gonzalez: "There were some hurdles there you felt pretty good he cleared. ... We just keep going forward with him."

Espinosa doubled off Minor to lead off the game and scored on Adam LaRoche's fly ball. Espinosa pushed the lead to 4-0 with his three-run homer off Minor in the second.

Francisco had a run-scoring single, and fill-in catcher J.C. Boscan also drove in a run in the second inning.

Atlanta pulled even at 4-4 on Uggla's homer off Strasburg. The Nationals answered with two runs off Kris Medlen (1-1) in the sixth.

Pinch-hitter Chad Tracy's double drove in Ian Desmond, who doubled. Tracy pulled up with an apparent groin injury between first and second and had to leave the game.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson said Tracy was hopeful he "just popped some scar tissue" and won't have to go on the disabled list.

Rick Ankiel, the pinch-hitter for Strasburg, added a run-scoring triple off the center field wall. Michael Bourn appeared set to make the catch before backing into the wall, losing his balance and the ball.

"The ball hitting the glove and him hitting the wall at the same time kind of jarred him," Gonzalez said.

Washington added two runs off Jonny Venters in the seventh. Harper lined his third homer over the left-field wall. Ryan Zimmerman singled and scored on LaRoche's double.

There were loud boos for Jason Heyward in the fifth inning when he bobbled a single by Harper in right field for an error and then took a lackadaisical approach to picking up the ball as Harper raced to second base. Minor pitched out of the jam.

NOTES: Johnson announced after the game RHP Chien-Ming Wang will move into LHP Ross Detwiler's spot in the rotation and Detwiler will work out of the bullpen. Wang earned the win in his season debut as he gave up one run in three innings after relieving Detwiler in Friday night's 7-4 win. ... Boscan was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett when Jones was placed on the DL. ... Atlanta RHP Brandon Beachy (1.77) and Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (1.98) will match two of baseball's best ERAs when the teams finish the three-game series on Sunday night. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 23:51:43 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0481-BC-BBN-Braves-05-27-1273--4028348 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0377-BC-GLF-GolfCapsules-05-26-0657--4028160
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Jason Dufner matched playing partner Zach Johnson's birdie putt on the 17th hole Saturday, then overcame a wayward final tee shot to save par and keep the lead at the Colonial.

Slowed by two late bogeys, Dufner shot a 4-under 66 in the third round for a 15-under 195 total.

That put him a stroke ahead of Johnson, who shot 65 to set up what could basically be a match-play final group Sunday for the winner's plaid jacket. Tom Gillis was a distant third at 7 under after a 69.

Dufner, the winner last week in the Byron Nelson Championship about 30 miles away, is trying to win for the third time in five weeks. He also is trying to do something only Ben Hogan has done.

Hogan, Dufner's hero, is the only player to win both PGA Tour events in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the same year. When he did it in 1946, they weren't played in consecutive weeks.

The last player to win in consecutive weeks on the PGA Tour was Tiger Woods in 2009. Nobody won more than two tournaments last season.

Chapman leads by five at Senior PGA

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Roger Chapman shot a 7-under 64 to take a five-stroke lead into the final round of the Senior PGA Championship.

Chapman finished the day at 14-under par. John Cook began the round tied with Chapman for the lead, but couldn't keep pace with the Englishman and settled for a 69 to drop into second place at Harbor Shores.

Chapman's 54-hole score of 199 tied the tournament record set by Sam Snead in 1973, although Snead was 17-under when he set the mark.

Steve Pate had a 67 to join 66-year-old Hale Irwin at 7-under. Irwin made a triple bogey on the par-3 fourth, but played well on the back nine and shot 69.

Chapman beat Padraig Harrington in a playoff to win a European Tour event in Brazil in 2000, and that's pretty much the highlight of his resume.

He has never won on the Champions Tour. He made the cut in all 11 of his Champions Tour starts last year, but didn't have a top-10 finish.

Donald takes aim at world's No. 1 ranking

VIRGINIA WATER, England -- Defending champion Luke Donald remained in position to regain the top spot in the world ranking, shooting a 3-under 69 to take a two-stroke lead in the BMW PGA Championship.

The Englishman overcame windy conditions at Wentworth on a day when only three players broke 70, and Ernie Els criticized European Tour officials for the state of the greens on the course he redesigned.

Donald had an 11-under 205 total. He needs to finish solo eighth or better to reclaim the No. 1 position from Rory McIlroy. McIlroy missed the cut.

England's Justin Rose was second after a 69.

]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 23:51:38 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0377-BC-GLF-GolfCapsules-05-26-0657--4028160 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0225-BC-CAR-NASCAR-Charlotte-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-1503--4027854
CONCORD, N.C. -- Six hours and 600 miles is a long time to spend in race car.

So what do NASCAR drivers do when the stomach starts grumbling in the middle of Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the Sprint Cup year?

For Martin Truex Jr., grabbing a granola bar or two normally does the trick.

"I'll grab one under caution," Truex said. "The hardest part is we do have a head sock in our helmets, so it's tricky to get it up under the head sock. You have to put your knee on the wheel to hold it straight. You use one hand to pull the helmet sock up, and then use your other hand to stick the granola bar up in there. It only takes a few seconds."

Then Truex adds with a smile, "It's multi-tasking."

Truex normally keeps two granola bars in a pouch inside the door.

"There's a cup holder too for the drink bottle," he said. "We get those every once in a while during a pit stop."

Denny Hamlin said simplicity is key.

He likes to have an energy bar that has already been torn open, something he can quickly stick in his mouth when he takes off his glove during a caution lap.

"You always look for the least messy option as possible, no peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or anything," Hamlin said.

Carl Edwards used to have a snack box in his car but doesn't eat during any races anymore.

"You have to be careful about eating something when you're under that much stress and you've got the belts tight and everything," Edwards said. "You have to be careful what you eat even if it seems really simple. So I just don't eat during the race."

This is Danica Patrick's first Coca-Cola 600, so she's not quite sure what to do.

"Maybe I'll just put extra drink mix in my bottle," she said. "I managed OK in the 500 at Darlington, so hopefully that last hundred miles will not be too big of a deal."

Johnson's other car

Jimmie Johnson, one of the pre-race favorites for the Coca-Cola 600, will drive a different car today than the one he won the Sprint All-Star race in last Saturday night.

"It's hard not to bring back a car you just won with," said Johnson, who'll start third in tonight's race. "(But) with the short time frame and checking in and not getting the car back until Tuesday, it just wasn't possible."

Johnson said it's hard to duplicate a car's effort even though they're all constructed similarly.

Like people, each car has a different personality.

"It's just hard to get them exactly the same," said Johnson, who has won 16 races on 1.5-mile tracks, more than any other driver.

"As hard as you try, there are still always cars that respond better, work better and are easier to set up on the scale pads. They just respond to adjustments easier. We will find those even through the seat of the car and hang on to those for a long time."

Edwards left in the dark

Speaking of what car to run, Edwards doesn't know what car he'll be racing when he gets to the track each weekend.

That's by design.

Bob Osborne, crew chief of the No. 99 Ford, doesn't like Edwards knowing what he'll drive.

"When Bob and I started, I would have my favorite cars, and there have been times when I'd show up at the race track thinking that we were running a certain car, and Bob would have switched the car out and my attitude would change negatively," Edwards said. "I think he got tired of that, so he quit telling me what cars we were running."

For weeks Edwards kept asking. Osborne wouldn't tell him. Now he doesn't bother with the question anymore.

"There have been a number of times where we run really, really well, and the next week I'd say, 'Boy I really like this car. I'm glad you guys got it turned it around.' Then (the crew) would say, 'Well that's a different car,'ââ" Edwards said. "So Bob has done a good job of keeping me from having my favorites, and I think that's best for us."

Petty's guys up front

Richard Petty put both of his race cars in the front row for the start of the Coca-Cola 600, a huge boost for the organization.

But neither pole sitter Aric Almirola or Marcos Ambrose was among the top 10 in the early practice runs Saturday. Ambrose had the 11th fastest lap in the morning session and 13th in the afternoon. Almirola, the pole sitter, was 15th fastest in the morning and only 34th best in the afternoon.

Denny Hamlin was fastest driver in the morning practice turning a lap of 186.239 mph, while Brad Keselowski was the fastest in the heat of the afternoon at 183.692.

Gordon honored

The North Carolina Department of Transportation dedicated a section of Interstate-85 near the Charlotte Motor Speedway to honor the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon's on-track achievement as well as his contributions in the community, including the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation.

Gordon, who has 85 career victories, became the first non-North Carolina native NASCAR driver to have a road named in his honor.

"I'm going to have a big smile on my face because I travel on that road every week," said Gordon, whose race shop is in Charlotte. "Every time I see that sign, I'm going to smile and be very proud of this moment. ... Not every day you have an expressway named after you."

NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Dale Earnhardt and the late Benny Parsons all have state roads or highways dedicated in their names as North Carolina natives.

Temperatures rising

Temperatures are expected in the mid-90s for Sunday's race.

Gordon said that only complicates things for drivers.

"It's a challenging race on its own and then you throw the heat and humidity in there; plus how long this race is and it's definitely going to make for some big challenges," Gordon said. "There is still a little bit of daylight when this race starts which can beat the track up and makes for even more challenges on how you start the race out and how you're going to balance it out as the temps go down and night comes and the track changes."

Track repairs

Track officials had to repair a portion of the front stretch at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday morning after it got dug up by a practice for a rally cross race Friday night. The ramps used for jumps dug into the track's surface and left gouges.

The holes were quickly fixed and seemed to hold up well for the Sprint Cup practice sessions a short while later. Track officials are satisfied with the adjustments and don't foresee it being an issue for the Coca-Cola 600.

However, no ramps will be used in Saturday night's Global Rallycross race. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 23:51:33 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0225-BC-CAR-NASCAR-Charlotte-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-1503--4027854 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0211-BC-CAR-IndyCar-Indianap-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-0988--4027777
INDIANAPOLIS -- Susie Wheldon received a long standing ovation Saturday during the public driver meeting for the Indianapolis 500.

Dan Wheldon's wife accepted the "Baby Borg," a replica of the Borg-Warner trophy, on behalf of the two-time Indianapolis winner who was killed in a crash during the October season finale race at Las Vegas. Susie Wheldon held her 3-year-old son, Sebastian, while accepting the trophy, and she did not speak during the ceremony.

"Everybody knows how much he loved the Indy 500," said James Verrier, vice president of Borg Warner. "His image appears on the trophy for his victories for 2005 as well as last year, and he holds a remarkable record here at the speedway: Six top-four finishes in his last eight starts.

"I think we all know Dan would have been so excited to be here today to receive his second Borg-Warner award. But I also ask you to honor Dan by celebrating his life, his win and also to welcome his wife, Susie."

The 33 drivers in the field were the first to stand and were followed by fans in the stands for an ovation that lasted more than one minute and included cheers and whistles.

She was also presented with a plaque from The American Dairy Association to commemorate Wheldon's win last May. The award is a reminder of Louis Meyer, who originated the tradition in 1933 of drinking milk in victory lane.

The driver meeting was mostly ceremonial. Firestone Racing presented the winning car owner's ring to Bryan Herta, Steve Newey and Sam Schmidt, and CEO of Bridgestone Americas Gary Garfield remembered Wheldon's emotional celebration last year.

"I will personally always remember last year after he won the race, seeing his smile, the incredible energy he had was contagious," Garfield said. "That's the picture I will always keep in my mind as I remember Dan."

Four-time and defending series champion Dario Franchitti was presented with his champions ring during the driver meeting, and Josef Newgarden received his Indy Lights Championship ring.

"Josef's story is exactly what the road to Indy is all about," Garfield said. "Josef won the Firestone Indy Lights Championship in 2011 and that brought him to a full-time ride this year in the IndyCar racing series."

Indy 500 legend Andy Granatelli presented IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard with the "Unsung Hero" award, and praised Bernard for doing more to promote IndyCar in his 27 months on the job than anyone had done in the last 27 years.

After the 33 drivers were presented with their Indy 500 rings, race director Beaux Barfield closed the meeting by reviewing procedures for today's race.

"From my experience here, these guys totally rock, and I think they're going to give you a good show tomorrow," Barfield said.

]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 23:51:30 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0211-BC-CAR-IndyCar-Indianap-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-0988--4027777 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0201-BC-TEN-FrenchOpen-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-1426--4027730
PARIS -- As daylight disappeared and wind whipped loose dirt around the court, Novak Djokovic watched one last ace fly off Roger Federer's racket and end their thrill-a-minute semifinal at the 2011 French Open.

It's been nearly a year since that evening, and Djokovic hasn't lost a Grand Slam match since.

He's won 21 in a row, earning championships at Wimbledon in July, the U.S. Open in September, and the Australian Open in January. If Djokovic can prolong that run on the red clay of Roland Garros over the next two weeks, he will become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four consecutive major tennis tournaments.

A remarkable achievement, to be sure. And one the 25-year-old Serb is trying not to expend too much energy pondering before the French Open, which starts today.

"It would definitely mean the world to me ... but I haven't thought about that too much, because I do not want to put too much pressure on myself," the No. 1-ranked Djokovic said, then added with a laugh: "Pressure that I don't need at this moment, because I already have enough."

He insists he wants to view this tournament the way he would any year.

Federer's take? Essentially: Good luck with that, pal.

"The hard part is (the) same for everyone: Every point you play, every game you play, the pressure you face, and just answering the questions time and time again," said Federer, who twice fell one match shy of four Grand Slam titles in a row, losing in the French Open final to Rafael Nadal in 2006 and 2007.

"It's fun, because you're talking about the highest of accomplishments," Federer continued. "But at the end of the day, you just like to play the matches and not talk about it that much."

Nadal also went on a three-major winning streak - at the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open in 2010 - but fell short of No. 4, losing in last year's Australian Open quarterfinals while hampered by a left leg muscle injury.

He dismissed the notion that he came close to equaling Laver, noting that he was three matches away, and said his happiness quotient today doesn't depend on whether or not things went well in Melbourne 16 months ago.

None of the top three men is in action in Paris on Day 1. The schedule includes seven-time major champion Venus Williams in her first Grand Slam match since revealing she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease; past French Open champions Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova; reigning U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur; and past U.S. Open title winners Andy Roddick and Juan Martin del Potro.

Djokovic and No. 3 Federer will be on court Monday, while No. 2 Nadal is slated to begin his attempt for a record-breaking seventh French Open title on Tuesday.

"He is always favorite for this tournament. He even was last year," said Djokovic, who beat Nadal in seven tournament finals in 2011 but lost both clay-court finals they contested against each other this season. "Always No. 1 favorite, because he's just what he is on clay courts, you know. He's (the) most successful tennis player ever to play on this surface."

Federer agreed, saying it's "crazy to even talk about" anyone other than Nadal as the man to beat. Nadal, who turns 26 during the tournament, is 45-1 for his career at the French Open. The only man to beat him, two-time runner-up Robin Soderling, is not in the field this year.

"I played him so many times here," Federer said of the Spaniard. "I know how incredible he can be here."

He is 0-5 against Nadal at Roland Garros, including in the finals of 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011, when Federer failed to follow up on his masterful semifinal performance that ended Djokovic's 43-match winning streak.

Federer's only French Open title was in 2009, when Nadal's lone loss came in the fourth round. That allowed Federer to complete a career Grand Slam, something Nadal did the following year. Djokovic can be the eighth man to achieve the feat.

To do that, though, Djokovic will need to make it past the French Open semifinals for the first time.

And guess who he was drawn to meet at that stage? Yes, Federer again.

"I had the best year and a half of my career. I believe that I'm at the peak of my career at this moment," Djokovic said. "I definitely want to use this confidence that I have and try to make a good result here in Roland Garros." ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 23:51:26 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0201-BC-TEN-FrenchOpen-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-1426--4027730 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052712-USTA-Jasani-Feature--4027593
The USTA South Carolina Adult League Championships have returned to Aiken for the fourth consecutive year, and the action got started Saturday morning. It was appropriate that the Aiken men's 4.5 team - based out of Houndslake Country Club - was among the day's first participants.

Their 8 a.m. match kicked off play at the USC Aiken Tennis Complex, one of six area facilities hosting the tournament that runs through Monday.

Among the 600 players participating this weekend, one taking the court for the Aiken Area Tennis League men's 4.5 team was Rakesh Jasani. His name's familiar because Jasani's the head coach of the South Aiken High School boys' tennis team.

The 31-year-old Aiken native was on the AATL No. 2 doubles team that faced the Upper Piedmont Tennis Foundation squad from the Greenville area. Although Jasani and his partner - Mark Tatusko - lost their match, the Aiken men ultimately prevailed, 4-1.

"The boys played pretty good. They pulled us through," Jasani said of his teammates, who swept the rest of their matches and will return today for two more contests, scheduled to start at 8 a.m. and noon. "We still have a good shot at advancing."

Should they outlast today's opponents - and heat - the AATL men will advance out of their group. Then they'll play on Monday in the semifinals, and potentially the finals, of the state championship at H. Odell Weeks Tennis Center. The champion will move on to the USTA Southern Adult League Championships.

"The tournament is going well," Jasani said. "They keep coming back, and that's good for the city. The economic impact is great for the city, and I hope it keeps hosting. ...There's a good reputation for the City of Aiken."

Jasani's played in the tournament the past few years and has been fortunate enough to advance to the semifinals. He credits that to the AATL team remaining relatively intact and playing as a cohesive unit, something Jasani knows about as a player and as a coach.

In 2011, he led an experienced South Aiken squad to the Lower State finals. At the end of the recently-completed season, the Thoroughbreds overcame the loss of several seniors from the previous year and got hot. They returned to the Lower State final.

Unfortunately for the T-Breds, that was where they faced a veteran Aiken High team that relied on its experience in big matches to overcome a slow start and advance to the state championship. Jasani said he thinks it could be South Aiken that's playing for a state title next year. He expects to have his entire squad return.

"They're all coming back, and we'll have a couple new additions. We have a great shot to go all the way next year," said Jasani, who just completed his sixth year on the South Aiken staff and fourth as head coach. "The experience we got this year will help us; it goes a long way. We came up short against Aiken ... but (the players) realize what it takes now. There's enthusiasm and excitement there. I hope we have a couple titles in the next few years."

Jasani's participation in the USTA championships this weekend shows the advantage he has over the coaches of most other high school sports. While most football, basketball and other coaches used to play their sport - some at extremely high levels - almost none are still active in a league as organized as the USTA. Not only is Jasani still an active tennis player, but he's competing at a high level.

He said that fact isn't lost on his players. And if they do forget, he's quick to remind them.

"I always tell the kids, until they beat me, they have to listen to what I say," a smiling Jasani said. "I've been fortunate to stay healthy and am able to play at a high level. ... It adds to coaching. The kids relate to me as a player and a coach."

While he might be able to beat his players now, Jasani said he hopes they'll all get the opportunity to advance to the level where they can play in events like this weekend's championship. He credits the drive instilled in him during his days playing tennis for South Aiken as a key reason he remains active.

"It all boils down to competition. You don't ever lose that drive," said Jasani, who added that the high level of tennis currently being played in Aiken has prepared him and his teammates for more challenges. "It's fun playing the best in the state. Hopefully, we'll play the best players in the South, then hopefully, we'll play the best in the nation. That's what it's all about."

While optimistic about advancing as far as AATL can go, Jasani said he'll be busy playing tennis throughout the summer.

"Aiken's got such great tennis," he said, explaining that the quality of the facilities in the area have helped players - young and old - flourish. "Tennis is booming; it's got great host sites. The future is bright."

Noah Feit is a reporter for the Aiken Standard, primarily covering sports, and has been a professional journalist for more than a dozen years after graduating from Syracuse University.

USTA South Carolina Adult League Championships

Men's 4.5 Results

AATL 4, UPTA 1

* No. 1 Singles: Clayton Vaughters (AATL) d. Thomas Durchen (UPTA) 6-1, 6-3

* No. 2 Singles: Troy Freeman (AATL) d. Jonathan Rice (UPTA) 7-5, 6-2

* No. 1 Doubles: Jesse Farber and Pat Hare (AATL) d. Joe Beaton and Bill Cheek (UPTA) 6-2, 6-4

* No. 2 Doubles: Eric Edwards and Kenneth Alexander (UPTA) d. Rakesh Jasani and Mark Tatusko (AATL) 7-5, 6-1

* No. 3 Doubles: Stephen Baker and Larry McWilliams (AATL) d. Jason Foster and Trey Martin (UPTA) 7-6, 1-6, 1-0 ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 23:51:22 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052712-USTA-Jasani-Feature--4027593 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0527-clemson-baseball--4028350
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Starter Jake Davies allowed only two hits and one run in six innings pitched and added a two-run homer in the first inning to lead Georgia Tech to a 5-1 win over Clemson in the ACC Tournament in front of 3,272 fans at NewBridge Bank Park on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets, who won their bracket with a 3-0 record and advanced to Sunday's ACC Championship game, improved to 35-24 on the season. The Tigers, who finished with a 1-2 record in the ACC Tourney, fell to 33-26 in 2012.

Davies' two-out, two-run homer in the first inning provided all the runs the Yellow Jackets needed. Steve Wilkerson led off the game with a homer for the Tigers, but Davies combined with Alex Cruz to shut the Tiger bats down during the remainder of the game after Clemson had totaled 35 combined hits in the final two games of the regular-season series in Atlanta. Neither team scored a run after the third inning after Georgia Tech added one run in the second inning and two runs in the third inning.

Davies (1-3) earned his first win of the season. He gave up just two hits, one run and one walk with three strikeouts. Cruz recorded his second save of the season by pitching three scoreless innings of three-hit ball with two strikeouts.

Clemson starter Kevin Pohle (6-4) suffered the loss, as he surrendered six hits, four runs and no walks with one strikeout in two innings pitched. Scott Firth pitched 61âÑ3 innings in relief, allowing only four hits, one unearned run, and three walks with two strikeouts.

The Yellow Jackets took the game's first lead in the top of the first inning. Kyle Wren led off with a single through the left side on a 1-2 pitch. Three batters later with two outs, Davies hit a two-run homer to right field, his 13th long ball of the season and fourth of the ACC Tournament.

In the bottom of the first inning, Wilkerson led off with a home run to left field, his first career long ball.

Daniel Spingola lined a one-out double down the left-field line in the second inning and scored on Thomas Smith's double down the right-field line.

In the third inning, Brandon Thomas led off with a double down the left-field line and advanced to third on Davies' flyout to right field. Daniel Palka reached on a fielding error by first-baseman Jon McGibbon as Thomas scored, then Zane Evans ripped a double down the left-field line to plate Palka and up Georgia Tech's lead to 5-1.

In the seventh inning, Jason Stolz lined a two-out single to left field and Brad Felder laced a single to right field. Spencer Kieboom walked to load the bases, but Wilkerson grounded out to first to end the inning.

Dominic Attanasio led off the ninth inning with a single to left field, Clemson's first leadoff batter to reach base since the first inning. McGibbon reached on a fielder's choice to second as Attanasio was retired at second base. Stolz struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch for out No. 2, then Felder struck out swinging to end the game.

Evans went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI to pace Georgia Tech, who amassed 10 hits. Six of the Yellow Jackets' 10 hits were extra-base hits.

Five different Tigers had one hit apiece, including Wilkerson's solo homer to account for Clemson's lone run of the contest.

Clemson will await word from the NCAA Baseball Committee on the 64-team NCAA Tournament field. That announcement will be on Monday at noon and will be televised by ESPNU. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 23:51:18 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0527-clemson-baseball--4028350 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0509-BC-BBN-Nationals-Braves-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-0975--4026966
ATLANTA -- Rick Ankiel hit a two-run triple in Washington's four-run first inning, Ryan Zimmerman padded the lead with a three-run double in the seventh and the first-place Nationals beat the slumping Atlanta Braves 7-4 Friday night.

Right-hander Chien-Ming Wang (1-0) won in his season debut. He gave up one run in three innings after taking over for Ross Detwiler in the fifth.

The Nationals moved two games ahead of Atlanta in the NL East.

Ian Desmond had a two-run single in the Nationals' first inning. The Braves cut the lead to 4-3 before Zimmerman's bases-loaded double off Tim Hudson in the seventh.

Jason Heyward homered in the eighth, Martin Prado had two doubles and a triple and Matt Diaz drove in three runs with two hits for the Braves. Atlanta has lost five straight, its longest streak of the season.

Tyler Clippard pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts for his second save.

Wang entered the game after Prado doubled and Detwiler walked Dan Uggla with one out. Wang gave up a two-run double to Diaz, who was thrown out going for a triple. Wang allowed three hits and one run, on Heyward's homer, in three innings.

A left hamstring injury in spring training kept Wang out this season before he came off the disabled list on Tuesday.

The Nationals took a 4-0 lead off Hudson (3-2) in the first. Desmond's bouncing single up the middle drove in Bryce Harper, who singled, and Zimmerman, who doubled. Hudson hit Danny Espinosa with a pitch before giving up Ankiel's two-run triple to left-center.

Hudson recovered with five scoreless innings. He retired the first two batters in the seventh before walking Wang, giving up a double to Steve Lombardozzi and a walk to Harper. Zimmerman's three-run double to center field gave the Nationals a 7-3 lead and knocked Hudson out of the game.

Hudson gave up a season-high seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 6 2-3 innings. The four runs he allowed in the first inning topped the three he gave up in his previous three starts.

Braves third baseman Chipper Jones missed his seventh straight start with a bruised left calf.

Brian McCann missed his fourth straight start with flu-like symptoms but took over in the second inning after David Ross left the game because of a strained right groin.

Ross grimaced after moving out of the way of ball four from Detwiler. Ross walked to first base before leaving the game.

NOTES: OF Michael Morse, who has missed the first two months with an injured back muscle, is playing in extended spring training and is expected to begin a rehab stint at Class A Potomac on Monday. ... 1B Freddie Freeman, wearing new contact lenses, was back in the lineup. He missed Thursday's game at Cincinnati due to vision problems caused by dryness in his eyes while wearing contacts. He also was fitted for new sports glasses on Friday. ... Nationals ace RHP Stephen Strasburg will face Braves struggling LHP Mike Minor when the series continues on Saturday. Scotty McCreery, the 2011 American Idol winner, will have a postgame concert.

]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:42 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0509-BC-BBN-Nationals-Braves-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-0975--4026966 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052612-Aiken-Newman-Signing--4025842
Everybody makes mistakes. High school football players are certainly no exception to that universal truth.

It was Spencer Newman's ability to learn from his mistakes that allowed the former Aiken High School linebacker to sign a letter of intent to play college football.

"They liked my game film. They would see how I would mess up and then make a correction on the next series or play to improve," Newman said of Jireh Prep, the junior college in Matthews, N.C., that he signed with on Friday. "This is a blessing. It's something I've always wanted to do."

After a senior campaign that included 27 tackles, an interception and fumble recovery, Newman said several factors weighed into his decision. A big reason he picked Jireh Prep over other schools that had shown interest - including Southern Technical College and Southern Virginia University, among others - was the community.

Newman said he was pleased with what he saw, especially the environment among players. He was confident that Jireh Prep was a place he could concentrate on getting work done - on the field and in the classroom. Beyond that, it would allow him to improve in both arenas and be better suited to transfer to a four-year school.

"They just sent 16 guys to Division I, Division II and NAIA combined," said Newman, who is already considering Coastal Carolina, South Carolina State and Elizabeth City College as potential destinations. "Seeing guys go to other schools was a big reason (to choose Jireh Prep)."

Another reason Newman liked Jireh Prep was its location. Matthews is approximately 150 miles from Aiken, which is far enough for him to confidently embark out on his own but close enough for family and friends to watch him play.

At Jireh Prep, Newman intends to pursue a degree in criminal justice with a minor in music. He said a criminal justice degree would offer him a variety of jobs in the field of law enforcement. And taking courses in music is just what comes naturally.

"Growing up in the church, I've been playing music my whole life," Newman said. "I love music. I love it as much as playing football."

Football is the main area of emphasis for Newman at Jireh Prep. He said the Warriors' coaches have told him there are four linebackers on the roster, and he'll have the opportunity to compete for a starting position immediately. He said the coaches liked the versatility his speedy 6-foot, 190-pound frame offered and could potentially shift him to free safety.

Regardless of where he plays, Newman is focused on getting better to help his chances of playing for a four-year program.

"I want to improve on my game," he said, adding that he plans to try and add some bulk and improve his strength. "I want to learn from the coaches and players there and get an education."

Noah Feit is a reporter for the Aiken Standard, primarily covering sports, and has been a professional journalist for more than a dozen years after graduating from Syracuse University. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:38 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052612-Aiken-Newman-Signing--4025842 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0526-moseley-signing--4026105
Brandon Moseley doesn't know exactly what he'll be doing at Charleston Southern University next year. He's undecided on a major, and he could play any number of positions on the Buccaneer football team. But the one thing he knows for sure is that he'll be playing college football.

"It's pretty exciting for me," said the South Aiken High School senior, who signed his letter of intent on Friday. "I always dreamed of being able to sign somewhere, and now the dream has come true.

"It was the first college I ever really looked at, and I loved it," he continued, explaining his decision to head to CSU. "The campus was beautiful, and I like where they're going with the program. They have all new, state-of-the-art stuff, and it just felt like home to me. It's not too far away but also not too close."

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Moseley did a little of everything for the Thoroughbreds in 2011. As a linebacker, he recorded 18 tackles. As a fullback, he carried the ball 27 times for 82 yards, and he caught three passes for 38 yards as a fullback and tight end.

He also served as the T-Bred punter, averaging 36.5 yards on 39 punts.

It's that versatility that SAHS head coach Jeremy West believes sold Moseley to the Buccaneer coaches.

"He's a versatile player," said West. "He can play a lot of different positions, and he works hard at all of them. I don't know where they're going to put him. He can always punt, and he could play fullback or offensive or defensive line."

"I'll probably be a fullback/H-back type of player," added Moseley. "But I'll be whatever they want me to be."

CSU finished 0-11 under longtime head coach Jay Mills last year, but after a solid spring, the Buccaneers are hopeful they can get back to their winning ways. They won 17 games in three seasons from 2007 through 2009, and they've never been afraid to test themselves, going up against the likes of Florida State, Kentucky, Florida, South Florida and Miami over the last four seasons.

Moseley believes he can contribute to making CSU a winner again if he sticks with the plan.

"I just have to keep doing what I'm doing," he said. "I'm running every day, working on my conditioning, lifting weights, eating right and working on my grades. Those are the things I need to keep doing."

Moseley will join a couple of former Silver Bluff Bulldogs in Charleston. Benny Timmons played in three games and recorded a tackle last year as a freshman defensive lineman, and Bulldog defensive end Blake Robbins signed with CSU in February.

Moseley also added his name to an impressive list of South Aiken High School seniors that will be moving on to play college football this fall. David Roberson signed to play at University of Pikeville in Kentucky last month. Derrick West, LiCasio Bailey, Devin Schoultz, Decordre Johnson, Kendell Williams, DeAndre Jones and Rod Valandingham all signed to join the Southern Tech Academy program in Charlotte in March, and Josh Brown (Clemson) and Tarik Scafe (Benedict) inked their college futures on signing day in February.

"These kids have just worked hard," said West. "Coaches know if they get kids from South Aiken, they're going to work hard and do whatever they ask them to do."

Cam Huffman has been the sports editor of the Aiken Standard since November 2006. He is a Lewisburg, W.Va., native and a graduate of West Virginia University. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:34 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0526-moseley-signing--4026105 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0568-BC-HKN-Rangers-Devils-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-1160--4027031
NEWARK, N.J. -- Adam Henrique scored off a wild scramble in front at 1:03 into overtime and the New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to their first Stanley Cup finals since 2003.

The Devils will face the Los Angeles Kings in a series that will start on Wednesday here.

It's a remarkable comeback for a proud team, with three Stanley Cup titles, that missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 1996.

Henrique's series winner came after Henrik Lundqvist stopped Ilya Kovalchuk twice and Alexei Ponikarovsky. The last shot lay in the crease and Henrique, a rookie, tapped it home.

Ryan Carter and Kovalchuk also scored for the Devils, who blew a 2-0 first period lead.

Ruslan Fedotenko and Ryan Callahan tallied for top-seeded New York, which had a good flurry just before New Jersey scored.

Henrique, who is nominated for the Calder Trophy - given to the NHL's top rookie - skated away from the crease and jumped against the end boards in the corner as his teammates jumped off the bench and mobbed him.

The six Rangers on the ice just stayed down in disbelief and frustration. This was very much like Game 5, which the Devils won 5-3. New York carried the play after the first period and had a 35-29 edge in shots.

But when it came time for a game-deciding play to be made, it was a Devil who made it.

Henrique, who scored the game winner in Game 7 of the Devils' opening-round series against Florida, overcame injury to score this one. He seemed to take a stick from Brian Boyle in the groin area late in the third and had to leave the ice.

He felt no pain after the game winner.

All the Rangers could do was bow their heads and then line up for the traditional handshake after losing to their cross-rival rivals in a series that was close.

Ageless Martin Brodeur, 40, kept the Devils alive in the third. He stopped a power-play shot by Brad Richards, made a save on Artem Anisimov between the circles and used his stick to deflect a pass from the boards by Carl Hagelin in the final minute just before it got to Marian Gaborik on the edge of the crease.

Lundqvist's best stop in the third was on Dainius Zubrus on a shot from behind the circles.

Facing elimination and down 2-0 after 20 minutes, the Rangers found their game in the second period and tied the game at 2-all on goals by Fedotenko and Callahan in a roughly four-minute span.

Defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who assisted on both goals, made the big play to get New York back in the game. He collected the puck above the left circle, skated around the net and tried a wrap around. The shot didn't go on goal but it turned out to be a perfect pass to Fedotenko who a tap-in into an open net at 9:47.

Callahan, who had a goal go off his leg in the Devils' 5-3 win on Wednesday, tied the game at 13:41 when Dan Girardi's shot from the right point deflected off his leg into the open lower corner of the net. Callahan's sixth of the postseason was set up when Brandon Dubinsky won a faceoff in the left circle.

Carter, who scored the game winner in New York on Wednesday night after the Devils blew a 3-0 lead, put New Jersey ahead again at 10:05 of the opening period.

The play started with a bad pinch at the point by Rangers defenseman Marc Staal. Steve Bernier led a 3-on-1 and found Stephen Gionta coming down the middle for a solo chance against Lundqvist. The Rangers goaltender stopped the shot, but Carter swatted the rebound home for his fourth of the playoffs.

Kovalchuk's seventh goal of the postseason and fifth on the power play was a thing of beauty. All five Devils skaters touched the puck with tape to tape passes with Dainius Zubrus finding Kovalchuk alone low in the left circle for a shot that Lundqvist had little chance to stop.

NOTES: The Empire State Building's tower lights were lit in red and blue on Friday to cheer on the Rangers. ... Mogul and TV personality Donald Trump was at the game. ... Devils C Travis Zajac left the ice briefly in the second after being slashed on the left hand by the Rangers' Brandon Prust. No penalty was called. ... New Jersey is 4-1 in overtime in the postseason. New York finished 2-3.

]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:31 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0568-BC-HKN-Rangers-Devils-1stLd-Writethru-05-26-1160--4027031 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0352-BC-GLF-Colonial-2ndLd-Writethru-05-25-1312--4026632
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Jason Dufner lists Ben Hogan as his hero.

At Hogan's Alley, Dufner had the lead halfway through the Colonial with a chance for a Texas two-step that only Hogan has accomplished. Dufner had a bogey-free 6-under 64 on another windy day Friday to reach 11-under 129. A week after winning the Byron Nelson Championship, Dufner had a two-stroke lead over Zach Johnson - the 2010 winner who shot a 67.

The only player to win both PGA Tour events in the Dallas-Fort Worth market in the same year was Hogan in 1946.

"That would be great company to join, obviously," Dufner said. "To have anything compared to him or be talked in the same sentence with him is something that would be pretty unique and special to me."

With the way Dufner is playing these days, his game certainly is in a different class.

Both of Dufner's PGA Tour victories came in his previous three starts. He has led or shared the lead after 11 of his last 34 rounds.

"When I step to the first tee, I feel like I'm going to play a good round of golf. That's a nice way to play. It's a comfortable way to play," Dufner said. "I'm just trying to be confident and think about the things I've been doing for almost a year now, and realize that those are the things that are making me successful out here, and not get too caught up in everything else that's going on around me."

Johnson, who had an opening bogey-free 64, started the second round eagle-birdie-bogey. Then there was a four-hole stretch on the back nine when he alternated birdies and bogeys twice.

During the third round Saturday, Johnson will be paired with his buddy Dufner.

"He's got a good rhythm about him, about his game right now," Johnson said. "But it's irrelevant who I play with. I'm not playing against him. I'm playing against the golf course and the conditions and the elements that are presented. So that's my focus."

Two years ago, Johnson set the Colonial tournament scoring record at 21-under 259 en route to the last of his seven PGA Tour victories.

Van Pelt (64) and Tommy Gainey (67) were tied for third at 133, a stroke better than Tom Gillis (69).

Defending Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial champion David Toms shot a 71 and missed the cut at 5-over 145.

With the wind again blowing steady about 20 mph with higher gusts, Dufner stood in the middle of the fairway at No. 5, his 14th hole of the day. Dufner stepped back twice before changing clubs, then hit the approach to about 18 feet for his sixth and last birdie.

That is the end of Colonial's "horrible horseshoe" -- as Nos. 3-5 are known because of their layout and with the longest par 4s sandwiching a 243-yard par 3.

Dufner has played those holes 4 under through two rounds, and wasn't even aware of the trio's reputation.

"It's just a product of playing well and having good control of my golf ball," he said. "It doesn't really matter what holes you're playing."

Starting on the back nine, Dufner had two birdies, a 5-footer at the 166-yard 13th hole and 7-footer at the 363-yard 17th. He then birdied Nos. 1-3 for the second day in a row.

"I got off to a great start. ... I had a chance to catch Dufner, is he not hot right now," said Gainey, who opened his round with three consecutive birdies before bogeys at Nos. 7 and 8. "I got hot and then let a couple get away."

After Colonial, Dufner -- who got married between his two victories -- plans to take a short break before beginning preparations for the next major. The U.S. Open is in three weeks at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

The 35-year-old Dufner, who has moved up to 14th in the world, had consecutive weekend rounds of 75 at the Masters and tied for 24th after starting 69-70.

It was during the final round of the PGA Championship last August when Dufner had consecutive bogeys on holes No. 15-17. That cost him the lead and forced him into a three-hole playoff that he lost to Keegan Bradley.

"I think it helped me out a lot this year. It kind reaffirmed the things that I was doing was right, and I was on the right direction and right path," he said. "I didn't think too much about losing. I just thought about all of the good things that happened. ... I think at the PGA kind of showed me that I could really play at a high level."

Divots: Sergio Garcia, the '01 Colonial champ, followed his opening 66 with a 73. That included an 8 on the 387-yard ninth hole when he hit his approach into the water fronting the green, and then knocked his drop in there as well. ... Ben Crane (141), who lives just north of Fort Worth, finished his second-round 71 with an eagle at the ninth hole. He holed a wedge shot from 104 yards. ... Harrison Frazar missed the cut with rounds of 72 and 74. He still had a highlight Friday, a hole-in-one with an 8-iron at the 183-yard 16th. ... The last of 14 players to win both the Colonial and Byron Nelson Championship was Rory Sabbatini, at the 2007 Colonial and 2009 Nelson. When Hogan did it in 1946, the tournaments weren't played in consecutive weeks. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:28 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0352-BC-GLF-Colonial-2ndLd-Writethru-05-25-1312--4026632 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052612-Dammion-Pough-Feature--4024251
PELION -- It's a long way from Wagener to Chicago. But the 800-plus miles between them doesn't measure the length of the journey being taken by Dammion Pough.

After graduating next week, the Wagener-Salley High School senior will prepare to make that trip. He's committed to Chicago State University, where he expects to run for the track team. It will be the latest step for Pough, whose specialty is running the hurdles. That's ironic, because he's overcome several obstacles to get to this point.

He hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with his coaches. In spite of being a regular on Wagener-Salley's A/B honor roll, Pough didn't post the best score on a recent standardized test. Most significantly, he's had to deal with family turmoil.

When he was 10 years old, Pough said he was taken from the care of his mother - Patricia Garvin - because of issues she had relating to mental health problems. He lived with his aunt and uncle - Angela and Artis Seawright - who became his guardians.

"At first I was like, 'Wow. Why me?'ââ" Pough reflected of the turbulent time. "My uncle and aunt raised me to be a good young man. I thank God for what He's given me."

One thing Pough has is perseverance. It has helped him deal with his family struggles, although he's happy to say he has resumed living with his mother since October, which has forced him to assume more responsibility. The ability to weather a storm has also helped him endure rocky relationships with coaches.

"I've had so many people tell me I'm not going to college," Pough said. "I want to prove them wrong. I have a lot of confidence in myself."

Some of that bravado is well founded. Pough had a very strong showing for Wagener-Salley's track and field team during his junior year, when he set most of his personal bests in events including 110M hurdles, 400M hurdles, 4x100 relay, high jump, long jump and discus. He was named All-Region 4-A and helped the War Eagles win the region title.

He didn't have as much success this past season. Pough said he was hampered by foot injuries and bumped heads with a new coach. But that didn't keep colleges from inquiring after him.

In addition to Chicago State, Pough said he drew interest from North Carolina Central, Kentucky State and Weber State.

He also said he had contact with USC Upstate and was very close to committing to the Spartans. But his score on the ACT exam was a point below their minimum level, forcing the student whose GPA dropped from 3.3 to 2.9 this year to start over.

"I don't think grades are going to be a problem," Pough confidently said of admission to Chicago State and during his stay there. "I don't have anything to worry about as long as I hit the books and maintain good focus."

Fortunately for him, the coaches at Chicago State liked Pough and were looking for hurdlers.

"The 110 hurdles is my strongest event, but I'm good at anything with hurdles," said Pough, whose personal best in the 110 hurdles is 14.9 seconds. "The (Chicago State) coaches told me coming in, I'll be one of the best hurdlers on the team."

If things work out the way Pough hopes, track won't be the only team he's on at Chicago State. The former AAU player said he's hopeful of making the basketball team as a walk-on. He said the coach has encouraged him to try out, and if all goes well, he could become a two-sport standout.

"I'm ready for an adventure," Pough said of going to Chicago State, where he'll head in July.

"I'm looking forward to having great fun, staying out of trouble and being the best I can to help the team win a championship."

Pough said his ultimate aspiration is to be a professional in one of the two sports, but he's going to pursue a degree in graphic design. He's fascinated by video games and would like to learn more about how they're made and said the Chicago State program can help him go far in that field.

He's already come so far. In spite of his ups and downs, Pough is focused on making the most of his opportunity.

"It's good to go to college and do something with my life," Pough said, crediting his mother, aunt and uncle and former track coach Kevin Wright as being the main positive influences on his life. "I'm going to do something with my life rather than be on the streets and be a statistic."

Noah Feit is a reporter for the Aiken Standard, primarily covering sports, and has been a professional journalist for more than a dozen years after graduating from Syracuse University. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:25 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052612-Dammion-Pough-Feature--4024251 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0526-home-school-sports--4024660
A bill is moving through the state legislature that would allow home-school students to participate on groups and teams at public schools.

There's a glaring hole in this plan. There is great potential for fraudulent addresses from home-schooled athletes who want to play for a particular school.

I would hope every measure would be taken to prevent such shenanigans, but the responsibility of enforcing that would fall on athletic directors. At best, an overworked AD just might not look into a case thoroughly enough; at worst, schools just might let things pass or warp the rules so their teams are better.

From the perspective of the currently home-schooled child who just wants to be on the school track team, the issue seems like a wholesome enough idea. But what about the other perspectives? There would be no way to stop the unsavory characters that exist at every level of competition from finding a way to work the home-schooling angle to their advantage and create a super-team that practices all day at home during "classes."

Beyond fraudulent possibilities, why would parents of home-schooled children want them on public-school teams anyway? If you don't want your children in school with students and teachers who don't meet your standards, there's no reason to think their teammates and coaches will be any different. If you don't mind having your kid on a public-school athletic team with public-school coaches, there's probably no reason not to just put them in public school.

The real reason for this movement is a problem that plagues our society: No one wants to deal with the negatives of their decisions. They think it's the government's job to save them from those negatives.

People want to educate their children at home, keeping control of what their children learn and how they learn it; but they don't want their children to miss out on the other opportunities afforded to public-school students. Similarly, they don't even want to foot the bill for this private or home education - let the government help me pay that, too!

We enjoy high-school sports for the competition and the action, but the best part is that young people learn life lessons. Pull your weight, find your role and do the best you can. You can't do it all on your own, and you should be gracious whether you're winning or losing. These are all valuable bits of wisdom, gleaned from sports experience, that help mold contributing members of society.

So what will young people learn if this bill is passed?

It teaches them that things should always go their way. Decisions shouldn't have drawbacks, and, when you find that they do, get the government to erase them for you.

It doesn't matter that you might be taking the spot on the team away from someone who actually goes to that school and whose parents don't have the time to home-school them or even be home when they get out of school. It doesn't matter if your concession allows others to cheat to an even greater extent.

All that matters is that you don't have to deal with the cons of your actions, only the pros.

Jeremy Timmerman has a journalism degree from Mercer University and has been at the Aiken Standard since June 2010. ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:21 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0526-home-school-sports--4024660 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0526-Clemson-USC-baseball--4026837
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Jon McGibbon lined a three-run walkoff homer over the wall in right-center in the ninth inning to lift Clemson to a 9-7 victory over No. 1 Florida State in the ACC Tournament in front of 3,282 fans at NewBridge Bank Park on Friday afternoon. The Tigers, who moved to 1-1 in the ACC Tourney and won their third game in four meetings with the top-ranked Seminoles this season, improved to 33-25. The Seminoles, who fell to 0-2 in the ACC Tournament, dropped to 43-14 in 2012.

Florida State scored four runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Clemson scored a run in the fourth inning and two more runs in the fifth to narrow Florida State's lead to 5-4. A pair of two-out singles by Florida State in the top of the eighth inning gave it a 7-4 lead, but Spencer Kieboom's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning cut its lead to one run again. Two one-out singles in the ninth inning set up McGibbon's walkoff blast, keeping the Tigers alive for the ACC Tournament title.

McGibbon's walkoff homer was Clemson's second in ACC Tournament history and first since April 24, 1981, when Jimmy Key hit a walkoff solo homer in the 10th inning to give Clemson a 6-5 victory over Wake Forest in Chapel Hill, N.C. It was also the Tigers' 23rd all-time walkoff home run and McGibbon's second career walkoff hit. McGibbon's walkoff single in the 10th inning against Coastal Carolina on April 5, 2011, gave the Tigers a 5-4 win.

Freshman righthander Patrick Andrews (2-3) retired all four batters he faced with one strikeout to earn the win.

Robert Benincasa (4-1) suffered the loss, as he gave up four hits and three runs with two strikeouts in one innings pitched. The Seminole closer had been nearly unhittable all season. He had 13 saves while allowing only 16 hits and two earned runs in 32.0 innings pitched prior to Friday's game. Clemson had been 0-21 when trailing entering the ninth inning in 2012, while Florida State had been 38-0 when leading entering the ninth inning and 36-0 when leading entering the eighth inning.

McGibbon led Clemson's 11-hit attack by going 3-for-5 with a homer, double, four RBIs, and two runs. Kieboom went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Pohl added two hits and a run.

Clemson will take on eighth-seeded Georgia Tech today at 11 a.m. A Georgia Tech win would send the Yellow Jackets to the ACC title game on Sunday. A Clemson win and a Florida State win over Virginia today at 3 p.m. would send the Tigers to the ACC Championship game. A Tiger win and a Cavalier win over the Seminoles would send Virginia to the ACC title game by virtue of the Cavaliers' regular-season ACC winning percentage.

Today's 7 p.m. matchup is between No. 2 seed North Carolina and No. 3 seed NC State in Pool B.

Friday's other games

Georgia Tech 17, Virginia 4

Miami xx, Wake Forest xx.

Florida x, South Carolina x

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) -- Matthew Britton's single up the middle brought home the winning run in Mississippi State's 4-3, 10-inning victory over top-seeded LSU Friday in the Southeastern Conference tournament.

Mitch Slauter drove a one-out double to the center field wall for the Bulldogs (37-22), who had rallied with two runs in the ninth and face Kentucky Saturday for a berth in the championship game.

Reliever Nick Rumbelow came in to face Britton, who entered as a pinch-runner in the ninth and scored the tying run.

LSU second baseman JaCoby Jones made a diving stab for the ball but it bounced off his glove. Britton was hitting .149 coming in, but wound up getting swarmed by teammates.

Jonathan Holder (2-0), who hasn't allowed a run in 22 appearances this season, pitched around an error for a scoreless top of the 10th. Holder ran his streak of scoreless innings to 26-1/3 to break Bobby Reed's school record.

Florida will play Vanderbilt in one semifinal game today after Mississippi State and Kentucky play in the first one at noon.

Friday's other game

Mississippi State 4, LSU 3 ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:18 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0526-Clemson-USC-baseball--4026837 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0525-clemson-baseball
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- With two outs, the bases empty and trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning, No. 17 Virginia used a single, two hit-by-pitches, and two walks to score two runs in the frame and defeat Clemson 3-2 in the ACC Tournament in front of 3,331 fans at NewBridge Bank Park on Thursday. The Cavaliers, who moved to 1-0 in the tourney, improved to 37-16-1 on the season. The Tigers, who fell to 0-1 in the event, dropped to 32-25 in 2012.

Jon McGibbon's solo homer in the sixth inning tied the score 1-1, then Clemson took advantage of two Virginia miscues in the top of the eighth inning to score another run. But Virginia put together a two-out rally, as five straight Cavaliers reached base with two outs to allow them to score two runs.

Kyle Crockett (5-2), the second of three Virginia pitchers, earned the win. He allowed one hit, one unearned run and no walks with two strikeouts. Starter Branden Kline tossed seven strong innings, as he surrendered only four hits, one run and five walks with five strikeouts. Tiger reliever Mike Kent (1-2) suffered the loss, as he gave up two runs on one hit in 2âÑ3 innings pitched. Daniel Gossett, like Kline, was effective in a starting role. He yielded just one run 62âÑ3 innings pitched.

The Cavaliers broke through with the game's first run in the third inning. Branden Cogswell was hit-by-pitch with one out. Two batters later with two outs, Derek Fisher walked. Jared King followed with a line-drive single to left field on an 0-2 pitch to score Cogswell.

Clemson put its first two batters of the fourth inning on base when Jay Baum reached on an error and McGibbon singled. But Spencer Kieboom flied out and Jason Stolz lined into a double play to end the inning.

In the fifth inning, Steve Wilkerson led off with a walk and moved to second two batters later on Richie Shaffer's walk. With one out, both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, but the next two Tigers were retired. Clemson put nine batters on base in the first five innings, but failed to score.

McGibbon finally put the Tigers on the scoreboard in the sixth inning when he belted a solo homer to right field, his fourth long ball of the season.

In the top of the eighth inning, leadoff batter Brad Felder reached on a passed ball after striking out. Two batters later with one out, Felder stole second. McGibbon followed with a grounder to shortstop Chris Taylor, who booted the ball, allowing Felder to score the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the first two Cavaliers were retired. However, Brandon Downes lined a two-out single to right field, then Nate Irving was hit-by-pitch. After pinch-hitter Kenny Towns walked on six pitches to load the bases, Taylor was hit-by-pitch to plate pinch-runner Mitchell Shifflett and tie the score. Cogswell then walked on five pitches to score the go-ahead run in Irving.

Shaffer walked for the fourth time in the game with one out in the ninth inning, but Phil Pohl grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

King went 1-for-2 with an RBI and two walks to lead Virginia, who had only five hits, all singles. However, Virginia batters combined for eight walks and three hit-by-pitches. Stephen Bruno added a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. All three RBIs for the Cavaliers came with two outs.

McGibbon had a game-high two hits, including Clemson's only RBI on his solo homer. The Tigers stranded 11 runners on base.

Clemson will take on top-ranked and #1-seeded Florida State on Friday at 3 p.m. in the ACC Tournament. The Tigers' only path to the ACC Tournament Championship game is if Clemson wins its final two games and Virginia loses its final two games in Greensboro. ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:31:48 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0525-clemson-baseball http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-USTA-Aiken--4023603
For the fourth year in a row, South Carolina's tennis elite are coming to Aiken.

The approximately 600 players, participating on 60 teams, are on hand this weekend to compete in the state's USTA South Carolina Adult League Championships. The event, which runs Saturday through Monday, is scheduled to be held at six area tennis facilities - primarily at the H. Odell Weeks Tennis Center.

This weekend will determine championships of the top-rated adult league players (4.0-5.0). There will also be three Aiken-area teams vying for titles in the 4.0 and 4.5 levels.

"They're predicting hot weather, so we're looking for a hot tournament," said Mark Calvert, the head teaching professional at the Odell Weeks Tennis Center, who has successfully coordinated the USTA championships the past three years.

"The thing that makes (the tournament) special is how nice the facilities are and how nice the town is. I hear it over and over," Calvert said of the reaction he receives from participants and USTA officials.

According to a release from the USTA, prior to the inaugural tournament in 2009, players from across the state were skeptical of the event being hosted in Aiken. They quickly changed their tunes when they discovered Aiken had such a large, high-quality tennis complex and such dedicated volunteers working at the tournament.

Melanie Peebles, a player from Columbia, said she was impressed with "the huge number of courts, the nice restaurants downtown and the great playground beside the courts where I could take my daughter when I wasn't playing."

Now, the championships are looked forward to by players and volunteers alike. According to the release, USTA South Carolina director of leagues Mary Goins has been impressed by the Odell Weeks Tennis Center each year.

"The staff of the tennis center has been fantastic every year we've been here," Goins said, describing their ability to deal with issues ranging from extreme heat, rain and even sore losers. "They have been eager to go above and beyond everything we've asked of them."

"At the end, there's only one winner, so you try to accommodate the best you can so (the players) have a good experience, even if they don't win," said Calvert, who pinpointed the caliber of participants as one of the key ingredients to the tournament's previous success. "They have to win their local league championship to advance here. The players are the best from across the state."

He also said his staff and others running the event in Aiken play a pivotal role because of their hospitality as well as the quality of the facilities. Under Calvert's guidance, the Odell Weeks Tennis Center has been transformed from a few paved courts into an ideal site for USTA events. It has 10 clay courts and six hard courts. The clay courts are made of Har Tru materials and maintained with a Hydro Court irrigation system. Each court has eight Musco light fixtures. There's also a top-of-the-line pro shop.

"I'm so proud to have had the opportunity to work for the City of Aiken. This is by far the biggest event we do all year, and I'm proud of the city and the people," Calvert said of the championships, which will return next year and potentially beyond since he said he hopes to continue hosting it. "We have it again next year for sure and will bid again. ... USTA officials have said they're excited to come back, and all of the tennis players here love watching it. It's some of the best tennis that comes to the city. That's a good thing."

Noah Feit is a reporter for the Aiken Standard, primarily covering sports, and has been a professional journalist for more than a dozen years after graduating from Syracuse University.

AT A GLANCE

What: South Carolina USTA 2012 adult league tennis championships (4.0-5.0)

When: Saturday through Monday

Where: Aiken facilities hosting the event

* H. Odell Weeks Tennis Center^

* Houndslake Tennis Club

* Woodside Country Club

* USC Aiken

* Reserve Tennis Club

* Fermata Tennis Club

^The semifinals and finals will be held Monday at H. Odell Weeks Tennis Center ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:28:52 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-USTA-Aiken--4023603 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-hall-of-fame-burkhart--4023664
Former USC Aiken golf teammates Scott Brown and Dane Burkhart have shared countless memories on the golf course together, and they'll go into the USCA Athletic Hall of Fame side-by-side as the only two members of the Class of 2012. But their current lives couldn't be more different.

While Brown is playing his first season on the PGA Tour, Burkhart has turned his focus to other areas of his life.

"I decided last year after the tournament at Woodside on the eGolf Tour that I wanted to do something different," said the South Aiken High School graduate, who was the 2005 NCAA Division II Player of the Year. "A week to the day after that, we found out that my wife was pregnant. So the timing was perfect."

Burkhart left USCA after helping lead the Pacers to their third straight Division II national championship in 2006. He ended third all-time in career scoring for the Pacers with a 73.31 stroke average through 130 rounds. He finished the 2004-05 season with a 71.74 average, the lowest in school history, and he was the individual medalist at the 2005 national championship. A three-time All-America selection, Burkhart won six times as an individual during his college career, and the competition with his fellow Hall of Famer was a big reason for his success.

"Brownie (Scott Brown) and I had this love-hate relationship with each other in every tournament," he said, pointing out that after he won the National Player of the Year honor in 2005, Brown followed by capturing the award in 2006. "We were such fierce competitors. We were more concerned with trying to beat each other than anything else. That carried through with the rest of our team.

"I loved every minute that I was at USCA, and I learned so much from Coach (Mike) Carlisle."

Burkhart began playing professionally on eGolf's Tarheel Tour. He participated in 14 events in 2007, making 10 cuts and earning $20,687. The next year, he made 12 cuts in 15 events, taking home $27,228.

In 2009, Burkhart made 10 out of 16 cuts, his best a tie for second at the Columbia Championship. He took home $45,541 that season.

Burkhart played in only six eGolf events in 2010, making three cuts. Last year he made two cuts in six events.

During that time, the former Pacer also played events on the NGA Hooters Tour, trying to work his way toward the top.

"Every week was a good week," he said of his time as a professional. "I was getting to live the dream of playing a professional sport. I loved every minute of it. But everything that went along with it was tough.

"It was such a grind to travel, and I think that's something that anybody who plays professionally will talk about. It's a really tough life, and I knew what it was going to take to get to (the top) level. I just didn't have that drive."

So Burkhart decided it was time to spend more time with his wife, Keila, but how to make a living was another question.

"Really, all I've known for the last decade is playing golf," he said. "It took me a while to get in the swing of things and know what I wanted to do."

He first started a lawn care business, something he called his "second love," and then recently took a job with Carolina Outdoors, something he said he's really enjoyed.

Eight weeks ago, Keila gave birth to the couple's first child, a son named Asher Ryan, and now everything finally seems to be in place.

"I had wanted to be a father for some time, and it's been everything everybody said it would be," said Burkhart. "I can't believe how fast he's grown. He changes so much every day."

The good news got even better Wednesday, when, on his way to Charlotte for a Dave Matthews Band concert, Burkhart received the news from USCA athletic director Randy Warrick that he was now a Hall of Famer.

"It just made the trip even better," he said. "I'm really glad to be inducted the same time as Scott. We had such a good relationship and great teams the four years we were there together. To be inducted into any Hall of Fame is a great honor, especially USC Aiken, where we've had so many good athletes. What we did there is pretty special."

As much as he's enjoying his current career as a father, Burkhart isn't quite ready to completely give up the game that's been so good to him over the years. When asked if he missed competitive golf, his response was swift.

"Every day," he said. "I still want to compete in some respect."

Burkhart said he'll be eligible to regain his amateur status at the beginning of next year, and he is leaning toward playing future tournaments on that level.

"I had such a great time as an amateur golfer, getting to play in the U.S. Amateur and the Palmetto Amateur, and there are so many great amateur tournaments around here.

"Honestly, I always felt like I had a better chance of playing in The Masters as an amateur than as a professional."

He also may stay connected to the game from a coaching capacity. He spent the spring working with the Pacers as a volunteer assistant coach under Carlisle. Work responsibilities kept him away more than he would have liked, but he's hopeful he can spend more time on the course with USCA in the future.

"It's something I would love to do," said Burkhart. "I really love teaching golf, and I really love working with the college guys. It's something that I definitely want to have more involvement in over the next few years."

And he's confident that more national championships could be in the Pacers' future.

"The talent is there," he said. "They just need to get that taste of winning and put it all together. But they'll get there. There's no doubt they have the talent."

Two Hall of Fame coaches certainly can't hurt, either. ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:28:49 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/052512-hall-of-fame-burkhart--4023664 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0525-clemson-meeting--4024395
Clemson trustees met Thursday to discuss conference realignment, expansion and the ACC's new television deal. The board took no votes, rather discussed issues and separated fact from Internet rumors in a private session.

Board Chairman David Wilkins said Clemson has not been in contact with any conference about leaving the ACC but said if a viable option is presented to Clemson from another conference, Clemson would have a "responsibility" to study such a proposal.

There was no indication from Wilkins that there was a serious push from board members to explore leaving the ACC. Rather, the meeting was set to gather information in response to the volume of speculation that has occurred publicly regarding realignment scenarios.

Wilkins said no other meetings have been planned and one will only take place "if necessary."

"(The ACC) is our home, and we want to make it the best home," Wilkins said.

What can the conference do to make itself a better home for Clemson and other members?

Said Wilkins: "Win football games."

If the ACC can improve its football product, its new television deal calls for renegotiation opportunities in the fifth year and the 10th year of the deal.

Thursday's meeting was called in part because Clemson has been connected to the Big 12 in Internet rumors over the last several weeks.

When asked why the Big 12 would be a good fit for Clemson - the conference is not a geographic fit and would substantially increase Clemson' travel expenses - Wilkins told the Post and Courier specifics, like travel costs, in joining the Big 12 or any other conference were not discussed Thursday.

Fueling the speculation has been the Big 12's superior TV contract to that of the ACC, a deal which offers programs $3 million more per year in average annual value and the right to sell third-tier football games. It's also unclear if the Big 12 would welcome expansion.

ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a radio interview Wednesday he would be surprised if any ACC member left the conference.

"That is part of the world we live in, unfortunately," Swofford said of realignment rumors. "Consequently, what I pay attention to, and what we pay attention to in this league, are what is said from our presidents and their ADs, and quite honestly, I have talked to each of those presidents within the last 48 hours, and that's not at all what I'm hearing from our schools."

Clemson board members held a similar meeting last year when rumors had connected Clemson to the Southeastern Conference. And last year Clemson President James Barker and the board stated their commitment to the ACC, where Clemson is an original member. ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:28:34 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0525-clemson-meeting--4024395 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0484-BC-BBN-Braves-05-25-1427--4024483
CINCINNATI -- The beat-up Braves just wanted to leave.

Reds rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco capped a series full of homers with his first career grand slam on Thursday night, leading Cincinnati to a 6-3 victory and a four-game sweep.

Atlanta has played 16 of its last 20 games on the road. The Braves won nine of those first 12 road games, then fell apart in Cincinnati, where they hadn't been swept in a four-game series since 1980 at Riverfront Stadium.

"Oh, I'm so ready to go home," said reliever Kris Medlen, who gave up the slam in the sixth. "It's been a super-long month on the road."

Now, the Braves have their first four-game losing streak since they dropped the first four games of the season. They'll remember this one as four bad days in one of the majors' most homer-friendly ballparks.

In a free-swinging series, they couldn't keep up.

It didn't help that they were missing two of their top hitters. Third baseman Chipper Jones was limited to one pinch-hit appearance because of a bruised left calf. Catcher Brian McCann missed the last three games with an illness.

"They're definitely rolling right now," catcher David Ross said of the Reds. "They've got a lot of confidence. Their pitching staff is better than I think people give them credit for. And we're a little banged up right now, not 100 percent."

The Reds have won six straight, their longest winning streak since August 2010 when they started their push toward the NL Central title by taking seven in a row.

The teams combined for 16 homers - 13 solo shots - accounting for 21 of the 24 runs in the series.

Mesoraco connected after Medlen relieved Randall Delgado (2-5) with the bases loaded in the sixth. Drew Stubbs added a solo shot for Cincinnati.

Homer Bailey (3-3) gave up four hits in six innings, including Michael Bourn's two-run homer. Bailey got back-to-back wins for the first time this season, coming off a victory in Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

Logan Ondrusek pitched the ninth for his second save in three chances, giving up a pair of singles before getting a double play.

Cincinnati won the series opener with four solo homers, three of them in a row. Todd Frazier's solo shot in the ninth on Wednesday night sent them to a 2-1 win, the first game-ending homer of his career.

Frazier also doubled home the first run off Delgado, who gave up seven hits and three walks in 5 1-3 innings. Delgado hasn't won since April 17, going 0-5 with two no-decisions.

"I just thought that one inning unraveled on him a little bit," manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Cincinnati's third grand slam of the season provided the finishing touch.

Mesoraco, who hadn't homered since April 27, pulled a 2-0 fastball that stayed just inside the left-field foul pole. He walked a few feet down the line, holding his bat while watching to see if the ball stayed fair, then put his head down and rounded the bases on his fourth major league homer.

He wasn't the only one watching to see if the ball would slice foul.

"I was standing there (in suspense) just as long as he was," Medlen said. "I saw it was 10 feet to the right of the pole before it got there."

The 23,312 fans also made Mesoraco come out for a curtain call.

Bourn hit a two-run homer in the fifth off Bailey, his third homer of the series. He also had his first multihomer game during the series. Juan Francisco added a solo homer.

The Reds honored Jones before the game, presenting him with one of the bases as a memento of his last trip to Cincinnati. Jones plans to retire after the season. He got a standing ovation from the crowd after highlights of his career were shown on the video board.

NOTES: The Braves return home for a six-game series against Washington and St. Louis. The Reds conclude a weekend homestand with a weekend series against Colorado. ... Reds reliever Nick Masset made about 30 throws before the game, the first time he's thrown a ball while recovering from an inflamed right shoulder. He's scheduled to throw again on Friday. The setup man has been on the DL since spring training. ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:25:30 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0484-BC-BBN-Braves-05-25-1427--4024483 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/m1091-BC-BBC-SEC-SouthCarolin-05-25-0673--4024273
HOOVER, Ala. -- Adam Matthews went 3-for-4 with two RBIs as South Carolina built a five-run lead and then held on to defeat Auburn 5-3 Thursday in the third round of the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament.

The Gamecocks play either Florida or Vanderbilt on Friday. At presstime, Vanderbilt was leading Florida 2-1.

The loss knocked Auburn out of the double-elimination tournament.

Matthews had RBI singles in both the fourth and fifth innings, as South Carolina (40-16) jumped ahead 5-0.

Auburn (31-28) scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings to cut the lead to 5-3.

But Matt Price retired the Tigers in order in the ninth for his 10th save.

Michael Roth (6-1) picked up the victory, while Cory Luckie (2-2) took the loss.

The Gamecocks had a total of 13 hits in the game, with LB Dantzler, Grayson Greiner and Chase Vergason accounting for two hits each.

Justin Bryant was 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Tigers.

The Gamecocks' game today will be after the 3 p.m. contest between LSU and Mississippi State.

]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:25:27 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/m1091-BC-BBC-SEC-SouthCarolin-05-25-0673--4024273 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0492-BC-BKN-Heat-Pacers-1stLd-Writethru-05-25-1295--4024503
INDIANAPOLIS -- There was nothing soft about Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.

Wade scored 41 points, LeBron James chipped in 28 and the Heat finished off the Indiana Pacers, locking up a return trip to the Eastern Conference finals with a 105-93 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night.

The Heat wrapped up the best-of-7 series and will face either Boston or Philadelphia in the next round starting in Miami on Monday. Of course, nothing less than an NBA title will make for a satisfying summer in South Beach.

Two series down, two to go.

The Heat rallied from an early 11-point deficit, riding the hot hand of Wade in the opening half. He scored 26 points by the break, tying Tim Hardaway's 16-year-old franchise record for most playoff points in the first two quarters. James hit consecutive baskets with just over a minute remaining to close it out.

Next up, the Celtics or surprising 76ers. The Heat will get a much-needed chance to relax before worrying about the next opponent, which will be determined in a Game 7 at Boston on Saturday.

David West led Indiana with 24 points and all five starters were in double figures. But that balance was overwhelmed by Wade and James.

In a game of spurts, the decisive one came in the closing minutes of the third quarter, the Heat powering out their third straight impressive win after falling behind 2-1 in the series.

The Pacers tied it at 66 on Darren Collison's 3-pointer, but it was all Heat the rest of the period. They closed on a 13-3 run, capped by Mario Chalmers' buzzer-beating 3 from the corner. Wade, who was on the bench getting his customary breather at the end of the quarter, leaped from his seat as the ball left Chalmers' hand at the far end, raced along the baseline and pumped his fist when it swished.

As Chalmers raced toward the Miami bench, Wade greeted him near the free throw line with a low-five.

For the most part, D-Wade did his best work while in the game.

He dropped 11-of-16 shooting on the Pacers in the first half, but also made sure the MVP stayed involved, dishing off a behind-the-back pass to James for a thunderous jam.

Indiana clamped down a bit on No. 3 the rest of the way, but he still managed perhaps his most jaw-dropping basket. Darting into the lane, he threw up a wild-looking, one-handed shot that looked like it might go over the backboard, only to catch the top of the glass and drop through, barely touching the twine.

There was none of the nastiness that marked Game 5, when a bunch of flagrant fouls resulted in suspensions for two Miami players, co-captain Udonis Haslem and backup center Dexter Pittman. Pacers president Larry Bird was so disgusted with his team's performance that he accused them of going "soft."

This time, it was merely a Miami team on a mission, a mission that began in the summer of 2010 when the Heat signed James and Chris Bosh to join with Wade in a seemingly unbeatable Big Three. There was a glitzy introduction and predictions of multiple championships, which left the rest of the league seething and plenty of people cheering when Miami was knocked off in the NBA finals by the Dallas Mavericks last season.

Shaking off that disappointment, James had perhaps his greatest season yet. But it was Wade who took control in the decisive game against the Pacers, delivering the final blow when he split West and George Hill, banking in the shot despite taking a knee from Hill that sent the Heat guard tumbling to the court.

The Pacers simply didn't have enough to match the Heat, even with the Big Three down to the Big Two because of an injury to Bosh. ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:22:24 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0492-BC-BKN-Heat-Pacers-1stLd-Writethru-05-25-1295--4024503 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0404-BC-GLF-GolfCapsules-1stLd-Writethru-05-25-0543--4024322
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Zach Johnson shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Colonial.

Johnson opened his round with a 40-foot birdie putt on his first hole, No. 10. After blasting from a greenside bunker at No. 12 to save par, he had four birdies in a row on a day when gusty wind whipped through the big oaks lining the fairways at Hogan's Alley.

Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, is winless since his victory in the 2010 Colonial. That year, he shot 65-66-64-64 to finish at a tournament-record 21-under 259.

Jason Dufner, the Byron Nelson Championship winner Sunday, was a stroke back along with PGA Tour rookie Harris English, Tom Gillis and Kyle Reifers.

Chapman leads at Senior PGA

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Roger Chapman shot a 3-under 68 to take the first-round lead in the Senior PGA Championship at difficult Harbor Shores.

The Englishman is playing only his second tournament of the year after tying for 16th this month in the European Senior Tour's Mallorca Open.

John Cook was a stroke back in the major championship, and Steve Pate, J.L. Lewis, Jeff Sluman, Jay Haas, David Frost and Jim Carter followed at 70.

Bernhard Langer and Mark Calcavecchia shot 73. Fred Funk, coming off a victory May 6 at The Woodlands in the last Champions Tour's event, had a 74. Fred Couples and Tom Lehman shot 76.

Lawrie, Drysdale tied at Wentworth

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) -- Ireland's Peter Lawrie and Scotland's David Drysdale shared the first-round lead at 6-under 66 in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

England's Justin Rose was a stroke back along with Spain's Alvaro Quiros, Swedes Niclas Fasth and Richard S. Johnson and Wales' Jamie Donaldson in the European Tour's flagship event.

Second-ranked Luke Donald, the defending champion, topped a group at 68. Top-ranked Rory McIlroy had a 74.

]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:22:21 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/s0404-BC-GLF-GolfCapsules-1stLd-Writethru-05-25-0543--4024322 http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0525-pojah-draft--4023926
GASTONIA, N.C. -- Former USC Aiken men's basketball player Jeremiah Pojah was selected in the third round of the 2012 World Basketball Association Exposure League Draft by the Gastonia Gamers.

Music business mogul Leroy McMath founded the WBA Exposure League to educate, develop and expose talented players to the NBA, the D-League and International scouts. The WBA (headquartered in Atlanta) has served as home to hoop stars such as Jamario Moon of the Charlotte Bobcats, the Los Angeles Lakers' Josh Powell and Anthony Grundy, who played for the Atlanta Hawks.

The Gastonia Gamers are the newest addition to the WBA Exposure League, which features seven organizations in total, including the Gamers, in the Gwinett Majic (Buford, Ga.), Conyers Court Kings (Conyers, Ga.), Atlanta Blaze (Atlanta), Upstate Heat (Anderson), Mauldin Stars (Mauldin) and Rome Gladiators (Rome, Ga.).

Pojah ended his lone season in a Pacer uniform in the 2011-12 season starting 25 games. He played in all 29 USCA games.

Pojah averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He scored in double figures nine times this past season for the Pacers. He claimed two double-doubles.

Pojah joins a decorated list of former players under two-time Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year Vince Alexander who have gone on to play professional basketball. ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 00:22:17 GMT Sports News http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/0525-pojah-draft--4023926