Fast Break
Women’s basketball
GU’s Vandersloot invited to trials
Gonzaga University sophomore Courtney Vandersloot is one of 29 players who has accepted invitations to participate in the USA Women’s World University Games Team Trials.
Vandersloot enjoyed a big sophomore season as the West Coast Conference Player of the Year and the WCC Tournament Most Valuable Player. She averaged 7.5 assists per game, third most in the nation. She becomes the first women’s player in Zags history to earn an invite to a USA Team Trial.
Junior Heather Bowman also received an invitation but had to decline because of a torn labrum in her shooting shoulder a week before the WCC tournament.
The USA roster includes 29 of the nation’s best college athletes who will contend for one of 12 roster spots on the 2009 USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team.
Trials to select finalists will be held May 14-17 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Auto Racing
Martin chooses full 2010 season
Mark Martin will drive a full Sprint Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports in 2010.
The 50-year-old Martin signed a two-year contract with Hendrick last summer, but the second year originally was to be a partial schedule. It will be Martin’s 22nd full season at NASCAR’s top level.
He will keep his seat in the No. 5 Chevrolet.
Martin drove that car to a win at Phoenix last month that made him the third-oldest NASCAR winner in history.
Martin’s decision likely will affect Brad Keselowski’s future with the team. Keselowski, who has a developmental deal with Hendrick, wants to race a full Cup schedule in 2010, but Hendrick does not have an open seat available.
In his fifth career start, Keselowski got his first Cup win two weeks ago at Talladega.
Prep baseball
Every out is strikeout
Rogers High School senior Jake Partridge pitched a five-inning no-hitter, recording all 15 outs himself on strikeouts, in an 11-1 Greater Spokane League victory over visiting North Central.
Partridge gave up two walks.
A wild pitch brought in North Central’s only run in the fourth inning. The runner had reached third after a walk and throwing error.
Jake Campbell and Mark Douglas supported Partridge with two RBIs apiece.
A Rogers run in the bottom of the fifth ended the game because of the 10-run rule.
Except for the Lewis and Clark-East Valley game, the rest of the GSL baseball schedule was rained out.