Martin signs deal with Bucs

Football: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed first-round pick Doug Martin to a five-year contract.

The Boise State running back was the 31st selection in the draft and is expected to share the workload as a rookie with third-year pro LeGarrette Blount.

Martin rushed for 3,431 yards and 43 touchdowns while averaging more than five yards per carry. He also had 67 receptions for 715 yards and four TDs.

He ran for 1,290 yards and 16 TDs as a senior at Boise State, capping his career with a school-record 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas.

Blount rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a rookie two years ago but has yet to develop into the type of every-down running back that first-year coach Greg Schiano seeks for his offense.

Associated Press

Whits 8th in last baseball poll

Baseball: After a stunning run to the NCAA Division III World Series, Whitworth is ranked 8th in the final 2012 D3baseball.com/ NCBWA Top 25 poll, which was released Monday.

Until this final poll of 2012 the Pirates had never received a single vote for any Top 25 baseball poll as a member of Division III.

Whitworth finished the season 31-16-1 and in sixth place at the NCAA Division III World Series.  The Bucs went 1-2 with a win over 5th-ranked Christopher Newport and losses to eventual champion and top-ranked Marietta and fourth-ranked SUNY Cortland.

Whitworth advanced to the DIII baseball finals after winning the McMinnville Regional as the No. 3 seed.  The Pirates broke the previous school record for wins in a single season (26) set in 1989.