WSU expected to get NCAA nod
BASEBALL: The Southeastern Conference leads the way with four schools – Arkansas, Auburn, Florida and South Carolina – selected as hosts for the NCAA Division I baseball tournament.
The Atlantic Coast Conference, with Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia, had three schools chosen Sunday as sites for the four-team, double-elimination regionals, which start this week.
Other hosts include Arizona State, Cal State Fullerton, Coastal Carolina, Connecticut, Louisville, Oklahoma, Texas, TCU and UCLA.
The 64-team field will be announced today at 9:30 a.m. on ESPN, with Washington State expecting to be one of the teams chosen. The Cougars wrapped up the regular season with an 11-1 loss to UCLA on Sunday. Derek Jones scored the Cougars’ run on a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning. WSU (34-20, 15-12 Pac-10) took third in the Pac-10.
Rays become Blackhawks fans
BASEBALL: Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon received an assist from the Chicago Blackhawks for a hockey-themed road trip.
Several times each season the Rays hit the road with a different team dress plan, and Maddon decided that wearing hockey sweaters was the perfect idea for the flight to Toronto on Sunday.
When the Stanley Cup finalist Blackhawks heard about Maddon’s plan, they offered free red home jerseys for the entire team, which most accepted.
Maddon called the Blackhawks’ participation “cool” and that the whole matter is “all in fun.”
Associated Press
Ching’s week one to forget
SOCCER: Brian Ching had a frustrating week, to say the least.
The former Gonzaga standout was snubbed from the U.S. national team’s World Cup roster on Wednesday, and his return to the Houston Dynamo was spoiled on a last-minute goal by Philadelphia on Saturday.
Ching, who scored his first goal of the season in the 52nd minute against the Union, was only concerned about the Dynamo afterward. He didn’t even mentioned being left off the World Cup squad.
“I am extremely disappointed,” Ching said earlier in the week. “I worked very hard to put myself into a good position, and that’s all I could have done.”
Injuries played a role in why Ching was left off the U.S. roster. He strained his left hamstring in the Dynamo’s home opener April 1, and strained his left calf during recovery.
Associated Press