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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Digest: Mexican soccer star Alan Pulido kidnapped in border state

From staff and wire reports

Federal and state forces mounted an operation on Sunday in Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, to find kidnapped Mexican soccer star Alan Pulido, who was abducted in the crime-plagued northern border state of Tamaulipas.

The 25-year-old Pulido is a forward for Olympiacos of Greece and was part of Mexico’s 2014 World Cup team, though he wasn’t called up for the Copa America tournament that starts this coming week.

The Tamaulipas Coordination Group that includes federal and state security agents said on its Twitter account that it was hunting for the player. Reporters in the city saw an unusual deployment of troops and police in the streets, while at least two police or military-style helicopters flew overhead.

A state official said Pulido was kidnapped early Sunday after leaving a party near his hometown of Ciudad Victoria, the capital of a state that has suffered battles between major drug gangs. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss a case under investigation.

Authorities have not given more details about the kidnapping or its motive.

He debuted and played several seasons with the club Tigres of Monterrey, whose Twitter account expressed solidarity with the player’s family “in the difficult situation they are experiencing.”

Pulido left Tigres in 2014 to play in Europe, though he has been in a dispute with the Mexican club about whether his contract there continues to be valid. National team coach Carlos Osorio recently said Pulido has the quality to be on the squad, but was left off due to the legal dispute.

In the most recent season, he scored five times in eight appearances with Olympiacos.

Nibali wins 2nd Giro d’Italia title and 4th Grand Tour

Cycling: Riding a completely pink bicycle and patting his teammates, home favorite Vincenzo Nibali clinched a second Giro d’Italia victory and a fourth Grand Tour title in Turin, Italy, but Giacomo Nizzolo’s hopes of a first stage win were again dashed as he was disqualified.

Nibali’s chances of repeating his 2013 feat seemed impossible on Friday – as he started the stage nearly five minutes behind leader Steven Kruijswijk – before a dramatic two days in the 99th edition of the Italian classic saw the Astana cyclist surge into the lead, helped by the Dutch rider’s crash into a snowbank.

“It’s been an extremely difficult Giro but there is great joy now,” Nibali said. “It was a beautiful emotion for the whole route, then coming into this circuit, with this enormous crazy crowd … I’m speechless.

Sunday’s final leg, a flat 163-kilometer (101-mile) route from Cuneo to Turin, should have been mostly a coronation procession but it was also not short of drama – although this time not in the overall standings.

With several crashes and the rain falling heavily, the race was neutralized and Nibali knew he just had to finish safely to secure the pink jersey.

And a few meters short of the finish line, he acknowledged his achievement, patting his teammates on the back and bumping fists with them before sitting up in his saddle, pulling down the jersey to show it off fully and then lifting his arms into the air.

Nibali finished with a total time of 86 hours, 32 minutes and 49 seconds, 52 seconds ahead of Esteban Chaves.

Alejandro Valverde was third, 1.17 behind Nibali, with Kruijswijk finishing outside the podium, nearly two minutes off the pace.

It appeared to be a double celebration for Italy as Nizzolo, so often the Giro’s nearly man, sprinted to victory but he was declassified after the race jury reviewed the sprint and judged he had veered into the line of Sacha Modolo, impeding his compatriot.

The win was awarded to Nikias Arndt with Matteo Trentin second and Modolo third.

Canadians Warner, Theisen-Eaton win Hypo Meeting in Austria

Track and Field: Canadian decathlete Damian Warner held on to his first-day lead to win the Hypo Meeting on Sunday in Goetzis, Austria, while fellow Canadian Brianne Theisen-Eaton set this year’s best mark in the women’s heptathlon.

Warner, who also won here three years ago, finished on 8,523 points and beat Kevin Mayer of France by 77. Last year’s winner Kai Kazmirek of Germany was 205 points back in third.

Leading Kazmirek by just seven points after Saturday’s five events, Warner easily won the 110 hurdles in 13.72 seconds to extend his lead to 76.

While the German dropped to third, Mayer reduced the gap in each of the following three events in difficult conditions due to wind and rain, which forced organizers to suspend the pole vault for half an hour.

Warner finally secured victory by finishing ahead of the Frenchman in the concluding 1,500 meters.

“It was important to win,” the world silver medalist said. “It was difficult but it was an important learning experience with a lot of ups and downs.”

Theisen-Eaton won the women’s competition of the Hypo Meeting for a third time. After also triumphing in 2013 and last year, the world silver medalist gathered 6,765 points.

Theisen-Eaton won one of the seven events – the long jump with a 6.56-meter effort – and remained 43 points short of her personal best mark she set while winning here last year.

The Canadian finished 143 points clear of Laura Ikauniece-Admidina of Latvia. Carolin Schaefer of Germany was 208 points back in third after reaching her personal best score of 6,557, while 2014 winner Katerina Johnson-Thompson of Britain, who was second after the opening day, dropped to sixth with 6,304.

Ivona Dadic set an Austrian record of 6,196 points but still remained four points short of the qualifying limit for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Shortstop in 1st women’s pro baseball league dies at 90

Baseball: A member of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that was immortalized in the 1992 film “A League of Their Own” has died. Lucille “Lou” Richards was 90.

Jon Richards tells The Associated Press that his mother died May 20 at the Cape Royal Nursing and Rehab Facility in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. He says she died of complications from hydrocephalus.

She was a shortstop for the Racine Belles and the South Bend Blue Sox in 1945 as part of the first women’s professional baseball league.

The former Lucille Stone grew up in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood and was an avid Red Sox fan.

She coached for the Holbrook Little League Rotary Club baseball team for 25 years.

She is survived by her son, her sister and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Grizzlies announce David Fizdale as their new coach

NBA: The Grizzlies hired David Fizdale as their new coach and will introduce him in Memphis, Tennessee, at a news conference on Tuesday.

The hiring was first reported on Thursday by The Associated Press and others. The Grizzlies did not disclose terms, but Yahoo! Sports reported Fizdale agreed to a four-year contract.

General manager Chris Wallace said in a statement that the Grizzlies are confident Fizdale is the right person to help Memphis build on its success.

Fizdale has spent the past eight years with the Miami Heat, the past two as assistant head coach to Erik Spoelstra.

The new Grizzlies coach says he feels fortunate to have worked with some of the NBA’s greatest coaches and players and believes he’s ready for the challenge of being a head coach.

North Carolina wins women’s lacrosse championship

Lacrosse: Aly Messinger and Megan Ward led North Carolina to its second NCAA women’s lacrosse championship in four years, 13-7 over Maryland at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Messinger tied her career high with six points with two goals and four assists, and Ward made a career-high 14 saves for North Carolina. The Tar Heels closed with a school-record 17 straight victories to finish at 20-2 – also a club record for victories in a season.

Molly Hendrick scored three times, Carly Reed had two goals and two assists, Ela Hazar added two goals and an assist, Sammy Jo Tracy also had two goals, and Marie McCool had a goal and two assists.

Maryland (22-1) had won 26 straight games.

Megan Whittle led Maryland with three goals, and Caroline Steele had two.