TheSunNews.com: Sports

Chants headed to Columbia for NCAA regional play along with South Carolina and Clemson

Mon, 28 May 2012 23:49 EDT

The assembled crowd of Coastal Carolina baseball players, coaches and supporters inside Handley’s Pub and Grub in Carolina Forest on Monday let out a loud response when it was flashed on the ESPNU broadcast that the Chanticleers would be sent to Columbia for NCAA regional play. And then another boisterous reaction followed as it was revealed that the Chants would open that regional against Clemson.

Yes, the state’s three preeminent baseball programs will all be battling for one spot in the super regionals as they open NCAA tournament play Friday at Carolina Stadium.

Coastal (41-17), which is making its 11th NCAA regionals appearance in the last 12 years, is the No. 3 seed in the four-team double-elimination regional and takes on No. 2 Clemson (33-26) at noon Friday. Host South Carolina (40-17), the two-time defending national champion, opens with No. 4 Manhattan (33-25) at 4 p.m.

Johnson has catching up to do on PGA Tour

Mon, 28 May 2012 20:09 EDT

Coastal Carolina alumnus and former Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson returns to action this week at the Memorial Tournament, and he has some catching up to do.

Inactive since the WGC-Cadillac Championship that concluded March 11 because of a back injury, Johnson has fallen down some significant lists.

In seven PGA Tour events – the tour leader in events has played in 19 – Johnson has fallen to 64th on the 2012 money list with $735,410 earned, 77th in FedEx Cup Points, 20th in the Official World Golf Ranking, and perhaps most importantly, 24th in U.S. Ryder Cup Team points.

Waccamaw’s Brown ready to ride for foundation

Mon, 28 May 2012 18:40 EDT

Waccamaw tennis coach James Brown is taking his charitable bike rides to another level.

Brown, who last year rode 1,400 miles from Dallas to Murrells Inlet, is about a week away from commencing a six-seven week, cross-country journey. On Friday, he and his wife, Sonja, will drive to Huntington Beach, Calif. There, on Wednesday, he will hop on his road bike and start the 2,600 miles back to the Grand Strand.

It’s all in the name of the Ashley G. Foundation, the organization named for former Warriors tennis player Ashley Gaines.

Hendrick teams on fire with three straight wins

Mon, 28 May 2012 18:55 EDT

Rick Hendrick says he made a mistake last year, something the owner’s teams haven’t done much lately.

Hendrick acknowledged he added pressure to his programs when he spoke of win No. 200 so soon after Jimmie Johnson collected the 199th victory at Kansas last October. Then came the lost chances and missed opportunities that stung Hendrick’s four teams until Darlington Raceway earlier this month, when Johnson earned the milestone win.

Since then, the Hendrick cars have been unstoppable. Johnson won the NASCAR All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway last week before Kasey Kahne won his first race with Hendrick in Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans scores early, holds on late for win over Potomac Nationals

Mon, 28 May 2012 21:46 EDT

Last night at the ballpark

Pelicans 3, Nationals 2

Game recap | Myrtle Beach lead the whole game behind Cody Buckel. The Pelicans scored runs in the second, fourth and seventh innings to have a 3-0 lead. Potomac wouldn’t be deterred as they scored a run in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings to make it an interesting ballgame.

Top-seed Azarenka survives first round scare of French Open

Mon, 28 May 2012 19:47 EDT

Only 22, just recently a Grand Slam champion and ranked No. 1 for the first time, Victoria Azarenka is still learning to think like a top player.

So trailing by a set and one point from being down 5-0 in the second at the French Open on Monday, Azarenka’s mind was filled with “a mix of things.”

“Sometimes I felt it was not my day,” she explained. “Sometimes I thought, `Yeah, maybe I still fight, I still have a chance.’ Sometimes it was like, `You know what? Forget it. I don’t want to do it.“’

Online exclusive | Team O’Neill to attend Mets-Yanks before Belmont

Mon, 28 May 2012 20:57 EDT

At first, Doug O’Neill thought his prank caller pal Mark was at it again.

So when the trainer of Triple Crown hopeful I’ll Have Another was told Jessica Steinbrenner was on the line the other day, O’Neill wasn’t buying it.

“OK, Mark, what’s going on?” he said into the phone, only to hear the voice on the other end reply. “No, this is really Jessica.”

Kahne endures Coca-Cola 600, winds up in Victory Lane

Sun, 27 May 2012 22:52 EDT

Kasey Kahne powered to victory in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, taking NASCAR's longest race for the third time for his first win with Hendrick Motorsports.

Kahne also gave car owner Rick Hendrick his 201st Sprint Cup series victory.

Kahne crossed the finish line nearly 5 seconds ahead of Denny Hamlin. Kyle Busch was third and series points leader Greg Biffle fourth.

Franchitti wins Indianapolis 500 for third time

Sun, 27 May 2012 19:29 EDT

Dan Wheldon couldn't win his third Indianapolis 500. Dario Franchitti did it for him.

And if it wasn't going to be Franchitti, then it would be Scott Dixon. Maybe even Tony Kanaan.

No matter what, one of Wheldon's best buddies was going to Victory Lane.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans get just enough to win rubber game over Wilmington Blue Rocks

Sun, 27 May 2012 22:05 EDT

Despite getting only four innings from starter Wilmer Font, Myrtle Beach was able to get ahead early and keep the lead as the Pelicans downed the Wilmington Blue Rocks 3-1 on Sunday at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

“I hate to see it as a manger that we sit on a lead,” Pelicans manager Jason Wood said. “Luckily we had a good defense behind our pitching staff tonight to maintain the lead. As a manger, you want to get a lead and tack on to it but we didn’t do that tonight.”

Wilmer Font didn’t factor in the decision. He struck out five, walked six and gave up one unearned run on two hits in four innings.

Five ACC squads to host NCAA baseball regionals

Sun, 27 May 2012 18:09 EDT

Florida State is opening the NCAA Division I baseball tournament at home – as usual.

The Seminoles, ranked No. 1 a few weeks this season, are hosting a regional for the 29th time. Florida State (43-15) joins four other Atlantic Coast Conference schools selected Sunday as host sites for the 64-team tournament that starts Friday.

Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Virginia also are hosts from the ACC, which also had a tournament-high five schools selected last year.

Roddick bounced on Day 1 of French Open

Sun, 27 May 2012 17:14 EDT

Six major champions made their way through the first round of the French Open on Sunday’s opening day. One didn’t – Andy Roddick.

Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, recovered from a slow start to beat 19-year-old Paula Ormaechea of Argentina 4-6, 6-1, 6-3. It was her first match at a major tournament since revealing she had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.

The 31-year-old Williams, a former top-ranked player who is now No. 53, is 12-4 this season. She pulled out of the U.S. Open last August before her second-round match, saying she had Sjogren’s syndrome, a condition that can cause fatigue and joint pain. She returned to the tour in March.

Georgetown Post 114 takes third place in Florence American Legion tournament

Sun, 27 May 2012 20:52 EDT

• Georgetown (Post 114) 13, Cheraw (Post 62) 10 | At West Florence, Alex McElwee hit a home run and had four RBIs as the Bulldogs took third place in the Florence Post 1 Invitational.

Cheraw	0	3	0	2	4	1	0	–	10	11	7
Georgetown	4	6	0	0	3	0	x	–	13	9	6

• W–Trevor Newbauer (1-0). L–Moe Brantley (0-1). S–Austin Smith (1). Top hitters – Cheraw: Sam Davis 2-4 2 HRs, 4 RBIs; Jack Chandler 2-3 2 RBIs. Georgetown: Alex McElwee 3-4, HR, 4 RBIs; Logan Caulder 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2 runs.

Mississippi State wins SEC title, 3-0 over Vandy

Sun, 27 May 2012 21:02 EDT

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) – Ross Mitchell helped Mississippi State continue its torrid pitching and claim the Southeastern Conference tournament title with a 3-0 win over Vanderbilt on Sunday.

The Bulldogs (39-22) ride a hot streak into the NCAA regionals, having won eight of their last nine games after league coaches picked them to finish fifth in the SEC West. It's Mississippi State's seventh SEC tournament title and first since 2005.

The overflow crowd of 12,526 was mostly decked out in Mississippi State maroon.

I’ll Have Another taking unconventional path to Triple Crown bid

Sun, 27 May 2012 17:59 EDT

Trainer Doug O’Neill is taking an unconventional path to a Triple Crown bid by using a series of strong gallops rather than formal workouts to prepare I’ll Have Another for the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

“There will be a lot of days when I’ll Have Another, strictly galloping, will pass a lot of workers,” O’Neill said Sunday morning after taking a red-eye flight from his West Coast base and being reunited with his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.

The last three Triple Crown champions, Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978), all drilled at least one mile in preparation for the 11/2-mile “Test of the Champion.” The Belmont is the longest of the Triple Crown races.

Chapman holds on to win Senior PGA Championship

Sun, 27 May 2012 19:24 EDT

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. Roger Chapman won the Senior PGA Championship, holding on for a two-stroke victory after leading comfortably throughout the final round Sunday.

Chapman led by five after 54 holes and was never really threatened Sunday. His closing 1-over 72 was his worst score of the tournament – but it was enough to give the Englishman a win at the major championship.

Chapman, who had never won on the Champions Tour, finished at 13 under. He bogeyed three of the last five holes but had enough of a cushion that it didn’t matter.

Coastal Carolina baseball wins sixth straight Big South tournament title

Sun, 27 May 2012 17:14 EDT

These aren’t the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers of years past who could lean on dominant starting pitching, or who could overpower opponents with a stacked offensive lineup. But these Chants have found their way nonetheless.

Coastal won its sixth straight Big South tournament championship Saturday, relying on a relentless bullpen effort to once again lead the charge on the way to a 4-1 victory over Liberty at Williard Stadium.

And with that, the reign continued.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans offense stifled by Wilmington Blue Rocks

Sat, 26 May 2012 22:45 EDT

The Myrtle Beach offense provided little support as the Pelicans fell to the Wilmington Blue Rocks 2-0 on Saturday at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

Pelicans starter Kyle Hendricks picked up the loss after facing 27 batters in seven innings. Hendricks struck out seven and gave up two earned runs on five hits and no walks.

Despite a solid outing, it didn’t result in a victory.

Earnhardt hopes to have enough gas this time around

Sat, 26 May 2012 17:38 EDT

At first Dale Earnhardt Jr. was relieved he didn’t fall further back than seventh at last year’s Coca-Cola 600. Then he realized what he had lost for just about a gallon of gas.

“After a while, you start thinking about, ‘Oh, yeah, we really came close to winning a race,’ ” Earnhardt said this week. “It was really unfortunate there wasn’t just a little bit more gas in the car.”

If there were, Earnhardt wouldn’t have faced an additional year’s worth of questions about why he hasn’t won a Sprint Cup race since 2008 at Michigan. The drought has grown to 140 races and is a focal point at every track or appearance by Earnhardt.

Burke, Connolly share MVP honors for Coastal Carolina

Sat, 26 May 2012 22:07 EDT

All season, junior relievers Aaron Burke and Ryan Connolly have essentially been trying to one-up each other – in terms of appearances, performances, whatever.

The two slow-throwing submarine pitchers, who have been the glue of Coastal Carolina’s staff, share a variation of the same throwing style, have shared many a hotel room as travel roommates and now, fittingly, share the honor of co-Big South tournament MVPs.

Burke and Connolly each went 2-0 in the tournament, recording the decision in all four of the Chanticleers’ tournament wins, while combining to allow just one run in 21 innings of relief work.