Published: March 27, 2008 11:36 pm      

Local sports briefs 3/28

SOFTBALL

Carnicella’s effort paces victory

JAMAICA, N.Y. – The York College softball team dropped its season opener on Wednesday, falling to Polytechnic, 16-0, in five innings.

Game 2 of the doubleheader was postponed in the bottom of the third inning due to darkness. The game will be completed from that point at a future date.

The Blue Jays from Polytechnic took advantage of seven York College errors which led to nine unearned runs. Despite the errors, the game was still in reach for the Cardinals until the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Polytechnic pitcher Maria Carcinella, a Cambria Heights graduate, was an out away from a no-hitter until Chiquita Greene beat out an infield hit on a ground ball in the hole at shortstop, according to the York College recap.

HOCKEY

Chiefs to honor Westmont’s Oberst

Danny Oberst, a Westmont Hilltop freshman who made national news on ESPN this week for his efforts on the basketball court, will be the Johnstown Chiefs’ guest of honor during Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Cyclones at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.

A 16-year-old with Down syndrome, Oberst came off the bench in a freshman game in early February between Westmont and Bishop Carroll. He scored a basket in the Westmont win. Danny’s mother Patty, his coach Ron Flick, his teammates and the Bishop Carroll team all worked to enable Danny to get onto the court.

Danny’s brother Mike Oberst is a Slippery Rock University graduate student who is an intern with the Chiefs. Mike Oberst joined Danny’s teacher Heather Molnarko and Westmont Assistant Principal Tom Mitchell in writing to ESPN to suggest a feature on Danny.

Pete McConville, a producer for ESPN’s “First Take,” called last week to arrange an interview with Danny in Pittsburgh. The story aired Tuesday morning and twice that afternoon.

Danny will be available to sign autographs after the Chiefs game.

MOTORSPORTS

Bowyer added to Jennerstown feature

Clint Bowyer in the Richard Childress Racing No. 07 Chevrolet will join Ken Schrader, Rusty Wallace and two other NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers in Jennerstown Speedway’s 2008 Race of Champions on May 31st.

Bowyer will compete against Schrader, a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver in the BAM Racing No. 49 Dodge, and two other Cup drivers in two nine-lap exhibition races and autograph session on Jennerstown’s .522-mile asphalt oval speedway. Wallace is scheduled to emcee the race.

Two more drivers will be announced in the next few weeks, adding to the Jennerstown Speedway’s Race of Champions event, which has attracted sell-out crowds in 2005 and 2006.