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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Matt Garza pitched seven strong innings in his first outing since throwing a one-hitter, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Boston and nemesis Tim Wakefield 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Claude Julien proved himself the right coach for Michael Ryder before in junior, minor and major-league hockey; now he'll get a chance to prove himself the right guy to guide Ryder as a member of the Boston Bruins.

LAKEVILLE — Berkley Post 121 has been simmering all season, ready to boil over, and it finally turned up the heat Tuesday in a 7-4 American Legion baseball win over New Bedford Post 1 at Apponequet High School.

WAREHAM — They should have kept the lights off.

WIMBLEDON, England — One prematch glance Tuesday at the data displayed on those fancy, new digital scoreboards at staid, old Wimbledon provided a pretty persuasive case for why Venus Williams might be considered the woman to beat.

WALTHAM — The last three players to pose for pictures at a news conference while holding Celtics jerseys in front of them were Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

For the third-straight year, there will be competitors representing our local area in the National Junior Gold Tournament in Detroit from July 7-11. They will be part of the 1,728 bowlers from across the country who will compete for the title of National...

The reigning Standard-Times volleyball Player of the Year, Nate Miller led a comeback against undefeated Minnechaug that, by itself, made him worthy of a second-straight honor.

FAIRHAVEN — If Cotey Perry had his way on the mound, he'd start every game in the third inning.

Brian Pothier is learning all over again, and not the way he'd been taught growing up to play a tough position in a tough sport.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — James Shields scattered five hits over 6 1-3 innings and B.J. Upton and Gabe Gross homered Monday night, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 to open a 1½-game lead in the division.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Red Sox manager Terry Francona declined comment Monday on a report the team received a mailed threat targeting black and Latin players.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Manny Ramirez said he patched things up with a team employee he reportedly shoved to the ground during an argument, and the club said the matter is over.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz plans to attend next month's All-Star game, but won't play due to his injured left wrist.

WIMBLEDON, England — While Roger Federer glided to another victory on Centre Court, and Rafael Nadal won despite a scary stumble on Court 1, the Williams sisters found themselves playing back to back Monday on cozy, clattery Court 2, known as the...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — James Shields scattered five hits over 6¤ innings and B.J. Upton and Gabe Gross homered last night, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 to open a 1½-game lead in the division.

ORLEANS — Mike Murphy laid down a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the 10th inning to send the Orleans Cardinals to a 5-4 victory over the first-place Cotuit Kettleers last night at Eldredge Park.

MASHPEE — Tyler Santos tossed four solid innings and helped his own cause by falling a home run short of the cycle last night as Team Cape Cod beat Mashpee 16-8 in Senior Babe Ruth baseball play.

EAST SANDWICH — Sandwich 16-year-old Al Stanton picked up his first victory last night and Post 188 came away with a 9-6 American Legion baseball victory over Norwell Post 192.

By JEFF THOMAS
jthomas@repub.com

Whatever else happens to East Springfield Post 420 this summer, a losing record won't be a part of it.

Matt O'Herron got it done on the mound and at the plate as East Side recorded a 7-2 win over Chicopee-Teddy Bear Pools last night in American Legion played at Szot Park.

The win pushes Post 420 to 9-2 - and into a three-way tie for first place - with seven regular-season games remaining, including tonight's game against Holyoke at Western New England College.

"I'm very pleased with the way they've played and are getting it done," coach Brian Collins said. "Our pitching staff has been especially good and we're hoping to keep it going."

O'Herron allowed two runs on five hits over 6Ò innings, striking out six and walking just one. Andrew Siano recorded the final out.

At the plate, O'Herron knocked in two runs with a single in East Springfield's four-run first inning. He added RBI-singles in the second and sixth innings as well.

Nick Laporte added a two-run single and Mike Desimone was 2 for 3.

Mark Lekarczyk had an RBI-double and Justin Cabrera a run-scoring single for Chicopee (4-4).

TRI-COUNTY
MDS Construction 8, Chicopee 5: Nick Fleugge and Tanner Bathel each drove home two runs as MDS won at East Longmeadow.

Nick Ahmed was 3 for 4 with an RBI and Joe Parillo had two hits and one RBI for the winners.

Jamie Mackie had two hits, including a home run, and Chris Hebert was 2 for 4 with two RBIs for Chicopee.

METRO SOFTBALL
Palmer 2, Deerfield 1: Palmer scored twice in the home half of the fourth inning to rally over Deerfield.

A sacrifice fly by Vicky Roberts scored Chelsea Reynolds, who doubled and moved to third on the single by Katie Robidoux. Chelsea Wahlers, who had two hits, delivered a single to plate Robidoux with a go-ahead run.

Alysia Morrissette earned the win for Palmer, allowing just four hits. Sarah Greenwood took the loss despite giving up just five hits.

Katie Bachinski hit a solo home run in the first inning for Deerfield.

Wilbraham 7, Longmeadow 1: Molly Cole tossed a three-hitter as visiting Wilbraham won at Longmeadow.Cole allowed one run while striking out 10.

Sarah Buckley had three hits in four trips to the plate and Isabella Grassetti scored three runs for Wilbraham.

Nicole Ogden had two hits for Longmeadow.

West Side 11, Springfield 3: Catcher A.J. Jones knocked in five runs as West Springfield improved to 4-0.

Jones was 3 for 4 with a double and a triple. Pitcher Kelley Dickson, who tossed a two-hitter, also had three hits and scored three runs and Taylor Saimeri was 3 for 4 with two RBIs.

Jordyn Michaelson had one hit and score twice for the Springfield Hurricanes.

Amherst 14, Westfield 14: The game ended in a tie after both teams scored four runs in the sixth inning.

Zoe Dillon-Davidson and Sara Smith each were 3 for 4 with three runs scored for Amherst.

Nina Carbone was 3 for 4 with three runs scored while Lauren Ouimette and Jessica Lee both had two hits in three plate appearances.

LITTLE LEAGUE
Westfield North 9, Agawam 0: Westfield North is sitting pretty in the District 2 10-11 age group, advancing to the winners' bracket final.

Craig Lacey tossed a four-hitter and added a pair of hits at the plate. Nick Chaoush, Chris Sullivan and Alex Champagne all knocked in runs with hits.

Agawam awaits the winner of the Westfield South/Northampton game in the losers' bracket. Westfield North will host whoever comes out of the losers' bracket Tuesday at Papermill Playground.

GSPABL
Slamm take two: It was a slamming night for the Springfield Slamm teams in the Greater Springfield Pro-Am Basketball League as the men's and women's teams won.

Adriana Spears scored 16 points in the Lady Slamm's 71-70 win over Springfield Spirit, which was led by Kira Karistrom's game-high 25 points.

John Mariano scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Slamm men to a 78-73 victory over Teddy Bear Pools. Vincent Baker led Teddy Bear with 19 points.

By RON CHIMELIS
rchimelis@repub.com

AMHERST -The University of Massachusetts men's basketball team might soon have another big man for help in its future.

Hashim Bailey, a 6-foot-10, 280-pounder who saw little time in two years at Memphis, is looking at a transfer to UMass, according to sources close to both programs.

Photo courtesy of University of MemphisHashim Bailey

Several Internet sites that follow player movement have also reported the possibility.

UMass officials, including coach Derek Kellogg, cannot comment on unsigned recruits or transfers.

Bailey can play forward or center. If he transfers from Memphis, he would sit out the 2008-09 season, then have two years of eligibility remaining.

Originally from Paterson, N.J., Bailey played in 14 games for Memphis over two years. Kellogg was a Tigers' assistant coach during those years.

Last year, Bailey played in five games for a team that reached the NCAA final.

Over two seasons, he averaged 2.8 minutes, 0.9 points and 0.6 rebounds per game. Those numbers, however, came in the context of playing on one of America's most talent-laden teams.

If Bailey does not figure into coach John Calipari's immediate plans at Memphis, it would not be surprising if Calipari encouraged him to help Kellogg, a Calipari disciple as both a player and assistant coach.

Coming to UMass would increase Bailey's playing opportunity, and reunite him with Kellogg and player personnel director Shyrone Chatman, who both came from Memphis.

He would also give UMass another big man, shoring up the program's most apparent need.

Point guard Doug Wiggins has already declared he's transferring to UMass from Connecticut. Sean Carter, a 6-9 forward from Oregon State, is in the process of transferring to UMass as well.

None of the transfers would be eligible next season, but they would strengthen the future outlook, and hasten Kellogg's attempt to place his own stamp on the program.

He has already said he's looking for rugged defenders, in addition to players comfortable with the dribble-drive motion offense his staff is bringing from Memphis.

As the roster evolves under the new coaching regime, one spot became open with the decision of Max Groebe, who played 19 games as a freshman guard last year, to transfer to Cornell.

Groebe averaged 2.1 points per game. He played 104 minutes, much of it early in the season.

In the final weeks, Groebe left the team because of a family matter. He did not play in either the Atlantic 10 tournament or the National Invitation Tournament.

He reportedly made his decision to transfer before Travis Ford left UMass to coach Oklahoma State. Groebe still returned to finish his semester course work, and leaves UMass for the Ivy League in strong academic standing.

Another one in the books.

The 2007-08 high school sports seasons brought about another stellar academic year of memorable stories. The spirit of sportsmanship, individual and team accomplishments and tragedy took the forefront of local news.

Here is a list of top stories for the recently completed school year, along with a few other noteworthy accomplishments.

1. Unfortunate tragedy:

Christopher Evans/The RepublicanMario Hornsby.

The region was struck by sad and tragic news, with the unexpected passing of a pair of high school student-athletes.

Mario Hornsby Jr., a senior at Central High School, and Smith Academy freshman Bethany McMenimen will be missed.

Hornsby, the starting point guard on Central's basketball team, was an unintended target of a May 17 shooting in Springfield.

Less than two weeks earlier, Hornsby, 19, had been honored by The Republican with its annual Eric Koszalka Award for his kindness, excellent work ethic, sportsmanship and a positive attitude.

"Mario was a real inspiration to me .. . how he turned his life around in one year. I said to myself: If he can do this, I can do it,"Central team manager James Williams said of Hornsby.

Hornsby had overcome adversity of a serious kidney ailment. He spent 18 months in recovery and was named team captain despite never having played a minute of varsity basketball.

McMenimen, 14, of Holyoke, collapsed while practicing with the varsity team as it prepared for a Western Massachusetts tournament game. The Falcons later went on to win the sectional title.

"Her spirit, her energy, her enthusiasm - I can't think about her without smiling," Smith Academy Athletic Director and field hockey coach Sherry Webb said of McMenimen.

2. Best of the wrest(lers):

Christopher Evans/The RepublicanRonnie Tetreault

Ludlow senior Ronnie Tetreault dazzled all, capping a historic career by winning a New England championship.

Tetreault claimed the title in the 152-pound weight division, capping a 51-1 season for the Lions.

"I was hoping for (a strong final season)," Tetreault said after winning New Englands. "This was my last high school season. I figure I only had one option, and that was to win."

He finished his career with 165 victories, a Western Massachusetts Division I record. He recorded 35 of his 91 career pins this winter.

Tetreault, who will attend Colby (Kan.) Community College, leaves as a three-time sectional champion and reigning titlist at the state and all-state levels.

3. Bittersweet memories:

Christopher Evans/The RepublicanRyan Veillette

It was a night Westfield senior Ryan Veillette will never forget.

The running back and linebacker enjoyed a career game on the football field Nov. 27, when he rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns to spark the program's first playoff win in 20 years.

But unbeknownst to Veillette, his mother Barbara had been critically injured only a few hundred yards away. She had been hit by a pickup truck while crossing a busy street on her way to the game.

As emergency lights flashed at the scene for much of the game, Veillette was spearheading the Bombers' divisional playoff win that paved the way for a berth in the Division IA Super Bowl later that week.

Veillette learned of the news on the bus ride home and the team rallied together before it lost a heartbreaker in the Super Bowl.

Barbara Veillette has since made a full recovery.

4. Say it again:

Christopher Evans/The RepublicanAlex Scyocurka, left, follows his blocker, Mike Greim.

What can you say (differently) this year about Longmeadow football?

Not much.

The Lancers strung together a third straight undefeated season, another one capped by a Division I Super Bowl title.

The only different, if you're counting, is that Longmeadow finished 13-0. Coupled with a pair of 12-0 seasons, the Lancers' 37-game winning streak remains as the longest active in the state.

"We weren't going to lose our last game as seniors," Longmeadow quarterback Pat Donnelly, 35-0 as a three-year starter, said after the title game win.

Longmeadow also stretched its state record of consecutive postseason appearances to 11.

5. Streak is over:

Mieke Zuiderweg/The RepublicanLudlow's Zach Pietras leads the pack.

The Amherst-Pelham Regional boys cross country team had been unbeatable in dual meet competition for 111-straight matches, a streak that covered 11 years.

Then along came Ludlow.

The Lions, the reigning Western Mass. champions, posted a 21-34 home course win over Amherst Oct. 29.

The streak, which put the Hurricanes on the national map - it was the 10th longest in the country - had to end sometime.

"If we had to lose, it is much better to lose to a good team like Ludlow rather than a team we know we should beat," Amherst junior Ray Dannenhauer said. "They have some great runners."

6. Rally of all rallies:

Christopher Evans/The RepublicanThe Never-Say-Die Agawam Brownies.

If a team could have packed it in, it could have been the Agawam baseball team on June 2.

The eighth-seeded Brownies trailed defending champion East Longmeadow 7-0 entering the seventh and final inning of a Western Mass. Division I quarterfinal.

To make matters worse, Agawam was on the road and had mustered only one hit against Nick Ahmed, East Longmeadow's ace and The Republican's 2007 Player of the Year.

Nine hits and a hustling play on the base paths later, Agawam had a 9-7 lead and the makings for one of the best comebacks in recent memory.

"We believed it, but I still don't know how we did that," Agawam coach Peter Clark said three days later.

We said in the last inning, 'There's no time in baseball, and it's never over'. I'm so proud of this group," Clark said. "This is by far the most exciting game I've been involved in."

7. What a dive:

Mieke Zuiderweg/The RepublicanJason Cook.

Amherst senior Jason Cook ended a terrific career by winning his fourth consecutive Division I state diving championship, breaking his own scoring record on his final dive at the Division I State Swimming Championships at Harvard University's Blodgett Pool.

"I came in saying I'm going to break my own record, and I did that today," said Cook, who finished with a score of 622.05.

8. Sportsmanship at its finest:

Mieke Zuiderweg/The RepublicanKristen Veit.

When two of the region's top high school cross country runners went head to head in October, the best story happened far from the finish line.

Holyoke Catholic's Kristen Veit and Heather Pierce of Mohawk Trail were two of the best. Then Veit took it to another level during the tri-meet at Palmer.

She saw Pierce take a wrong turn midway through the race and Veit called out to her. Pierce got back on the right path and went on to win the race.

Pierce suffered a broken leg shortly after that meet and did not win another race as she missed the rest of her senior season.

Veit later won her second straight Western Massachusetts Division II individual title.

9. School pride:

Christopher Evans/The RepublicanThe Longmeadow girls lacrosse teams celebrates their Western Mass title.

Longmeadow High's 26 boys and girls teams combined to win nine Western Mass. titles and with it the program won was the large school champion of The Republican Trophy. Smith Academy of Hatfield was honored as the small school winner.

The Republican Trophy is a points ranking system based on team finishes at postseason tournaments.

10. Other regional accomplishments too worthy to overlook:

Christopher Evans/The RepublicanTurners Falls softball.

• Central High senior running back Javier Melendez rushed for 410 yards, one shy of matching the Western Mass. single game high school football record, in a regular-season game against Westfield.

• Steve Lucia of Agawam won his second Western Mass. championship meet all-around title. He is only male to do so in the40-plus year history of the gymnastics tournament.

• Hampshire Regional of Westhampton won the Division II boys soccer state championship on a sudden-death goal by Sam LaBonte.

• High School of Science and Technology freshman Brittany Barry set state's single-season girls soccer goal scoring record with 59.

• Turners Falls softball repeated as Division III state champions, winning its fourth title in five years.

• The Western Mass. ice hockey tournament was expanded to include a Division IIIA bracket, while the Western Mass.-Central Mass. football playoffs were expanded by an additional round. Each drew rave reviews.

State champions


The following teams won state titles:
• Frontier boys basketball
• Hampshire boys soccer
• Longmeadow boys lacrosse
• Northampton girls basketball
• Turners Falls softball
• Westfield hockey

New England champion


• Minnechaug regional junior Justin Siekierski won the New England title in
track and field, claiming the discus title with a throw of 170 feet at Saco,
Maine, June 14.

Streaks extended


• Mohawk Trail boys cross country: 42 straight dual meets
• Agawam gymnastics: 48 regular season meets
• Longmeadow girls lacrosse: 100-plus versus Western Mass. competition
• Amherst girls cross country: 13 straight Western Mass. titles
• Longmeadow boys tennis: 11 straight Western Mass. crowns
• Longmeadow girls tennis: eight straight Western Mass. championships

Streaks ended


• Gateway Regional of Huntington won its season-opening game, snapping an
84-game losing streak in December; the Westfield Voc-Tech golf team won for
the first time in four years and 70 matches in April; the Frontier Regional girls basketball team did not qualify for tournament for first time in tourney's 37-year history.