Overtime

Minor League Baseball

GreenJackets' trio leads way to victory

In Rome, Ga., the Augusta GreenJackets' Nos. 5 through 7 hitters combined for seven hits and three RBI as the GreenJackets beat the Rome Braves 4-3.

Third baseman Simon Klink, batting fifth, went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI; left fielder Jon Armitage went 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI; and designated hitter Dan Trumble went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. The rest of the team went a combined 4-for-24.

The GreenJackets (30-27) remain 4 games behind first-place Kannapolis (33-21), who rallied to win in the bottom of the ninth against Hickory, in the South Atlantic League Southern Division.

Augusta shortstop Marcus Sanders celebrated his 20th birthday by going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases, bringing his season total to 51 - two behind center fielder Alex Requena for the team lead.

- The South Atlantic League announced its annual All-Star team Thursday and the Augusta GreenJackets placed two players - Sanders and right fielder Brian Horwitz - on the 13-member team. Both Sanders and Horwitz were starters for the Southern Division on the mid-season All-Star team.

Sanders, who was also named to the Futures Game but missed it with an injury, has been among the minor league leaders in stolen bases and was batting .293 with 18 doubles, five home runs and 34 RBI.

Horwitz (.335 average) was just three percentage points behind Lexington's Hunter Pence for the league batting title going into Thursday's game. Horwitz leads the team with 79 RBI and 32 doubles.

Pence was named the league's most outstanding major league prospect, Asheville's Matt Miller won most valuable player and Kannapolis' Ray Liotta was named most outstanding pitcher.

Prep Football

Tailgate party set for Aquinas tonight

An adult tailgate party will be held at the Aquinas High School cafeteria before tonight's Aquinas-Richmond Academy football game.

Alumni of Mt. St. Joseph, Boys Catholic High, Aquinas, and Richmond Academy, classes 1940-1975, are invited to attend. The party will be held from 5-7 p.m., with kickoff for the game beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Richmond Academy.

For more information, e-mail Patti Williams at pwilliams@ aquinashigh.org or call 736-5516.

- South Aiken High School's athletic department will hold its Car Wash for Cancer fund-raiser Saturday.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Outback Steakhouse on Whiskey Road.

NFL

Vikings don't give in to Birk's request

In Minneapolis, Minnesota Vikings center Matt Birk could miss three months because of hip surgery after the Vikings declined to guarantee his contract for 2006.

Joe Linta, the player's agent, said that Birk will have the surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.

Birk had been cleared to play with painkilling injections, but asked the Vikings to guarantee his nearly $4 million salary for 2006 in exchange for him taking a risk and playing with the pain.

"They've turned down all our proposals," Linta told The Associated Press. "For Matt, it's probably the best thing. I just feel like the Vikings are making a big mistake. The risk is so minimal for them."

NFL guidelines call for players to receive $250,000 if they cannot play because of a previous injury.

College Football

Game moved due to Hurricane Katrina

In Newberry, S.C., Hurricane Katrina has prompted officials to move Saturday's football game between Newberry and Webber International to South Carolina, Newberry athletic director Andy Carter said.

Last year's game between the Indians and Warriors was pushed back three months because of Hurricane Charley.

Webber International is located in Lake Wales, Fla.