Overtime

Hockey

King's play does the trick for Augusta

In Columbia, Colt King had a third-period hat trick to lead Augusta to a 9-5 victory over Columbia.

Augusta scored five of its goals in the third period.

The victory came over the American Conference South Division leading leaders (8-4-1). Augusta, which is in fifth place in the division, improved to 5-3-2.

Augusta continues its road trip with a game Sunday against the Pensacola Ice Pilots.

Women's College Basketball

USC Aiken's Grant to ask for waiver

Nola Grant, USC Aiken's top returning scorer, will sit out the rest of this season and seek a competition waiver from the NCAA to allow her to play in 2006-07.

The senior forward, who had 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks in the Lady Pacers' season-opening loss Tuesday to Carson-Newman, cited personal and family reasons for her request.

Last season, Grant averaged 10.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

Golf

Jackson-Perry are second in Four-Ball

Mike Jackson, of Martinez, and former Augustan Frank Perry finished second in the Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championship in Blackshear, Ga.

Jackson-Perry shot 65-68-73-206 at Okefenokee Country Club to finish two shots behind Don Marsh, of Alpharetta, and Larry Clark, of Kennesaw, who had 66-65-73-204. Jackson, and Perry, of Fayetteville, Ga., won this event in 2003.

Tennis

Gaudio survives three match points

In Shanghai, China, Gaston Gaudio saved three match points before beating Fernando Gonzalez 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 and setting up a Tennis Masters Cup semifinal against Roger Federer.

David Nalbandian advanced with a win over Ivan Ljubicic, placing second in the Red Group behind Federer, the two-time defending champion.

Today, Nalbandian will face Nikolay Davydenko, who beat Mariano Puerta 6-3, 6-2.

Banquet

Super Bowl MVP is speaker for gala

Former Super Bowl MVP Larry Csonka will be the keynote speaker for the Greater Augusta Sports Council's Gala.

Csonka, a fullback who rushed for more than 8,000 yards in his pro career, was the MVP of Super Bowl VIII. He had 145 yards rushing in Miami's 24-7 victory over Minnesota.

The gala will be held Jan. 10 at Radisson Riverfront Hotel Augusta. The annual event honors the winner of the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the nation's top NCAA Division I punter, and local athletes.

For more information, call 722-8326, ext. 4.

Baseball

New pitching coach named by Florida

Rick Kranitz was hired as pitching coach of the Florida Marlins after spending the past 22 seasons in the Chicago Cubs' organization.

Kranitz was pitching coach for the Cubs' Triple-A Iowa affiliate the past two seasons.

- The Los Angeles Angels added seven players to their big-league roster.

Infielders Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick, catcher Mike Napoli, outfielders Nick Gorneault, Tommy Murphy and Reggie Willits, and right-handed pitcher Jose Arredondo were added to the 40-man roster. To make room, the Angels waived right-hander Matt Hensley and sent right-hander Dustin Moseley outright to Triple-A Salt Lake.

- The Texas Rangers added infielders Ian Kinsler and Joaquin Arias and right-handed pitchers Omar Beltre and Wes Littleton to their 40-man roster.

Arias and Littleton played last season for Double-A Frisco, while Kinsler played for Triple-A Oklahoma and Beltre pitched in the Dominican Summer League.