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Show Thursday, May 25,2006 Page 8 LOOKING BACK AT 2006 SOFTBALL continued from Page 6 four pitchers, including JUCO transfers Karina Cannon and Sheri Shrock. "We've got four kids that are pretty good, and the three transfers are just exceptional," Utah interim head coach Kyle Magnusson said after the Utes' quick start earlier in the season. "It helps out a ton—you can pick up those extra innings." The Utes continued to play well against conference opponents, which earned them a No. 3 seed heading into the MWC Tournament. In the tournament, the improved Ute staff found a way to progress even more, especially the pitching staff. "The pitching throughout the tournament was unbelievable," Magnusson said. The Utes plowed past New Mexico, BYU and UNLV by a combined score of II-I to earn a trip to the MWC Championship game against San Diego State. The Utes trailed in that game to the conference's top seed 3-0 after five innings, but a three-run home run by freshman Staci Hemingway in the sixth inning sparked a Utah comeback, and the Utes went on to win the MWC Tournament. The tournament victory stamped the Utes' ticket for the NCAA Tournament, where they were set to take on Indiana, UTSA and Texas in the Austin Regional. The Utes lost their first game to Indiana in the double-elimination tournament, but went on to knock off UTSA and get revenge against Indiana in a second game, which put the Utes into the regional final against Texas. But the Utes had to take on one of the best pitchers in the nation. Cat Osterman, and just like so many teams that Osterman had already beaten, the Utes couldn't find any way to get her out of her rhythm. THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Osterman went on to strike out 18 batters while allowing just one hit, which helped Texas end Utah's season with a 3-0 victory. "We just got beat," Magnusson said after the game. "It's not like we're the first team (Osterman) has done this to." The season ended, but there were plenty of positives to keep the Utes optimistic about next season. They improved their batting average to .293, their ERA to 2.53 and their record to 40-21, and saw plenty of good hitting from the freshmen. One of those freshmen, Jessica Shiery, brought much-needed power to the lineup, leading the team with r2 homers and 5r RBI. The Utes should also have their three best pitchers, Karina Cannon (2.11 ERA), Meghan Dyer (2.52 ERA) and Sheri Shrock (3.23 ERA) all returning as seniors to anchor next year's pitching staff. Although it was a tough finish in the NCAA tournament, the Utes expect to make a push once again in 2007. m.patton@chronicle.utah.edu U shortstop Sharee Fonoti tries to tag out a BYU runner during an April 22 meeting at Ute Field. Fonoti hit .232 with 29 RBI for the Utes this season. DICOU TAKES ISSUE WITH THE BEES continued from Page 6 New owner Larry H. Miller changed the name to the Salt Lake Bees in October 2005, partly in the spirit of tradition and partly to revamp the team's image—and possibly even more so for fashion reasons. The Bees wear trendy, old-school uniforms that closely resemble those of the original Salt Lake Bees. The Bees' Web site says, "Classic baseball is back." I wonder what they'll change the name to when the retro fad is over. The whole ordeal has been a godsend for the team's merchandising department. Every few summers, dedicated fans show up at Franklin-Covey Field in their home team jerseys, only to find out that their team's name has been changed. Again. This can get pricey for those who deem it necessary to attend games in full regalia. Fitted Bees caps, Bees jerseys, big foam fin- gers with a bee screen-printed onto them—how do people afford to keep current? It's been a long and tumultuous road, but the Salt Lake Bees are back. And unless we find out years from now that you can trademark an insect, and that someone has already claimed the bee, they just might stick around for a while. n.dicou@chronicle.utah.edu PIZZA SAYS MICHELLE WIE SHOULD HAVE TO QUALIFY continued from Page 6 spectacular Single-A pitcher to the major leagues if he didn't prove himself first at the AA or AAA levels. So why is Wie allowed to skip over a similar competitive progression by playing golf with the "Big Boys" before she has won against the "Big Girls?" It is perpetually disappointing every time she gets a sponsor's exception to a PGA tournament. Wie is like a bad car accident on the freeway. Everyone gets so mad that there is a wreck distracting everyone'as'they pass the accident, but when your car finally reaches the accident, you can't help but put your head on a swivel. You want to take your eyes off the carnage, but you're just too interested in what is going on. Same thing with Wie—she has never been close to the top of the leaderboard, but every few minutes the viewers get congested with another look in on her 10over-par performance. We want to look away, but we just can*t stop looking at the fascinating carnage. Michelle Wie has the distance off the tee (at 16 years old she can drive the ball more than 300 yards), and she has shown decent iron play—especially in her short irons—to give herself adequate birdie opportunities when she plays in PGA tournaments. But she is not skilled or consistent enough to even make a splash at the tournaments she has played. If tournament directors and sponsors are going to just put anyone into tournaments, they should give some serious thought to putting Wie in a tournament on the Champions Tour: She could out-drive most the 50-and-older men; and imagine if Wie was in contention on the few holes on Sunday with the likes of Jack Nicholas or Greg Norman—the tension would be excruciating. When Wie was given a sponsor's exception to last year's John Deere Classic, it was only to raise TV ratings and ticket sales to an ordinarily debilitated PGA event. It also successfully took away a spot from one of the men trying to avoid another trip to one of the most grueling schools in the world. If Wie wants to play on the PGA Tour, let her earn her card like every other guy on tour. I'm sure Wie has heard of the way, but in case she hasn't, it's called Q_SchooL Every single player, just like Hunter Mahan, who isn't on the PGA Top-125 money list at year*s end doesn't get a full PGA golf card for the next year. That individual then must return to Q-School and compete against more than 1,200 golfers for one of 30 coveted PGA cards guaranteed for just one year. Paying no attention to gender, nobody could argue Wie's place on the PGA tour if she made it through Q;School. Wie is on the right path to proving that she deserves to play in the U.S. Open by qualifying. There is no doubt she possesses the potential to be an outstanding golfer, but let her prove that she belongs on the PGA like every other golfer. If Wie can qualify for the PGA Tour, then I am all for her. In that case, she would be competing with the best in the business because she would have proved she is one of the best golfers on the tour, and not just because she is good for business. t.pizza@ chronicle.utah.edu Diaw's clutch Roddick injures foot four days before French Open begins shot pulls Suns to victory over Mavs DUESSELDORF, Germany—Andy Roddick retired after injuring his left foot in the first set of his match at the World Team Cup, and Chile took advantage by beating the United States 2-1 Wednesday. Nicolas Massu was leading 4-2 when Roddick pulled out. With the match at 2-2, the American landed badly and called for treatment after dropping his serve with a netted forehand. After taping his foot and ankle, Roddick resumed play but retired after losing the next game at love. "I slid and kind of went over on it and felt something clip or pop," Roddick said. "I wasn't able to really step on it, much less move, so it was pointless just going through the motions out there." The injury comes only four days before the French Open begins, but Roddick is still hoping to compete. "I still feel like it's too early to tell the nature of the injury or the seriousness of it," Roddick said. "I just hope I wake up tomorrow and it resembles an ankle and not a balloon. "The next few days I'll be seeing a lot of ice. I don't know how much court time I'm going to see. So it's going to be days that are pretty boring, full of ice and hope." Paul Capdeville then beat Robby Ginepri 6-4, 6-4 in the second singles match to keep the Americans from having a chance to reach Saturday's final. In doubles, Bob and Mike Bryan beat Fernando Gonzalez and Massu 6-4, 7-5. Also, Croatia beat Spain 2-1 after David Ferrer surprised fourth-ranked Ivan Ljubicic DALLAS—So far in the label on him that he was a playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks soft, non-competitive player," have pushed around Pau Ga- Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni sol and outlasted Tim Dun- said. "I'm telling you he's just 6-2, 6-2. can. the opposite-He's one of the Mario Ancic then outlasted But Steve Nash and an ag- most competitive guys we Feliciano Lopez 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 ile big man? They still haven't have, just an intelligent basketball player that knows how make it 1-1, but Ljubicic and figured that one out. Ivo Karlovic topped Lopez With Nash picking up where to play." and Fernando Verdasco 6-3,7he left off against his former Harris scored a career-high 6 (4) to earn Croatia the right team last postseason and Bo- 30 and Dirk Nowitzki had 26 to play Chile for a place in the ris Diawfillingthe role of Am- points and 19 rebounds, but final. are Stoudemire, the Phoenix the Mavericks blew their late Suns erased a late nine-point lead with a spurt of turnovers The eight-nation field is deficit and beat the Maver- and a lack of defensive stops split into two groups, with icks 121-118 Wednesday night when they needed them the the winners of each group adin a thrilling, fast-paced start most. "We were just bad tovancing to the final. to the Western Conference fi- night in a lot of different arArgentina, the Czech Renals. Nash scored 10 of his 27 eas that we have to improve public, Germany and Italy are points in the final 3:26, then on in a hurry," coach Avery in the Red Group, while the set up Shawn Marion on a go- Johnson said, United States, Chile, Croaahead basket with 43 seconds tia, and Spain are in the Blue Dallas fans might not be left. After Dallas regained the able to take more of these Group. lead on a jumper by Devin heart-stopping finishes. The Germany and the Czech Harris with 4.8 seconds to go, Mavericks were coming off a Republic meet on Thursday Diaw swished a turnaround 7- second-round series against to decide the finalists from footer with a half-second re- San Antonio that included six their group. maining on a play originally games decided at the end, inThe Associated Press designed for Nash. cluding Game 7 in overtime. "I saw their bench basiOne consolation for the cally yelling out exactly what Mavs is that they also lost the The Chronicle needs was going to happen, so I was opener to the Spurs. Another like, 'OK, Plan B," Nash said. is that Game 2 is in Dallas on unpaid interns! "I was about to call timeout, Friday night. but...Tim (Thomas) got it inFor Phoenix, this furious side and Boris made a heck of finish stuff is becoming fun. a play." The Suns lost all seven regDiaw scored a career-high ular-season games decided 34 points, showing on a big by three points or less, then stage why he was voted the dropped another early in the league's most improved play- playoffs. But now they've won er and why the Suns are back two nail-biters, having also in the conference finals for beaten the Clippers 94-91 in the second straight year de- Game 3 of the previous round. spite having had Stoudemire Both teams lost starters to leg Inquire in Union for only three games. injuries—Josh Howard for "At one point there was a Dallas (sprained right ankle) room 236! and Raja Bell (strained left calf) for Phoenix. The Suns also are concerned about vww.bartonsscooters.com Marion, who had 24 points and 13 rebounds but appeared to hurt his left ankle in the final minutes. Asked if he'll " wh«r» QMlHy It Frat" be able to play Game 2, Marion said, "Hey, I don't have a Buy • Sell • Trod« • Stnriw choice." Jltimate ml^tik SCOOTER'NTf JEBm nachine JpVjBWr lifetime Tires* 3penT-F10-6 Sat 9-5 Service Loaner* 445S.500W.Bntf 294*6006 Mw Howard is having an MRI on Thursday to determine if and when he'll return. Bell left the locker room on crutches. The Associated Press |