Cal’s Vaughn named Golden Spikes Awardwinner
Cal sophomore Andrew Vaughn is first Golden Bear to win the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur baseball player in America.
USA Baseball and the Rod Dedeaux Foundation announced the winner Thursday in Los Angeles.
Vaughn beat out finalists Texas infielder Kody Clemens and Auburn pitcher Casey Mize.
Vaughn is the eighth Pac12 player to bring home the award and joins a group that includes Washington’s Tim Lincecum(2006), USC’s Mark Prior (2001) and Arizona State’s Bob Horner (1978).
A sophomore first baseman from Santa Rosa, Vaughn started all 54 games and hit .402, hit 23 home runs and had a slugging percentage of .819, the best in school history. He also drove in 63 runs, and his on-base percentage of .531 was fourth in the nation.
ABEL PITCHES BEAVERS TO CWS TITLE » Freshman Kevin Abel threw a twohitter for his record fourth victory in the College World Series, and Oregon State (55-12-1) beat Arkansas 5- 0 on for the national championship in Omaha, Nebraska. Abel retired the last 20 Arkansas batters, catching Luke Bonfield looking at strike three on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.
The title is Oregon State’s third and comes at the end of a two-year run in which the Beavers have won 111 of 130 games. Arkansas (4821) was shut out for the first time in 100 games.
NBA
GEORGE OPTS FOR FREE AGENCY » Paul George has decided not to exercise his $20.7 million option for next season with the Okla- homa City Thunder, a person with knowledge of the situation said Thursday. George will become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday. ESPN first reported George’s decision about the option year.
By not opting in to the final year of his existing deal, George opens up an array of possibilities such as going elsewhere, possibly the Los Angeles Lakers, or signing a new deal with Oklahoma City. He will be one of the headline attractions when the free-agent shopping period officially opens at 9:01 p.m. Saturday.
Soccer
ROONEY JOIN SM LS WITH D. C. UNITED » Wayne Rooney is coming to Major League Soccer with D.C. United, the latest star to take his talents across the pond to the United States. Rooney signed a 3-year designatedplayer contract with D.C. United and is expected to make his debut July 14.
Golf
TIGER EVEN WITH NEW PUTTER» Tiger Woods used a new putter and got the same middling results in the Quicken Loans National. Woods battled back from a double bogey with five straight birdie chances from 8 feet or closer. He made only two of them and had to settle for an evenpar 70, leaving him at least seven shots out of the lead in the opening round on the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm in Potomac, Maryland. Andrew Landry set the pace on a difficult, but rain-softened course with a 7-under 63. PARK TAKES WOMEN’S PGA LEAD » South Korea’s Sung Hyun Park shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 to take the firstround lead in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Kildeer, Illinois. The 2017 U.S. Women’ s Open Champion birdied three of the four par-5 holes at Kemper Lakes in the third of the LPGA Tour’s five majors.
Brooke Henderson was a stroke back with Jessica Korda, Jaye Marie Green and Brittany Alto more. KELLY SHOOTS 66 IN SENIOR OPEN » Jerry Kelly made his only bogey of the day on No. 18 to close out the first round of the U. S. Senior Open with a two-shot lead at 4-under 66 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz made only five pars and finished at 15- over 85. Rocco Mediate, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Kevin Sutherland and Deane Pappas finished at 68 at Broadmoor CC. SPARTANS PROMOTE DORMAN » San Jose State promoted former Spartan AllAmerican and school sports Hall of Fame honoree Dana Dormann to head coach of the women’s golf program, athletic director Marie Tuite announced.