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Briefs for print
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Pony baseball
The Mon Valley Pony All-Star team is one win away from advancing to the Pony Host Area tournament for a chance to play in the Pony League World Series.
Mon Valley defeated Connellsville 17-6 in five innings Friday, scoring two or more runs in all five innings on 17 hits.
Andrew Mackey, Ryan Hamer, Jack Bryer and Nathan White all hit doubles. Hamer, Brhyer, Kody Kuhns and Jacob Mima all homered.
Jack Sacco had three RBI on three single. Bryer led Mon Valley with four RBI.
Mon Valley threw seven different pitchers in the win. Mackey was the winning pitcher, striking out three and allowing no runs and no hits in one inning.
Mon Valley will play the winner of Quad County North and Morgantown Saturday for a chance to advance to the Pony Host Area tournament in McCandless next weekend. First pitch is at noon.
Fraud halts
Nassar payments
Michigan State University has halted payments from a $10 million fund it set up for counseling services for victims of now-imprisoned former sports doctor Larry Nassar amid concerns about possible fraudulent claims.
The Lansing State Journal reported the school stopped making payments Wednesday after the Healing Assistance Fund administrator’s flagged the issue. MSU spokeswoman Emily Guerrant says stopping payments will allow an investigation into the issue.
Guerrant said the fund had distributed more than $1.1 million as of June 30.
Nassar worked for Michigan State and USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians. He is imprisoned for molesting athletes and possessing child pornography.
The Detroit News reported John Manly, a civil attorney for roughly 200 victims, said fraud should be rooted out but that he worries about how victims will cope without.
Darnold holds out
Sam Darnold is officially a holdout.
The New York Jets began their first practice of training camp Friday without their prized rookie quarterback.
Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft. The only other unsigned pick in the entire draft is Chicago linebacker Roquan Smith, the No. 8 choice.
Under the NFL’s labor agreement, contract holdouts are uncommon because deals are slotted based on draft position. Darnold will receive a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $30.247 million, including a $20 million signing bonus.
The dispute seems to hang on contract language. If a player is cut during his rookie contract, offset language provides the team with financial protection. Not having offset language allows a player to receive his salary from the team that cut him, as well as get paid by another team that signs him.
Matthews signs extension
The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to a five-year, $75 million contract extension with left tackle Jake Matthews.
The 26-year-old Matthews was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 draft. He has started in each of his 63 games while serving the key role of protecting quarterback Matt Ryan.
The deal is through the 2023 season and comes one day after the team agreed on a contract “adjustment” with wide receiver Julio Jones.
General manager Thomas Dimitroff said the agreement with Jones enabled the team to continue efforts to reach new deals with Matthews, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and safety Ricardo Allen.