Varsity
Parker to attend Maryland; Linde earns state honor
Glenelg junior field hockey midfielder Alyssa Parker has committed to Maryland for a field hockey scholarship, her high school coach, Ginger Kincaid, said Thursday. Parker had been pursued by Maryland and North Carolina. The junior scored 38 goals and 38 assists this past season in leading all Howard County scorers and helping the Gladiators to a 19-1 record and their first state championship.
—Sandra McKee
Cross country: Century senior Maura Linde was named the Gatorade Maryland Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. The award recognizes athletic excellence and high standards of academic achievement and character on and off the course. Linde, who automatically becomes a finalist for the national award, earned her third consecutive Class 2A individual state title this past season with a time of 19 minutes, 10 seconds, leading the Knights to the state title as a team.
Women's college basketball
Freshman McTiller helps Towson rally past VCU, 65-58
Freshman Tanisha McTiller came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points and lead host Towson (7-8, 1-3 Colonial Athletic Association) to a 65-58 come-from-behind victory over Virginia Commonwealth (8-6, 3-1). The Tigers trailed 43-37 before McTiller led them on an 11-1 run, scoring all 11 points.
More Division I: Host Delaware State (5-9, 1-1 Mid-Eastern Atheltic Conference) outscored UMES (3-11, 0-2) by 16-11 in overtime, to win, 74-69. Sha-Kiyla Finney had a game-high 20 points for the Hawks.
Division II: Host Bowie State (7-3, 3-0 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) got off to a slow start but nearly doubled its scoring in the second half to win, 42-36, over Shaw (9-6, 2-2). Brittney Jackson had 11 points for Bowie.
Division III: Erin Fitzgerald went 1-for-2 from the line with 34 seconds left as host Washington College (5-8, 3-5 Centennial Conference) won, 52-51, over Dickinson (6-7, 4-5). The Shorewomen haven't beaten the Red Devils since February 2003. … Victoria Sobocinski had 14 points to lead host Haverford (6-7, 4-5 Centennial) to a 55-26 win over McDaniel (2-11, 2-8). … Lindsay Burton had game-highs of 16 points and 14 rebounds to power visiting Johns Hopkins (10-3, 7-2 Centennial) to a 48-37 win over Swarthmore (9-4, 5-3).
Baseball
Ripken Sr. Foundation to be honored at Babe's Bash
The Babe Ruth Museum will be presenting its 2011 Community Service Award to the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation on Feb. 11 at the annual Babe's Birthday Bash. The event, which will run from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards, will celebrate the 116th anniversary of Ruth's birth in Baltimore on Feb. 6, 1895. Celebrating its 10th year in 2011, the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation uses baseball- and softball-themed programs to help build character and teach life lessons to disadvantaged youth residing in America's most distressed communities. For ticket information, call 410-727-1539 or go to BabeRuthMuseum.com.
Orioles: Vouchers for autograph sessions at the Jan.29 Orioles FanFest will go on sale at 10a.m. Saturday at orioles.com. Children ages 4 to 14 will have a specially designated "Kids Only" player autograph station that is free of charge, but the advanced purchase of the $15 vouchers, part of the event's new autograph policy designed to support youth charitable endeavors and reduce wait times, is required for all other autograph stations. All proceeds will benefit children's charities through OriolesREACH. There will be 250 vouchers available for each autograph session. The list of autograph sessions and participating players and coaches will be posted this afternoon on orioles.com.
—Jeff Zrebiec
Horse racing
Aspenglow favored in Laurel's What A Summer Stakes
Aspenglow, who captured six of eight races a year ago, was established as the 8-5 morning line favorite, for the $75,000, six-furlong What A Summer Stakes on Saturday at Laurel Park. The daughter of Lion Hearted won her final five starts in 2010 for trainer Gary Capuano. Nine fillies and mares, including defending champion Sweet Goodbye, are scheduled to run.
Et cetera
Phelps ready to dive back in, beginning tonight in Texas
Swimmer Michael Phelps, who has won 16 Olympic medals, said he's putting aside all distractions, including his budding golf game, to start preparing for the world championships later this year and the London Olympics. Everything starts tonight when he gets in the pool at the Austin (Texas) Grand Prix, where he'll swim six events over three days. Phelps, who lives in Baltimore, will race five times against Ryan Lochte, who got the best of him at last year's national championships and dominated the short-course world championships to emerge as Phelps' chief rival for London. "Just getting in here and getting some races under my belt is the No. 1 step. Training could be better, could be worse. I'm starting to feel a little bit better in the water. Being able to feel the water is going to be better in a racing environment, especially with some the guys here I'll be able to race against."
NHL: The Washington Capitals assigned right wing Brian Willsie to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League.
—From Sun staff and news services