Marty Scott, former Saints' manager, dies at 68

Former St. Paul Saints manager Marty Scott died early Wednesday morning following a long illness at his home in West Palm Beach, Fla., at the age of 68.

Scott was the second manager in the team's franchise history as an independent, from 1995-2000, and guided the franchise to two Northern League championships in 1995 and '96. His teams won 264 games, and he led the Saints to the playoffs in five of his six seasons.

"He provided a legitimacy that was so important in the early days, not only for the Saints, but for all of Independent Baseball," said Mike Veeck, Saints co-owner and president. "

Scott was instrumental in getting some big name players to come to the Saints including Darryl Strawberry, J.D. Drew and Jack Morris.

U softball loses twice

The Gophers softball team lost 7-6 in 10 innings to No. 12 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., in a game resumed from Sunday and then lost a second game 7-0 when the Cowgirls' Miranda Elish threw a no-hitter. She struck out and walked one.

Minnesota is now 11-10. The Gophers led 5-3 after the top of the ninth in the first game on Natalie DenHartog's 10th homer of the season, a two-run shot, and 6-5 in the 10th on Sydney Strelow's RBI single, but the Sooners tied the score both times and won on a walk-off walk.

Four Gophers qualify for NCAA swim meet

Senior Max McHugh and three other members of the Gophers men's swimming and diving program will compete in the NCAA meet from March 23-26 in Atlanta, the NCAA announced.

McHugh is the defending NCAA champion in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststrokes and is the top seed in both events. His time of 50.58 seconds in a tri-dual on Jan. 28 is the fastest in the nation this year in the 100 breaststroke. He swam his top time in the 200 breaststroke (1:49.45) when he repeated as the Big Ten champion last month.

Freshman Bar Soloveychik will swim in three freestyle eventsand sophomore Chris Nagy will in two.

Junior Jake Butler will compete in 1- and 3-meter diving.

Hopkins forward honored

Hopkins' Maya Nnaji, a 6-4 senior forward, was named the Gatorade Minnesota Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

So far she has led the Royals to a 21-1 record by averaged 18.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals. Nnaji has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Arizona next fall.

Etc.

The Gophers rowing team opened its season by winning three of four races against Gonzaga on Otay Lake near Chula Vista, Calif.

Senior Joy Zhu of the Gophers qualified for the platform diving event at the NCAA meet by finished 11th at the Zone D diving meet in Madison, Wis.

St. Benedict hockey coach Nick Thibault has resigned. He had a record of 28-45-6 in four seasons.