Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/59529
Tehama Tracker Friday's results NCAA TOURNAMENT Regional Semifinals 3 Baylor 10 Xavier 1 North Carolina 13 Ohio 1 Kentucky 4 Indiana 2 Kansas 11 N.C. State OT 70 75 65 73 90 102 LATE Saturday's games BASEBALL Raley Field High School Baseball Series Red Bluff Rio Linda 7:30 p.m. SOFTBALL Cubs Classic at Big League Dreams TRACK & FIELD Burt Williams Classic at CV 10 a.m. NCAA TOURNAMENT Regional Finals 4 Louisville 7 Florida 1 Syracuse 2 Ohio State NBA Kings Warriors NHL Phoenix Sharks 7 p.m. CSNC SPRING TRAINING Colorado Giants (SS) 1:05 p.m. Giants (SS) Cincinnati (ss) 1:05 p.m. Sunday's games NCAA TOURNAMENT Regional Finals 1 Kentucky 3 Baylor TBD CBS 1 North Carolina Kansas or NC State TBD CBS NBA Warriors Portland 6 p.m. CSNB SPRING TRAINING Giants Chi. White Sox 1:05 p.m. Monday's games Kings NBA Houston NHL Colorado Sharks 7:30 p.m. CSNC SPRING TRAINING Kansas City Giants Follow us on Twitter: @TehamaSports 1:05 p.m. 5 p.m. CSNC (AP) — Josh Johnson has no idea how much he'll play behind 49ers starter Alex Smith, or if the backup job is even his to earn ahead of second-year pro Colin Kaepernick. He isn't too worried about his role just yet. For now, Johnson is thrilled to be reunited with reigning NFL Coach of the Year Jim Harbaugh, his for- mer college coach who took a chance on the undersized quarterback at the Universi- ty of San Diego. Harbaugh developed the 5-foot-11, 145-pound Oakland Tech prep star into a record-set- ting QB in Southern Cali- fornia. The 49ers now have four quarterbacks on the roster, which Johnson insists isn't a big deal. Smith signed a 7:30 p.m. CSN 1:30 p.m. CBS 4:05 p.m. CBS SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (MCT) — From his hit-me-if-you-can slider to his fan-friendly Twitter persona, Ser- gio Romo lives his life as an open book. Last season, that book added a few chapters. Romo's 14-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio was the Giants' highest since they moved to San Francisco. He also became just the fifth reliever since 1919 to throw a "perfect game," retir- ing 31 straight batters over a 15-game stretch. "It's easy to get lost in the game," Romo said. "I didn't even know I was having that kind of run. The day I gave up the consecutive batters streak, I had just heard about it that morning. I had no idea." Romo does, however, have an idea about what he wants to do for an encore. Even as he puts up All-Star numbers, Romo believes he has been typecast at times as someone put on Earth to retire right-handers with one Frisbee slider after another. "I want to show that I'm not a spe- cialist — that last year was not a fluke," Romo said. "My career hasn't been a fluke." Right-handers with Romo's results (1.50 ERA; 0.71 WHIP in 2011) and personality tend to move into the clos- er's chair sooner rather than later. Throw in his bushy beard and Romo appears ready-made for a ninth-inning role. But that's not his goal, especially with this team. "I think I've found my niche," he said. "My role is being a setup guy, and I take a lot of pride in saving the game in the eighth. Do I think I can close? Yeah, I think I can. But do I want to do it here?" Romo pauses, pointing at Brian Wilson's locker. "No, I do not. Not as long as I'm on the same team with that man," Romo said of the Giants' closer. "I'm an eighth-inning guy on this team, and I'll happily do that until the day they ask me to do something else." Romo has excelled as a setup man, and some believe an increased role would be too strenuous for his elbow. Romo, 29, has been on the disabled list in the past because of elbow problems and has missed over a week this spring to rest his arm. But he doesn't believe his elbow is fragile. In fact, he'd like to go in the opposite direction. Romo pitched 48 innings in 65 appearances last season and only once in his four-year career has averaged at least an inning per appearance. He said he would like to change that this sea- son, but an increased role doesn't appear to be in the Giants' plans. Sports Romo ready to set up 1B Weekend March 24-25, 2012 Lady Spartans undefeated at Cubs Classic SOFTBALL The Lady Spartans went 2-0-1, Friday, during the first day of the Cubs Classic at Big League Dreams in Redding. Red Bluff beat Gridley and Enterprise and tied West Valley. • The Lady Spartans pounded out a 12-1 win over Gridley to start the day. The game was called after the fourth inning. Bryce Etzler picked up the win on the mound and also drove in three runs and had a triple. Krista Rodriguez went 2-for-2 with a double and drove in a couple of runs. Megan McColpin had a pair of singles and an an RBI. Savanah Carrillo tripled and drove in a run and Emily Larzabel dou- bled and drove in two runs. • Red Bluff used a 6- run 6th inning to blow past Enterprise 9-2. McColpin picked up the win, striking out seven batters. Morgan Weaver and Brooke Clatty each had 2- RBI singles. Haley Harris and Brit- MCT file photo Sergio Romo is ready for another strong season for the Giants. baffled." "I know he wants to face more left- handers and get more work," manager Bruce Bochy said. "But what we're doing worked last year. If it's not bro- ken, we don't plan on fixing it." Romo will return from his spring hiatus Friday, and said he has plenty of time to get back to his shutdown form in time for opening day. Much of that success had been because of a slider that's one of the best in the game. "He'll throw a harder one, usually later in the count get a swing and miss," catcher Chris Stewart said. "But he'll also throw a slower one to get strikes. He'll set hitters up. It's kind of like, 'Hey, I'm going to throw a slider, but this isn't my best one. I'll save that one for when I'm trying to strike you out.' " "He can throw it whenever he wants to. It doesn't matter who's hitting — he'll throw it and they're going to be three-year contract Wednes- day, a day after Peyton Manning was formally introduced by the Denver Broncos. The 49ers had been among the finalists to land the four-time NFL MVP. ''I've been in worse situ- ations. I've been in camps where there were five guys,'' Johnson said. ''It's about taking advantage of the opportunity that you get.'' He played his first career game of racquetball with Harbaugh, Smith and Kaepernick when he met with the team Thursday. Johnson visited the Red- skins on Wednesday. The familiarity with Har- baugh was a huge draw to the Bay Area — not to men- tion being part of a turn- around that began with the team's run to the NFC championship game last season in Harbaugh's first NARITA, Japan (AP) — The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics arrived in Japan on Friday, five days before opening Major League Baseball's 2012 sea- son at Tokyo Dome. About 300 fans greeted the teams after they landed at Tokyo's Narita Airport, with Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki drawing most of the attention as the team made its way through the terminal. Utility infielder Munenori Kawasaki and pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma are the other Japanese players here for Seattle. The numbers back that up. Romo threw his slider, a pitch he learned from his father, Francisco, a whopping 54 percent of the time last season. That was the fifth-highest rate in the majors, but the reliance on breaking balls doesn't lead to any com- mand issues. Romo walked just five batters last season, and since entering the majors in 2008, he trails only future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera in strikeout-to- walk ratio among relievers. The command makes facing Romo all the more frustrating for opposing hitters. They know they're getting a slider around the strike zone, yet there's little they can do about it. "It seems like every hitter is shak- ing his head after facing Sergio," Stew- art said. "It's fun to catch. I definitely wouldn't want to be hitting against him." 49ers QB Johnson eager to reunite with Harbaugh year. ''My college career told me, 'Look at what I did playing for these coaches, playing in this offense. I had tremendous success. We won so many games. We accomplished so much as a team and changed so much for San Diego,'' Johnson said. ''Why not do that in the pros as well, to grow up in the pros under the same coaching staff? (Harbaugh) showed me how to trust in all my abilities. Coming out of high school, my body was still developing so I kind of doubted myself. He showed me how to play the quarterback position with confidence and to be precise with everything.'' The 25-year-old Johnson started five games in four seasons with Tampa Bay. He completed 96 of 177 passes for 1,042 yards, five touchdowns and 10 inter- ceptions in 26 career Suzuki hit his second home run of the spring Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox. The Seattle outfielder is hitting .400 since moving to the third spot in the lineup this spring after batting leadoff for nearly all of his career. The teams open the regu- lar season with a two-game series on Wednesday and appearances. He believes he will con- tinue to get better under Harbaugh. So far, they haven't even discussed where Johnson fits in — and he is perfectly fine being patient and paying his dues. Scott Tolzien is the other quarterback on the roster. ''I didn't get into the specifics. It wasn't neces- sary,'' Johnson said. ''As a quarterback, there's one guy out there and it's about reps. I was told I'd get an oppor- tunity to continue to devel- op. ... They had a great year last year and I know the suc- cess will continue because I've played for this coaching staff already. I know what they expect out of their players, details that go into the preparation every week. They put their players in the best (position) to be suc- cessful. I'm just excited to be part of that again.'' A's, Mariners arrive in Japan for opening series Thursday. ''We're thrilled to be back in Japan,'' Oakland general manager Billy Beane said. ''When they asked who wanted to go we were the first to put up our hands.'' Seattle and Oakland had been scheduled to play here See A's, page 2B tney Fletcher had a pair of hits with an RBI each. Tayler Zazueta doubled and drove in a run. • The Lady Spartans tied West Valley 2-2. Harris led off the game with a double and was dri- ven in with two outs by Etzler. In the third inning, Fletcher started a 2-out rally with a double and once again it was Etzler knocking her home. Etzler finished 3-for-3 at the plate. Harris and Rodriguez each had two hits. McColpin went the dis- tance for Red Bluff. GOLF Daniel Frantz was six shots clear of the next best golfer, Thursday, at the Eastern Athletic League- South's first round at Table Mountain. Frantz fired a 76 and the Spartans won the Back 9 to place second on the day. Las Plumas scored seven points at the tourna- ment after winning the Front 9 and placing sec- ond on the Back 9. Red Bluff has six points. They placed third on the Front 9. Peter Mitzel shot an 85, good for fourth place overall. Dylan Grossman shot a 93 and Jordan Chapin had a 94 for the Spartans. GOLF Steven Rodriguez overcame a disastrous 10-stroke hole to fire a 79 and place second during the first Tri- Cities League match of the season at Tierra Oaks Golf Club. The Warriors placed third with four points, trailing University Prep (8) and Liberty Christ- ian (6). U-Prep's Matt Hatter beat out Rodriguez for first with a 77. Rodriguez shot a 35 on the Back 9. Jordan Stasinowski fired a 103 for Mercy's second best scoring day.