FSU’s Greg Ross Amateur Player of Year

FROSTBURG — Former Frostburg State University pitcher Greg Ross has been named the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches (MSABC) Amateur Player of the Year for the 2011 season.

Ross, a right-hander, had an impressive final year on the mound for Frostburg State with an 11-2 record and an earned run average of 1.49. He threw a team-high 90 2/3 innings and opponents batted just .192 against him. He had two complete games and one save.

Ross had six double-digit strikeout games that season, which included his performance against No. 1 Marietta in the NCAA Tournament and an 11-strikeout day against Wesley in the first round of the Capital Athletic Conference tournament.

Ross earned multiple postseason awards including being named to the American Baseball Coaches Association All-America First Team, D3baseball.com All-America Second Team, as well as ABCA Mid-Atlantic Pitcher of the Year and First Team selection. He was also named the CAC Player of the Year and was a First Team honoree.

Ross will receive his award at the MSABC banquet on Feb. 18 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at 7 p.m.



K of C Hoop Shoot today at BW

CUMBERLAND — The annual Knights of Columbus Hoop Shoot Competition for the Cumberland, LaVale and surrounding areas will be held at Bishop Walsh  School today, from 1 to 2 p.m.

It is free to the public with certificates and awards to be awarded. It is open to both boys and girls, ages 10 to 14, who compete in 10 different age categories.

The winners will advance to the District Championship, which will follow at 2 p.m. For information, call 301-777-1344.



Suns might move to Winchester, Va.

HAGERSTOWN (AP) — The minor-league Hagerstown Suns are signaling a possible move to Winchester, Va.

Information on Winchester’s government website shows that Hagerstown Baseball LLC signed a letter of intent last month to move the club to Winchester, provided that certain conditions are met by April 17.

One condition is funding for a new stadium. The Winchester Economic Development Authority voted Jan. 23 to seek transfer of public land for construction of a stadium to attract a minor-league team.

Hagerstown officials have said the Suns are considering a move. But the letter of intent is the first official indication from the team’s owners.

The Herald-Mail newspaper of Hagerstown reports that the Maryland Stadium Authority is advising the city on building a new stadium or refurbishing Municipal Stadium, the Suns’ home since 1981.



Pats’ Rob Gronkowski has ankle surgery

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had arthroscopic surgery Friday on the left ankle that hampered him in the Super Bowl,  according to the Sports Business Journal.

The Patriots declined comment.

Gronkowski, who set an NFL single-season record for tight ends with 17 touchdown receptions, had just two catches for 26 yards in the 21-17 loss to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl in Indianapolis last Sunday. His recovery is expected to last 10-12 weeks and end before the Patriots begin organized team activities in the spring.

Messages left for Gronkowski’s representatives were not immediately returned.

The All-Pro tight end, a second-round draft pick in 2010 out of Arizona, suffered a high-ankle sprain in the AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens in Foxborough, a 23-20 victory.

Gronkowski’s injury and playing status became a major story during an otherwise slow Super Bowl week.

He was listed as questionable on Friday, 48 hours before the game. He had worn a walking boot for a week before shedding it the Monday before the Super Bowl.

He said he had been making progress every day, but he participated in just one practice, on the Thursday before the game, and that was on a limited basis.

On the final play of the Super Bowl, Gronkowski was involved in a desperation pass by Tom Brady into the end zone on a third-and-5 at the Patriots 49-yard line. Tight end Aaron Hernandez and three Giants went up for the ball and it landed just out of the reach of a lunging Gronkowski.

“I felt like I was close,” Gronkowski said. “But close isn’t there.”