Sports briefs 7/17/04

Baseball

An MRI taken Friday on Mark Prior revealed no damage to the right-hander's ulnar collateral ligament or his ulnar nerve, Chicago Cubs' general manager Jim Hendry said Friday. Prior had to leave Thursday night's game in the second inning with discomfort in the right elbow. He'd missed the first two months this season because of Achilles tendon tendinitis and a tender elbow. Prior is 2-2 in eight starts this season. The Cubs aren't sure how long Prior will be sidelined

College

Brian Calhoun, the leading rusher for Colorado last season, is on the verge of transferring to another school. David Hansburg, Colorado's director of football operations, said Thursday an exit interview with Calhoun was conducted this week and only a "matter with the registrar's office" was holding up the release. Calhoun, of Oak Creek, Wis., has said he has contacted Wisconsin and schools in the Big East, Big Ten and Southeast Conferences. Two other potential starters -- cornerback Sammy Joseph and defensive end Marques Harris -- and reserve offensive linemen Fredrick Staugh and Del Scales will not be back this season. The school is awaiting word on the possible transfer of a sixth, undisclosed player, Hansburg said. Calhoun led the school in rushing last fall as a sophomore with 810 yards and five touchdowns.

Golf

Jonathan Byrd had nine birdies in a 7-under 65 that gave him a one-shot lead after two rounds of the B.C. Open. Daniel Chopra and John Morgan, who lost in a playoff last week at the John Deere Classic, were tied for second at 11-under 133. Chopra had a 65 and Morgan a 68. Another shot back were Todd Fischer, Chris Smith, Roland Thatcher and Neal Lancaster. First-round leader Kelly Gibson skied to a 74 after an opening 64 to fall into a tie for 34th.

n Gloria Park had 10 birdies in a 6-under 66 and held a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Squaw Creek Country Club. Young-A Yang had a 67 and Donna Andrews was another stroke back. Marilyn Lovander, Nadina Taylor and Laura Diaz all had 69s. Defending champion Rachel Teske struggled all day and finished with a 75.

Hockey

n Atlanta Thrashers star Dany Heatley was indicted Friday on vehicular homicide and five other charges in the 2003 wreck that claimed the life of a teammate. Police estimated that Heatley was driving his black Ferrari convertible between 60 and 90 mph on a curved road in a residential area when it ran into a brick pillar and iron fence on Sept. 29, 2003. Dan Snyder, 25, died after several days in a coma. There is no mandatory prison sentence for the crimes.

Motorsports

Buddy Rice grabbed his second straight pole and fourth this year with a lap of 201.231 mph at Nashville Superspeedway, edging teammate Vitor Meira. Rice will pursue his third victory of the season tonight at the Firestone Indy 200 .

Tennis

French Open champion Gaston Gaudio defeated fifth-seeded Jiri Novak 6-4, 6-3 Friday to reach the Mercedes Cup semifinals. Gaudio will next play 11th-seeded David Ferrer, who saved three match points to beat 14th-seeded Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5 in the clay-court tournament. Guillermo Canas, runner-up two of the last three years, ousted Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-4. Nikolay Davydenko, seeded 15th, beat No. 12 Albert Costa 6-3, 6-4 and will meet Canas in the semis.

Track and field

n Hurdler Larry Wade withdrew from the U.S. Olympic track and field trials because of a broken arm, a spokeswoman for the sport's national governing body said. Wade's withdrawal from the 110-meter hurdles came less than a day after a source told The Associated Press that he had tested positive for a steroid earlier this year. Wade's agent, Emanuel Hudson, told USA Track & Field that the hurdler was injured in a workout on Thursday, USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer said.