COLLEGES:
Women’s track and field:
VCU senior Kiara Porter, a Tabb High graduate, secured the last spot in the NCAA 400-meter final with a semifinal time of 52.21 seconds Thursday in Eugene, Ore.
Among three heats, her time was eighth-fastest among the 24 competitors.
Counting indoor and outdoor competition, this is her fifth trip to the NCAA championships. She is seeking her program-record fifth All-American honor and holds the Rams’ record of 51.42, which she set in the East Preliminary.
William and Mary junior Emily Stites placed third among 23 finishers in the 10,000-meter run in 33 minutes, 26.15 seconds. Notre Dame junior Molly Seidel won in 33:18.37.
It was an excellent night for Virginia Tech. Sophomore Irena Sediva won the javelin championship at 192 feet, 9 inches on her final throw, setting an Atlantic Coast Conference record.
In the women’s 800, Virginia Tech sophomore Hanna Green was the top qualifier in 2:03.35.
Academic honors:
William and Mary senior lacrosse Phi Beta Kappa member Ellen Shaffrey was selected to the 2014-15 Capital One Academic All-America At-Large Third Team.
The Charlottesville native set the school record for career draw controls (156) and broke the program’s single-season mark (57) that she established last season. A second-team all-conference selection in 2015, She led W&M in points (41) and goals (35) as a senior.
Shaffrey maintained an almost-perfect cumulative grade-point average while pursuing a degree in kinesiology and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. …
Tristan Warner of the Old Dominion wrestling team was selected to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-America Second Team, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
BASEBALL:
Coastal Plain League:
N.C. State player Chance Shepard’s three-run homer in the first inning sent Edenton to a 10-4 victory over Peninsula before 1,980 at War Memorial Stadium, enabling the Steamers (10-2) to edge ahead of the Pilots (10-3) for first place in the league and East Division.
After the Pilots trimmed the margin on a two-run single by Old Dominion’s Nick Lustrino, Shepard added a two-RBI single in a three-run second inning to help push the margin to 6-2.
Shepard finished with six RBI, and teammates Cole Gruber of Nebraska-Omaha and Mick Fennell of California (Pa.) each had two RBI and scored three runs.
Lee’s Ridge Ackerman took the loss. Mount Olive’s Dario Santangelo, the Pilots’ most effective pitcher of the night, worked two scoreless innings and struck out three.
The Pilots, whose four-game winning streak ended, had an interesting highlight, though, especially for a team that trailed almost throughout — they stole 11 bases.
Peninsula’s Will Shepherd, a Liberty player, was 2-for-4 and scored twice. ODU’s Connor Myers, Lee’s Luke Toms and Mount Olive’s Joe Koehler added two hits each.
Peninsula had swept a doubleheader at Petersburg on Wednesday, but the momentum didn’t last.
International League:
Chris Jones allowed just one hit in seven innings to send the Norfolk Tides (34-26) past Lehigh Valley 4-3 in a series opener before 3,823 at Harbor Park.
The IronPigs (21-41), who have lost seven in a row, rallied for three runs in the eighth, but Oliver Drake got his 11th save of the year. The Tides’ Christian Walker was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
Before the game, the Norfolk Tides watched right-handed pitcher Mike Wright be promoted to Baltimore, which placed right-hander Miguel Gonzalez on the disabled list with a strained right groin.
Eastern League:
Portland beat Richmond 5-4, ending the host Flying Squirrels’ six-game winning streak and avoiding a three-game sweep.
Richmond native and former U.Va. player Reed Gragnani drove in the winning run for the Sea Dogs (24-36), a Boston affiliate that had lost its previous six games. The Squirrels, who squandered a 4-0 lead, fell to 30-27.
All five Portland runs were scored by men who drew walks.
