CHASE IS ON FOR WORLD SERIES TITLE
Chase Utley smacked a first-inning two-run homer to back seven strong innings from Cole Hammels, and Philadelphia edged Tampa Bay 3-2 in game one of the World Series. You can hear game two tonight at 7 on 1340 WNBS.

MARSHALL LAW CONTINUES TO RULE FIRST REGION GIRLS SOCCER
Marshall County claimed the Girls First Region Soccer Tournament Championship with a 2-0 win over Murray High last night at Heath High School. An incredible 17-5-2 season comes to a close for Murray, while Marshall County improves to 17-5-1, and awaits tomorrow night's University Heights-Hopkinsville winner in the state sectional in Draffenville on Monday. The boys championship game is tonight at Graves County with the Eagles hosting Heath. Due to possible heavy rain, the time of that match has been moved up to 5:30.

LONE OAK VS MARSHALL IN VOLLEYBALL TITLE TILT
At the First Region Volleyball Tournament last night in Lone Oak, the Purple Flash stopped Christian Fellowship 25-11, 25-16. They will meet Marshall County in the title match tonight at 7. The Marshals defeated Community Christian Academy 25-19, 25-18.

RACERS MEET THE MEDIA
The Murray State men’s and women’s basketball teams held their annual media day in the Murray Room at the Regional Special Events Center yesterday. Both coaches and several players were on hand for interviews. The men's team is the pre-season pick to win the OVC. Head Coach Billy Kennedy says his seniors are providing leadership for the newcomers.

RACERS NATHAN WILLIAMS FEATURED BY CBS SHOW
Senior linebacker Nathan Williams has one more highlight to add to his career scrapbook. Williams, who was recently named to the 2008 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List, will be featured on CBS College Sports’ Going Long. The program in an online blog hosted by Ryan Malleus and Michael Gabaldon about everything related to college football. The duo has been traveling the country since the start of the football season and uploading blogs and videos to www.cstv.com/goinglong. They made a stop in Murray Wednesday to shoot a story on the nations leading tackler and All-American Candidate. The story was uploaded to the Going Long website this afternoon and will have a chance of making the national television show, College Sports Tonight. CBS College Sports is carried by Dish Network and the Direct TV Premier package.

THREE ADDED TO TITANS RING
The Tennessee Titans will add three former players to the team's ''Ring of Honor'' at halftime of the Monday Night Football game against the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Steve McNair, running back Eddie George and tight end Frank Wycheck will be honored during the ceremony at LP Field. Their names will be displayed inside the bowl at the stadium. McNair will also be the 10th anniversary honorary captain for the game.

ANOTHER AWARD FOR PUJOLS
St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols was named the Sporting News' Player of the Year, as selected by a panel of 314 major league players. Pujols batted .357 with 37 home runs and 116 runs batted in during the 2008 season, and did so while playing with a torn ligament in his right elbow. This marks the second time Pujols has been selected as the top player by his peers, as he first captured the honor in 2003.

RAMS LOOKING FOR THIRD STAIGHT WIN
The Rams continue to prepare for their Sunday afternoon tilt with the New England Patriots. Yesterday running back Steven Jackson watched practice from the sideline as he deals with a quadriceps strain suffered late in the game against Dallas. Wideouts Drew Bennett and Derek Stanley, cornerback Tye Hill, lineman Adam Carriker and safety Todd Johnson also did not participate Wednesday. Offensive tackle Orlando Pace was a full participant and head coach Jim Haslett expects him to start Sunday after missing the Dallas game with a quad injury. The Patriots will be without Normandy High School grad running back Laurence Maroney and safety Rodney Harrison. You can hear the game Sunday morning at 11:30 on ESPN 1130 The Office.

NATIONAL SPORTS REPORT

=== MLB ===

Chase Utley belted a two-run homer in the opening inning and Cole Hamels threw
seven strong frames as the Philadelphia Phillies overcame an inefficient
offense to hold off the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2, in Game 1 of the World Series.
Shane Victorino scored on a Carlos Ruiz groundout in the fourth inning in what
proved to be the winning run, and the Phillies were victorious despite going
0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and leaving 11 men on base. Hamels
(1-0), the MVP of the NL Championship Series when the Phillies beat the
Dodgers, allowed five hits, two runs and had five strikeouts against a pair of
walks. The 24-year-old lefty moved to 4-0 with a 1.55 earned-run average in
the 2008 playoffs. Brad Lidge, who hasn't blown a save all year, worked his
slider to perfection in the ninth inning, striking out Carlos Pena and Evan
Longoria, and then getting Carl Crawford to pop out to third baseman Pedro
Feliz in foul territory to finish the game. The Phillies are in the Fall
Classic for the first time since 1993 and are trying for their second title,
aiming to join the 1980 squad. Crawford homered in the fourth inning and
Akinori Iwamura's third hit of the night, an RBI double in the fifth,
accounted for the Tampa Bay runs. The Rays were limited to five hits,
including none after the fifth inning. Their 2, 3 and 4 hitters in the lineup
- B.J. Upton, Pena and Longoria - went 0-for-12 with five strikeouts. The Game
1 winner has gone on to win the last five and 10 of the last 11 World Series
titles, but the Rays have faced plenty of adversity this year. The Rays are
just the third team to play in the World Series immediately after 10 or more
consecutive losing seasons. They finished off the 2007 champion Boston Red Sox
in the ALCS on Sunday in Game 7 to reach their first World Series, but now
have to rally after losing the opener of their second straight playoff set.
Scott Kazmir (0-1) was charged with six hits and three runs over six frames.
He had four walks and four strikeouts. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is
Thursday night, again at Tropicana Field. Brett Myers will pitch for the
Phillies while James Shields heads to the mound for the Rays.

===

The Seattle Mariners announced Wednesday that they have named Jack Zduriencik
executive vice president and general manager. Zduriencik, 57, spent the past
nine seasons working in the front office of the Milwaukee Brewers, and
ascended to the role of vice president - special assistant to the general
manager for player personnel in January 2008, just prior to a season in which
the largely homegrown Brewers won the National League wild card and advanced
to the postseason for the first time since 1982. He replaces interim GM Lee
Pelekoudas, who took the job in June after Bill Bavasi was fired. The Mariners
fired Bavasi after a 24-46 start this season, his fifth as Seattle GM.
The Mariners finished 61-101 this season, the worst record in the American
League, and took the dubious honor of becoming the first team in major league
history to lose 100 games with a payroll of $100 million.

===

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols was named the Sporting News'
Player of the Year, as selected by a panel of 314 major league players. Pujols
batted .357 with 37 home runs and 116 runs batted in during the 2008 season,
and did so while playing with a torn ligament in his right elbow. This marks
the second time Pujols has been selected as the top player by his peers, as he
first captured the honor in 2003.


=== NBA ===

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant does not expect to miss any preseason or
regular season games after suffering a hyperextended knee in Tuesday night's
preseason win against the Bobcats. There are currently no plans for Bryant to
see a doctor, but he did not practice Wednesday, instead receiving treatment
on the knee in preparation for Thursday's preseason game against the Bobcats
at Honda Center. Bryant said in a press conference that he had no swelling in
his knee and that he is already putting weight and pressure on it. The
reigning MVP, Bryant averaged 28.3 points and 5.4 assists per game last season
in leading the Lakers to their first Western Conference title since center
Shaquille O'Neal was traded to Miami.


=== NFL ===

New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre said he did not share information on his
old team, the Green Bay Packers, with the Detroit Lions. This past Sunday, Fox
Sports reported that Favre had a conversation with then-Lions president Matt
Millen in early September during the week Detroit played Green Bay. The Fox
story said Favre spent over an hour on the phone with Lions coaches, giving
them a rundown on the nuances of Green Bay's offense. Favre, on Wednesday,
said nothing of the sort happened. Favre said Millen called and invited him
hunting, but the two did talk briefly about football. The Packers went on to
beat the Lions on September 14, 48-25.

===

The New England Patriots have placed safety Rodney Harrison on injured reserve
with what the team is calling a thigh injury. Harrison was hurt in the third
quarter of Monday's game against Denver when his right leg got stuck in the
surface at Gillette Stadium while attempting to make a tackle. He needed to be
carted off the field. Reports on Tuesday indicated that the 15-year veteran
suffered a torn quadriceps muscle, but the team and head coach Bill Belichick
would not reveal the specific injury. This marks the second time in four years
that Harrison's season was cut short by injury. In 2005, he played just three
games before a knee injury ended his campaign. Harrison was in his 15th NFL
season and sixth with the Patriots. A two-time Pro Bowl selection, he is the
only player in NFL history to record at least 30 sacks and at least 30
interceptions in his career.

===

Philadelphia Eagles right guard Shawn Andrews will miss a minimum of six weeks
and possibly the rest of the season after undergoing back surgery, the team
announced Wednesday. The two-time Pro Bowl selection left Philadelphia's 41-37
loss to the Dallas Cowboys on September 15 with a back injury he suffered
while blocking on an extra point, and has not played since. After seeking
several opinions on the back, Andrews finally opted for surgery on Tuesday in
California. Andrews, a 6-foot-4, 335-pound guard in his fifth season out of
Arkansas, had not missed more than one game in a season prior to 2008 since
2004, when he broke his leg in his NFL debut and missed the remainder of the
season.

===

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard was placed on the injured reserve
list Wednesday after hurting his right thumb in Sunday's 34-10 loss to the
Titans. The 35-year-old Huard left in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game
after his hand struck a helmet while following through on a pass, and he did
not return. He had his hand wrapped on the sideline, while Tyler Thigpen came
on to lead the Kansas City offense. According to a report in a Kansas City
newspaper, Thigpen will start Sunday's game against the Jets, and Ingle Martin
will serve as the team's backup. The team also added Quinn Gray on Wednesday,
and he will be the Chiefs' third quarterback. The Chiefs are struggling to
maintain their signal callers as Brodie Croyle, Kansas City's starter for the
season opener, is also on the team's injured reserve list. Huard appeared in
five games this season, throwing for two touchdowns and four interceptions
while completing 61.7 percent of his passes. His led Kansas City to its only
win of the season, a 33-19 defeat of the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos.

===

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson missed practice on Wednesday with a
thigh injury. Rams interim head coach Jim Haslett on Monday termed the injury
a strain, and said he did not expect Jackson to miss this Sunday's game
against the Patriots. Jackson is coming off his best performance of the year,
when he rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries -- a 6.4 yards
per carry clip -- in St. Louis' stunning 34-14 rout of the Dallas Cowboys. The
fifth-year back had scoring runs of eight yards, one yard, and a backbreaking
56-yarder in the win, the second straight over an NFC East opponent for the
Rams, who have rebounded from an 0-4 start with wins over the Redskins and
Cowboys under Haslett.

===

Denver cornerback Champ Bailey and his brother, linebacker Boss Bailey, will
both miss a significant amount of time after suffering injuries in Monday's
41-7 drubbing at New England. Champ will miss four to six weeks with a groin
injury, while Boss's knee injury will require season-ending micro-fracture
surgery. Backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey will also miss the rest of the
season with an elbow injury. Champ has 28 tackles with one interception this
season for the AFC West- leading Broncos. Through 10 seasons -- five with
Denver -- the perennial All- Pro has 677 tackles and 43 interceptions, with
four returned for touchdowns. Younger brother Boss, in his first year with the
Broncos, has 31 tackles this season. The fifth-year pro has 305 career tackles
with seven sacks. Ramsey attempted just three passes this season -- all
against New England.

===

Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow has appealed his one-game suspension
for negative comments toward the organization, specifically to team vice
president and general manager Phil Savage, according to a report in a
Cleveland newspaper. Winslow was suspended for Sunday's game in Jacksonville
and docked a game check, worth upwards of about $235,294, following his
comments that he said he'd been treated like a "piece of meat" and was unhappy
that Savage didn't call him while he was hospitalized with a staph infection.
The players union will represent Winslow and the NFL Management Council will
represent the Browns in a grievance proceeding. Winslow could reclaim the game
check if he wins, but it is not a guarantee he will play. The team could
deactivate him for the contest.


=== NASCAR ===

NASCAR docked Brian Vickers 150 driver points, suspended his crew chief Kevin
Hamlin indefinitely and fined Hamlin $100,000 because their Red Bull Racing
team dipped its sheet metal in acid, making it lighter than required. Team
owner Dietrich Mateschitz also was docked 150 owner points and car chief Craig
Smokstad was also suspended indefinitely. The penalty drops Vickers from 15th
in the standings, a career-best, to 17th. Depending on the length of the
suspensions, Hamlin and Smokstad could also miss some races in early 2009.
There are only four weeks left in the season. Frye added that Randy Cox,
manager for Red Bull's research and development program, will replace Hamlin
at this weekend's race in Atlanta.


=== NHL ===

The Tampa Bay Lightning have promoted Brian Lawton to the role of executive
vice president and general manager, co-owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie
announced Wednesday. Lawton was hired as the team's vice president of hockey
operations on June 25, 2008 after former general manager Jay Feaster resigned
due to the change in ownership. Koules and Barrie took over as the club's
owners two days before the addition of Lawton. Lawton spent the last 14 years
prior to joining Tampa Bay as a high-powered player representative. The 43-
year-old Rhode Island native was the former first-overall pick of the
Minnesota North Stars in 1983 and spent nine seasons in the NHL with six
clubs.
 

>>WEDNESDAY'S SCOREBOARD

MLB Playoffs
------
Philadelphia Phillies 3, Tampa Bay Rays 2
(Phillies lead best-of-seven World Series, 1-0)

NHL
------
Florida Panthers 3, Ottawa Senators 1
New Jersey Devils 5, Dallas Stars 0
San Jose Sharks 7, Philadelphia Flyers 6 (so)
Detroit Red Wings 4, St. Louis Blues 3
Chicago Blackhawks 3, Edmonton Oilers 0

NBA Preseason
------
Orlando Magic 101, Memphis Grizzlies 90
Detroit Pistons 97, Cleveland Cavaliers 79
Philadelphia 76ers 118, New Jersey Nets 100
Chicago Bulls 85, Minnesota Timberwolves 75
Washington Wizards 100, San Antonio Spurs 95
Portland Trail Blazers 87, Los Angeles Clippers 75


>>THURSDAY'S SCHEDULE (All times are Eastern)

MLB Playoffs
------
8:00 p.m. - Philadelphia Phillies at Tampa Bay Rays
(Phillies lead best-of-seven World Series, 1-0)

NHL
------
7:00 p.m. - Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins
7:00 p.m. - Dallas Stars at New York Islanders
7:30 p.m. - Carolina Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Penguins
8:00 p.m. - Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators
8:00 p.m. - Buffalo Sabres at Minnesota Wild
9:30 p.m. - Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche
10:00 p.m. - Washington Capitals at Phoenix Coyotes

NBA Preseason
------
7:30 p.m. - Atlanta Hawks at Detroit Pistons
8:00 p.m. - Milwaukee Bucks at Minnesota Timberwolves
8:30 p.m. - Indiana Pacers at Dallas Mavericks
8:30 p.m. - Miami Heat at New Orleans Hornets (at Mobile, AL)
9:00 p.m. - Portland Trail Blazers at Utah Jazz
10:00 p.m. - Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings
10:00 p.m. - Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix Suns
10:00 p.m. - Charlotte Bobcats at Los Angeles Lakers (at Anaheim, CA)

PGA
------
9:45 a.m. - Frys.com Open (at Scottsdale, AZ)