Report: More moves coming to the Pac-10
AUSTIN, Texas, June 11 (UPI) -- A move to the Pac-10 Conference by at least four members of the Big 12 could come as early as next week, the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman reported Friday.
The newspaper, citing an official from a Big 12 school, said Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State would join the Pac-10 as soon as formal offers are made, which could come over the weekend.
Texas A&M, meanwhile, was said to be trying to decide whether to join the Pac-10 or make a move to the Southeastern Conference. Breaking up the century-old rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M, however, was something state politicians were expected to do everything they could to prevent.
The American-Statesman said the Texas board of regents will meet Tuesday and a move to the Pac-10 was expected to be announced later that day.
The University of Nebraska officially left the Big 12 Friday to join the Big Ten Conference. Nebraska will begin competing in all sports in the Big Ten with the 2011-12 academic year.
Colorado had announced Thursday it was leaving the Big 12 for the Pac-10.
There have been reports for more than a week that the Pac-10 would eventually become a 16-team league -- split in two divisions. Six members from the Big 12 would join Arizona and Arizona State in one division and the remainder of the current Pac-10 teams in Washington, Oregon and California would make up the other.
White Sox beat cross-town rival
CHICAGO, June 11 (UPI) -- A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios combined for eight hits and five runs batted in Friday in leading the Chicago White Sox to a 10-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Pierzynski had a home run and three RBI while Rios knocked in a pair of runs with a home run.
White Sox starter Jake Peavy (5-5) lasted seven innings, giving up six hits, including a two-run homer by Alfonso Soriano. It was Soriano's 300th career home run.
Randy Wells (3-5) took the loss, giving up five runs on 10 hits and three walks in five innings.
The White Sox did the bulk of their damage in a three-run fifth inning and a four-run eighth.
Paul Konerko had a two-run double in the fifth before Pierzynski doubled in Konerko. Pierzynski hit his home run in the seventh and Carlos Quentin added a solo blast in the eighth before Alexei Ramirez had an RBI double and Rios hit a two-run homer that made the score 10-2.
The Cubs had a three-run rally in the eighth with Jayson Nix getting two of the RBI.
The White Sox scored twice in the first for an early lead but that was erased by Soriano's home run.
Kurt Busch wins NASCAR pole
BROOKLYN, Mich., June 11 (UPI) -- Kurt Busch won his second pole of the season Friday with the fastest qualifying lap for this weekend's Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.
Busch, who has won twice at this track, posted a speed of 189.984 mph for his one qualifying lap. It was the 12th pole of his Sprint Cup career.
Showers fell at the conclusion of qualifying and wiped out the practice session scheduled for late in the day.
Jamie McMurray will start alongside Busch, having missed the pole by .04 of a second.
Four-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson qualified third, followed by Kasey Kahne and Jeff Burton.
Mark Martin won the spring race in Michigan last year and Brian Vickers captured the event held in August.
Rounding out the top 10 qualifiers were Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, David Reutimann and Juan Pablo Montoya. Hamlin won last week's race at Pocono.
Points leader Kevin Harvick will start 31st.
Westwood keeps share of St. Jude lead
MEMPHIS, June 11 (UPI) -- Lee Westwood birdied his last three holes Friday to maintain a share of the lead with Garrett Willis midway through the St. Jude Classic.
Westwood, ranked third in the world and seeking his second victory on U.S. soil, shot a 2-under 68 at the TPC-Southwind course to finish 36 holes at 131. Willis equaled the day's low score with a 65 Friday.
Charley Hoffman also had a 65 and was alone in third at 132. Robert Karlsson and Robert Garrigus shared fourth at 133.
The 36-hole cut came at 1-over 141 and among those missing it was 16-year-old amateur Jordan Spieth. He finished among the top 20 at the Byron Nelson Classic last month, but failed by a single shot to make the cut this week.
John Daly survived the cut with a 141 total.
This is the final PGA Tour event before the U.S. Open, which will be played for the fourth time at the Pebble Beach Golf Links beginning next Thursday.
