More than 10,000 runners are expected to...

More than 10,000 runners are expected to crowd the starting line when the third annual Los Angeles Marathon strides onto the air Sunday.

Although the 26-mile race is set to begin at 9 a.m., KCOP Channel 13 will carry the event starting at 8 a.m. The live coverage will be anchored by Barry Tompkins. He’ll be assisted by Nancy Ditz, who won the first two L.A. Marathons among the women.

Tim Malloy, Wendy Rutledge, Mike Chamberlin and Judy Jernudd of the KCOP news team also will appear on the four-hour broadcast.

At 8 p.m. Sunday, Channel 13 will air an hour recap of the event. It will include highlights of the race and a look at those who took part in the Senior Walk. Spanish station KVEA Channel 52 plans an abridged broadcast of the marathon from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Running, along with pitching, hitting and fielding, returns to Vero Beach, Fla., as KTTV carries the first of four Sunday morning exhibition baseball games played by the Dodgers.

Tommy Lasorda’s team will take on the Houston Astros at 10:25 a.m. on Channel 11. Vin Scully and his new broadcast partner Don Drysdale report.

Scully also is on deck as narrator of “Dodgers: Blueprint ‘88,” a half-hour preview of this season’s team airing at 10:30 p.m. Sunday on KTTV.

In a battle of pro basketball divisional leaders, the Dallas Mavericks will host the Lakers at Reunion Arena on Sunday at 11 a.m. on CBS (2)(8).

Among the weekend’s notable college basketball games are Michigan vs. Purdue today at 1 p.m. (2)(8) and Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse Sunday at 9 a.m. (2).

Golf fans can catch coverage of no less than three tournaments: the Senior PGA Invitational today at 1 p.m. (7)(3) and Sunday at 11 a.m. (7)(3)(10)(42); the Doral Open today at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (2), and the Women’s Kemper Open today at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. (4)(36)(39).