PAN AMERICAN GAMES : The Day in Review : Nicaraguan Coach Knocks Down Umpire After Being Ejected

A Nicaraguan baseball coach knocked an umpire to the ground after being ejected for arguing a called third strike in a game that sent the second-place United States (6-1) into the semifinals with a 5-4 victory.

Nicaraguan coach Trinidad Vallejos shoved Canadian home- plate umpire Bernie McGuire in the back after a call against catcher Genaro Llanes, which ended the seventh inning with the tying run on third.

Llanes also was ejected in the next inning after he thought the third pitch to leadoff batter Steve Rodriguez was strike three and stood up to throw the ball around the infield.

Another Nicaraguan player hurled a soda can out of the dugout and the dugout cleared, but order soon was restored in the second incident in a Pan American baseball game.

In the first incident, officials late Sunday reversed a decision to replay the brawl-marred game and awarded Mexico a victory over Canada. The officials also rescinded the expulsion of American umpire Dan Pedersen of San Diego, who was in charge of the game that resulted in Canada’s protest.

Mexico, which led, 7-5, when both benches cleared in the sixth inning last week, was at first credited with the victory. Then, officials accepted Canada’s appeal until the Appeals Committee of the Pan American Baseball Confederation reserved itself.

Bowling

Patrick Healey of Wichita, Kan., won the gold medal and Jon Juneau of Baton Rouge, La., the bronze in the men’s grand final. Julie Gardner of Huntington Beach was upset when she bowled a 159, way below her average of 205, in the final. Gardner won the silver and Mandy Wilson of Dayton, Ohio, the bronze in women’s competition at the Pan American Bowling Center.

Boxing

Mexican bantamweight Javier Calderon won a furious three-round quarterfinal bout against American Clayton Aristead of Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. U.S. fighters have now been eliminated from five of the 12 weight divisions.

Patrice Brooks of St. Louis Community College had a tougher battle with a stomach ailment that has been affecting U.S. fighters than he did with his opponent. Brooks, weakened by a four-day bout with the illness, took a 15-2 decision over Mark Richardson of Guyana in a lackluster quarterfinal at 132 pounds.

Equestrian

Danny Foster of Canada rode Forever Diamond to a gold medal and teammate Beth Underhill, aboard Monopoly, won the silver in individual show jumping as the Canadians continued to excel in equestrian events. Andre Dignelli of Bedford, N.Y., was fourth on Gaelic.

Fencing

Cuba won the team men’s sabre, defeating the United States for the gold. The U.S. team of Michael Lofton of Brooklyn, N.Y., Steve Mormando of Jersey City, N.Y., Olympian Peter Westbrook of New York, John Friedberg of New York and David Stollman of Birmingham, Mich., won the silver.

Field Hockey

Argentina edged the United States, 2-1, in women’s play at Antonio Maceo Sports Complex in Santiago de Las Vegas, near Havana. Cuba ripped Barbados, 6-2, to advance to the medals round.

Shooting

Cuban Alfredo Torres edged Dean Clark of Nashville, Tenn., in a sudden-death skeet shootout when Clark missed his sixth shot. As Clark cleaned, sprayed and dismantled his 12-gauge shotgun, jubilant fans carried Torres away on their shoulders.

The top three shooters in the competition--Torres, Clark and Bill Roy of Colorado Springs, Colo., set world records with 224 total points.

In air rifle, Francis Allen of Vail, Colo., won the gold with 656 points. Scott Swinney of Manchester, Tenn., was third and Troy Lawton of Columbus, Ga., was fourth, giving the Americans the team gold.

In women’s sport pistol, Margarita Tarragel of Cuba won the gold, followed by Americans Connie Petracek of Nashville, Tenn., and Roxane Thompson of Falmouth, Va. Cuba edged the United States by five points for the team gold.

Softball

The U.S. men suffered their second loss to Canada, 8-3, and must play Cuba today for the right to meet the Canadians for the gold medal. Darren Zack won his fourth decision as the Canadians scored four runs in the first innings and cruised. The Americans defeated Cuba earlier in the tournament.

Cuba beat the Dominican Republic, 8-1, to assure itself of at least a bronze medal at Caribe Stadium. Canada will play the winner of Cuba-United States game tonight.

Swimming

U.S. swimmers won all five gold medals on the first day of competition at the East Havana Pool Complex. Ashley Tappin, a 16-year-old from Metairie, La., set the pace in the first race as she led teammate Megan Oesting, 18, of Mercer Island, Wash., to a gold-silver finish in the 100-meter freestyle.

Amy Shaw of Mission Viejo won the 400-meter individual medley, and teammate Brandy Wood of Lutherville, Md., the bronze.

Eric Diehl, also from Mission Viejo, won the men’s 200 freestyle by a touch against Gustavo Borges of Brazil, clocking a Pan Am record of 1 minute 49.67 seconds. Hans Dersch of Atlanta, won a gold as he won the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:02.57, just ahead of Puerto Rico’s Todd Torres of Louisiana State. Jeff Commings of Black Jack, Mo., won the bronze.

The fifth U.S. gold was in the record-shattering women’s 800 freestyle relay. The Americans--Natalie Norberg of Arcadia, Barb Metz of Casper, Wy., Jane Skillman of Princteon, N.J., and Lisa Jacob of Mission Viejo--set a Pan Am mark with 8:11.47, nearly two seconds faster than the previous record.

Table Tennis

Insook Bhushan of Aurora, Colo., defeated Lily Hugh of Cocoa, Fla., 22-20, 21-10, 21-11, to win the women’s singles gold medal at the University of Havana. Jim Butler of Iowa City, Iowa, tied Horatio Pintea of Canada for the bronze.

Volleyball

The U.S. men and women each won got their second victory at the Ramon Fonst Hall in Havana. The men beat Puerto Rico, 15-6, 15-9, 12-15, 15-2, and the women shut out Argentina, 15-7, 17-15, 15-4.

Water Polo

The United States routed Canada, 15-1, to advance to the gold medal game against Cuba, which defeated Brazil, 11-5, in the semifinals. Brazil had defeated the United States in pool play.

The Americans, defending World Cup champions, have won the last three Pan Am titles.

Yachting

Lawrence Lemieux of Canada clinched the gold and Rich Byron of Los Alamitos the silver in the Finn class.

Peter Tanscheit of Brazil, one of the world’s best sailors in the laser class, finished first again. Sam Kerner of Honolulu was third for the fourth consecutive race.

The U.S. team of Steve Callison of Columbus, Ohio, Sean Fidler of Troy, Mich and Matt Fisher of Westerville, Ohio, was second in a race in the lightning class.