Long Beach Ousted by Stanford

Jason Cooper hit a two-run homer and John Hudgins pitched his third complete game Sunday as top-seeded Stanford advanced to the Super Regional with an 8-4 victory over No. 2 Long Beach State at Stanford.

Chris Carter and Chris O’Riordan also homered for the Cardinal (43-16), which advances to its fourth consecutive Super Regional and plays host to the winner of today’s regional action between Brigham Young and USC. (BYU must beat USC twice).

Tim Hutting and Nick Covarrubias each had three hits for Long Beach State (39-21), which failed in its bid to advance for the first time since 1998, when the 49ers eliminated Stanford en route to the College World Series.

Hudgins (9-1) won for the first time in four starts. He gave up four runs and 10 hits and struck out six.

Josh Alliston (2-4) was a surprise starter for Long Beach State. He had one start during the regular season and never pitched more than 4 1/3 innings in his career.

Alliston gave up five runs--four earned--and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

Stanford scored five runs in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie. Sam Fuld singled and scored when Ryan Garko doubled. Cooper then hit Alliston’s first pitch over the right field fence.

Pro Football

The brother of San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau was in serious condition after being shot in the head.

Tony Seau, 25, was shot just before midnight Friday at a party in Spokane, Wash., police spokesman Dick Cottam said.

Seau is a defensive lineman at Eastern Washington University. The 5-foot-11, 310-pound nose tackle, transferred there in January from Palomar Junior College in San Diego County.

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The Philadelphia Eagles have sold the naming rights to their new stadium.

Lincoln Financial Group, which has its corporate headquarters in Philadelphia, will pay $139.6 million for the right to name the stadium Lincoln Financial Field, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

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Former UCLA running back Skip Hicks re-signed with the Tennessee Titans, agreeing a four-year contract.

Hicks’ agent, Howard Silber, said he reached the deal with General Manager Floyd Reese on Saturday, and that Hicks would join the team today for the start of a minicamp.

Miscellany

Carlos Bocanegra scored on a header in the 80th minute to give the Chicago Fire a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Crew at Naperville, Ill.

Standing inside the six-yard box, Bocanegra headed Peter Nowak’s free kick past goalkeeper Tom Presthus.

Ante Razov and Amos Magee each scored twice for the Fire (5-3-2). Jeff Cunningham had two goals for the Crew (3-5-2).

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Former NBA player Cliff Levingston is taking an indefinite leave of absence as coach the USBL’s Dodge City Legend after his arrest on child support charges.

“It is extremely important that Cliff take care of his business and put it behind him,” General Manager Tom Nelson.

Levingston was arrested Wednesday in Dodge City, Kan. He made a first appearance Friday in Wichita and was released on $25,000 bond.

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A former University of Washington football player died in a struggle with sheriff’s deputies, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department said.

Anthony Vontoure, 22, of San Ramon, Calif., died early Friday at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, said Sgt. James Lewis.

“At no point did officers ever strike him, nor did they use any control holds,” Lewis said, adding that Vontoure was on the ground being restrained by three civilians as he yelled men in “green masks” were coming to get him.

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Paolo Savoldelli won the Giro d’Italia, maintaining a lead of nearly two minutes over American Tyler Hamilton through the final stage at Milan.