Cyclist Thomas convicted in steroids case

Former cyclist Tammy Thomas was convicted Friday of lying to a grand jury investigating a steroid distribution ring that has implicated some of the biggest stars in baseball, football and track.

Thomas, the first figure connected to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative case to go to trial, shouted at the jury after being found guilty of three counts of perjury and a count of obstruction of justice. She was acquitted of two counts of perjury.

Legal experts said Thomas faces a prison sentence of between six months and several years. She is scheduled to be sentenced July 18.

The federal government steroids probe has ensnared a number of elite athletes, including home run king Barry Bonds, track star Marion Jones and former San Francisco 49ers defensive end Dana Stubblefield.

Bonds is charged with perjury for allegedly lying to the same grand jury about never knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs.

TENNIS

Nadal, Davydenko reach final in Florida

Second-seeded Rafael Nadal advanced to the final of the Sony Ericsson Open at Key Biscayne, Fla., by beating 10th-seeded Tomas Berdych, 7-6 (6), 6-2.

His opponent Sunday will be fourth seeded Nikolay Davydenko, who defeated sixth-seeded Andy Roddick, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

MOTOR RACING

Earnhardt wins pole at Texas Motor Speedway

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the third Hendrick driver to earn a pole this season. Now maybe he can be the first to win a race.

Earnhardt, the team’s most consistent finisher with four consecutive top 10s, ran a fast lap of 190.907 mph in a Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway to win the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Samsung 500.

Starting beside Earnhardt on the front row will be Carl Edwards, who ran a lap of 189.487 in his Ford.

SWIMMING

Phelps wins one race, but loses two others

Michael Phelps wasn’t in condition to challenge a world record. Instead, he used the Columbus Grand Prix at Ohio State as a training session for the Beijing Olympics.

Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly but settled for second in the 200 freestyle. He also was fourth in the 100 breaststroke, a race he doesn’t swim in major competitions.

Phelps won the butterfly in 51.90 -- 1.5 seconds off Ian Crocker’s world record. In the 200 freestyle, he finished behind Peter Vanderkaay, who touched in 1:46.78. Phelps was timed in 1:47.09.

SOCCER

Wambach leads U.S. past Jamaica, 5-0

Abby Wambach scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the United States women’s team to a 5-0 victory over Jamaica in an Olympic qualifying match at Juarez, Mexico. In the opening game, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago played to a 0-0 draw.

HORSE RACING

Favorite Lucky J.H. wins at Santa Anita

Favored Lucky J.H., whose name bears the initials of owner John Harris, won the $135,000 Sensational Star Handicap at Santa Anita by three-quarters length over stablemate High Standards. McCann’s Mojave, winner of the 2007 Sunshine Millions Classic, finished fifth.

MISCELLANY

Dutton leads Crush past Avengers, 67-54

John Dutton threw eight touchdown passes -- five to Ben Nelson -- to lead the Colorado Crush (2-3) to a 67-54 Arena League victory over the Avengers (2-4) at Denver.

Dutton was 32 of 50 for 334 yards and also ran for a touchdown. Tom Hicks threw five touchdown passes for the Avengers.

Cal State Northridge freshman Reindell Cole, the defending indoor champion, won the long jump at the Texas Relays in Austin. He won with a wind-aided leap of 26-0 3/4 on his second attempt.