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LSU scores at NCAA meet

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From Times Staff and Wire Reports

Trinidad had a big night at the NCAA Division I track and field championships.

Richard Thompson and Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Louisiana State seniors from the small Caribbean nation, won the men’s and women’s 100 meters Friday at Des Moines, Iowa.

Thompson eased to victory in 10.12, followed by Clemson’s Travis Padgett at 10.16.

Baptiste earned her long-awaited NCAA 100 title, bursting ahead over the last 40 meters to win in 11.20. Simone Facey of Texas A&M; was second in 11.27.

The races gave both LSU teams a boost in the team race. The Tigers scored 16 points in the men’s 100 and 13 in the women’s race.

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The LSU women also got a victory in the 400 hurdles, with Nickiesha Wilson edging defending champion Nicole Leach of UCLA in 54.45. Leach was timed in 54.62.

Florida State led in its bid for a third straight men’s team title with 32 points. LSU was second with 31. Auburn was third with 26.

Defending champion Arizona State, with a 1-2 finish in the discus, led in the women’s standings with 36 points. LSU had 31 and Stanford 21.

Sarah Stevens won the discus with a mark of 184 feet, 2 inches on her final throw. Teammate Tai Battle was second at 182-8

TENNIS

Nadal to face Roddick in London semifinals

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal overcame eighth-seeded Ivo Karlovic’s powerful serve to reach the semifinals of the Queen’s Club in London, where he will next play third-seeded Andy Roddick.

Nadal defeated Karlovic, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4). Roddick advanced without picking up a racket when sixth-seeded Andy Murray withdrew because of a thumb injury.

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Top-ranked Roger Federer extended his grasscourt streak to 57 matches with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis in the quarterfinals of the Gerry Weber Open at Halle, Germany.

Second-seeded James Blake needed eight match points to defeat wild-card entry Andreas Beck, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5).

Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated Evgeny Korolev, 6-4, 6-2, to advance to the semifinals at the Warsaw Open. In another quarterfinal match, second-seeded Tommy Robredo beat Oscar Hernandez, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

MOTOR RACING

Kyle Busch gets pole for Sprint Cup race

Kyle Busch’s lead in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings put him on the pole for Sunday’s LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway after Friday’s qualifying was rained out.

The starting grid was set by a combination of car-owner points, qualifying attempts and past championships. The formula gives Busch’s No. 18 Toyota the top starting spot ahead of second-place Jeff Burton’s No. 31 Chevrolet.

PRO BASKETBALL

House committee plans to question NBA

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), is planning to submit questions to the NBA regarding the claims of disgraced referee Tim Donaghy, a committee spokeswoman said.

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Donaghy claimed in a court filing this week that referees manipulated the outcomes of two playoff series this decade, including the Lakers’ 2002 seven-game victory over the Sacramento Kings.

-- Lance Pugmire

The Cleveland Cavaliers have declined permission for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas to play for Lithuania in the Beijing Olympics.

He needed permission to play because his contract is not fully insured.

The Atlanta Hawks re-signed Coach Mike Woodson for a fifth season. He led the Hawks to the playoffs, where they took the Boston Celtics to seven games in the first round.

HOCKEY

Penguins offer salary arbitration to Fleury

The Pittsburgh Penguins made certain goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury won’t become a restricted free agent July 1, choosing to offer salary arbitration to one of the key players of their Stanley Cup playoffs run.

The filing allows the Penguins to retain Fleury’s rights to negotiate a multiyear contract in advance of arbitration hearings.

PRO FOOTBALL

NFL suspends Henry indefinitely

Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL.

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The Bengals released Henry on April 3 after he was arrested for the fifth time. He is scheduled for trial June 24 on charges of assault and criminal damaging. A man accused Henry of punching him in the face and breaking his car window with a beer bottle.

Henry had received permission from the judge to try out with other teams in the league, but the suspension puts an end to that.

PASSINGS

Charlie Jones, 77, longtime sportscaster

Charlie Jones, whose career as a play-by-play announcer spanned 38 years for ABC and NBC, died of a heart attack Thursday at his home in La Jolla. He was 77.

Story in Section B.

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