Slippery Rock High School graduate Greg Grupp, a senior on the Grove City College baseball team, raised his batting average to .424 with a four-hit game against Thiel College Wednesday.

Grupp had a double, three singles and three RBI in a 16-1 victory.

Rock Solid, a 17-and-under girls basketball team, captured the AAU Tournament title at LaRoche College recently.The squad won all five of its games and will advance to the next round this weekend in Solon, Ohio.Team members are Jence Rhoads, Megan Spangler, Amy Achesinski, Jaleesa Sams, Julie Molloy, Nicole Cherry, Julie Herman, Abby Basta, Casey McCaffrey and Sheena Aden.The team is coached by Posey Rhoads.

CINCINNATI - Instead of a fast start, the Cubs are opening the season on the wrong side of .500.Sean Casey had three hits, including a bases-loaded double, and overlooked Jose Acevedo pitched six solid innings Thursday, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-3 victory.By taking two of three, the Reds moved above .500 for the first time since June 19 while the Cubs dropped below the break-even mark for the first time since last July."We know we're expected to win," starter Matt Clement said. "There are many examples of teams in baseball history that were loaded and didn't win."Clement (0-1) had a familiar bout of control problems, allowing the Reds to pull ahead 4-0 after three innings. The streaky right-hander needed 29 pitches in the first inning alone.The Butler native tied for the NL lead in wild pitches last season with 13. He had one in his 2004 debut, and also walked three and hit a batter. Catcher Michael Barrett wasn't much help - his passed ball let in a run."It just wasn't how you wanted to get started for the year," Clement said. "It just wasn't a good game. Things didn't go right."