PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay was chosen as the National League rookie of the year by NL players in voting conducted by The Sporting News.

Bay led all major league rookies in homers (26) and RBI (82) despite missing more than a month of the season following shoulder surgery. Bay, who hit .282, also led NL rookies in slugging percentage (.550), total bases (226) and extra-base hits (54).

Bay's 26 homers broke the Pirates rookie record of 23 set by Johnny Rizzo in 1938 and tied by Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner in 1946.

The Pirates have never had a rookie of the year in the recognized voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America, but infielder Johnny Ray (1982) and catcher Jason Kendall (1996) previously won The Sporting News' rookie award.

The Baseball Writers' rookie award winner will be announced Nov. 8.

PITTSBURGH - Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steve Blass and current broadcaster has decided to work only home games next season, it was announced Tuesday.Blass, 62, wants to reduce his travel after spending 10 seasons as a Pirates player and 22 seasons as a Pirates broadcaster. He has been a full-time announcer on radio and TV since 1986.Blass is best known for pitching the Pirates to a 2-1 victory in Baltimore in Game 7 of the 1971 World Series, throwing a complete game four-hitter.

Mars' Marissa and Lauren Glew finished tied for 14th and 24th, respectively, at the PIAA girls golf championships, which concluded Tuesday at the Springwood Golf Club in York.Both sophomores, Marissa Glew shot a 91 and a 82 for a total of 173, while Lauren Glew tallied a 90 and a 92 for a finish of 182.Grove City sophomore Cameron Peterson finished in 27th place in the boys event, held at York's Heritage Hills Golf Club. He followed Monday's 74 with a 79 Tuesday for a final score of 153.

A-C Valley graduate Matt Knight, a sophomore linebacker for the Westminster College football team, was named Defensive Titan of the Week.Knight had a team high 14 tackles, including seven solos, in a 28-0 loss to Thiel.

Grove City College sophomore Carlie Roberts was named Presidents' Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week.The middle hitter posted 17 kills and six blocks as the Wolverines handed Waynesburg its first league loss in a four-set match.Roberts had eight kills and three blocks in a three-set sweep of Thiel.

Elise Held of Penn Township won the Westwood Junior Girls USTA Championship tournament in the 12-and-under division Sunday in Erie.Held, a seventh-grader at Knoch Middle School, also made it to the semifinals for the 14-and-under girls division.