SLIPPERY ROCK – Joe Lamenza will replace Clyde Conti, who resigned at the end of the season, as the head football coach at Slippery Rock High.

The Slippery Rock School Board voted to hired Lamenza Monday night.

Lamenza has coached at Beaver and West Mifflin high schools. He has three years as an assistant coach at Robert Morris University, where he worked for former NFL head coach Joe Walton and Dan Radakovich, a longtime NFL defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Lamenza started his coaching career as an assistant at Slippery Rock University, where he received his bachelor's degree in education.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates say outfielder Brandon Moss has only a bruise and mild sprain of his right thumb and should be ready for opening day.Moss injured his thumb Saturday and was examined at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh Monday. He will return to Bradenton and begin working to regain strength in his hand and reduce swelling.The Pirates also optioned reliever Romulo Sanchez and assigned infielder Pedro Lopez, catcher Miguel Perez and left-hander Daniel Haigwood to minor league camp.Sanchez, 24, had a 4.05 ERA in 10 appearances with the Pirates last season. He will go to Class AAA Indianapolis.The camp roster is at 53, with 26 pitchers, five catchers, 13 infielders and nine outfielders.

Butler High and Slippery Rock University will host PIAAbasketball tournament games tonight.AClass AAgirls doubleheader will be played in the Golden Tornado gym. North Star (22-3) faces Villa Maria (23-3) at 6 p.m., followed by Bishop McCort (23-4) vs. Greenville (19-7)at 7:30.SRU's Morrow Field House will host the Class AAAAgirls game between Mount Lebanon (27-0) and Erie McDowell (22-3) at 6 p.m., followed by a Class AAAboys tilt between Highlands (20-7) and Farrell (22-4) at 7:30.

BELLE VERNON — In the first round of the PIHLClass A playoffs Monday, Freeport dropped a 6-2 decision to Serra Catholic at the Rostraver Ice Gardens.Neal DeCroo and Shane Gallagher each registered a goal, the latter to make it a 2-all game at 4:26 left in the second period.But a Serra goal by Erik Manetta with five seconds left in the period gave the Eagles the lead for good.Jeremy Hepler and John Reichenbaugh assisted on Gallagher's goal.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Thomas Howard, the linebackers coach for the Slippery Rock University football team for the past four seasons, was hired as the defensive coordinator at Lincoln University in Missouri.Howard joined The Rock staff before the 2005 season after serving as defensive coordinator and defensive backs-linebackers coach at Allen University.Howard played four seasons as a defensive back at Morehouse College inAtlanta.

SLIPPERY ROCK — The Slippery Rock University women's tennis team is ranked No. 26 in the nation in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II poll.The Rock is 9-2 overall, but 5-0 in the spring portion of its schedule.Knoch graduate Chelsea Gibson is the No. 5 singles player for The Rock.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University track and field coach John Papa and sophomore Whitney Hendershot earned top regional honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for their efforts during the 2008-09 indoor track season.Papa was named Atlantic Region Women's Coach of the Year after leading The Rock to its third straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship.The conference title was the 20th of Papa's career.Hendershot was named the Atlantic Region Female Field Athlete of the Year.Hendershot established herself as one of the top athletes in the nation by posting the best mark in Division II in the high jump as 1.76 meters (5 feet, 9Z\v inches).