TUCSON, Ariz. — Justin Upton has lived with high expectations virtually since the day he picked up a baseball bat.

Now at 22, with two full major league seasons already behind him, he says he welcomes the challenge of living up to the $51.25 million, six-year contract he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the second-largest deal in franchise history.

With his parents Manny and Yvonne looking on proudly at a news conference, the outfielder said he understands the responsibility that comes with this big a contract at such a young age.

Upton earned his first All-Star berth last season, when he hit .300 with 26 homers and 86 RBI.

His early statistics are compared favorably with those of some of the game's greats at the same age, such as Al Kaline, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez.

GROVE CITY — The Grove City College men's basketball team (19-8) plays at Wooster (Ohio) (23-5) at 8 p.m. Friday in the first-round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.Grove City qualified for the tournament as the Presidents' Athletic Conference champion.Wooster is the North Coast Athletic Conference champion and is making its eighth consecutive trip to the tournament.Butler graduate Cody Fleeger averages 4.1 points and 2.3 rebounds off the bench as a sophomore for Grove City.

SLIPPERY ROCK — The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC West in the preseason coaches poll.Only Edinboro, playing its first full season of competition, was picked below SRU.Defending conference champion and NCAA Division II runner-up Lock Haven was a unanimous selection to finish first.The Rock returns 12 players, including nine starters, from last year's 5-12 team.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Four athletes will represent Slippery Rock University at the 2010 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field National Championships next weekend at the Convention Center in Albuquerque, N.M.Seniors Phil Rector and Brady Wert represent the men's team. Rector owns the school record of 1 minutes, 52.28 seconds in the 800 meters, the seventh-fastest time in the nation among Division II athletes. Wert has a score of 5,016 points in the heptathlon, which is good for fifth-best score in the nation.Senior Jen Hansen and junior Kim Stitt represent The Rock women. Hansen is a four-time PSAC pole vault champion and has the nation's fourth-best vault of 3.90 meters. Stitt is competing in the triple jump with a leap of 11.93 meters, which is 13th best in the nation.

LUBBOCK, Texas — Brittney Griner punched an opponent in the face and was ejected from No. 14 Baylor's 69-60 women's basketball win over Texas Tech Wednesday.Officials tossed the freshman with 9:01 remaining after she struck Texas Tech sophomore forward Jordan Barncastle.Griner, who scored 21 points, likely faces additional discipline from Baylor and the Big 12, and Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said she will also deal with Griner.Baylor was up 55-39 when Barncastle fouled Griner while guarding her under the Bears basket. As the Tech player was moving away and untangling her arm from Griner, the Baylor standout swung and landed a punch with her right hand on Barncastle's face.Texas Tech coach Kristy Curry said Barncastle has an appointment in the morning to determine the extent of her injury.