Travis Lauster of Prospect has been selected to play for the Western PA team in the National Team Identification Series (NTIS), sponsored by USA Baseball.

The team will play showcase games in the 15-under North Atlantic tournament Aug. 9-11 against teams from 12 states and Washington, D.C. The event takes place in Allentown.

Players from that tournament will be selected to represent the North Atlantic region in a national tournament at USA Baseball’s National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., in September.

A centerfielder, Lauster will be a freshman at Slippery Rock High School this fall. He played for the Allegheny Braves’ 14-under travel team this summer.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jon Beason of the Carolina Panthers broke the news on Twitter late Thursday night that he is now the highest-paid middle linebacker in the NFL.“Turn on the tube,” Beason wrote late Thursday night. “Jon Beason the highest paid MLB (middle linebacker) in the league. The news breaks now.”

LOS ANGELES — Hideki Irabu joined the New York Yankees 14 years ago in a swell of international excitement. The quirky, flamethrowing Japanese right-hander seemed destined to become a pioneering star for American baseball's marquee franchise.Irabu never reached those enormous expectations, and his career spiraled. On Wednesday, the 42-year-old was found dead, an apparent suicide in a home in Rancho Palos Verdes, a wealthy Los Angeles suburb.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina is now looking for a new permanent football coach and athletic director.A day after the school fired Butch Davis amid an NCAA investigation into his program, Dick Baddour said Thursday he will step down after 14 years running the 28-sport department.

Amid concerns that progress had stalled during his tenure, Bob Bradley has been fired as coach of the U.S. men's national soccer team.In a surprising announcement Thursday, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said Bradley had been relieved of his duties.Bradley was chosen as coach in January 2007 and went 43-25-12 overall.