Arizona State baseball coach Murphy resigns in surprise move

TEMPE - Pat Murphy has resigned after 15 seasons as baseball coach at Arizona State.

No reason was given for the surprise move, which was announced by the university in a brief news release on Friday.

The colorful and often outspoken Murphy led the Sun Devils to the College World Series four times - 1998, 2005, 2007 and 2009. The program has produced several major-league players, including Andre Ethier and Dustin Pedroia.

Under Murphy, Arizona State compiled a 629-284-1 record. The Sun Devils had won the last three Pac-10 titles, with Murphy named conference coach of the year each time. Murphy, 50, had offered no hint publicly of his impending resignation in recent interviews.

GOLF

Ochoa sits as rain suspends play

RICHMOND, Texas - Sophie Gustafson moved within two shots of leader Lorena Ochoa at the LPGA Tour Championship on Friday before second-round play was suspended because of bad weather.

The former Wildcat Ochoa didn't play Friday after shooting a 6-under 66 Thursday. She will start her second round today.

Gustafson shot a 70 in the first round, then played 11 holes and moved to 4 under on Friday when play was halted.

• Australia's Peter Senior won the Champions Tour National Qualifying Tournament in Scottsdale on Friday, shooting a 5-under 66 for a three-stroke victory over Joe Ozaki, Steve Haskins and Tucsonan Ronnie Black. Senior had a 17-under 266 total on TPC Scottsdale's Champions Course. Black, who finished tied for second at 270 after shooting a final-round 70, earned a full exemption for 2010.

• Lee Westwood shot a 3-under 69 Friday to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Dubai World Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, strengthening his chance of winning the European money title.

• UA junior Tarquin MacManus was chosen to play in the Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic, which begins Monday in El Paso.

NFL

League fines Cards tackle Dockett

TEMPE - The NFL has fined Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett $7,500 for his elbow to the throat of Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The league said the fine was for "roughing the passer." Seattle coach Jim Mora had complained that it was a dirty play by Dockett.

• Former UA standout and New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce is out indefinitely after an MRI exam revealed a bulging disk in his neck.

• The death of the mother of New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees has been ruled a suicide. Mina Brees died Aug. 7. Coroner Brenda Bock concluded that the 59-year-old Brees died of a prescription drug overdose and ruled the death a suicide.

MISCELLANEOUS

D-backs add 4 to 40-man roster

The Arizona Diamondbacks added four players to their 40-man roster. The team selected the contracts of infielder Cole Gillespie, right-handed pitchers Roque Mercedes and Daniel Stange and left-handed pitcher Jordan Norberto.

• The Arizona Icecats defeated Colorado State 4-1 on Friday night at Tucson Convention Center with all of the scoring coming in the second period. The Icecats (4-8) and Rams play again tonight at 7:30.

• Arizona junior Ben Grado finished second in the 1-meter event of the Wildcat Invitational at Kasser Family Pool on Friday.

• UA seniors Samantha Drees and Jasmine Namdar were named to the Pac-10 women's soccer all-academic second team on Friday. Wildcats Analisa Marquez and Macke Mutz made the honorable mention list.

• Ireland's hopes for a replay of its World Cup soccer qualifier against France ended Friday after both FIFA and the French federation rejected requests for another game. FIFA said it could not interfere despite a hand ball by France captain Thierry Henry that led to the decisive score Wednesday that put France in next year's World Cup.

Includes material from news releases