P9g 54-e$utrly, My22r962--T e .ichigen[Crily SPORTS OF DAIL Y Softballers move into finals Special to the Daily NORMAN, Okla.- The Michigan women's softball team advanced to the finals of the winner's bracket at the AIAW World Series yesterday by beating U.S. In- ternational of San Diego, 2-1. The victory, which up- ped Michigan's record to 31-12, assured the Wolverines of at least a third place finish in the double-elimination tournament. Michigan will meet Oklahoma State, 57-14, today at 8p.m. WOLVERINE coach Bob DeCarolis was ecstatic over his team's performance. "We're having a great time out here," he said. "We aren't hitting the ball real well, but we're getting some great defense and some outstanding pitching. "Right now we're living in a dream world. No one could have told me that we'd finish in the top three in the country before the season started." The Wolverines jumped out to a 1-0 lead against U.S. International in the third inning when Diane Hatch singled, stole second base, and came home on Mena Reyman's base hit. Michigan picked up what proved to be the winning run in the fourth inning, when Debbie Haines scored from third on a Sandy Taylor ground out. U.S. INTERNATIONAL got its only run of the game in the seventh inning. Michigan pitcher Laura Reed picked up the win. The Wolverines, who received a bye in the first round of the World Series, earned the right to meet U.S. International with a 4-1 win over Rhode Island on Thursday. Tracksiers look for repeat MINNEAPOLIS (AP)- Michigan and Indiana are considered to be the top contenders for the Big Ten team championships in the conference outdoor track championships to be held today and tomorrow. The Wolverines will be looking to maintain their position as the reigning Big Ten outdoor track cham- pions. THE SHOT PUT is usually not considered the highlight event at any championship meet but this year the event will provide its share of excitement for track and field aficionados. "The number one and number two ranked shot put- ters in the world will be here," Minnesota track coach Roy Griak said. The No. 2 man in that event is Tom Lehman of Illinois, whose throw of 67 feet, 7 inches isa Big Ten record and longer by 6 inches than that of Ohio State's Kevin Akins, who is the defending champion. Akins also is considered the best in the world. "They take turns beating each other every week," Griak said. The finals in the shot put are tomorrow at 1:45 p.m. Today's events include the long jump, discus and 10,000-meter run and begin at 4 p.m. Tomorrow's schedule begins at 11:45 a.m. with opening ceremonies set for 1:30 p.m. Cummings defeats Nelson SALT LAKE CITY (AP)- Kathleen Cummings of Coloradeupset No. 1 seed Vicki Nelson of Rollins 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 Friday during a quarterfinal match of the 1982 NCAA Women's Tennis championships. The No. 2 seed was also defeated yesterday when seventh-seeded Micki Schillig of San Diego State Idefeated Louise Allen of Trinity 6-4, 6-3. In two other quarterfinal matches Alycia Moulton of Stanford defeated Cecelia Fernandez of USC 6-3, 6- 0, and third-seeded Kelly Henry of USC defeated Elise Burgin of Stanford 6-3, 5-7, 6-1. Cummings will play Schillig in semifinal matches Saturday. The singles championship will be played tomorrow. Steinbrenner to buy Rockies? NEW YORK (AP) - New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner would neither confirm nor deny Friday he is interested in buying the financially troubled Colorado Rockies of the National Hockey League. Meanwhile, Winnipeg Jets general manager John Ferguson said a $5 million payoff might persuade his NHL club to join the Smythe Division, a move that may clear the way for the Rockies to relocate at the new Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. BUT FERGUSON said he doubted the Jets would be offered such a sum. "Something like $5 million would change a lot of people's minds," he said. "It's not going to happen, I'm sure. But we fought long and hard to put our- selves in the Norris Division. If we move, we would have to be compensated first." If the Rockies moved to New Jersey, the Smythe Division would be left with only four teams - Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. The Jets are against the move because extra travel would be involved. A realignment would have to be agreed upon before the Rockies could obtain ap- proval for the move. Celtics drop Philadelphia, 88-75 PHILADELPHIA (AP) Larry Bird and Robert Parish triggered a 12-point rally in the fourth-quarter and the Boston defense allowed only 27 points in the second half as the Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 88-75 last night and sent the National Basketball Association's Eastern Conference championship series to a deciding seventh game. The Celtics, in regaining the homecourt advantage they lost in the second game of the series, now have a change to produce a "miracle" comeback against Philadelphia for the second straight year. IN LAST season's Eastern final, Boston trailed 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and won the next three games to eliminate the stunned 76ers. They can do it again tomorrow in Boston. Only four teams in NBA history have come back to win a geven-game playoff series after trailing 3-1. Kevin McHale, the Celtics 6-foot-10 second-year man from Minnesota, led Boston with 17 points, while Bird and Parish each had 14 and Gerald Hender- son 13. JULIUS ERVING'S 22 points led the 76ers, who in the first period had a 15- point lead and led untilParish hit the first of two consecutive turnaround jumpers that sent Boston ahead 69-67 and 7:58 left. The 76ers led 67-61 with 9:46 left when McHale collected a pair of free throws to start Boston's 12-point winning rally. Bird then scored a field goal followed by a pair of free throws by Henderson that tied the score. Then came Parish's two jumpers and the Celtics never trailed again. Philadelphiadidn.'t spore a field goal, with the exception of two goaltending calls, in the final 17 minutes. The 76ers had 11 points in the final quarter, nine of them on freethrows. DESPITE ITS inability to put the ball in the hoop, Philadelphia came within a poipt, 74-73, on a pair of free throws by Erving with 4:23 left. But Boston out- scored the 76ers 14-2 until the final buz- zer to send a unbelieving sellout crowd of 18,364 home wondering if the 76ers were about to choke. The 76ers, with Erving and Bobby Jones each scoring eight points, led 26- 20 after one period. Philadelphia built a 25-10 lead with 3:42 left, but Boston rallied with a 10-1 spurt to slash its deficit to six. BIRD, WITH a field goal and a pair of free throws, collected the last four Celtics' points, his only scoring of the period. The Celtics, as they did in Wed- nesday's 29-point, fifth-game blowout in Boston, used Parish in the high post, and he led the Celtics with eight points in the first quarter. The 76ers scored eight of the first 10 second-quarter points for a 34-22 lead with 9:14 left. IN A GAME of scoring spurts, the Celtics came back with 10 straight and 12-of-14 to come within 36-34 with 5:20 remaining. Then, the 76ers pulled away again on a 10-0 spurt. When Maurice Cheeks scored at 3:05, Philadelphia led 46-34. But Boston outscored the Sixers 8-2 in the final 2:49 to trail 48-42at halftime. AP Phoio TIlE CELTICS DANNY Ainge reaches from the floor and attempts to grab the ball from Philadelphia's Andrew Toney last night in NBA playoff action. I