Gary Gait

Thunder tonight: NLL semifinalsOpponent: Rochester Knighthawks Site: Baltimore Arena Time: 7: 30Radio: WCBM (680 AM)Outlook: Both teams were 8-4, but the Thunder gained home-field advantage for this game by winning both regular-season encounters, 20-13 and 14-11. The Thunder has defeated the Knighthawks in each of their last four meetings. Baltimore is the highest-scoring team in the league (by 40 goals) and is led by the NLL's two top scorers, Gary Gait (50 goals, 32 assists) and Joe Hiltz (34, 46)

The Thunder's Gary Gait was named the 1998-99 National Lacrosse League Most Valuable Player yesterday, marking the fifth straight season he has won the award in voting by the league's general managers and coaches.Also, the Thunder's Jesse Hubbard was named Rookie of the Year, and Gait and teammate Joe Hiltz were named to the All-Pro first and second teams, respectively.Gait, 32, who led the league this season with 50 goals, recorded his third consecutive scoring title and fifth of his career, finishing with 82 points in 11 games.

The Thunder rolled into last night's season opener against the Syracuse Smash sporting a new logo, a new owner and a new weapon.The new weapon is what most of the 2,953 who came to the Baltimore Arena wanted to see. And Gary Gait gave them a show.Playing in the National Lacrosse League debut, Gait, a seven-time All-Pro, scored seven goals and had five assists as the Thunder leveled Syracuse, 23-13."Gary makes me a much better coach," Thunder coach John Tucker said with a laugh. "He's a tremendous player but he's also a team guy. There's not a selfish bone in his body."

Opponent: New York SaintsSite: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, N.Y.Time: 8 TV: HTSOutlook: After a two-week layoff, the Thunder (6-3) will try to lock up its first playoff berth since 1993. Baltimore, which let the opportunity slip away March 13 in Ontario, will have to shut down former teammate Mark Millon, who had four goals and seven assists in two games against the Thunder last season. Millon, whose older brother, Tony, plays for the Thunder, leads New York (4-6) with 46 points. Gary Gait, who was held to one goal and three assists against the Raiders, enters the game with a league-high 43 goals.

No. 5 Syracuse (2-2)@No. 4 Maryland (5-1) Saturday, 1 p.m. The Orange's .500 record is a bit deceptive because one of those losses was in overtime to No. 1 Northwestern, 11-9. With that showing and Saturday's 12-11 double-overtime win at Florida, Gary Gait's team will be a dangerous opponent for the Terrapins, who have not lost to the Orange in 11 meetings. The Terps are coming off a big week of their own, however, rebounding from a 10-9 loss to Duke with a 12-9 win over then-No.

The Detroit Turbos' transition game was responsible for fiv third-period goals and proved too much as the Turbos defeated the Baltimore Thunder, 14-12, last night before 10,814 to win the Major Indoor Lacrosse League championship at the Baltimore Arena.The Thunder (6-5) was behind by four goals at the half, but Detroit (9-2) scored three unanswered goals in the final four minutes of the third period for a 13-5 lead. Detroit beat the Thunder in all three meetings this season.Detroit's Brian Lemon, on a pass from goalkeeper Ted Sawicki at midfield, got behind the Thunder defense and easily scored a goal only 34 seconds into the third period.

The Gait brothers, Paul and Gary, combined for 11 goals last night to lead the Detroit Turbos to a 20-16 Major Indoor Lacrosse League victory before 9,927 at the Baltimore Arena.Paul Gait scored seven goals and handed out two assists and brother Gary added four goals and two assists, as the Turbos rallied from a 5-0 deficit.Adam Mueller and Pete Parke added three goals each for Detroit. Jeff Jackson and John Nostrand scored three goals each for the Thunder, and Matt Kerwick had two goals and three assists.

PHILADELPHIA -- The Baltimore Thunder rolled into The Spectrum last night looking to earn respect in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League.What the Thunder found was a Philadelphia Wings team that was unwilling to give them any.The Wings opened a 9-2 lead in the first quarter en route to a 25-9 victory over the 0-4 Thunder in front of 13,483 fans. The 16 goals that separated the squads was the widest margin of victory in Philadelphia's eight-year history, eclipsing the Wings' biggest previous blowout, 23-9 against the Thunder last year at the Baltimore Arena.

Matchup: Rochester Rattlers (3-3) at Bayhawks (3-2) Site: Johnny Unitas Stadium Time: 7 TV/Radio: Ch. 2 tape delay, 11:35 p.m./WJFK (1300 AM) live Outlook: This will be the first game for the Bayhawks since June 19 after two postponements of a match against Long Island. They will be seeking to avenge a 14-12 defeat to the Rattlers on June 13 that broke their eight-game winning streak in the series. Tillman Johnson (St. Mary's) made his Major Lacrosse League debut in that game with 22 saves in a sparkling performance, and Bayhawks rookie Mike Levin made 20 stops.