Hank Henry

Billy Ronson was a smash with everyone Saturday night at the Baltimore Arena.The cheerleaders liked him because he made their job easier by imploring the fans to make some noise in the fourth quarter. The crowd loved him when he won the game in overtime with a 35-foot shot. The Baltimore Blast players and coaches admired his spunk as the sixth attacker in a four-goal rally in the fourth quarter, and his wife, Julie, was all smiles as Ronson presented her with two dozen red carnations after a 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Storm.

Even the British fans cheered the Baltimore Blast in Manchester, England, yesterday after the visitors charged to a 6-1 indoor soccer victory over the home team, Oldham Athletic."

Dallas coach Gordon Jago and his Sidekicks couldn't hide a sense of quiet satisfaction. They had come into the Arena, before a lively crowd of 9,093, to play a team in need of a victory.For a half, as Blast coach Kenny Cooper would say later, both teams looked more interested in making the Guinness Book of Records for most goals than in winning a Major Soccer League game.But before it was over, the Sidekicks would put together a rare team effort with a little luck to beat the Blast, 6-5."We're so close all the time, and lose," said Jago, whose team is 15-25 and all but mathematically out of the Western Division playoff hunt.

Baltimore Blast coach Kenny Cooper said yesterday that he has no plans to change the Major Soccer League team's physical style despite mounting ankle and foot injuries."

Rusty Troy beat the snowstorm to the Baltimore Arena, then went out and beat the Kansas City Comets with a hat trick last night.Troy arrived at the Arena at 3:30 p.m. for some extra pregame practice, and it paid off. He scored the first two goals of the game to get the Blast started toward a 6-4 victory.The win came 24 hours after Baltimore was blitzed, 10-4, by Kansas City at Kemper Arena. It enabled the Blast (11-10) to again move within a game of the first-place Comets (12-9) in the Major Soccer League's Eastern Division.

VS. WICHITA WINGS* WHEN: Tonight, 8:35.* WHERE: Kansas Coliseum.* RADIO: WCAO-AM 600.VS. DALLAS SIDEKICKS* WHEN: Sunday, 6:05 p.m.* WHERE: Reunion Arena.* RADIO: WCAO-AM 600.* OUTLOOK: This could be another big weekend for the Blast (13-11). Just a game and a half out of first place in the Eastern Division, the Blast could be eye-to-eye with Kansas City by Monday, when the Comets come to town.Wichita, which moved into a second-place tie with the Blast the last time they met, has dropped three games since.

Baseball Senior Professional Baseball League -- Announced former Red Sox OF/DH Jim Rice has agreed to play with St. Petersburg.Los Angeles Dodgers -- Signed free-agent OF Darryl Strawberry to 5-year, $20.3 million contract.CollegesNCAA -- Placed Missouri's basketball team on two years' probation and banned school from NCAA tournament in March.Baylor -- Announced QB J.J. Joe will miss rest of season with broken thumb.Missouri -- Announced assistant basketball coaches Bob Sundvold and Rich Daly had resigned, effective at end of season.

Blast coach Kenny Cooper has invited six members of the Maryland Bays to try out with the indoor team this season.Letters were sent to: forward Jean Harbor, the Bays' goal-scoring leader and American Professional Soccer League Player of the Year; midfielder Kevin Sloan, the Bays' second-leading scorer and an All-APSL first-team selection; forward Philip Gyau, who earned APSL MVP honors a year ago and who has played well this season since returning from...