Harrisburg Heat

Baseball2 Harrisburg Heat (NPSL) -- Signed D Todd Smith.

PHILADELPHIA -- If the Blast goes on to capture third place and the final playoff spot in the Major Indoor Soccer League's Eastern Conference, it will be able to look back to yesterday as a pivotal time when good fortune and stand-up play perfectly entwined. Catching the defending MISL champion Philadelphia KiXX with four defenders sitting out on suspensions and leading scorer Joe injured proved to be an ideal gift the Blast couldn't and wouldn't pass on. Rookie P.J. Wakefield recorded his first three-goal game; goalkeeper Brett Phillips had 14 saves; newcomers Kyle Swords and Allen Eller made their first Blast goals timely; and the team buckled down to protect a fourth-quarter lead.

BaseballOttawa Senators -- Agreed to terms with D Kevin MacDonald.SoccerChicago Power (NPSL) -- Signed F Jim Harkness for the 1993-94 season. Acquired D Larry Julius from the Harrisburg Heat in exchange for a first-round pick in the 1994 draft.

When Milwaukee Wave defender Troy Dusosky sent one final clear to the other end - preserving a 16-14 win over the Blast last night - he mockingly grabbed his chest and let out a sigh of relief. The Blast - which for two nights at 1st Mariner Arena was in the finest company the Major Indoor Soccer League has to offer - couldn't pull off another big home win, but it certainly showed well. Surrendering two three-point goals earlier in the fourth quarter to fall behind 16-10, the home team rallied but fell two points short in a bid to follow up Friday night's impressive, 7-2 win over the defending league-champion Philadelphia KiXX.

Rookie Tommy Miller scored three times in the second half yesterday to lead the Spirit past the Harrisburg Heat, 20-10, in a preseason opener at Du Burns Arena.The Spirit will continue its preseason schedule tomorrow at 7:05 against Harrisburg in York, Pa.

Opponent: Harrisburg HeatSite: Baltimore ArenaTime: 7: 35Radio: WCBM (680 AM)Outlook: The Spirit has won its past three games at home, including a 12-6 thumping of the Heat. However, Harrisburg leads the season series, 3-1. The Spirit is 5-5 since the first of the year and now plays five straight games at home. The Heat is back over .500 (14-13) after a lengthy slump.Pub Date: 2/13/98

Nine Saturday games, including the opener against the Harrisburg Heat Oct. 24, will highlight the home schedule of the Baltimore Blast this season, the city's 18th in professional indoor soccer.It's the first year back for the Blast, under the ownership of Ed Hale, who purchased the franchise from Bill Stealey, owner of the Spirit the previous six seasons.The team, under the leadership of coach and general manager Kevin Healey, also will play eight Friday night games at the Baltimore Arena.

The Spirit will be glad to be back home for Friday's game against the Cleveland Crunch. In its past three games -- all on the road -- the Spirit went 0-3, including Saturday night's 20-14 loss to the Harrisburg Heat.It was the Heat's first win in four tries against the Spirit this season.The Spirit (22-9) remains in first place in the American Division, one game ahead of the Crunch, which lost yesterday at Canton, 18-15.Paul Wright had three goals and an assist for the Spirit, and Rusty Troy had two goals and an assist.

At practice this week, the Blast's players talked about how last weekend's back-to-back wins over Kansas City and San Diego was only a start. It was this weekend's schedule at home - starting last night against the defending Major Indoor Soccer League-champion Philadelphia KiXX - that the team believed was its chance to really say something. How's this for a statement? Two measly points for the visitors. When defenders weren't getting in the way of shots or clearing chances off the line, goalkeeper Scott Hileman was speaking volumes, turning away 22 KiXX shots to lead the Blast to a feel-good, 7-2 win before 3,896 at 1st Mariner Arena.

When asked what Bobby McAvan has brought to the Blast in his first 10 games as coach, second-year defender Billy Nelson didn't come back with any complicated tactics or rah-rah rhetoric. Just simple words. "A lot of confidence," said Nelson, last year's Major Indoor Soccer League Rookie of the Year. "He believes in us and stresses that a lot. I think people are a little more relaxed, and we're starting to play better as a team. He just wants us to get back to our winning ways and brings a lot to the table in that way."

The high-octane Kansas City Comets came to Baltimore last night averaging a Major Indoor Soccer League-best 15 points a game and led by 100-point scorer Dino Delevski. The Blast, bending on occasion but never breaking, wasn't fazed. The home team mustered the offense and buckled down with smothering defense in the pivotal fourth quarter, appropriately rewarded with a 15-7 win before 5,132 at 1st Mariner Arena. Blast goals came from seven players, and goalkeeper Brett Phillips stopped 20 Kansas City shots with help from a united defensive front led by Sean Bowers, back from injury.

Eastern Conference Blast Coach: Kevin Healey Last season: 18-26, fourth place; eliminated by Milwaukee in one-game semifinal Outlook: On paper, the Blast once again has one of the most talented collection of players in the league. The aim now is to win. An offense that already featured 100-points-plus scorers Denison Cabral and Paul Wright, among others, added firepower with the signing of former Harrisburg Heat standout Gino DiFlorio. The 38-year-old forward, coming off knee surgery last December, brings poise with the ball and a powerful left foot.

Staring bleakly at a potential second home loss in as many nights - this time to the last-place Harrisburg Heat - the Blast found an escape route with some good fortune in the closing seconds last night. Denison Cabral's three-point shot from in front deflected off the wrist of Heat defender Wendell Regis and found the goal with five seconds left, saving the day for the Blast in a 13-11 win. Cabral's three-pointer completed a dramatic, seven-point surge for the Blast in the final four minutes of play, turning halftime boos into a post-game celebration for the season-high crowd of 9,368 at Baltimore Arena.

Lose. Win. Lose. Win. Lose. Win. It's a consistent pattern, but not the kind the Blast is looking to continue. "It's unbelievable," said defender Dewan Bader. "With the talent and veterans we have here, I would have thought we would have put together a couple four- or five-game winning streaks by now." It hasn't happened. Since opening the season at 2-0, the Blast hasn't been able to string together two straight victories let alone four or five -- each potential breakthrough win followed by a puzzling loss.

The Blast has begun piecing together its roster for the Major Indoor Soccer League season set to begin next month, maintaining its stance on continuity while adding some established talent. At a news conference yesterday afternoon, general manager/head coach Kevin Healey announced the signings of veteran defenders Sean Bowers and Dewan Bader, along with the news that 13 players from last year's team will return. With the dissolving of the National Professional Soccer League, Healey had to re-sign every player under the new MISL entity, working with a $300,000 salary cap. Signed and ready for Monday's first practice are forwards Tarik Walker, Lee Tschantret and Giuliano Celenza; midfielders Denison Cabral, Danny Santoro, J.J. Kremer, Danny Kelly and Paul Wright; defenders Jason Dieter, Doug Nealy, Derrick Marcano and Lance Johnson, and goalkeeper Scott Hileman.

American Conference No. 3 Blast (22-18) at No. 2 Buffalo Blizzard (22-18) Tonight: Opener of best-of-three series, 7:35. Regular-season series: Blizzard won, 5-2 Outlook: After spending the first half of the season in the conference basement, the Blizzard moved boldly into second with a 15-5 streak. Strong play against Baltimore helped. Buffalo won its last four games against the Blast, three at HSBC Arena. This marked the first time Buffalo won the season series since the franchises joined the NPSL in 1992-93.