Nastari gains ground

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Junior Kaleb Nastari is gaining ground on the Penn State University men’s track team.

Nastari, a former United High School state champion, was ninth out of 64 runners in the 800 meters at the Pepsi Florida Relays on Saturday. He ran 1:47.38 on the Pearcy Beard Track.

Georgetown junior Tinoda Matsata, the defending Big East outdoor champion, won in 1:46.17. The field included 24 runners who ran under 1:49.

Nastari was one of four Penn State runners with top-10 finishes. Yukichi Ishii paced the quartet by finishing fifth (1:46.91), followed by Andrew Regnier in eighth (1:47.15), Nastari in ninth and Niko Schultz in 10th (1:47.38).

Penn State returns to action this weekend at Bucknell’s Bison Outdoor Classic.

West Branch drops Salem

BELOIT — The West Branch tennis team didn’t drop a set in spoiling Salem’s season opener with a 5-0 victory Thursday.

The Warriors improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the Eastern Buckeye Conference. They will host New Philadelphia on Monday.

West Branch 5, Salem 0

FIRST SINGLES: Austin Hawk (WB) def. Avery Yerkey, 6-0, 6-0.

SECOND SINGLES: Damon Edward (WB) def. Ty Tomkinson, 6-3, 6-1.

THIRD SINGLES: Cameron McCartney (WB) def. Max Hammers, 6-1, 6-4.

FIRST DOUBLES: Jeremy Augustein-Connor Loper (WB) def. Ryan Folger-Trevor Bails, 6-0, 6-1.

SECOND DOUBLES: Blake Robbins-Mason Cosma (WB) def. Sean Hoffman-Logan Buher, 6-0, 6-0.