Big Hits

Pennsbury first baseman Kirby Groves has a simple philosophy when it comes to hitting: hit it hard, put the ball in play. It has obviously worked well for the Falcons senior, who will take her bat next fall to Seton Hall, where she is expected to play third base instead of first. She has been playing third for her travel team, the Pennsbury Gems, and is very comfortable there. "I like third because you get more ground balls, more action. But we have a very good third baseman [on the Falcons]

It went on and on, error after error, bad play after bad play. It was cover-your-eyes ugly. But in the end, it helped GAMP upset Frankford, 8-7, in the Public League baseball semifinals yesterday at La Salle University. Northeast beat George Washington, 8-2, in the other semifinal to advance to Thursday's championship game at La Salle. Northeast swept its regular-season series with GAMP. "It wasn't very well played, but we had one big inning and it was enough to win," GAMP leftfielder Dave Scirrotto said.

TOMS RIVER, N.J. - The freshman didn't act like a freshman. The seniors acted like seniors. Gloucester Catholic both crowned the end of a great era in the history of the baseball program and heralded the start of another one with a 4-1 victory over Don Bosco Prep on Saturday in the Non-Public A state championship game at Toms River North. Freshman John Murphy pitched a three-hitter and seniors Pat Kane, Brett Tenuto, Joe Brooks, John Brue, and Elliott McCummings supplied the big hits as Gloucester Catholic (28-4)

Only moments after defeating the University of Utah, the tournament's defending champion, members of the Army rugby sevens team were refueling with chewy granola bars. Sweating onto the grass just a few yards short of the Delaware River, the Black Knights were multitasking: not only digesting the energy they'd need a few hours later against Dartmouth, but also digesting their impressive come-from-behind semifinal victory over the Utes. But in the championship match of the 2011 USA Sevens Rugby Championships, the Big Green brought more to the table in a 32-10 victory at PPL Park.

If Pitman successfully defends its Tri-County Conference Classic Division baseball title, the Panthers may remember yesterday's dramatic comeback as the season's key point. Trailing 8-3 entering the seventh inning, Pitman scored 15 runs in its final two at-bats to defeat host Gloucester, 18-14, in eight innings, in a brutal marathon that took 3 hours and 36 minutes to complete. Pitman improved to 5-1 overall and in the division. Gloucester's loss dropped the Lions to 6-1, 6-1. "I'm so proud of the way the kids came back," Pitman coach Dan Dalesandro said.

THE NFL Players Association filed papers in federal court pointing out that the NFL permitted a 1996 incentive program for big hits funded by then-Green Bay defensive lineman Reggie White. In papers filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, the union questioned why NFL commissioner Roger Goodell should be able to suspend former Saints linebacker Scott Fujita for offering then-New Orleans teammates rewards for big plays during the 2009 season. The filing cited media reports about the late White's "smash-for-cash" program that paid $500 for big plays, including big hits.

Eagles right tackle Winston Justice is writing a column for the Daily News again this season. His columns appear Wednesdays.   HITS LIKE THE ONE DeSean Jackson suffered on Sunday really scare you. Being on the field when something serious like that happens, your first instinct is to hope they will just stand up and shake it off. But when you see their motionless body on the ground, you know they will not get back up anytime soon....

Robert Griffin III took part in the Washington Redskins' full practice Friday for the first time this week and appears set to play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Griffin was full-go after being limited Wednesday and Thursday while recovering from a concussion suffered in last week's 24-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie quarterback has been subject to NFL-mandated post-concussion medical tests that he must pass before he can play. "If he passes his tests and we don't see any symptoms, then it looks like he'll be ready to go," coach Mike Shanahan said.

When Ryan Ferguson first showed up at baseball tryouts 3 years ago, Temple coach Rob Valli was baffled by what had just come his way. "Literally, this big, strong, lefthanded hitter just showed up at walk-on tryouts," Valli said. "We had no idea who he was, but he stood out like a sore thumb. " Ferguson's game might have been rough around the edges at the time, but Valli saw something in the 6-2, 225-pound catcher that he simply could not pass up. "He was a strong-armed guy from behind the plate, and he was pretty intriguing, so I kept him," Valli said.

Heart, the proven hit-makers who packed the Spectrum last night, have a couple of distinguishing characteristics. One, they're fronted by two women, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, in a genre overwhelmingly dominated by overgrown boys. Two, there's Ann's soaring, Robert Plant-like voice, which has more power and range than virtually any of her competitors. But that's about it. The Wilsons got their start in the mid-1970s, mixing mystical folk melodies with their Led Zeppelin bluster.