San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum is facing misdemeanor marijuana charges following a traffic stop in his home state.

Washington State Patrol spokesman Steve Schatzel said yesterday that the 2008 Cy Young Award winner and former University of Washington star was pulled over for speeding on Interstate 5 in the town of Hazel Dell, about four miles north of the Oregon border, on Oct. 30.

An officer approached Lincecum's 2006 Mercedes and smelled marijuana as the pitcher rolled down his window. Schatzel said Lincecum immediately complied with a request to hand over the drug and a marijuana pipe from the car's console.

The amount measured was 3.3 grams. Schatzel said police consider that a small amount for personal use, well below the maximum of 40 grams before possession is classified differently and carries a more severe penalty.

"It was about the size of a thumb, the whole thumb," Schatzel said of the volume of marijuana Lincecum handed over.

Lincecum could face potential fines totaling $622 for the misdemeanor possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia counts plus the citation for driving 74 mph in a 60 mph zone, Schatzel said.

The 25-year-old All-Star starter entered a plea of not guilty through his attorney on Monday, according to records in Clark County District Court. A hearing that had been scheduled for this morning was canceled, pending a pretrial conference between Lincecum's attorney and a county prosecutor on Nov. 23.

Lincecum is currently scheduled to appear before a judge on Dec. 22.

The Giants said they were aware of the situation but did not immediately have a comment.

SERIES TV REBOUNDS

World Series television ratings bounced back from last year's record lows.

The Yankees' six-game victory over the Phillies on Fox averaged an 11.7 rating and 19 share. That's the highest since a 15.8/26 in 2004, when the Red Sox swept the Cardinals to end an 86-year championship drought.

It's up 39 percent from the record-low 8.4/14 for the 2008 Phillies-Rays series.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

SUSPENSION IN WAC

The Western Athletic Conference has suspended a replay official for one game after he failed to overturn a call in a game last weekend between San Jose State and Boise State.

Official Michael Goshima's one-game suspension will go into effect this weekend.

The suspension — the first of a WAC replay official since the NCAA implemented instant replay in 2006 — was based on a play where a runner was ruled short of a first down and Goshima's review incorrectly upheld the ruling on the field.

The WAC said that upon further inspection, "the runner clearly made the first down and the call should have been reversed."

NO. 22 HOKIES WIN

Freshman Ryan Williams ran for a season-high 179 yards and No. 22 Virginia Tech avoided its first three-game losing streak in six years, holding off East Carolina, 16-3, last night at Greenville, N.C.

Tyrod Taylor had a 13-yard touchdown run, Matt Waldron kicked three field goals and Williams atoned for his critical miscue last week against North Carolina by cracking the 1,000-yard mark for the Hokies (6-3).

Patrick Pinkney was 16 of 33 passing for 167 yards with a late interception for East Carolina (5-4).

GOLF

WATNEY LEADS HSBC

Nick Watney tied the Sheshan International Golf Club course record with an 8-under 64 to build a two-shot lead after yesterday's the first round of the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai

Fellow American Ryan Moore was in a group at 66 that included Shane Lowry of Ireland and Martin Kaymer of Germany, who is second in the Race to Dubai and facing a big week at this $7 million World Golf Championship.

Lin Wen-tang of Taiwan stirred the Chinese crowd with a 67, which left him tied with Tiger Woods, Anthony Kim and Paul Casey.

TENNIS

WILLIAMS SISTERS OUT

U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez has expressed regret over the Williams sisters' decision to skip this weekend's Fed Cup final against host Italy at Reggio Calabria.

First Venus, then top-ranked Serena told Fernandez they wouldn't make it for matches on red clay courts at the Rocco Polimeni club.

Fernandez said yesterday that "last week was a tough week. I found out about Venus in the beginning of the week and Serena Friday night; so disappointing for all of us."

Now 18-year-old Melanie Oudin, who reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, and 20-year-old Alexa Glatch lead the Americans. They will face top-20 players Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Third-ranked Novak Djokovic defeated Jan Hernych, 6-0, 6-0, in 53 minutes yesterday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors at Basel, Switzerland. ... Lou Filippo, a World Boxing Hall of Famer who judged 85 world champion fights and had small roles in the "Rocky" movies, died after suffering a stroke on Monday in Los Angeles. He was 83.