ISLE FILE
Hilo beats Maui to capture Big League championship
Advertiser Staff and teamusa.org
Jeremy Crivello singled in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh as Hilo rallied past Maui, 5-4, Saturday in the championship game of the Little League Big League (ages 16-18) State Tournament at Wong Stadium in Hilo.
Crivello also pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, teaming with fellow relievers Michael Inaba and Jordan Otis to shut out Maui over the final six innings of the seven-inning game.
Cortney Aruda singled home the tying run in Hilo's two-run seventh.
Brent Kim batted 2 for 4 and Kika Echieverri had two RBIs for Maui, which took a 4-0 lead after one inning.
Hilo advances to the Big League West Regional, July 17 to 22, at Bremerton, Wash.
CENTRAL O'AHU EARNS RIPKEN MINORS TITLE
Central O'ahu Boys defeated the Makakilo/Kapolei Yankees, 12-2, yesterday in the championship game of the Cal Ripken Minor League (ages 9-10) state tournament at Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Central O'ahu advances to the regionals in Bakersfield, Calif., July 24 to 29.
Also, the West O'ahu Dukes will represent Hawai'i at the Cal Ripken Major (ages 11-12) regionals in San Luis Obispo, Calif., July 23 to 29. There was no state tournament for this age division.
VOLLEYBALL
STANLEY'S 10 KILLS HELP U.S. MEN BEAT SPAIN
Starting opposite Clay Stanley, a Kaiser High and University of Hawai'i alum, had 10 kills and an ace to help the U.S. men's national volleyball team beat Spain, 25-19, 25-19, 25-23, yesterday in a FIVB World League match in Madrid.
Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) had a match-high 17 kills and Ryan Millar (Palmdale, Calif.) dominated the net with a match-high six blocks as the U.S. improved its record in Pool C to 7-1. Bulgaria is second in the pool at 5-3.
"Today's match had a couple of key aspects: First, we served better than on Friday. We served more aggressively, with more conviction," said U.S. coach Hugh McCutcheon. "Also, Lloy Ball did a good job distributing our attack. I am very happy because we took a step forward today. We are definitively getting better that this is what I am proud of."
The U.S. team will now host Spain in matches on July 11 and 12 in Bloomington, Ill.
ITALY HALTS U.S. WOMEN WIN STREAK AT SEVEN
Second-ranked Italy ended the U.S. women national volleyball team's seven-match win streak yesterday with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-16 victory on the final day of pool play at the FIVB World Grand Prix in Taipei, Chinese Taipei.
The U.S. (7-2) and Italy (8-1) advance to the six-team, round-robin finals format, which starts Wednesday at Yokohama, Japan. Both teams have already earned berths in the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Foluke Akinradewo, starting for the first time in the FIVB World Grand Prix, led the U.S. with nine kills. Middle blocker Heather Bown, a University of Hawai'i alum, had four blocks and a kill. Lindsey Berg, a Punahou School alum, added 17 assists as the starting setter.
"We did well in the first two sets," said U.S. coach Jenny Lang Ping. "But we had too many unforced errors which dragged us down at critical moments. Italy played a smooth game and deserved the result."
