Hawaii Beat Star-Bulletin staff

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UH-Hilo baseball moving to D-II

After 15 years at the NCAA Division I level, the Hawaii-Hilo baseball program will move to Division II beginning next season.

The switch is being made in anticipation of baseball becoming the 11th Pacific West Conference sport. Commissioner Bob Hogue said there is an agreement in principle for the PWC to sponsor the sport with a 30-game conference schedule for 2009.

The Vulcans (14-18), begun as an NAIA program in 1976, have been a D-I independent since 1994.

"This situation will keep all of our programs on the Division II level, help us with scheduling and create an opportunity for postseason play," said Dr. Luoluo Hong, UHH acting athletic director.

Three other PWC schools -- Hawaii Pacific, Grand Canyon and Dixie State -- offer baseball, as will newcomer Academy of Arts University of San Francisco. The conference is close to adding a ninth member that will sponsor baseball.

Custance ties UH pole vault mark

Hawaii's Jessica Custance tied a school record in the pole vault at the Cal State Los Angeles Twilight Open yesterday.

Custance was among three UH athletes to hit NCAA Regional qualifying marks at the meet. She cleared 13 feet, 1.5 inches to match the UH record she shares with Paula Gauthier, who placed third in the event at 12-7 1/2 yesterday.

Meghan Weaver won the shot put with a throw of 51-1.75 and the discus with a throw of 154-9.

UH's Annett Wichmann opened in eighth place and Emily Sheppard seventh in their heptathlon competitions.

Swim With Mike returns to UH

Scholarship presentations to two Hawaii-based disabled athletes highlights the activities at the fourth Swim With Mike swim-a-thon at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex on Saturday.

The Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to college students who have overcome life-challenging accidents or illnesses. This year's recipients are former Kahuku High all-state linebacker Tusi Mailo, a Brigham Young-Hawaii student who was paralyzed after an accident at the beach, and outrigger canoe paddler Joe Broc, a Hawaii Pacific student born with spina bifida.

Also on the schedule is a surf polo match between Honolulu City and County lifeguards and Paumalu at 9:30 a.m. Local celebrities and athletes from UH, Chaminade, HPU and BYUH will also swim relays starting at 11:30 a.m.

For more information, the Web site is www.swimwithmike.org.

U.S. Open qualifiers coming up

Local qualifying tournaments for the U.S. Open championship will be held at courses on four islands next month.

The qualifiers are set for May 9 at Turtle Bay Resort's Fazio Course, May 12 at Wailua Golf Course on Kauai, May 17 at Kaanapali Resort on Maui and May 19 at the Waikoloa Resort's Kings Course on the Big Island. The top finishers in the local qualifiers advance to sectional qualifying.

Turtle Bay will also host qualifying tournaments for the U.S. Women's Open. The local qualifier is May 9. The sectional qualifier is June 9. Applications are available by calling (908) 234-2300 and online at usga.org.

Rainbow Wahine beat Idaho in tennis

Hawaii captured its second straight win with a 5-2 victory over Idaho in a WAC women's tennis match yesterday in Moscow.

HPU tops UH-Hilo in extra innings

Hawaii Pacific struck for six runs in the top of the 10th inning in a 10-5 win in the first game of a softball doubleheader against Hawaii-Hilo yesterday on the Big Island. The second game ended in a 1-1 tie when the game was called due to darkness after nine innings.

Anuhea Young's three-run homer highlighted the rally sending HPU (35-5-1) to the win in the opener.

Kitamura wins weekly baseball honor

Hawaii Pacific sophomore Makana Kitamura was named the Pacific West Conference baseball player of the week yesterday.

Kitamura drove in two runs in the ninth inning against New Mexico State last week and is hitting .343 for the Sea Warriors.

Kolaric to play in hoops invitational

Chaminade center Marko Kolaric has been selected to play in the Collegiate Basketball Invitational, April 24-26 in Wadsworth, Ohio. He is among 65 players selected from NCAA Division II, III and NAIA schools.

Kolaric was a two-time All-PacWest selection and averaged 12.6 points and 10 rebounds for the Silverswords.