Waianae takes
under-14 state
ASA championship

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Star-Bulletin staff

Waimea, Kauai >> The Waianae Blastaz defeated Ho'omana 9-1 to capture the Girls 14 and under American Softball Association State Championship.

Sarah Weisskopf struck out seven and spaced five hits in hurling the complete game victory for the Blastaz. The Blastaz, who won the 12 and under division last year and placed seventh in the nation, will now travel to Spokane, Wash. to compete in the Girls' ASA National Championships.

On their way to the championship, the Blastaz rallied in the final inning of both the quarterfinals and semifinals. In the quarterfinal game, Melissa Renshaw drilled a two-out, two-run homer in the Blastaz final at-bat to overcome a 3-2 deficit. In the semifinals, Waianae trailed 3-1 in the final inning before Ashly Sato drilled a two-out fastball into left field to drive in three runs.

Blue rocks, White rolls through select hoops

The Blue team beat the Black team 66-58 and White outlasted Gray 56-51 in the Hawaii Girls Basketball Showcase yesterday.

Blue was buoyed by Dalia Solia's 18 points and Shayna Mederios' 10 first half points, outlasting a late run by Black's Jodi Nakashima's three second half treys.

White was led by Brandy Richardson's 20 points, but needed Monica Tokoro's 10 in the second half to pull it out.

Niimi captures three badminton Aloha golds

Lance Niimi of Hilo took top honors as he won three gold medals at the Aloha State Games 2001 badminton tournament last weekend at the Aiea Recreation Center.

Niimi teamed with Lorna Tsutsumi to win the mixed open doubles; with Don Dela Cruz for the men's open doubles title and with Floyd Yoshimoto in the men's B doubles.

Yoshimoto and Tsutsumi teamed up to win their second gold medal in the tournament by capturing the mixed C division.

After four grueling matches, Haili Zhao emerged as the winner in the men's B singles division. Twelve-year old Amy Xie won two gold medals, the women's singles and teamed with Phoebe Yeung in the women's doubles.

Dennis Watanabe, 13, also captured two gold medals, the men's D singles and the men's C doubles with Bob Kishi.

UH media relations adds Kamehameha graduate

Pakalani Bello has joined the University of Hawaii sports media relations staff.

Bello, originally from Honolulu, has spent the last four years working in a similar department at the University of Colorado. Bello, a grad of Kamehameha Schools and the University of Colorado, will handle women's volleyball and softball.

Hawaii's own

Benny Agbayani, Mets: The St. Louis and Hawaii Pacific alumnus did not start in New York's 7-6 extra inning win over the Baltimore Orioles, but replaced Darryl Hamilton in left field at the beginning of the bottom of the ninth.

Mets manager Bobby Valentine put Agbayani in second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo's spot so that he could lead off the top of the 10th, but Agbayani popped out to shallow left field before Mike Piazza doubled and scored the winning run on Tsuyoshi Shinjo's single to right.

Agbayani came into the game hitting 9-for-24 (.375) in his last five games.

Mike Fetters, Dodgers: The Iolani School graduate did not pitch in L.A.'s 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers.