Nishimoto commits
to Wahine hoop

Tricia Nishimoto says it is a dream come true.

The Iolani School senior point guard made a verbal commitment this weekend to continue her basketball career with the University of Hawaii women's team beginning in the fall of 2002.

"I always wanted to play Division I, but I never thought I would be able to do it," Nishimoto said.

"If UH is going to offer me a scholarship, I will be more than happy to take it. Ever since I was a little kid, I have been going to the Wahine camps and watching them play on TV and I know how good they are."

Nishimoto also is being recruited by Portland State and Texas-El Paso and won't be able to sign a binding national letter of intent until November.

"I gave them my word and I have to keep it," she said.

This past spring, one of her coaches at Iolani was former Wahine guard Kyla Evers.

"Kyla talked to me a lot. She told me stories about how it was difficult at first and how she worked on it and good things happened," Nishimoto said.

Sardinha spurns Rockies, returns to Pepperdine

Duke Sardinha ended a summer of trying to decide whether to sign with the Colorado Rockies or return to Pepperdine for another season of collegiate baseball with the Waves.

He attended his first class on the Malibu, Calif., campus yesterday at 10 a.m., shutting the door on the Rockies who had selected the Kamehameha graduate in the 41st round of June's first-year-player draft.

Sardinha, a third baseman who redshirted as a freshman, has two years of college eligibility remaining and, after this school year, will need one more semester to graduate.

If he stays healthy and has a solid season, it is expected he will be picked higher in next year's draft.

Hilo cross country fund-raiser this weekend

The 11th annual Big Island Invitational meet will be held this Saturday at the front parking lot of the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

A benefit for the Hawaii-Hilo cross country program, the event includes a 2-mile walk and a 3.1-mile race. The entry fee is $15 with a $2 discount offered to Big Island Road Runners Association members.

Yates promoted to Triple-A Sacramento

Tyler Yates was promoted to Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League yesterday and made his Triple-A debut last night.

Yates pitched 213 innings of hitless relief and earned the save as Sacramento defeated Tucson 5-1.

The Kauai High School graduate had appeared in 56 games with 17 saves for Midland of the Class A Texas League prior to his promotion.

A right-hander, Yates was 4-6 with a 4.31 earned run average at Midland.

Soccer tourney this weekend at complex

The Honolulu Coed Soccer Tournament will be held Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Teams from Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai and Japan will compete in 7-a-side and 11-a-side competitions.

Matches start at 9 a.m. each day and run to about 5 p.m.

Hawaii's Own

Benny Agbayani, Mets: The St. Louis and Hawaii Pacific alumnus went 1-for-4 with a home run and a strikeout in New York's 6-5 loss to San Francisco yesterday.

His solo shot, his first homer since July 28, to left-center off Ryan Jensen gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

Mike Fetters, Pirates: The Iolani graduate gave up a home run to Jeromy Burnitz and struck out one after pitching the eighth inning in Pittsburgh's 12-5 loss to Milwaukee.

Chris Truby, Astros: The Damien graduate and Houston had the day off.