Hawaii softball faces tough slate

The 2009 Hawaii softball schedule announced yesterday includes 11 teams that played in last season's NCAA tournament, with three going to the Super Regionals.

Hawaii went 40-21 last year and played in its second-consecutive NCAA tourney.

UH starts the season hosting the Paradise Classic (Feb. 5-7), with LSU, Oklahoma and UAB visiting Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Oklahoma comes off its seventh NCAA Super Regional appearance.

Following a challenging road trip and three more home tournaments, the Wahine open WAC play with a three-game series at conference champion LaTech, March 21-22.

WHERE THEY PLAY: Complete schedule.

Honolulu 95th in top sports towns

CHARLOTTE, N.C. » The Sporting News' Best Sports Cities rankings are out and Honolulu comes in No. 95 in the 15th annual list. Boston, a city on a remarkable sports run, is No. 1 for the third time in five years.

  “;All you had to do last January is see how many Warriors fans traveled with the University of Hawaii to the Sugar Bowl to see what kind of appetite for sports there is in that city and state,”; said Sporting News Chief of Correspondents Bob Hille, who has coordinated the rankings since their expansion 12 years ago. “;Our rankings might not reward just how good of a sports city Honolulu is, just out of necessity, but we know that sports has a huge impact on the city.”;

Waikiki's Silverio runs streak to 9

Alfredo Silverio extended his league-best hitting streak to nine games as the Waikiki BeachBoys beat the Honolulu Sharks 8-4 in a Hawaii Winter Baseball game yesterday at Hans L'Orange Park.

Silverio, who has hit safely in every game, singled and scored twice for the BeachBoys. Todd Frazier, Roger Kieschnick, Johan Limonta and Yuji Onizaki all paired hits as Waikiki improved to 4-5. Honolulu fell to 5-3-1.

» West Oahu scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning and held on to beat the North Shore Honu 7-6 in the second game of the doubleheader.

Clay to make Hawaii appearances

Bryan Clay, who won gold in the decathlon at the Beijing Olympics, will hold an autograph session at the Straub Clinic and Hospital Cafe on South King St. on Friday from 4-7 p.m.

The Castle High graduate will also give a free speed training clinic for kids ages 12-18 at the University of Hawaii's Cooke Field on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Clay will also give the speed and training clinic for kids 7-18 at Kauai's Vidinha Stadium on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. and at Lanai High School on Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Clay's busy agenda also includes a presentation about the importance of physical activity next Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. at Saint Louis School's Mamiya Theater. His talk is part of a larger program on teen and youth obesity that runs from 7 to 8 p.m.

The contact numbers for more information are 522-4479 on Oahu, (808) 245-1198 on Kauai and (808) 565-6423 on Lanai.

Lajola advances to third round

Hawaii sophomore Dennis Lajola beat Nikolas Cromydas of Vanderbilt 6-2, 6-2 yesterday in the second round of the qualifying draw at the D'Novo/ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Okla.

Lajola was slated to face Wil Spencer of Texas A&M in today's final round of the qualifying draw, with the winner advancing to the main draw that starts tomorrow.

In other matches involving UH players, senior and sixth-seeded Sascha Heinemann was upset by Michael Shabaz of Virginia 6-2, 6-3, and Halle Norberg of Mississippi knocked out junior and 27th seed Andreas Weber 6-1, 6-2.

PACWEST PLACE

Hawaii-Hilo outlasts Dixie State

Josimara Pinheiro put down 18 kills to lead Hawaii-Hilo past Dixie State 25-17, 19-25, 14-25, 25-18, 15-11, at St. George, Utah, yesterday.

The Vulcans improved to 14-5 and 4-2 in the PacWest. Dixie State, led by 16 kills from Alex Shearer, fell to 6-9 and 2-3.