Sumter National, Sumter American pick up pair of wins in coaches pitch tourney

TURBEVILLE — Sumter National and Sumter American both picked up a pair of victories in the 7-8 year-old coaches pitch district baseball tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Sumter American defeated Turbeville 10-0 in four innings. Sumter National defeated Lake Marion 8-7 and the two teams will play again today at 7 p.m.

On Tuesday, Sumter National beat Turbeville 15-0 in three innings, while Sumter National topped St. George 16-4 in four innings in an elimination game.

Joesph Chatman led American offensively, going 3-for-3 with a triple and two runs batted in. Cade Mooneyham was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI and Sanders Altman was 2-for-2 with three RBI. Ja’Cori Jackson, Cooper Hill and Ford Wilder each had two hits and two RBI.

Shamar Graham, Jay Hatchell, Hunter Blanchard and Crosby Timmons each had a hit for Turbeville.

Gavin Rivers led Sumter American with three hits, while Marion Davis, Gentry Brogdon and Bodie Bowden each had two hits.

MONDAY

Game 1 – Turbeville 8, St. George 8

Game 2 – Lake Marion 9, Sumter American 8

TUESDAY

Game 3 – Sumter National 15, Turbeville 0

Game 4 – Sumter American 16, St. George 4, St. George eliminated

WEDNESDAY

Game 5 – Sumter American 10, Turbeville 0

Game 6 – Sumter National 8, Lake Marion 7

TODAY

Game 7 – Sumter National vs. Lake Marion, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY

Game 8 – Championship Round, 6 p.m.

Game 9 -- If Necessary

Jr. P-15’s win

The Sumter Junior P-15’s American Legion baseball team remained undefeated on the season with a 2-1 victory over Bishopville on Tuesday at Riley Park.

Chandler Hunter was the star of the game for Sumter, now 13-0. Hunter tossed a complete game, allowing just six hits while striking out four.

McIlroy out of Rio Olympics over Zika concerns

DUBLIN — Rory McIlroy says he will not be competing in the golf tournament at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics because of concerns over the Zika virus.

In a statement released by his management company on Wednesday, the four-time major winner says “I’ve come to realize that my health and my family’s health comes before anything else.”

The Northern Irishman says “even though the risk of infection from the Zika virus is considered low, it is a risk nonetheless and a risk I am unwilling to take.”

Las Vegas awarded NHL expansion franchise

LAS VEGAS — The NHL is making a big bet on Las Vegas.

The league will expand to Las Vegas after awarding its 31st franchise to billionaire businessman Bill Foley on Wednesday. Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the decision after the league’s board of governors met on a 109-degree day and voted to put an ice hockey team in the Mojave Desert’s gambling mecca.

Foley is expected to pay $500 million to the NHL’s other owners as an expansion fee. The new team will play in T-Mobile Arena, the $375 million building that opened just off the Las Vegas Strip in April.

The NHL is expanding for the first time since 2000, when Minnesota and Columbus each paid $80 million to join the league.

Arizona 3

UC Santa Barbara 0

OMAHA, Neb. — Jared Oliva homered for the first time in over two months and JC Cloney pitched seven strong innings, leading Arizona to a 3-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara in a College World Series elimination game Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (46-22) will play Oklahoma State on Friday in the Bracket 1 final. They need to win that game and another Saturday against the Cowboys to reach next week’s best-of-three finals.

The Gauchos (43-20-1) went 1-2 in their first CWS appearance.

Cloney (7-4) gave up only five singles before turning the game over to Cameron Ming with a runner on base and no outs in the eighth.

The Gauchos threatened in the ninth after Clay Fisher doubled and Devon Gradford walked with no outs. Ming struck out Austin Bush, JJ Muno and Dempsey Grover to end the game.

Arizona has allowed only two runs in three CWS games.

Crowd engulfs Cleveland, champion Cavs at parade

CLEVELAND — Following a parade choked to a crawl by a massive crowd, after proclamations, speeches and fanfare, Cleveland watched a symbolic passing of the trophy — and the torch.

When Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown handed the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, the city’s long wait was officially over.

After 52 long years, this was a title town again.

From staff, wire reports