California team out at LLWS
Pearland, Texas, hit a pair of homers in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 9-7 victory over Bonita, Calif., and a berth in the U.S. championship game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.
After Bonita pulled ahead 7-6 in the top of the second extra inning, starting pitcher Ben Gottfried hit a tying solo shot and Caleb Low ended it with a two-run homer.
Pearland will play undefeated Lewisberry, Pa., for the U.S. championship Saturday. The winner will face the International bracket champion on Sunday for the World Series title.
Left-hander Daniel Zaragoza gave up only three hits and doubled home two runs, leading Mexico to an 11-0 victory over Venezuela and a berth in the International title game against Japan.
Steve Johnson reached the Winston-Salem Open semifinals in North Carolina when Taiwan’s Yen-Hsun Lu withdrew because of a back injury he suffered in the previous round. Johnson, the former USC star, is seeded 13th and is the lone American remaining in the U.S. Open tuneup event. He will play qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France, a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 winner over Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain.
Andretti Autosport announced that series veteran Oriol Servia will drive Justin Wilson’s No. 25 Honda at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway this weekend in the IndyCar season finale. Wilson died Monday, a day after a piece of debris from another car struck him in the head at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.
The Kings signed Russian defenseman Damir Sharipzyanov, 19, to a three-year contract. Sharipzyanov had nine goals and 25 assists in 66 games with the Ontario Hockey League’s Owen Sound Attack last season.
Notre Dame football Coach Brian Kelly said defensive end Ishaq Williams has been ruled ineligible for the season by the NCAA, ending his college playing career.
Williams was dismissed from Notre Dame last fall after being investigated for possible academic dishonesty. He had sought a waiver from the NCAA allowing him to play. Kelly said Williams remains on scholarship.
Tennessee safety LaDarrell McNeil is out indefinitely and wide receiver Alton “Pig” Howard was suspended for the season opener, continuing a series of preseason hits to the Volunteers’ depth. Coach Butch Jones said that McNeil was undergoing evaluation for “neck instability” and would miss “an extended period of time.” Jones said Howard was suspended from the Sept. 5 game with Bowling Green for a violation of team rules.
Former NBA player Darryl Dawkins, whose board-shattering dunks earned him the moniker “Chocolate Thunder” and helped pave the way for breakaway rims, died because of a heart attack. He was 58. OBITUARY, B6