SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Bryce Jordan homered and his twin brother, Beau, had an RBI double to back up starter Kennon Fontenot’s 11-strikeout night as Lake Charles, La., advanced to the U.S. final of the Little League World Series with a 6-1 win Thursday over Tampa, Fla.
Little League’s Saturday semifinals are now set: Hawaii and Louisiana will square off in the U.S. final, while two unbeaten teams, Tokyo and Matamoros, Mexico, will play for the international title. Mexico moved on with a 5-2 victory over Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Semifinal winners play Sunday for the World Series crown.
Georgia Southern suspends eight players
STATESBORO, Ga. — Eight Georgia Southern players, including two projected starters, were suspended for the season opener against No. 1 Georgia for undisclosed violations of school rules.
Projected starting linebacker Terrione Benefield will miss one game and defensive back Ronnie Wiggins will miss two games.
Benefield, Raja Andrews, Charwell Brown, Brandavious Mann, and Damon Suggs will miss the Aug. 30 game against Georgia.
Wiggins, Zeke Rozier and Garryon Taylor were suspended for two games, and will also miss the Sept. 6 home game against Austin Peay.
• Quarterback Ben Mauk is taking his case for another year of eligibility at Cincinnati back to the NCAA.
At the request of both sides, a judge in Hardin County, Ohio, postponed a hearing scheduled for today in Mauk’s lawsuit against the NCAA. That puts the lawsuit on hold while Mauk submits new information to support his contention that a foot injury prevented him from playing his freshman year.
Mauk’s attorney Kevin Murphy said the material will be reviewed by NCAA staff as early as this weekend.
• Safety Jerimy Finch got a waiver from the NCAA to play for Indiana this season after transferring from Florida. The sophomore had seven tackles and one interception in three games as a freshman in 2007 before breaking his leg and missing the rest of the season.
Big Brown to run in Monmouth
OCEANPORT, N.J. — Big Brown is heading back to the grass in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner will run in the Monmouth Stakes on Sept. 13, his first start on grass since breaking his maiden at Saratoga last year.
Big Brown co-owner Michael Iavarone said the 1 1/8-mile race will serve as the final tune-up for the 3-year-old colt before the Classic, which will be held on a synthetic surface at Santa Anita on Oct. 25.
Footnotes.
The Miami Heat re-signed forward Dorell Wright, who averaged a career-high eight points and five rebounds in 44 games last season.
• Starting guard Jenna Plumley has not enrolled at Oklahoma for the fall semester after being suspended indefinitely for allegedly shoplifting nearly $35 in cosmetics at a Wal-Mart.
• The Los Angeles Galaxy signed midfielder Eddie Lewis and traded forward Carlos Ruiz to Toronto FC for first- and second-round selections in next year’s MLS supplemental draft. The Associated Press
