Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Little League Baseball
North Carolina pitchers blowing away the competition at LLWS
By JACK DOUGHERTY
Associated Press
SOUTH
WILLIAMS-
PORT, Pa. — At the Little
League World Series, the
question now is not whether
anyone can beat the team
from Greenville, North
Carolina.
It’s whether anyone can
get a hit.
Neither Sioux Falls,
South Dakota, nor Rancho
Santa Margarita, California,
was able to do so against
Greenville’s pitching staff in
the first two rounds.
It’s the first time at Little
League World Series that
a U.S. team has thrown
consecutive no-hitters. Japan
did it in 2002.
Greenville used three
pitchers in its 6-0 first round
win Friday against Sioux
Falls. Chase Anderson,
Matthew
Matthijs
and
Carson Hardee combined for
10 strikeouts and no walks to
complete the seventh perfect
game in LLWS history.
Two days later, Greenville
walloped Rancho Santa
Margarita 16-0 in five
innings — the game was
halted because of the mercy
rule. Anderson and the
6-foot-1 Matthijs dominated
again, and the Southeast bats
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Greenville, N.C. pitcher Chase Anderson delivers in the first inning of a game against
Sioux Falls, S.D., in United States pool play at the Little League World Series in
South Williamsport, Pa., Friday, Aug. 18, 2017.
produced 18 hits and two
home runs.
It wasn’t just the top of
the order, either. Twelve of
the 13 Greenville players
recorded at least one hit and
nine had at least one RBI.
“They’re unbelievable,”
Rancho Santa Margarita
manager C.J. Ankrum said.
“One through nine and even
their pinch hitters, they got
in the batter’s box and they
wanted to hit. You got to tip
your cap to them. They did a
great job.”
Leading the charge offen-
sively have been Hardee and
Thomas Barrett. Barrett has
gone 5-for-6 and scored three
runs in the tournament while
Hardee cracked a grand slam
in Greenville’s second game
and totaled five RBIs.
What’s more, Greenville
has been flawless in the field,
too. The team hasn’t made an
error through two games and
Hardee made a diving snare
at shortstop against Rancho
Santa Margarita that’s been
one of the plays of the tour-
nament.
“Right now it’s just crazy
that we’re in it,” Hardee said.
“It feels so different when
you’re here than when you’re
watching it on TV. Not a lot
of people get to do this, so I
understand how lucky this
team is to be here, but I don’t
think it’s going to hit until we
get back to Greenville.”
Anderson and Matthijs
were able to pitch in the
first two games because
Greenville can keep pitch
counts low — Little League
requires at least one rest day,
and as many as four, once
a player has thrown more
than 21 pitches in a day.
All of Greenville’s pitchers
will be available to throw in
Wednesday’s game against
Lufkin, Texas.
Greenville’s accomplish-
ment is all the more remark-
able given its back story.
Last October, Hurricane
Matthew tore through the
Southeast, including the
Greenville area. The home
of Cash Daniels-Moye,
a starting outfielder, was
damaged so badly by the
wind and rain he had to stay
in a hotel.
The
community
responded by hosting a
two-day baseball tournament
to raise money for his family.
Another Greenville family
was also hit by the storm.
Greenville Little League
raised more than $20,000,
and about half was donated
to the two families.
Greenville is out in force
at South Williamsport. Bright
yellow, the team’s color, fills
Howard J. Lamade Stadium
whenever the Southeast is on
the field, and the parents and
supporters from Greenville
have been among the biggest
and loudest crowds.
“I can’t tell you how
much Greenville and the
surrounding community and
now the state, have been
behind us really since the
state tournament,” manager
Brian Fields said. “They
were loud. They were like the
10th man out there and we’re
going to need these folks.”
Greenville’s game against
Lufkin on Wednesday is a
semifinal in the U.S. bracket,
featuring the last two
unbeaten American teams.
The winner will play the
survivor of the loser’s bracket
for a berth in the tournament
championship against the
international representative.
“Those guys from Texas
are good,” Anderson said.
“We’re going to have to
compete with them, and I
don’t think we’ll be nervous
at all.”
BRIEFLY
Klamath Falls golfer
leads Northwest Open
WALLA WALLA — Klamath
Falls native Justin Wiles sits atop
the leaderboard at the Northwest
Open Invitational after 36 holes of
play. He snuck out of a four-way
tie for second place on Tuesday
despite adding a stroke to his
tournament total.
He opened the week shooting
6-under 66 and was joined by
Washington PGA Professionals
Brian Thornton, Shane Prante, and
Time Feenstra.
Wiles second-round scorecard
was almost identical to his first,
as he collected seven birdies and
only two bogeys. He made the turn
at the Wine Valley Golf Club in
Walla Walla, Washington 4-under
32. Wiles then carded back-to-back
birdies on the par-3 14th hole and
the par-5 15th, but fell into some
trouble on the medium-length par-3
16th hole and the par-4 17th.
He signed his scorecard after
rebounding with a birdie on 18 and
is now in contention for his first
professional win.
Only one golfer recorded a
lower score in the second round.
Liam Kendregan of Kirkland,
Washinton earned a new career low
round after shooting 6-under 66.
Berg, Feenstra, and Prante remain
tied for second place at 9-under
135.
Pendleton High alum and
current Whitworth University
golfer Reilly Hegarty was tied
for second in the round Tuesday
shooting a 5-under 67. But after a
first round of 5-over 77, Hegarty
sits in a seven-way tie for 42nd
place in the overall leaderboard.
Pendleton Country Club pro
Tyler Brooks shot a 4-over 76 to
follow up his even-par 72 and sits
tied for 73rd overall.
The final round will begin
at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday with a
split-tee start.
Tee-off for Campus Life
UMATILLA — There are still
some openings for the Campus
Life Golf Tournament.
The two-person scramble
format is Saturday at Big River
Golf Course, Umatilla. The cost is
$50 per person and the fee includes
green fees, lunch, prizes and a
raffle.
Last year’s inaugural event
raised $10,000 for Campus Life.
The faith-based organization
supports local youths.
For more information or
to register, contact info@
campuslifegolf.com or visit www.
campuslifegolf.com. To reserve
a cart, contact Megan Olsen
at 541-922-3006 or megan@
golfbigriver.com.
Walla Walla ends LLWS run
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Walla Walla, Wash.’s Caiden Thomsen (7) celebrates with team-
mates as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo-home run
during the fifth inning of an elimination baseball game against
Fairfield, Conn., in United States pool play at the Little League
World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Monday. Walla Walla
won just one game of the three it played, but represented the
state and the region well in the league’s first LLWS trip ever.
BLOCKBUSTER: Celtics finally get superstar in Irving, Cavs set up for future
Continued from 1B
“Of course we know who
our competition is, and we
know who are biggest threats
are each year,” Ainge said.
“But we feel like this is a
trade that can make us better,
and that’s why we did it.”
The blockbuster deal caps
a wild summer for the Cavs,
who lost their title defense in
five games to Golden State
in June. Since then, general
manager David Griffin left,
the team failed to convince
Chauncey Billups to join its
front office and James has
played with fans’ emotions
with veiled postings on
social media about his
future.
Irving’s trade demand
cast a shadow over the entire
organization.
But Cleveland may have
salvaged its offseason.
“This trade needed to
include both players and
assets that we felt strongly
could help us continue to
compete for championships
and we believe it does,” said
new general manager Koby
Altman, who pulled off a
deal that protects Cleve-
land’s present and future.
In Thomas, they’re
getting a proven playmaker
with a stellar reputation.
The 5-foot-9 guard is one of
the league’s most dynamic
backcourt players with an
uncanny ability to get to the
basket. Irving may be the
only better finisher among
point guards.
The 28-year-old Thomas
was taken with the final
selection in the 2011 draft
— 59 picks after Irving was
picked first overall. But he
has steadily scaled his way
up to elite status.
Thomas’ reputation in
Boston was cemented when
he led the Celtics through
the playoffs last season
despite the death of his sister
on the eve of the postseason.
He also had a front tooth
knocked out during the
second-round series against
Washington and a hip injury
eventually forced the team
to shut him down early in
the East finals, won by the
Cavaliers in five games.
“Isaiah had just an
amazing season this year
and entertained us all, the
whole city of Boston. And
everybody fell in love with
him,” Ainge said. “He’s
such an underdog because of
his size and his heart and his
spirit which he plays.”
Thomas is eligible for
free agency next summer
and believes he is worthy of
a maximum contract. He has
been quoted saying, “They
better bring out the Brinks
truck.”
Cleveland also is getting
Crowder, a solid perimeter
defender, and a first-round
pick that Boston got from
Brooklyn. The package
could help the Cavs reload
if James opts out of his
contract next summer and
leaves Cleveland for a
second time.
The Cavs drafted Irving
with the No. 1 overall pick
in 2011. He struggled in his
first few seasons but blos-
somed in recent years along-
side James. However, that
didn’t seem to be enough
for the 25-year-old, who has
wanted to be the focal point
on his own team.
Asked about trading a
fan favorite who rose from
the depths of the draft for a
player who asked out of a
team with the NBA’s best
player, one year removed
from a championship, Ainge
said he has done his home-
work.
“We feel comfortable
with who Kyrie is and who
he can be,” he said.
Minnesota showed some
interest in Irving after his
trade request became public,
but were unwilling to part
with young star Andrew
Wiggins as the centerpiece of
a deal. Wiggins is expected
to sign a max contract exten-
sion in the coming weeks to
stay with the Timberwolves.
The Phoenix Suns report-
edly were not interested in
parting with rookie Josh
Jackson in a deal that also
would have required Eric
Bledsoe and the New York
Knicks gave no indication
that Kristaps Porzingis was
ever on the table in a poten-
tial Irving trade.
Then the Celtics swooped
in, landing the kind of star
Ainge has long coveted.
With the possibility of
having to break the bank to
retain Thomas next summer,
Boston finally tapped into
the treasure trove of assets
that Ainge has assembled
to get Irving, who is under
contract for two more years.
Irving got his wish to get
away from James, but he’s
not free of him yet.
SCOREBOARD
Local slate
VOLLEYBALL
Thursday
Condon/Wheeler at Echo, 10 a.m.
Heppner vs. Condon/Wheeler (at Echo),
11:30 a.m.
Heppner at Echo, 2 p.m.
Umatilla at Helix, 2:30 p.m.
Ione at Helix, 4 p.m.
Ione vs. Umatilla (at Ione), 5:30 p.m.
Waitsburg (WA) at Riverside, 6 p.m.
Imbler at Weston-McEwen, 6 p.m.
Dufur at Weston-McEwen, 7 p.m.
Friday
Ione at Country Christian (1A Preview),
8 a.m.
Ione vs. Trinity Lutheran (1A Preview),
11 a.m.
Umatilla at Irrigon, 1 p.m.
Ione vs. North Douglas (1A Preview),
2 p.m.
Condon/Wheeler vs. Umatilla (at Irrigon),
2:30 p.m.
Condon/Wheeler at Irrigon, 4 p.m.
Saturday
Hermiston at La Grande, 8 a.m.
Pendleton at Lewiston (ID) Tournament,
8 a.m.
Weston-McEwen at Grant Union Tourna-
ment, 8 a.m.
Irrigon at Stanfield, 10 a.m.
Echo vs. Enterprise (at Stanfield), 10 a.m.
Ione vs. Hosanna Christian (1A Preview),
10 a.m.
Ione vs. Willamette Valley Christian (1A
Preview), 5 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Thursday
Umatilla at Hermiston, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Thursday
Umatilla at Hermiston, 4 p.m.
Baseball
MLB
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East Division
W
L
Boston
72 53
New York
67 57
Tampa Bay
62 65
Baltimore
61 65
Toronto
59 66
Pct GB
.576 —
.540 4½
.488 11
.484 11½
.472 13
Central Division W
L Pct GB
Cleveland
69 55 .556 —
Minnesota
65 60 .520 4½
Kansas City
63 61 .508
6
Detroit
54 70 .435 15
Chicago
48 76 .387 21
West Division
W
L Pct GB
Houston
76 49 .608 —
Los Angeles
64 61 .512 12
Seattle
64 63 .504 13
Texas
62 62 .500 13½
Oakland
55 71 .437 21½
————
Tuesday’s Games
Oakland 6, Baltimore 4
Boston 9, Cleveland 1
N.Y. Yankees 13, Detroit 4
Tampa Bay 6, Toronto 5
Atlanta 4, Seattle 0
Minnesota 4, Chicago White Sox 1
Washington 4, Houston 3
Kansas City 3, Colorado 2
Texas at L.A. Angels, late finish
Wednesday’s Games
Oakland (Manaea 8-8) at Baltimore (Bun-
dy 12-8), 12:05 p.m.
Boston (Pomeranz 12-4) at Cleveland
(Kluber 12-3), 4:10 p.m.
N.Y. Yankees (Severino 10-5) at Detroit
(Zimmermann 7-10), 4:10 p.m.
Toronto (Stroman 11-6) at Tampa Bay
(Pruitt 6-4), 4:10 p.m.
Seattle (Ramirez 5-4) at Atlanta (Dickey
8-8), 4:35 p.m.
Minnesota (Santana 13-7) at Chicago
White Sox (Shields 2-4), 5:10 p.m.
Washington (Jackson 4-2) at Houston
(Fiers 7-8), 5:10 p.m.
Colorado (Senzatela 10-4) at Kansas City
(Kennedy 4-9), 5:15 p.m.
Texas (Cashner 7-9) at L.A. Angels (He-
aney 0-0), 7:07 p.m.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
East Division
W
Washington
75
Miami
62
Atlanta
56
New York
54
Philadelphia
45
Central Division
W
Chicago
67
Milwaukee
65
St. Louis
63
Pittsburgh
60
Cincinnati
53
L
48
62
68
70
79
Pct
.610
.500
.452
.435
.363
GB
—
13½
19½
21½
30½
L
57
61
62
66
73
Pct GB
.540 —
.516
3
.504 4½
.476
8
.421 15
West Division
W
L Pct GB
Los Angeles
89 35 .718 —
Arizona
69 57 .548 21
Colorado
68 57 .544 21½
San Diego
56 69 .448 33½
San Francisco
51 76 .402 39½
————
Tuesday’s Games
Miami 12, Philadelphia 8, 1st game
L.A. Dodgers 8, Pittsburgh 5
Arizona 7, N.Y. Mets 4
Chicago Cubs 13, Cincinnati 9
Atlanta 4, Seattle 0
Miami 7, Philadelphia 4, 2nd game
Washington 4, Houston 3
Kansas City 3, Colorado 2
San Diego 12, St. Louis 4
Milwaukee at San Francisco, late finish
Wednesday’s Games
Milwaukee (Garza 6-7) at San Francisco
(Moore 4-12), 12:45 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers (Hill 9-4) at Pittsburgh
(Williams 5-6), 4:05 p.m.
Miami (Nicolino 2-1) at Philadelphia (Eflin
1-5), 4:05 p.m.
Arizona (Godley 5-6) at N.Y. Mets (Flexen
2-2), 4:10 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (Montgomery 3-6) at Cin-
cinnati (Wojciechowski 3-2), 4:10 p.m.
Seattle (Ramirez 5-4) at Atlanta (Dickey
8-8), 4:35 p.m.
Washington (Jackson 4-2) at Houston
(Fiers 7-8), 5:10 p.m.
Colorado (Senzatela 10-4) at Kansas City
(Kennedy 4-9), 5:15 p.m.
San Diego (Chacin 11-8) at St. Louis
(Weaver 1-1), 5:15 p.m.
MiLB
NORTHWEST LEAGUE
North Division
W
L Pct GB
Tri-City
15 11 .577 —
x-Vancouver
15 11 .577 —
Spokane
14 12 .538
1
Everett
13 13 .500
2
South Division
W
L Pct GB
x-Hillsboro
13 13 .500 —
Boise
12 14 .462
1
Salem-Keizer
11 15 .423
2
Eugene
11 15 .423
2
x-first-half champions
————
Tuesday’s Games
Hillsboro at Salem-Keizer, late finish
Boise at Eugene, late finish
Everett at Vancouver, late finish
Spokane at Tri-City, late finish
Wednesday’s Games
Tri-City at Spokane, 6:30 p.m.
Boise at Hillsboro, 7:05 p.m.
Salem-Keizer at Eugene, 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
LITTLE LEAGUE
World Series
At South Williamsport, Pa.
All Games Broadcast on ESPN
Tuesday’s Games
Game B: Sydney vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.),
8 a.m.
Game 21: Tamaulipas (Mexico) vs. Mara-
caibo (Venezuela), Noon
Game 22: Jackson (N.J.) vs. Game 20
winner, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s Games
Game 23: White Rock (British Columbia)
vs. Tokyo, Noon
Game 24: Lufkin (Texas) vs. Greenville
(N.C.), 4:30 p.m.
Soccer
MLS
Wednesday’s Games
Atlanta United FC at D.C. United, 4:30
p.m.
Los Angeles at Columbus, 4:30 p.m.
Houston at FC Dallas, 5 p.m.
Philadelphia at Toronto FC, 5 p.m.
San Jose at Real Salt Lake, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Colorado at Portland, 7:30 p.m.
Friday’s Game
New York City FC at New York, 4 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Atlanta United FC at Philadelphia, 4 p.m.
New England at D.C. United, 4 p.m.
FC Dallas at Columbus, 4:30 p.m.
Vancouver at Orlando City, 4:30 p.m.
Minnesota United at Chicago, 5:30 p.m.
Sporting Kansas City at Houston, 6 p.m.
Colorado at Real Salt Lake, 7 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
Toronto FC at Montreal, 1:30 p.m.
San Jose at Los Angeles, 4 p.m.
Portland at Seattle, 6:30 p.m.
Football
NFL Preseason
Thursday’s Games
Miami at Philadelphia, 4 p.m.
Carolina at Jacksonville, 4:30 p.m.
Friday’s Games
New England at Detroit, 4 p.m.
Kansas City at Seattle, 5 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Buffalo at Baltimore, 4 p.m.
Arizona at Atlanta, 4 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at N.Y. Giants, 4 p.m.
Cleveland at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m.
Indianapolis at Pittsburgh, 4:30 p.m.
Houston at New Orleans, 5 p.m.
L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams, 5 p.m.
Oakland at Dallas, 5 p.m.
Green Bay at Denver, 6 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
Chicago at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
Cincinnati at Washington, 4:30 p.m.
San Francisco at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Basketball
WNBA
EASTERN CONFERENCE
W
L Pct GB
x-Connecticut
19 10 .655 —
x-New York
17 12 .586
2
x-Washington
17 12 .586
2
Chicago
11 18 .379
8
Atlanta
10 20 .333 9½
Indiana
9 21 .300 10½
WESTERN CONFERENCE
W
L Pct GB
x-Minnesota
23
6 .793 —
x-Los Angeles
21
8 .724
2
Phoenix
15 15 .500 8½
Dallas
14 16 .467 9½
Seattle
14 16 .467 9½
San Antonio
7 23 .233 16½
x-clinched playoff spot
———
Tuesday’s Games
Minnesota 105, Phoenix 69
San Antonio at Los Angeles, late finish
Wednesday’s Games
New York at Indiana, 4 p.m.
Dallas at Connecticut, 4 p.m.
Seattle at Atlanta, 4 p.m.
Golf
PGA Tour
FedEx Cup Standings
Through Aug. 20
Points Money
1. Hideki Matsuyama 2,869 $8,123,407
2. Justin Thomas
2,689 $7,094,741
3. Jordan Spieth
2,671 $6,980,845
4. Dustin Johnson
2,466 $6,817,068
5. Rickie Fowler
6. Jon Rahm
7. Brooks Koepka
8. Daniel Berger
9. Kevin Kisner
10. Brian Harman
16. Brendan Steele
17. Kyle Stanley
18. Paul Casey
19. Russell Henley
20. Jason Dufner
1,832
1,754
1,736
1,623
1,612
1,557
1,226
1,204
1,135
1,129
1,126
$4,909,472
$4,618,248
$5,001,271
$3,978,974
$4,197,078
$4,191,108
$2,858,620
$3,076,037
$2,776,724
$2,776,307
$3,010,741
Upcoming Schedule
THE NORTHERN TRUST
Site: Old Westbury, N.Y.
Course: Glen Oaks Club. Yardage: 7,346.
Par: 70.
Purse: $8.75 million (First prize:
$1,575,000).
Television: Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
(Golf Channel); Saturday, 10-11:30 p.m.
(Golf Channel); 12-3 p.m. (CBS); Sunday,
9-10:30 a.m. (Golf Channel), 11 a.m.- 3
p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Patrick Reed.
LPGA
Money Leaders
Through Aug. 6
Events
1. So Yeon Ryu
15
2. Sung Hyun Park
16
3. Lexi Thompson
15
4. In-Kyung Kim
13
5. Brooke M. Henderson 20
6. Mi Jung Hur
17
7. Sei Young Kim
17
8. Ariya Jutanugarn
19
9. Amy Yang
16
10. Cristie Kerr
16
11. Danielle Kang
17
12. Michelle Wie
17
13. In Gee Chun
16
14. Inbee Park
15
15. Moriya Jutanugarn
20
Money
$1,733,086
$1,541,115
$1,337,783
$1,085,893
$1,038,689
$996,906
$995,405
$979,161
$878,836
$862,417
$806,828
$794,230
$791,109
$755,651
$735,677
Upcoming schedule
CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN’S OPEN
Site: Ottawa, Ontario.
Course: Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.
Yardage: 6,419. Par: 71.
Purse: $2.25 million (First prize:
$337,500).
Television: Thursday-Friday, 7:30-10:30
a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 12-3
p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Ariya Jutanugarn