From Register Staff

Napa Valley Express 16’s softball wins Fall Ball Classic championship

Playing in its first fall tournament, the Napa Valley Express 16’s softball team got off to a slow start, but won four games in a row to capture the championship of the Fall Ball Classic in Fairfield Saturday and Sunday.

In the first game of pool play, the Express started slowly when it allowed two unearned runs in a 4-0 loss to the Woodland Edge. Anna Marie Scaduto got the only hit of the game for the Express.

In the second game, the Express generated some offense but again allowed two unearned runs, wasting a solid pitching performance by Amber Daly in a 4-3 loss to the host team, NorCal Elite. Amber Daly was 2-for-3 and Maria O’Byrne, Jessica Perez, Bry Hewitt and Paige Andres all contributed hits.

In the third game of pool play, Perez shut out the Novato Heat, 7-0, but it was costly as Scaduto was injured in a collision at first base in the fifth inning and was sidelined for the rest of the tournament.

In Sunday’s elimination format, Perez pitched a complete-game 2-1 victory over the Bears. In the second inning, Gabbi Sills led off with a single. A sacrifice bunt, a walk to Samantha Gardner and a two-out, two-run single by Coley Beltran gave the Express all the offense it would need. The only run scored by the Bears was unearned. Andres and Daly also singled for the Express.

In what turned out to be the game of the day, the Express beat the No. 1 seeded NorCal Elite 4-3 in the semifinal. In the bottom of the first inning, Beltran led off with a single. Perez reached on an error. With one out Andres drew a walk to load the bases. Daly was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run. Sills’ infield chopper was misplayed to allow the opportunistic Express to take a 2-0 lead.

The Elite cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the second.

In the bottom of the fourth with two outs, Amanda Green singled, stole second and scored on an error to give the Express a 3-1 lead. In the sixth inning, the Elite scored two runs to tie the game.

With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Gardner led off with a solid single to right field. Gardner moved to second and then to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball. With one out, Beltran lined a game-winning hit to right field. Perez picked up the win. O’Byrne’s spectacular diving catch of a foul pop up in the seventh inning helped secure the win.

Daly and Perez combined for the 6-2 win over the Lafayette Lightning in the championship game. With one out in the bottom of the third inning and the Express trailing 2-0, Green and Beltran singled. With two outs Hewitt hit a triple to left field, tying the game at 2-2. Hewitt scored on an error, giving the Express a 3-2 lead.

Though the Express would score three more times in the fourth inning, Perez shut the Lightning down for the rest of the game. Beltran, Daly and Green each had two hits, while Perez, Hewitt, Andres, Sills and O’Byrne each added one hit.

St. John’s Catholic

fifth-grade volleyball

team in action

The St. John’s Catholic fifth-grade volleyball team lost recent matches to St. Rose of Sonoma, 25-17, 25-14, and St. Eugene’s, 26-24, 14-25, 16-14.

Emma Schulman, Isabel Dodino, Alicia DeMello, Sami Glassen, Allie Huffman, Samantha White, Michela Peterson, Elizabeth Schafle, Kate Wessell, Shannon Mayhew, Nina Giaquinto and Meghan McIver all played well for St. John’s Catholic.

Students to get volleyball instruction from pros Sept. 13

More than 50 San Francisco-area kids ages 12 to 18 will receive instruction at the Hilton Hotels AVP Youth Volleyball Clinic from former U.S. National team member Tyra Turner and 12-year Pro Beach Volleyball Tour veteran Danalee Corso at Pier 30/32 on the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Sept. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. It’s one of 17 clinics hosted by Hilton Hotels and Hilton Garden Inn at AVP tournaments across the U.S. during the 2007 season. The clinic is free.

These Olympic-caliber players will coach passing, setting and hitting skills. A free autograph session with the AVP athletes will follow the youth clinic. Youth interested in attending may register at www.avp.com/hiltonyouthclinic. Space is limited. Participants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

City of Napa adult basketball league deadline Sept. 18

The city of Napa’s Community Resources Department is offering an adult fall basketball league, from Oct. 1 through Nov. 16 at Redwood Middle School. The six-game season will be played Monday through Friday evenings.

Completed rosters must accompany entry fee prior to the start of each season. Space is limited. The deadline to sign up is Sept. 18 and the cost is $345 per team.

For more information, visit www.naparec.com or call Kelly Abernathy at 257-9206 or 257-9529.

Hanna Boys Center’s 15th annual Golf & Tennis Classic Sept. 21

Hanna Boys Center’s annual fundraiser, the 15th annual Golf & Tennis Classic, will offer a day of sport, auctions and fun in support of the residential treatment and education center for at-risk boys. The affair will be held at Silverado Resort on Sept. 21.

The event will include two flights of golf, a two-division tennis tournament, participant gifts, social hour, silent auction and dinner. The annual event is the center’s major fundraiser.

The golf classic features two flights — both played on Silverado’s North Course. The morning flight will begin at 7:30 a.m. and the afternoon flight will start at 12:30 p.m.

The cost for the golf classic is $225 per person, a portion of which is tax-deductible. Registration fees include 18 holes of golf with cart, participant gifts, continental breakfast, lunch, and foursome photo hosted cocktail hour and dinner.

The tennis classic, a round-robin doubles tournament, will include Division “A” (4.0–4.5+) and Division “B” (3.0-3.5) play. Both divisions start at 9 a.m.

The cost is $150 per player, a portion of which is tax-deductible, and includes court fees, participant gifts, lunch, a commemorative photo, hosted cocktail hour and dinner.

For people not playing, attending the tournament festivities is a way to support Hanna and meet some of the boys benefiting from its program.

The day is open to all and will include hosted cocktail hour, dinner and silent auction, featuring travel and entertainment packages. Hanna students will take center stage and share how Hanna has helped turn their lives around.

The cost to attend the cocktail hour and dinner is $50 (otherwise included in golf and tennis registration fees).

Space is limited for both the golf and tennis tournaments. Individuals and businesses can also support the fundraiser by making a cash or prize donation, event sponsorship, or by offering their time as an event volunteer.

Register online at www.hannacenter.org.

Since 1949, Hanna Boys Center has made a commitment to help at-risk, motivated boys turn their hurt into hope. Boys ages 12-18, who are experiencing problems at home, in school, or with their peers are given the opportunity to receive counseling, an individualized school program, and spiritual guidance in Hanna’s caring environment.