Sports briefs: Host Visalia rides shutout to Ripken 12′s Southwest title

Tournament MVP Jace Chamberlin pitched six scoreless innings to help host Visalia defeat Firebaugh 5-0 in eight innings Saturday during the championship of the Cal Ripken Pacific Southwest Regional for 12-year-olds.

Defending national age-group champion Visalia, which allowed no runs and three hits in 27 innings during the regional, advances to this year’s Cal Ripken World Series in Massachusetts after hosting the event last year.

Brian Lopez, Noel Garcia and A.J. Molina represented Firebaugh on the all-tournament team.

Central 11-year-olds rally to win Ripken regional

The Central 11-year-old All-Stars captured the Cal Ripken Southwest Regional championship with a 6-5 victory over regional host Elk Grove on Saturday.

Central, which advanced to the championship after a 5-4 victory over Laguna in 13 innings, trailed 3-0 to Elk Grove before rallying for the win.

• Firebaugh was knocked out of the Cal Ripken Pacific Southwest Regional for 11-year-olds with a 7-5 loss to Lone Park, Utah, during the semifinals Saturday.

All-tournament selections Joey Ochoa and Tyler Palmer helped Firebaugh go 5-2 and tie for third at the regional in Rose Park, Utah.

Bullard 8-year-olds clinch Ripken Southwest Regional

Jo Jo Ayon’s two-out single brought home Michael Fung with the go-ahead run as the Bullard 8-year-old All-Stars edged Laguna of Elk Grove 5-4 to capture the Cal Ripken Pacific Southwest Regional championship in Riverton, Utah.

Sam Tookoian led off the top of the sixth with a double and scored on Fung’s RBI single. Laguna recorded the next two outs to set the stage for Ayon, who hit a line drive over the shortstop’s head.

Travis Preston retired Laguna 1-2-3 in the bottom half to secure the victory for Bullard. Preston struck out four over three scoreless innings. Fung, Tookoian and Jackson Sampson had two hits apiece for Bullard, which trailed 4-1 through four innings.

Odyssey under-17 girls club has sights on national final

California Odyssey’s under-17 girls defeated UPPR 9T of North Carolina 3-1 on Saturday at the U.S. Club National Cup Soccer Tournament in Waukegan, Ill.

The Odyssey next faces the Windy City Pride from Illinois today for a spot in Monday’s championship. Odyssey will earn a spot in the final with a win or a tie.

The Clovis-based soccer club opened the tournament Friday with a 4-0 win over Gulf Coast United of Mississippi.

Fresno Rage 14′s finish fifth at Cal State Games

The Fresno Rage 14-under softball team finished fifth at the Cal State Games in San Diego last weekend.

The Rage defeated Whittier 7-1, Palo Alto 9-5 and Selma 5-3. Losses came against Buena Park 5-2 and Hawthorne 4-2.

Team members are Mikayla Castillo, Ariana Cuaron, Maddie Delgado, Rachel Duarte, Matilda Garcia, Giana Guizar, Makenna Hogan, Naomi MacDonald, Vanessa Macias, Vanessa Moffat, Micaela Navarro, Angelica Ramirez, Eryn Sandoval, Peyton Wickstrom.

Unbeaten boxers headline Aug. 24 card at Tulare fair

Undefeated prospects Ramon Morales and Scott Alexander headline the Central Valley Showdown Vol. 1 professional boxing card set for Aug. 24 at the Tulare County Fair.

Morales, a 10-0 super bantamweight with six knockouts, is scheduled to fight Jonathan Alcantara (6-7-2, 1 KO) in an eight-round bout. Alexander (6-0-1, 4 KOs) faces Derek Williams (0-1) in a four-round heavyweight bout.

The card is also set to feature super featherweight Denis Madriz (1-0-1, 1 KO) against Luis Villagomez (0-1), light heavyweight Rodolfo Markerez (pro debut) vs. Chroyondray Johnson (1-6), heavyweight Granson Clark (0-1) vs. Payton Boyea (0-1) and women’s featherweight Lisa Lewis (7-14, 3 KOs) vs. Claudia Gutierrez (2-1).

Doors open at 6 with boxing starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: (559) 686-4707 or tcfair.org.

Aquino 17th in high jump at USATF Junior Olympics

Kiera Aquino of the Central Valley Phoenix Track Club of Fresno tied for 17th in the bantam girls high jump at the USATF Junior Olympics in Baltimore on Wednesday. Aquino cleared 3 feet, 91/4 inches. Thirty-five athletes competed in the event.