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Chicago beats Texas 6-1, stays alive at LLWS

By WTOP Staff

JOHN KEKIS
AP Sports Writer

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Their gold-and-white sunglasses flipped upside down on the brims of their caps, Joshua Houston, Marquis Jackson and Darion Radcliff filed into the interview room at the Little League World Series brimming with confidence.

Houston pitched five-hit ball over five innings and drove in three runs, his defense rescued him with two double plays, and the Great Lakes champions beat Pearland, Texas, 6-1 on Tuesday night in an elimination game.

Another victory for the all-black Chicago squad from Jackie Robinson West Little League means they’ll play again.

“I’m confident,” Houston said.

Chicago jumped to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a run-scoring single to right field by Jackson, a throwing error, and Houston’s RBI groundout.

“That was huge,” Chicago manager Darold Butler said. “I think it relaxes the team. It just makes things a lot easier when teams have to chase us.”

Houston doubled home two more runs in the fourth and held Texas at bay until the sixth, when Jackson came on in relief and struck out the side.

“I’m excited for the kids, for the city of Chicago, for the state of Illinois,” Butler said. “We’re sleeping in. Just keep everything relaxed. Them still being in a bubble, it’s not overwhelming for them.”

Chicago will play the loser of Wednesday night’s game between hard-hitting Las Vegas and hard-throwing Mo’ne Davis and her Philadelphia teammates, and the Chicago players plan to be there.

Las Vegas routed Chicago 13-2 in four innings on Sunday.

Pearland’s season didn’t end the way manager Don Smith had envisioned. He was happy for his kids, nonetheless.

“I told the boys to look around and take it all in,” Smith said. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. It ended a little sooner than we wanted. They have no idea what they’ve done — fourth in the United States.”

Pearland’s lone run came on Joshua Gabino’s double in the third inning. Walter Maeker III, pitching for the first time in a month, was the loser despite a game effort.

Chicago star Pierce Jones, who leads the Little League World Series with four home runs, injured a leg on a hard-hit ball to right field early in the game, but Butler said he was OK.

MEXICO 11, VENEZUELA 1

Juan Garza pitched a four-hitter and struck out six to lead Mexico past Venezuela in five innings.

Garza also hit a a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Second baseman Ruy Martinez, who stands 4-foot-8, had three hits and three RBIs for Mexico, while Daniel Quiroz also had three hits with two RBIs.

“He’s not a surprise,” Mexico manager Hector Arrieta said of Martinez. “He’s a great hitter who brings a lot of energy to the team.”

Mexico advanced to a matchup Wednesday against the winner of the South Korea-Japan game on Wednesday.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 12, CANADA 9

Sam Slaughter homered twice and drove in six runs to help Nashville, Tennessee, beat Canada 12-9 in a consolation game.

The catcher hit three-run homers in the first and fifth innings, while third baseman Blake Money also had a solid performance, going 2 for 3 with two RBIs. He hit a solo home run following Slaughter’s homer in the fifth.

Canada made it close, scoring five runs in the sixth inning before its comeback attempt came up short.

Both teams’ Little League World Series runs came to an end as they were eliminated from contention last Saturday.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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