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Chicago edges Cumberland 8-7 in LLWS

By WTOP Staff

JOHN KEKIS
AP Sports Writer

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Joshua Houston and his teammates from the west side of Chicago aren’t ready to go home just yet.

Pierce Jones and Trey Hondras homered, and Houston hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the fifth inning as Chicago’s Jackie Robinson West beat Cumberland, Rhode Island, 8-7 on Monday night in an elimination game at the Little League World Series.

“It means a lot because it’s been 31 years,” said Marquis Jackson, who had two hits and scored twice. “It shows anything is possible.”

The Jackie Robinson West team, representing the Great Lakes, is comprised of all African-American players and is making its first appearance in the World Series since 1983. It will play Pearland, Texas, on Tuesday night.

“I don’t think they really grasp what’s going on,” manager Darold Butler said. “It doesn’t matter who they’re playing. This team’s a special team.”

Jones led off the game with his fourth homer of the World Series, a solo shot to center field, to get Chicago rolling, his teammates embracing him when he crossed home plate.

Cumberland responded with two runs in the bottom of the first. CJ Davock singled to left and Addison Kopack walked. Tyler Provost followed with an RBI single to center and Kopack scored when the cutoff throw sailed past Houston at third.

Hondras hit a towering three-run homer to center in the second to stake Chicago to a three-run lead and Houston’s RBI single in the top of the third made it 6-2.

Undaunted, Cumberland laced six straight hits to spark a five-run rally in the bottom of the third to take a 7-6 lead. Kopack had a run-scoring single, Provost laced a two-run single to left, and Trey Thibeault lined a shot down the left-field line that just cleared the fence for a two-run homer.

Hondras tried to spark Chicago in the fourth, but he was thrown out at third trying to stretch his line drive that bounced off the left-center field wall. Chicago protested, but the call was upheld, although a replay showed the fielder missed the tag.

In the fifth, lefty-hitting Darion Radcliff’s hard RBI single to left tied it for Cumberland before Houston drove a line drive down the left-field line to bring in pinch-runner Lawrence Noble from second base with the decisive run.

It wasn’t the way Cumberland manager Dave Belisle wanted his season to end. Not after his impassioned speech had sparked that scintillating 8-7 comeback win over Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday.

“We showed our character again. It has to end sometime,” Belisle said, fighting back tears at the end of his interview. “They gave me memories I’ll take home for a lifetime. The whole region of New England is loving us, not for our wins but for our effort. They gave me the summer of my life.”

PEARLAND, TEXAS 11, LYNNWOOD, WASHINGTON 4

Layne Roblyer hit a three-run homer in the third inning, his second homer of the tournament, to lead Pearland in an elimination game.

Pearland scored five runs on two wild pitches, a passed ball and a single in the sixth to seal the win.

Pearland will play Chicago on Tuesday night. Lynnwood was eliminated.

VENEZUELA 2, PUERTO RICO 1

Ronny Medina struck out nine for Venezuela.

Medina came through in the elimination game, pitching five innings and allowing just two hits.

“I’ve been working hard every single day to achieve what I’ve done up to now,” Medina said.

Puerto Rico’s lone run came in the bottom of the first and was unearned as Yadiel Santana stole home on a passed ball.

Venezuela gave Medina the support he needed early, scoring once in the first and second innings.

Julio Rejon hit a solo homer in the first and Jorge Cabrera came home in the second after catcher Alvin Martínez overthrew third base on an attempt to throw out Cabrera stealing.

MEXICO 6, AUSTRALIA 2

Erick Vela’s three-run home run was enough for Mexico.

Trailing by two in the bottom of the fourth, Vela stepped to the plate with one out and runners at second and third. He hit the first pitch far over right-field wall to put Mexico ahead by two.

Ruy Martinez hit a solo shot to center in the fifth for the final run.

Aldair Tellez pitched 5 2-3 innings and struck out 12 for the win.

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOA 5, CZECH REPUBLIC 3

Two errors by the Czech Republic and an RBI double by Daniel Vigoren in the fifth inning helped Rapid City earn a consolation game victory.

Vigoren hit a line drive to the right-field gap to score Logan Miller and give Rapid City a 5-3 lead. The hit came after Colton Hartford got in a run-down between third and home, and Czech Republic relief pitcher Tomas Oppelt made a throwing error to third base, allowing Hartford to score.

Vigoren later scored on an overthrow by Czech Republic shortstop Marek Krejcirik.

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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