Sports shorts for July 20, 2008

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SOFTBALL Sterling to play for state title The Sterling 11-12 All-Stars won their first two games of the state tournament and will play 5:30 p.m. Monday for the state championship at South Holland. Sterling defeated River Forest 8-2 on Saturday's semifinal. Jennifer Rahn, Darien Bardoner, Priscilla Aponte and Tessa Trujillo provided the pitching, and Mackenzie Staples hit an inside-the-park home run. On Friday, Sterling beat Beardstown 7-0. Stephanie Kester struck out 13 and walked one. If Sterling wins Monday's final, the team advances to the Central Regional, July 26-August 3 at Carthage, Mo. GYMNASTICS Hamm headed to Beijing COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Paul Hamm is going to the Olympics again. Eight weeks after breaking his hand, Hamm needed to show competitive readiness Saturday at the last intrasquad meet before the U.S. team leaves for China. He did that during a two-hour meet at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. After a short meeting, the men's selection committee confirmed the defending Olympic champion would be on the team. SAILING Chicago-to-Mackinac race begins CHICAGO - Saturday's rain didn't put a damper start of the Chicago Yacht Club's Race to Mackinac. The last of the 439 boats had left Chicago by Saturday afternoon for what is considered the world's longest and most prestigious annual freshwater race. The 333-mile race goes from Navy Pier in Chicago to Mackinac Island in Michigan. Race organizers say it takes most boats between 40 and 60 hours to finish.