Hawaii names hitting coach

Rusty McNamara, the hitting coach at UC Riverside the past three seasons, was hired for the same position at Hawaii yesterday.

McNamara played baseball at Oklahoma State, where he earned All-Big 8 tournament and All-NCAA Regional honors in 1995. He played six seasons in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league organization, making five all-star teams.

He replaces Keith Komeiji, who was fired in June after nine seasons.

The Rainbows open the 2011 season Feb. 18-20 against Oregon at Les Murakami Stadium.

Sawada leads at OCC

University of Hawaii junior Jared Sawada shot a 5-under-par 66 yesterday to take the lead in the 47th annual Oahu Country Club Men’s Invitational.

Sawada’s bogey-free round was one of just four sub-par rounds on the first day. He is three shots ahead of Bradley Shigezawa and David Saka and four up on Hunter Larson.

David Fink, who captured the Manoa Cup this summer at OCC, opened with a 73, as did defending champion Lorens Chan.

Defending senior champion Phil Anamizu leads the 55-older flight again after a 74. Peter Rice (77) is second.

Golfers tee off at 8:45 a.m. for today’s second round, which is the final round for seniors. The field is cut to the low 30 and ties for tomorrow afternoon’s final round of Championship Flight.

First shot at Pro Bowl tickets

Fans who are not "Pro Bowl season ticket holders" can register at app.edialog.nfl.com/probowl/ to have first access to purchase tickets for the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl.

Registered people will be able to buy tickets in late November before the general public ticket sale.

The game returns to Hawaii after a 1-year absence and will be played on Jan. 30.

REC CENTER

Central Oahu softball team rocks

The Central Oahu Softball Wahine went unbeaten in the inaugural Diamond Dreams event in Cooperstown last month, bringing home three trophies, two tournament championships and one skills competition victory.

The team is composed of 15 players ages 11-12 from Mililani, Wahiawa, Whitmore Village, Waianae, Waipahu, Kapolei and Ewa Beach.

The team went 12-0, scoring 134 runs while giving up 18 in two tournaments — the Cooperstown Classic, which featured 15 teams, and the Hall of Fame Tournament, which featured seven. Teams from California, Mississippi, Ohio and New York comprised the field. During the regular season, the Wahine finished 10-1 and won the ASA 12-U A Division title.

Team members were Tiana Cantero-Kawelo, Mahina Chong, Alyssa Espiritu, Tamia Hirano, Shayna Ige, Taylor Kashiwabara, Nicole Lopez, Kayla Magbaleta, Alexia Nono, Markie Okamoto, Kayla Ozawa, Colby Rosado, Kailee Russell, Raven Sapla and Breani Simpson. The coaches were Jerel Espiritu, Lauren Hirano, Troy Hirano, Eric Ige and Daniel "Rosie" Rosado.

Japan teams here for baseball event

All-Star players from Japan’s Little League Senior Division will compete against Hawaii teams in the third annual Goodwill tournament.

The eight-game event will be played at Mid-Pacific Institute’s baseball field. Two teams of 15-year-old players are from Osaka and Kansai. Many of the Hawaii teams will feature players who play in high school.

For information, contact Stacy Matsuda at 220-4434.

The schedule:

Tomorrow
8:30 a.m.–Opening ceremony
9 a.m.– Mid-Pacific vs. Osaka All-Stars
11:30 a.m.–‘Iolani vs. Kansai All-Stars
2 p.m.–En Fuego vs. Osaka All-Stars
4:30–Kahala Warriors (Kamehameha) vs. Kansai All-Stars

Sunday
8:30 a.m.–En Fuego vs. Kansai All-Stars
11–Kailua High School vs. Osaka All-Stars
2 p.m.–Hawaii All-Stars vs. Kansai All-Stars
4:30–Hawaii All-Stars vs. Osaka All-Stars

WHAT’S HAPPENING

TOMORROW
Cricket
» Honolulu Cricket Club: at Maui Cricket Club, 10:30 a.m., Baldwin Beach, Paia. honolulucricketclub.org

Sand Soccer
» Hawaii Championships: 8 a.m., Fort DeRussy Beach. hawaiisandsoccer.com

Triathlon
» 12th Jamba Juice XTERRA MountainMan: 2 p.m., Kualoa Ranch. 750m ocean swim, 20K mountain bike, 6K trail run. bocahawaii.com

SUNDAY
Cricket
» Honolulu Cricket Club: at Maui Cricket Club, 10:30 a.m., Baldwin Beach, Paia. honolulucricketclub.org

Cycling
» Cycle to the Sun: 36 miles, 6:30 a.m., Paia to Haleakala. Cycletothesun.com

Sand Soccer
» Hawaii Championships: 8 a.m., Fort DeRussy Beach. hawaiisandsoccer.com

Triathlon
» Tag the World: 7 a.m., Waikiki. tagtheworldtriathlon.com

SIGN ME UP

Surfing
» 6th Shorebreak Classic: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Aug. 28, Kalama Beach Club, Kailua. Divisions: 9-under through 18-under. Free. Lunch provided. Information: www.Petermillerfoundation.com or HIC stores.

Tennis
» Labor Day Junior-Novice & Intermediate Tournament, Sept. 5-6, Schofield Barracks tennis courts. hawaiitennis.org

Volleyball
» Ku’ikahi Volleyball Club boys tryouts: Sept. 4, Hawaii Baptist gym, 13s-14s: 2 p.m.-4 p.m.; 15s-16s: 4 p.m.- 6 p.m. 17s-18s: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. For information, Teoni Obrey at 523-5617 or visit www.kuikahivolleyball.com

Submit events to outthere@staradvertiser.com.