Briefs: Locals help U.S. men earn silver

Newport Beach resident Eva Merrell finished 11th in the women’s 100-meter butterfly Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Neb.

Merrell clocked in at 59.02 seconds in the semifinals, failing by three spots to make the eight-woman final. She had gone 59.12 in preliminaries earlier Sunday, the fifth-fastest time.

Merrell, 16, swam for Corona del Mar High as a freshman before taking online school as a sophomore. She also swam the 100 backstroke at the Olympic Trials on Monday, placing 50th in 1 minute, 2.53 seconds.

Merrell is also scheduled to swim in the 100 freestyle on Thursday, the 200 back on Friday and the 50 free on Saturday.

CdM alumnus Christian Garkani, who currently swims for Louisville, finished 61st in the men’s 100 back on Monday (56.56).

CdM alumna Meagan Popp, who now swims for Harvard, is scheduled to swim in the 200 breaststroke on Thursday.

The top two finishers in individual events make the Olympic team.

— From staff reports

— From staff reports

Newport Harbor High product Luca Cupido scored a goal in the final as the U.S. men’s senior national water polo team lost to Serbia, 10-6, in the championship match of the FINA World League Super Final on Sunday in Huizhou, China.

Corona del Mar High alumnus John Mann also contributed for Team USA, which reached the podium at the event for the first time since 2008.

Team USA reached the championship match via a 16-15 shootout win over Australia in the semifinals. Cupido and Mann each had a goal in regulation.

The U.S. Olympic team will be announced July 7.

— From staff reports

UCI’s Hiura tries out for Team USA

UC Irvine standout Keston Hiura is was among 29 players who opened training camp with the USA Baseball collegiate national team in Southern California on Monday.

The group will be paird to a 26-man roster that will travel to Taichung, Taiwan for a five-game friendship series against Chinest Taipai, July 5-9.

The team played the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium and will meet the same team on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at UC Santa Barbara.

Team USA, coached by Oregon’s George Horton, whose assistants include include ex-UCI head man Dave Serrano and ex-UCI assistant Jason Gill, will play at Angels Stadium: Thursday against Urban Youth Academy Barons (6:30 p.m.); and Friday against the Conejo Oaks (1 p.m.).

A second game against the Barons is Saturday at 1 p.m. in Compton.

— From staff reports

— From staff reports