Amritraj Wins Quarterfinal in USTA Super Nationals

Prakash Amritraj of Encino defeated Brian Baker of Nashville, 7-6 (3), 7-5, in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Tennis Assn. Boys’ 16 Super National Hardcourt Championships on Friday in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Lester Cook of Sherman Oaks advanced to the quarterfinals in losers’ bracket by winning two matches Friday. He defeated Sukhwa Young of Wesley Chapel, Fla., 6-4, 6-2, and beat James Pade of Redwood City, 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-3.

BASEBALL

* Jesse Michel of El Camino Real hit a run-scoring double and a run-scoring single Tuesday to help Los Angeles defeat San Francisco, 15-5, in six innings in the gold medal game of the Maccabi Games at Tucson.

The game was called because of the 10-run rule.

Matt Green of Calabasas, who finished the tournament 11 of 15 for a .733 batting average, hit a run-scoring single for Los Angeles (6-0-1) in the championship game. Green struck out 10 and walked five in a 9-3 semifinal victory Tuesday over Atlanta.

Michel finished the tournament with 11 hits, including three triples and two doubles, in 18 at-bats for a .533 batting average.

* Jon Strauss has been hired as coach at Glendale College.

Strauss played at Glendale High from 1987-90, at College of the Canyons and at Long Beach State, where he was an assistant.

He replaces Chris Zavatsky, who resigned this week to become an assistant at Santa Clara University.

BASKETBALL

* The American Roundball Corp. Bearcats of North Hollywood defeated the Arkansas Kings, 71-39, and the Cincinnati Royals, 48-36, to advance the quarterfinals of the AAU 10-and-under national tournament in Orlando, Fla.

Jordan Qualls had 20 points and nine rebounds against Arkansas. Ryan Merkle had 17 points and Larry Drew added 15 for the Bearcats, who were led in rebounding by Dayne Crist with 11. Merkle and Drew scored 15 and 12 points, respectively, against Cincinnati. Qualls led the Bearcats with 11 rebounds, Crist had eight.

ATHLETICS

* The Assembly Appropriations Committee passed a watered-down Senate Bill 338 this week and the bill could go to an Assembly vote as early as next week.

SB 338, sponsored by state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), originally called for a state law that would require universities and community colleges to provide one-year notification to athletes before dropping a program. The Assembly Committee on Higher Education changed the language of the bill to say “reasonable notification of a termination.”

Community activist Duke Russell believes the bill is necessary because it directs colleges to make every reasonable effort to place athletes in other programs and to honor athletic scholarships.

“We need people who support sports to write or call their assemblyman to ask them to vote for the bill,” Russell said.

SOCCER

* Erin Misaki, from Hart High, helped the Western women’s team to a 1-0 victory over the Southern squad in the championship match of the U.S. Olympic Festival in Kingston, R.I.

Misaki, a sophomore at Portland, played outside halfback in the title game Tuesday and scored a goal in a 4-1 victory over the Midwest earlier in the festival.

FYI

* The last summer session of the Cal Lu Dawgs Baseball Camp for ages 6-14 is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Cal Lutheran baseball field.

Information: (805) 493-3398.