Granite Bay, Calif., scored four runs in the first inning and went on to eliminate Central East Maui, 5-3, yesterday in the Little League Majors (ages 11-12) Western Regional at San Bernardino, Calif.

Central East Maui and Glendale, Ariz. each finished pool play with a 1-3 record, but Glendale won a tie-breaker to advance to today's semifinal round as the fourth seed.

Granite Bay was held to three hits, but bunched two hits and six walks to take a 4-0 lead.

Noah Apolo hit a solo homer and relief pitcher Rossi Abordo worked the final five innings, allowing one hit and a run while striking out six, for Central East Maui.

PADDLING

OUTRIGGER SWEEPS IN LONG-DISTANCE RACE

Outrigger Canoe Club won both the men's and women's divisions of the Kaena Challenge long-distance race on Sunday.

The 21-mile course started at Sunset Beach and finished at Makaha Beach.

The Outrigger men's crew was first overall, completing the course in 2 hours, 27 minutes, 40 seconds. Members of the winning crew were Kapono Brown, Craig Gamble, Michael Kane, William Lawson, Tapa Worthington and Jimmy Austin.

Hui Lanakila placed second in 2:30:13, and Kailua was third in 2:36:03.

The Outrigger women finished in 3:11:20. Members of the winning crew were Mary Smolenski, Karin Del Rey, Jane Stevens, Monica Salter, Traci Phillips, Kristin Lee, Lindsay Chang, Hailary Denison, Lisa Livingston and Julia Fiedler.

A second Outrigger crew placed second in 3:16:16, and Leeward Kai was third in 3:46:16.

It was the opening race of the long-distance season for outrigger canoe paddlers.

The Duke Kahanamoku Long Distance Race is scheduled to run on Sunday.

The 24-mile men's race will start at Kailua Beach at 9 a.m., and finish at Duke Kahanamoku Beach around noon. A 7-mile women's race will run at Kailua Beach prior to the start of the men's race.

GOLF

MATSUI QUALIFIES FOR U.S. SENIOR AMATEUR

Honolulu's Shigeru Matsui shot even-par 72 yesterday at Pearl Country Club to win the Hawai'i qualifier for the U.S. Senior Amateur.

The national championship is Sept. 12 to 17 at Beverly Country Club in Chicago.

Matsui beat 12 others. Paul Kimura (73) is first alternate and Peter Olson (76) second alternate.