Two Local Players Named to National Softball Team

Jennifer Cline, who helped Washington’s softball team reach the NCAA Division I world series this year, and Fresno State’s Nina Lindenberg were among the players selected by USA Softball to its 1997 Pan-American qualifier team.

Cline, a catcher who lives in Westminster, graduated from Mater Dei High in 1992, when she was MVP of the South Coast League her senior season. Lindenberg, an infielder from Anaheim Hills, graduated from Canyon High in 1995. She transferred to Fresno State from Long Beach State.

The 18-player team will play July 20-30 in Medellin, Colombia, where it will attempt to qualify for the 1998 ISF Women’s World Championships in Japan and the 1999 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg, Canada.

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Kevin Grimes resigned his position as Irvine High girls’ soccer coach to become an assistant men’s soccer coach at Southern Methodist, Irvine Athletic Director Rick Curtis announced.

Grimes, 29, is the starting sweeper for the Orange County Zodiac, the Galaxy’s minor league affiliate, and coach of the Mission Viejo Pateadores, a youth team. He led Irvine to a combined record of 23-13-13 in two seasons, including their first undefeated league season in 1996.

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Teams from several European countries, China and possibly Mexico are expected to participate against club counterparts from California in selected age groups at the second annual California Cup International Soccer Tournament, July 2-6 at UC Irvine.

A total of 60 teams are expected to participate and seven fields will be in use, according to organizer Lars Hulgren. Most games will be free to spectators, although each day the campus stadium will host at least one game featuring an international team and cost $3. Parking is $4.

The Chinese boys’ under-17 team is a three-time national champion. Ireland, England, Canada, Brazil, Denmark and Russia are also expected to send teams.

For information (714) 965-2255.

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The Southern California Blue girls’ soccer teams of Dana Point won three games in three age divisions in pool play at the Snickers U.S. Youth Soccer Far West Regional championships in Salt Lake City.

In the under 18: the Blues beat the Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) Sting, 3-0. The Blues’ under-17 team beat the Cheyenne Sting, 3-0, and West Orange County United Riptide beat the Devastation of Bountiful, Utah, 2-1, in the same division.

The Blues also won in the under-15 division by beating the Utah Valley Rangers, 6-1.

The Irvine Strikers had winners in the under-13 division for girls and boys. The boys’ team beat Alta Loma Arsenal, 5-2, and the girls beat the Golden Eagles of Phoenix, 4-1.

In the girls’ under-19 division: North Huntington Beach Black beat Rio FC of Albuquerque, 3-1. In under-16 girls: the Mission Viejo Mirage beat the Cheyenne String, 5-0.

In under-14 girls: North Huntington Beach Black defeated Club Colorado, 2-0. North Huntington Beach lost to the Denver Rowdies, 2-0, in under-14 boys play.

Pool play games continue today and single-elimination play starts Thursday.