FRANKLIN — Adam Schaffner pitched a three-hitter, striking out 11 batters in the process, as the Butler Township Little League 12-and-under team dispatched Franklin 10-1 to advance to the District 25 championship game at 6 p.m. today at Adelman Field.

The win forced the two teams to play again, this time at Butler Township.

Logan Maxwell added a two-run homer while Cory Wheeler and Jake Lenhart each doubled for Butler Township.

Curtis Masterson's solo home run in the fourth inning accounted for Franklin's lone run.

Butler Township had defeated Clarion 10-4 in Monday's semifinals. Lenhart hit a two-run homer while Nick Patten added a double and triple to help power Butler Township.

FOX CHAPEL — Robert Friend of Pikewood National Golf Club fired a final round 68 to win the Frank B. Fuhrer Jr. Invitational at Pittsburgh Field Club Wednesday.Friend, who was the only golfer out of 40 to shoot 69 or better all four rounds, pocketed the first-place prize of $25,000.St. Jude Golf Club member Nathan Smith, Ryan Sikora of Totteridge Golf Club and Robert Rohanna tied for third, with Rohanna beating Smith in the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win low amateur honors.Smith fired a 69 on Wednesday after shooting a 70 in each of the first three rounds.Other Butler County golfers included Rob McClellan of Butler Country Club and amateur Sean Knapp, also a member of St. Jude's, who both tied for eighth place (285); Gene Walter, a professional from Saxonburg, and John Aubrey Sr. of Aubrey's Dubbs Dred tied for 15th place (291); Joe Boros of Treesdale Golf and Country Club was 26th (294) and Travis Dickson, also from Treesdale, tied for 28th (296).

WEXFORD — Matt Davidek, 20, of McCandless recorded a hole-in-one on the par 3 course at the Woodlands Foundation's No Handicap Golf Course recently.Davidek, a participant in the Woodlands' Monday night golf program for individuals with disability or chronic illness, connected on the 67-yard No. 1 hole. Davidek has Downs syndrome and autism.The facility is the only one of its kind in the region that is fully accessible with specially graded and paved cart paths, artificial turf tees and greens, adaptive carts, clubs and instructional techniques.

MERIDIAN — The Meridian Purple 8-and-under All-Star team won the Meridian All-Star Tournament last weekend by sweeping all four of its games played in the top bracket.The squad defeated Deer Lakes 11-1 and Meridian Blue 12-7 on Saturday, then downed No. 3 seed Saxonburg 7-1 and No. 1 seed Franklin 2-0 in the championship game.Team members include Tyler Hrip, Connor Ollio, Shawn Marcellus, Alex Culbertson, Michael Harris, Brandon Kowalski, Vince Slomers, Luke Kranbacher, Jake Slomers, Wilde Gaiser, Ben Kranbacher and Sam Dietrich.

PHILADELPHIA — Elton Brand signed with the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday, giving them the low-post presence needed to contend in the Eastern Conference.The power forward's should immediately improve the emerging Sixers with his 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game average over nine seasons.