PAN AMERICAN GAMES U.S. gets wins in baseball and basketball

The Americans lead in total medals with 27, nine of them gold.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- American teams came up with clutch performances in their biggest tests of the Pan American Games.
Jered Weaver allowed just one hit in 71/3 innings as the U.S. baseball team beat the host country 2-0 for its 25th straight win of the summer. The men's basketball squad was 85 seconds from leaving the Pan Ams without a chance at a medal, but got three free throws and a key defensive stop to reach the semifinals. A group of collegians representing the United States upset a Brazilian women's team that has four former WNBA players.
"I knew that it would be a tough game, the Dominicans are always tough," Weaver said after the combined two-hitter. "When you have 20,000 people screaming against you, you can't beat it."
Weaver silenced the fans and the Dominican Republic's bats, striking out four as the Americans improved to 3-0 in pool play.
Come from behind
The Americans failed to medal only once in Pan Am men's basketball, and nearly made it twice. The U.S. team trailed Uruguay 72-71 with 1 minute, 25 seconds remaining, but Arthur Johnson made one of two free throws, and his Missouri teammate, Rickey Paulding, sank one with 33.6 seconds to go to give the Americans the lead.
"The guys didn't want to come down here for nothing," Johnson said after leading the team with 17 points. "We all just buckled down and did what it takes to win the ball game, because we knew playing the way we were playing, it would have been an empty trip for us."
With Uruguay threatening, Seton Hall's Andre Barrett forced a held ball, giving Team USA possession. Paulding's free throw provided the 74-72 final score as Uruguay missed a shot at the horn. The win put the Americans into the semifinals, where they will meet Brazil today.
Hours earlier, Jamie Carey of Texas scored 20 points and made all six of her 3-pointers to lead the U.S. women to a 77-64 upset of regional powerhouse Brazil.
The United States used a swarming, half-court defense to hold Brazil to 21-of-52 shooting from the floor and forced 21 turnovers, including three shot-clock violations.
"This was by far the best game since we've been together," coach Debbie Ryan said. "We played great team defense."
The Americans (2-1), trailed 44-32 at halftime, but opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run. They also closed the period by scoring eight straight points to take a 56-52 lead into the fourth quarter.
Rebekkah Brunson of Georgetown sat out most of the first half because of two quick fouls, but sparked the second-half comeback by scoring all 13 of her points.
Off the hardwood, American teenagers competed well.
Loper wins trap event
Collyn Loper, a 16-year old shooter from Indian Springs, Ala., had to overcome two delays when another competitor's gun malfunctioned to win the women's trap event and earn a 2004 Olympic berth for the U.S. team. Loper, who is right-handed, shoots left-handed because she is blind in her right eye. She went into the final round with a four-point lead, although she didn't know it.
"I never like to know what my scores are until I am finished," she said. "I kind of assumed that I was ahead by three or four. When I heard people clapping, I thought, 'Maybe I just won.' "
Carly Gullickson and Ansley Cargill won their first-round matches in women's tennis.