MESSINA, Sicily (AP) Aaron Hill of LSU hit a solo home run and Brad Sullivan of Houston allowed a run in seven innings as the United States beat Japan 2-1 Saturday to set up championship showdown with Cuba in the World University Games.

Cuba beat Taiwan 2-0 in the other semifinal to advance to the Sunday final. Kyle Sleeth of Wake Forest will take the mound for the Americans.

The United States rallied for two runs in the sixth inning behind Hill's homer and hits by Michael Aubrey of Tulane and Conor Jackson of California to take the lead.

The United States beat Cuba to win the gold medal in the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, then lost to the Cubans in the final of the World Championships last year in Taiwan.

The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast or redistributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.