Sports

MARINER NEWS
Mariners, Vargas Lead Mariners Over Rockies 10-3
Jason Vargas threw seven strong innings, Kyle Seager homered and drove in three runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the free-falling Colorado Rockies 10-3 on Saturday.
One day after being victimized by Kevin Millwood's two-hitter - his first shutout in nine years - the Rockies looked lost against Vargas, who took a two-hitter into the seventh to help hand Colorado its 12th loss in 15 games.
Vargas (5-3) kept the Rockies off-balance with an array of offspeed pitches set up by pinpoint control of his fastball.
And on a cold and damp day where the vendors' shouts of "Hot chocolate here!" drowned out the usual "Ice cold beer" screams, Rockies rookie left-hander Christian Friedrich (1-1) fizzled in his first start at Coors Field.
 
Mariners, Rockies Wrap Up Series Sunday
Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo has a strained right groin and will catch five innings for Triple-A Tacoma at Iowa on Monday and serve as Tacoma's DH on Tuesday.
Mariners manager Eric Wedge said Olivo will need to catch at least once more and just when that happens depends on the outcome of Monday and Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Rockies LHP Drew Pomeranz is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two starts since being shipped to Triple-A Colorado Springs to work on refining his delivery to increase his velocity. But he needed 91 pitches to get through 5 2-3 innings Friday night against New Orleans.
The Mariners-Rockies series wraps up Sunday with Colorado pitcher Jeremy Guthrie (2-1) facing Seattle's Blake Beavan (1-4).
 
 
SOUNDERS
Montero Scores In 90th, Sounders Tie Whitecaps 2-2
Fredy Montero scored in the 90th minute to give the Seattle Sounders a 2-2 tie with the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.
Eddie Johnson also scored for Seattle (7-2-2). Alain Rochat and Camilo scored for Vancouver (5-3-3) in front of a sellout crowd of 21,000 at B.C. Place Stadium.
Montero took Johnson's header on the run, lifted the ball around Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit, put it on the ground and fired home a shot from the top of the 18-yard box.
 
SOFTBALL
Oregon Defeats BYU 4-1 To Advance In The NCAAS
Kaylan Howard hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and Oregon went on to defeat BYU 4-1 in the NCAA softball Eugene Regional final on Saturday.
The 11th-seeded Ducks (42-15) advance to face the winner of the Austin Regional. Oregon won three straight in the first regional held in Eugene.
Samantha Pappas added a two-run double in the four-run fifth for the Ducks. Jessica Moore allowed just one run on six hits with seven strikeouts.
Tori Almond allowed four runs on five hits with eight strikeouts for the Cougars (45-15). J.C. Clayton hit a run-scoring double in the bottom of the fifth.
The Ducks advance to the Super Regional round for the third straight season.

Millwood throws 2-hitter in 4-0 win
 
Kevin Millwood tossed a two-hitter for his first shutout in nearly nine years and Mike Carp hit a solo homer, helping the Seattle Mariners snap a four-game skid with a 4-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. It was also the 22nd complete game of the 37-year-old righty's career. Millwood (2-4) comfortably cruised through this game and didn't surrender his first hit until two outs in the sixth. He struck out seven and walked one. He didn't allow a runner to reach third until the ninth inning, but got Carlos Gonzalez to line out to end the game. The Mariners improved to 2-6 on their 10-game, four-city road swing. Alex White (0-3) was the hard-luck loser, dropping his sixth straight start in a dubious string that dates back to Sept. 16.
 
 
Toliver leads Sparks past Seattle, 72-66
 
Kristi Toliver scored 10 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Sparks overcame a 21-point deficit in the second half to beat the Seattle Storm 72-66 on Friday night in the WNBA season opener. Los Angeles outscored Seattle 30-10 in the fourth quarter, taking the lead on Toliver's baseline reverse layup with 1:38 remaining. The Sparks had lost seven of their previous nine games against Seattle. Candace Parker added 11 points for Los Angeles, including a pair of key baskets in the comeback, and a tough shot in the lane with 28 seconds left. Ann Wauters led Seattle with 17 points, and Sue Bird had 15.
 
 
Cascadia rivalry starts with Seattle at Vancouver
 
Thanks to a change in Major League Soccer scheduling for the 2012 season, it's already derby time in the Pacific Northwest. The first matchup in the 2012 version of the Cascadia Cup rivalry between Seattle, Portland and Vancouver comes Saturday afternoon when the Sounders head north to face the improving Whitecaps at B.C. Place. A year ago, the arrival of Portland and Vancouver to join Seattle in creating arguably the most heated rivalry in all of MLS was among the biggest stories league wide. Now, it enters Year 2 with more matchups between the rivals, but still the same intensity.
 
 
Oregon defeats BYU 6-4
 
Senior Christie Nieto hit a grand-slam homer in a five-run third inning and the Oregon Ducks defeated BYU 6-4 in the NCAA softball Eugene Regional on Friday. Jessica Moore (29-12) allowed four runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts over seven innings for the 11th seeded Ducks (41-15), who opened the regional with a 7-3 victory over Portland State on Thursday. Nieto's grand slam was her second this season. Hannah Howell allowed all six Oregon runs on 11 hits over four innings for the Cougars, who went on to beat Portland State 2-0 in an elimination game Friday evening. With the victory, BYU (45-14) advances to play Oregon again on Saturday in the regional final. The Vikings defeated Mississippi State (33-24) 2-0 on Friday afternoon, eliminating the Bulldogs. But Portland State was shutout in the late game.