Quick Hitters
AWC men score 7 goals in 2nd half of win
The Arizona Western men’s soccer team scored seven goals in the second half to cruise to an 8-0 blowout of South Mountain in Phoenix on Friday.
George Sanchez scored three goals to go along with one assist, while Juan Arango (2 goals, 3 assists), Beto Garcia (1 goal), Kacey Smith (1 goal) and Alex Avila (1 goal) had the team’s other goals. Jose Aleman had two assists, while Jafet Sanchez had one.
The Matadors improved to 9-13 on the season with the victory.
Lady Mats also win big
Like the men’s team, the Arizona Western women’s team also used a second-half scoring barrage to blowout South Mountain in Phoenix on Friday.
The Lady Matadors scored six second-half goals in their 7-0 victory, which improved their season record to 9-1-3.
Karla Navarro had two goals and two assists, Cinthya Samaniego had two goals and one assist, and Karen Melendrez had one goal and three assists. Michala Vereen and Daisy Matedne had the team’s other two goals.
Rockies clinch 2nd WC with Brewers loss
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies sprayed soda around the clubhouse and even did a bit of dancing after clinching their first postseason berth since 2009.
Then, they had to go play a game — pressure free, of course.
Colorado sewed up the second NL wild-card spot courtesy of St. Louis’ 7-6 win over Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon. Former Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio recorded the final out for the Cardinals.
The Rockies will face Arizona in the NL wild-card game Wednesday night.
Colorado fans trickling into Coors Field before the game against Los Angeles let out a roar after St. Louis won. The CardinalsBrewers game was shown on the scoreboard.
In the clubhouse, the Rockies wildly celebrated after gathering in front of a TV.
STANFORD, Calif. — On a record-setting day for Bryce Love, Stanford coach David Shaw had a difficult time deciding which of the junior running back’s runs was his favorite.
There was the 61-yard touchdown in the first quarter on Love’s second carry of the afternoon, followed up not long after by a 43-yard score in the second. Or the 59-yard burst through the middle in the third.
“Take your pick,” Shaw said. “I’ve never seen anything like that, ever.” Shaw isn’t alone. No player in Stanford history has ever had the type of day that Love did on Saturday when he set a single-game school record for 301 yards rushing and three touchdowns to help the Cardinal beat Arizona State 34-24.
Love entered the day leading the nation in rushing and padded his total with another big day on the ground. Stanford’s junior running back had scoring runs of 61, 43 and 59 yards. He has 1,088 yards overall this season, the third player since 2004 to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in his team’s first five games.
“I’m not saying he’s the best one that’s been through here, I’m not starting that argument,” Shaw said. “But at the same time I’ve never seen anything like what happened today. That was unbelievable.”
Love repeatedly gouged the Sun Devils for big gains but did some of his best running late after Arizona State pulled within 31-24 following Demario Richard’s second touchdown, a 2-yard run, with 8:02 remaining.
Love, who broke Christian McCaffrey’s year-old record of 284 yards, helped Stanford secure the win with a series of clock-draining runs that set up Jet Toner’s 22-yard field goal.
“I’m definitely not the biggest guy out there and it’s easy to overlook it I feel like,” Love said. “But I take pride in being able to go out there and make those type of plays and being able to pick up the yards after con-