BASEBALL
Ducks end two-game slide — Oregon salvaged the final game of a three-game series against Cal State Fullerton with a 9-1 win Sunday at Fullerton’s Goodwin Field. Ryan Hambright, who entered the game with just two hits in 36 turns at bat this season, went three for four with three RBIs for the Ducks (8-3), who handed the Titans (10-1) their first defeat of the season. UO freshman Cole Irvin scattered eight hits over seven innings to earn the victory, boosting his record to 3-0. Shaun Chase belted a solo home run to highlight a three-run eighth inning for Oregon, which opens a two-game home series with Cal State Northridge tonight at 6 o’clock at PK Park in Eugene.
Beavers earn sweep — Michael Conforto set a career-high with seven RBIs on the strength of his first career grand slam and later a three-run home run to pace Oregon State to a 14-0 win over Bryant Sunday afternoon at Goss Stadium in Corvallis. The win gave the Beavers a series sweep over the visiting Bulldogs. The victory pushed Oregon State to 12-0 this season and for the fourth time in school history. The 12-game win streak is also the team’s longest since the 2007 club won 12 straight late in non-conference action. Oregon State hits the road Tuesday for a 2 p.m. game at Portland.
Winter sports
Iditarod off and running — Dogs aching to run bolted out of the chute Sunday to launch the 41st running of Alaska’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow, Alaska. Now 65 teams will be making their way through punishing wilderness toward the finish line in Nome on Alaska’s western coast 1,000 miles away. The winner gets a new truck and a cash prize of $50,400. The rest of the $600,000 purse will be split between the next 29 mushers to cross the finish line.
Tennis
Gulbis wins at Delray — Qualifier Ernests Gulbis beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-6 (3), 6-3 on Sunday for his second title at the Delray Beach International Championships in Florida. The 109th-ranked Gulbis, who also won the tournament in 2010, is the first qualifier to reach a final this season.
Pliskova takes Malaysian Open — Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic fought back from a poor first set to beat American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday to win the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Each was looking for her first WTA singles title, but the 127th-ranked Pliskova won in her first final.
Soccer
Timbers rally for draw — The Portland Timbers overcame two early goals by Fabian Espindola to forge a 3-all draw with the New York Red Bulls in both teams’ Major League Soccer season opener on Sunday night in Portland. Espindola, a veteran acquired in the offseason from Real Salt Lake, scored in the ninth and 24th minutes, while Jamison Olave, also obtained in the trade with RSL, added a goal in the 28th minute. Argentine midfielder Diego Valeri scored his first goal for the Timbers, who played before a sellout crowd of 20,674 at Jeld-Wen Field. Darlington Nagbe’s goal in the second half pulled Portland closer before an own goal that bounced off of Olave in the 83rd minute tied it.
— From wire reports
