UPI NewsTrack Sports

• Tweet

Woods holds 4-shot lead at Doral

DORAL, Fla., March 9 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods continued his hot play at the WGC-Cadillac Championship Saturday, firing a 5-under-par 67 to post a four-shot lead at after three rounds.

Woods ended 54 holes at 18-under-par 198, matching the low score of the day for the third straight round and positioning himself for his seventh title at the event.

Should he go on to register a victory, it would be Woods' 16th overall World Golf Championship title but first since 2009 at the Bridgestone Invitational.

With seven birdies Saturday, Woods has racked up 24 for the event -- a three-round personal best.

Graeme McDowell's 16th-hole eagle gave him a 3-under 69 and sole possession of second place at minus-14 at the TPC Blue Monster at Doral.

Sharing third place at 13-under 203 were Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker, each of whom carded a 3-under 69.

Tied for fifth at minus-11 were Sergio Garcia (67), Charl Schwartzel (69), Michael Thompson (67) and Keegan Bradley (69).

Canada, Mexico engage in WBC brawl

PHOENIX, March 9 (UPI) -- Michael Saunders and Justin Morneau provided four hits apiece Saturday, pacing Canada to a 10-3 win over Mexico in a brawl-marred World Baseball Classic game.

Taylor Green added three more hits and crossed the plate three times as Canada pounded out 15 hits to back starting pitcher Chris Leroux (1-0).

The game erupted into a bench-clearing brawl in the ninth inning, triggered when Mexican pitcher Arnold Leon drilled Canada's Rene Tosoni with a pitch after earlier tossing a pitch behind him.

The fight on the field was accompanied by another in the stands at Chase Field in Phoenix. Canadian pitching coach Denis Boucher was struck in the face by a water bottle during the fracas.

Canada shortstop Cale Iorg threw the bottle back into the stands in response as police came onto the field to restore order.

Leon, Tosoni and Mexico manager Rick Renteria were ejected from the contest and Boston Red Sox reliever and Team Mexico member Alfredo Aceves both received and landed punches in the brawl.

Canada will next face Team USA in Pool D play.

Mexico starting pitcher Marco Estrada (0-1) was pounded for four runs off seven hits over three innings.

Belmont gains NCAA berth with OVC title

NASHVILLE, March 9 (UPI) -- Kerron Johnson's jumper with 1.2 seconds left in overtime Saturday gave Belmont a 70-68 win over Murray State and an NCAA Tournament berth.

Johnson finished with 12 points and six assists for the Bruins (26-6, 14-2 OVC), who claimed the Ohio Valley Conference championship in the title game of the league's post-season tournament.

J.J. Mann added 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Belmont, which also reached the post-season each of the last two years while a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

The Racers (21-10, 10-6) got 23 points from Stacy Wilson.

Isaiah Canaan contributed 22 points, 10 assists and nine boards for Murray State, but also committed a costly late turnover that led to Johnson's game-winner.

Harvard punches NCAA ticket with Ivy League title

ALLSTON, Mass., March 9 (UPI) -- Laurent Rivard and Siyani Chambers combined for 33 points Saturday and Harvard claimed the Ivy League title and an NCAA berth with a 65-56 win over Cornell.

Rivard made four 3-pointers en route to 17 points while Chambers added 16 with five assists for the Crimson (19-9, 11-3 Ivy), who clinched a share of the championship with victory.

They then waited for the outcome of Princeton's game against Brown, which ended in a 80-67 Brown win. The result handed the Crimson the outright league title and its automatic NCAA berth.

Wesley Saunders added 14 points for Harvard, which went 9-of 15 from long range en route to its third straight Ivy League crown.

Miles Asafo-Adjei led the Big Red (13-18, 5-9) with 15 points and four assists.

Errick Peck (14, eight rebounds) and Nolan Cressler (12, nine) also reached double figures for Cornell.