Oklahoma City — Monica Abbott feels a different vibe on the national team that has put the United States back atop the softball world. She calls it “serious with a smile.”
Not many of the Americans’ opponents are grinning these days, though.
Jessica Mendoza doubled twice and drove in four runs, Abbott threw a one-hitter, and the U.S. beat rival Japan, 8-0, Saturday night at the World Cup of Softball.
pro basketball
Durant shines in scrimmage
Las Vegas — Kevin Durant scored a game-high 28 points to lead the White squad past the Blue, 114-96, at the USA Basketball Showcase on Saturday night.
Durant had six rebounds and was 10-for-17 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in 29 minutes.
golf
Langer leads by three
Carnoustie, Scotland — Bernhard Langer took a three-shot lead in the Senior British Open after shooting a 2-under 69 in the third round Saturday.
The German has yet to win on the U.S. Champions Tour but is in position to change that after outplaying his nearest rival, Corey Pavin.
Wilson leads Canadian Open
Toronto — Dean Wilson shot his third straight 5-under 65 to take a four-stroke lead over Carl Pettersson, Tim Clark and Bob Estes in the Canadian Open, pulling away with three straight birdies at rainy St. George’s.
Pressel takes lead with Eagle
Evia-les-Bains, France — Morgan Pressel eagled the final hole in a round of 5-under 67 to move to 11 under par, taking a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Evian Masters.
She was followed by South Koreans Jiyai Shin (68) and Jeong Jang (70).
Oosthuizen trails by one
Stockholm — K.J. Choi of South Korea and Richard Johnson of Sweden shared the third-round lead at the Scandinavian Masters after British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen blew a chance to join them.
Oosthuizen could have made it a three-way tie for the lead, but he bogeyed his final hole to end on a 70 and at 9 under.
soccer
Brazil names Menezes new coach
Sao Paulo — Mano Menezes became the new coach of Brazil’s national soccer team Saturday, one day after first choice Muricy Ramalho turned down the job because of his contract with Fluminense.
Menezes has been coaching Corinthians but will now replace Carlos Dunga, who was fired days after Brazil lost to the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinals in South Africa.
Menezes will coach the team through the 2014 World Cup, which will take place in Brazil for the first time since 1950.
auto racing
Montoya wins Brickyard pole
Indianapolis — Juan Pablo Montoya is in a familiar spot for today’s Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — out front.
A year after a late speeding penalty denied him a victory at the Brickyard, he’s hoping it sticks this time.
Montoya has steadfastly denied any lingering bitterness from last year’s near-miss, or any notion that the Brickyard owes him one.
Struggling Duno on probation
Edmonton, Alberta — The IRL has placed struggling driver Milka Duno on probation for the rest of the year for failing to meet minimal performance standards consistently. Series officials say Duno needs to show “immediate and substantial improvement to her driving” by the end of the season.
college basketball
Huggins hospitalized in Vegas
Morgantown, W.Va. — West Virginia coach Bob Huggins is expected to make a full recovery after being hospitalized for broken ribs during a Las Vegas recruiting trip.
Athletic director Oliver Luck says Huggins fell in his hotel room Friday night and broke four ribs.
Former Memphis players arrested
Memphis, Tenn. — Former University of Memphis basketball players Shawne Williams and Kareem Cooper have been arrested after police found marijuana and a loaded gun in the car they were traveling in.
Memphis police say they pulled over the Dodge Charger on Friday because Williams wasn’t wearing a seat belt. He was charged with driving on a suspended license.
Police then searched the car and say they found more than 17 grams of marijuana and a gun on Cooper.
nfl
Giants ink free agent LB Bulluck
New York — The New York Giants have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker Keith Bulluck.
Agent Gary Wichard says Bulluck and the team came to an agreement Saturday. Media reports said the deal was for one year and $2.5 million.
Bill Cowher’s wife dies of cancer
Raleigh, N.C. — Kaye Cowher, the wife of ex-Steelers coach Bill Cowher and a former basketball player at North Carolina State and in the now-defunct Women’s Professional Basketball League, has died of skin cancer. She was 54.
Cowher died Friday in her native North Carolina, where the family relocated at her urging during Cowher’s final year as coach in 2006, one season after the Steelers won the Super Bowl. The family has lived since in Raleigh.
boxing
Pacquiao to fight Margarito
New York — Manny Pacquiao will face former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito in November after his promoters could not get a deal signed to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum told the Associated Press on Saturday that Pacquiao will fight Margarito on Nov. 13, though the location is up in the air.
baseball
Tigers’ Ordonez out 6-8 weeks
Detroit — Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez will miss 6-8 weeks after breaking his right ankle in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
tennis
Top seed Roddick tumbles
Johns Creek, Ga. — Mardy Fish keeps winning, even when his opponent is top-seeded Andy Roddick.
Fish extended his personal-best winning streak to nine matches with his 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 upset of Roddick, the No. 9 player in the world, in the Atlanta Tennis Championships on Saturday night.
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