Photo provided by Matt LynchPITTSBURGH For the first time in nearly a month, the Pirates secured a series win after defeating the Red Sox 8-3 in Sundays rubber match at PNC Park.Scoring PlaysBottom 1st, 2-0 PIT: The Pirates (61-65) manufactured a pair of runs on three consecutive pitches from Patrick Sandoval (1-2). Esmerlyn Valdez and Bryan Reynolds hit back-to-back doubles and Brandon Lowe plated the latter with a single to left.Bottom 3rd, 7-0 PIT: The Pirates sent 10 men to the plate and scored five runs in the inning. Bryan Reynolds and Brandon Lowe each had an RBI single, Nick Yorke brought home two with a base hit to center and Henry Davis chipped in a sacrifice fly. Top 5th, 7-3 PIT: Connor Wong blasted a three-run home run to left-center off Hunter Barco (1-1) to get the Red Sox (66-58) on the board.Bottom 7th, 8-3 PIT: Yorke delivered again for the Pirates with an two-out RBI single to right field off Raymond Burgos. Key MomentsBryan Reynolds and Brandon Lowe gave the Pirates early momentum by coming through with run-scoring hits in the first inning. The Pirates kept that momentum throughout the rain-interrupted game. Player of the GameBryan Reynolds finished the game 2 for 3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Reynolds is batting .412 (21 for 51) in his career against Boston. Stat to KnowThis was the first time the Pirates won a series since taking two of three games against the Guardians from July 18-19. Pittsburgh had lost each of its last seven series. Notable PerformancesLake Bachar: 3.0 innings, two hits, no runs, one walk, four strikeouts, 50 pitches/33 strikesHunter Barco: 3.0 innings, two hits, three runs, one walk, four strikeouts, 47 pitches/26 strikesBryan Reynolds: 2 for 3, one double, one walk, two RBI, two runsEsmerlyn Valdez: 2 for 4, two doubles, one walkNick Yorke: 2 for 4, three RBIBrandon Lowe: 2 for 4, two RBI, one runNoteworthyLake Bachar, who started the game for the Pirates, matched a career-high in innings pitched. Hes thrown three innings six times in his career. Nick Yorkes three RBI were a career-high. In his 87th game and the 102nd plate appearance of his career, Billy Cook drew his first MLB walk in the third inning. The game was delayed for 2 hours ad 34 minutes after the sixth inning due to rain.The Pirates recalled LHP Hunter Barco and INF/OF Nick Yorke from Triple-A Indianapolis. RHP Wilber Dotel and INF Jack Brannigan were optioned to Indianapolis. Up NextThe Pirates will welcome the Tigers to PNC Park to start a three-game series on Monday night. Pittsburgh has yet to announce a starter. Detroit will send out LHP Framber Valdez (7-8, 4.26 ERA). First pitch: 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN/93.7 The Fan.Around the NetworkPittsburgh Baseball Now:Cherington on Skenes: This Has Been an Excellent Year for HimPittsburgh Hockey Now:Top 5 Kyle Dubas Moves: Penguins Trades & PickupsSteelers Now:Max Hurleman Recaptures Carefree Feeling While Aiming for Steelers Casting CallPittsburgh Sports Now: Pitt Sights & Sounds: Linebackers Looking to Build DepthThe post Pirates Get Elusive Series Win by Beating Boston in Rubber Match appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.

The Chicago Bears have been dealing with injuries throughout the first few weeks of training camp, and that continued on Sunday when running back Kyle Monangai suffered a knee injury.According to reporters in attendance, Monangai got tangled up with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett during a non-padded practice, and both players went to the ground. Monangai's knee was examined on the field by trainer Andre Tucker before they both walked off the field, although Monangai was walking gingerly.But it sounds like good news as ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Monangai is believed to be "fine" and "initial tests showed his knee to be structurally sound, but the team will do an MRI to confirm."More to come.Follow Bears Wire onTwitter,FacebookandInstagramThis article originally appeared on Bears Wire: NFL insider shares update on Bears RB Kyle Monangai's knee injury

MEMPHIS, Tenn. Scottie Scheffler was back to his dominant form Sunday, turning a two-shot lead into a runaway in the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He closed with a 4-under 66 for an eight-shot victory, the largest in the 68-year history at the TPC Southwind.Scheffler ended nearly seven months without winning, a season that has been marked by astonishing consistency but only one trophy to show for it from his season opener at The American Express in the California desert.This was only close for a fleeting moment. After months of little things getting in the way, Scheffler hit a bunker shot on the par-5 third that would have settled a few feet away for a tap-in birdie. But it landed on a sprinkler head, took a hard hop and rolled through the green into the water for bogey.I was like, Man, when is this going to stop happening? Scheffler said.That shrunk his lead to one shot over Sungjae Im. Then Scheffler made consecutive birdie putts on the fifth and sixth holes and was on his way. Playing in the final group in stifling heat and the most wind all week, Scheffler matched the best score Sunday.He finished at 17-under 263, eight shots clear of his Dallas neighbor Si Woo Kim, who closed with a 68 to finish eight shots behind. The previous record was John Cook winning at TPC Southwind by seven shots in 1996.Scheffler now has 21 career victories on the PGA Tour, 10 of them by four shots or more.Sam Burns, one of Schefflers best friends in golf, played with him in the final group and took double bogey on the par-5 third hole. He shot 73 and tied for third with Alex Noren (69).I dont think it would have mattered if I played well, Burns said. He was going to be tough to beat today.Scheffler won $3.6 million from the prize fund, and he clinched an additional $23 million in bonus money for being No. 1 in the FedEx Cup through next weeks BMW Championship. No one can catch him. No one is particularly close in the game at the moment, even when hes not piling up trophies.BMW Championship 2026: Full payout of $100 million FedExCup bonus moneyNearly $100 million will be paid out in bonus money after the BMW Championship. Heres how it breaks down. Golf Channel Staff, Golf Channel Staff,Scheffler now has two victories, five runner-up finishes and five other top 4s in another stellar year that until Sunday was marked by his lack of winning compared with previous years. The TPC Southwind was the course he had played the most times without winning, and the FedExCup playoffs opener had been the only postseason tournament he had yet to win. All that changed.Im wound up with a 75 to tie for fifth, but it was enough for the South Korean to move from No. 53 into the top 50 who advance to the BMW Championship next week in St. Louis. Im kept alive his chances of reaching the Tour Championship every year since he was a rookie in 2019.Im bumped out Keith Mitchell, who stood in the water left of the 18th fairway to play a shot from the bank as he tried to give himself his best chance. That shot tumbled into the water, he made bogey and narrowly missed out.Maverick McNealy survives while Keith Mitchell, Jordan Spieth come up short of top 50Only one player managed to play his way into the top 50 in FedExCup points and qualify for the postseasons second playoff event. Rex Hoggard, Rex Hoggard,So did Jordan Spieth, who needed to close with four pars to reach the BMW Championship for the first time since 2023, and finished with a bogey from the water on No. 15 and three pars for a 70.The top 50 who advance also are assured of playing all the $20 million signature events next year.Scheffler put himself squarely in the mix for a fifth straight PGA Tour player of the year during a season in which no one has stood out based on titles alone. The body of work has been impressive, and Scheffler still has two tournaments remaining.

World number one Scottie Scheffler salutes fans after winning the PGA Tour St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee (ANDY LYONS)World number one Scottie Scheffler powered to an eight-stroke victory in the St. Jude Championship on Sunday, capturing his first PGA Tour title since January.The American launched the tour's FedEx Cup playoff series in convincing style, shrugging off an early bogey to card five birdies in a four-under par 66 for a 17-under par total of 263 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.South Korean Kim Si-woo carded a two-under 68 to finish second on nine-under."I've had some close calls this year," said Scheffler, who had five runner-up finishes and four other top-fours during the extended dry spell that followed his season-opening victory at La Quinta, California."I feel like I kept saying at the end of each tournament 'Man, I feel like I'm playing pretty good. It's just the little things aren't going my way.'"Scheffler started the day with a two-shot lead, his first 54-hole lead in more than a year, but quickly got another unwelcome taste of little things going wrong when his shot out of a greenside bunker at the third hole hit a sprinkler head and bounced into the water for a bogey.Scheffler responded with a 10-foot birdie at the fifth, then rolled in 20-foot birdie putts at six and 11 before draining a 22-foot birdie at the 13th.A six-foot birdie at the 16th was just an exclamation point as those chasing systematically fell by the wayside.Scheffler's good friend Sam Burns, who started the day tied for second and played in the final group, took a double-bogey at the third and bogeyed the fifth. He finished with a three-over 73 and finished tied for third with Sweden's Alex Noren on eight-under.South Korean Im Sung-jae, who shared second overnight, fired a four-over 74 for a share of fifth. That was good enough to see Im move into the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings and book his spot in next week's BMW Championship.Four-time major-winner Scheffler, whose week included a superb 61 on Friday, claimed his 21st PGA Tour title.The more than six-month gap since his last victory was the longest he's gone between titles since 2023, when he won the Players Championship in March and didn't return to the winner's circle again until the Hero World Challenge in December.Although he's enjoyed a statistically superb year, missing just one cut, Scheffler admitted that couldn't compare with hoisting a trophy."Statistics are one thing, but being able to win golf tournaments is another," said Scheffler, who had nine wins in 2024 and six in 2025."This is a lot better feeling than having statistically another good week."bb/mjf

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - AUGUST 15: Quarterback Ty Simpson #15 of the Los Angeles Rams in action during the preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on August 15, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesIts true that Los Angeles Rams rookie quarterback aced his first NFL game. The first round pick led LA to a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.Simpson was accurate on over 90% of his throws. He demonstrated a level of mobility that is foreign to recent Rams quarterbacks. Simpsons arm strength was a visible notch above Stetson Bennetts, the other quarterback battling for the backup role behind Matthew Stafford.120 seconds of Ty Simpson slicing thru the defense21/25, 190 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTsthoughts? pic.twitter.com/Aj7B2M1hs3 Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 15, 2026Was the Rams offense with Simpson at the helm world beating? Far from it. Simpson was surrounded by players on the fringes of LAs roster. Its a fair critique to say the offense felt overly conservative and dink and dunk. Simpson grew more comfortable and aggressive as Saturdays game drew on, and we can still discern some important and encouraging metrics from his performance.Lets bust a few myths from Simpsons first game:Myth #1: Simpson was captain checkdownVerdict: Somewhat trueSimpsons average depth of target (ADOT) came to 5.3 yards on 25 passes. That is overly conservative by NFL standards. Still, its significantly higher Bennetts metric from the same game (although he was in for only two drives) of 3.2 yards.There is some important context that is needed in order to paint the full picture. Well get there.One data point that Ill go ahead and provide: Simpson did make two throws behind the line of scrimmage that could be skewing the average on a small sample size. One play was targeted seven yards deep into the backfield. Myth #2: Simpson was overly reliant on play actionVerdict: FalseEight of Simpsons 25 dropbacks (32%) featured play action. Most of these came early in his appearance and it seemed to be a well-intentioned plan to help the rookie settle in. Simpson had an ADOT of 6.6 yards on play action throws with an adjusted completion rate of 87.5%. Many of these plays were rollouts, which are simplifications to reduce his reads to half the field. The crutch was removed later in the game and the Rams leaned into more traditional drop back passing. Simpson looked comfortable and hung in the pocket to push the ball down the field.So while the Rams used play action early and often as a tool to help the rookie find a rhythm, it wasnt a crutch or the only reason why Simpson was successful. Myth busted. Ty Simpson zips it to Brennan Presley for a 23-yard pick up.LARvsKC on @NFLnetworkStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/NomnCI9rqT NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026Myth #3: Simpson didnt have a single deep throwVerdict: TrueIts true that Simpson did not attempt a throw longer than 20 yards down the field. However, he did complete all six of his attempts within the range of 10-19 yards. These plays went for 108 yards total and Simpson earned an elite PFF grade of 92.1. His average depth of target on these six throws was 14.7 yards and all were converted for first downs.Would it be comforting to see Simpson throw and complete deep passes this preseason? Absolutely. But we know the intermediate range is an important area in Sean McVays offense, and Simpson performed his best in this area. Its good enough for now. We can check the other box later.Myth #4: Simpson didnt use the middle of the fieldVerdict: FalseNine of Simpsons 25 passes (36%) were targeted towards the center of the field. He completed eight for 78 yards with two touchdowns. Included in this bucket, of course, is the screen pass score to running back Dean Connors. This may be an oversimplification, but if there are three areas you can targetleft, right, and centerthen youd expect a 33% equal distribution to these areas. 36% is in the ballpark. Myth busted.Ty zips one to CJ! @CBSLosAngeles | https://t.co/R5m5kJYWYipic.twitter.com/H9uY1ITr2I Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 15, 2026Myth #5: Simpsons play wasnt sustainableVerdict: FalseCritics will point to the Rams heavy usage of play action and designed rollouts and say that the gameplan was tailored for the first-round pick to look successful. That was mostly true early, although Simpson did buck the trend later into the game.If looking to measure and project sustainable quarterback play, the most reliable measure we have is the Pro Football Focus (PFF) passing grade when kept clean. Play under pressure can be volatile and vary year to year. The true test of quarterbacks comes when everything around them goes right.And Simpson played his best football when kept clean. He earned a PFF passing grade of 80.8 and completed 20/22 passes (90.9%) for 185 yards, two scores, and a passer rating of 132.0. His ADOT was 5.4 yards and near his mark for the overall game. There were no big-time throws nor turnover-worthy plays. That clears the bar.Simpson had a history of often generating big-time throws at Alabama. We havent seen that production so far in the NFL. That is the next thing we need to see from himthrowing receivers open in the deep area of the field.There are only reasons to be encouraged about Ty Simpsons first game in the NFL. Are there still some lingering questions that will hopefully get answered over the next two preseason games? Absolutely. But his first effort checked many of the boxes that you want to see from a rookie first-round pick. Growth is not linear. Progress was evident. Whether it will continue remains to be seen.

Jeeno Thitikul reached the double-digit mark for career wins after her victory at The Standard Portland Classic on Sunday. Now the eighth LPGA player to reach 10 wins before age 24, Thitikul held off several players from her own homeland to collect the $300,000 prize.It marks the 23-year-old's third victory of the season, following an emotional win at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February and four-stroke victory over close friend Ruoning Yin in May at the Mizuho Americas Open."I would say every win it's means [because of] the sacrifice that we put in, the work we put in," said Thitikul. "I mean you know, I've had a time that I doubt, like, what is going on in my games, and then, when you get it, you're just like, wow, this is what you're waiting for."Jeeno Thitikul completes her 2026 hat trick with a come-from-behind win in Portland pic.twitter.com/7JzekVInao LPGA (@LPGA) August 16, 2026Thitikul began the day two back at Columbia Edgewater Country Club and closed with a 64. Her ball-striking was superb, but it was her putter than sealed it for her down the stretch, edging compatriots Arpichaya Yubol (67) and Chanettee Wannasaen (63) by one stroke. Wannasaen also shot a final-round 63 to win the event three years ago after entering the field as a Monday-qualifier.Five Thai players finished in the top 8 at Portland. Wannasaen noted after the round how close they are on tour."I'm really happy when I see like them play good," she said, "because I know, like, what they went through. Like sometimes they feel burnout, same exactly as me, but we keep going, keep going."Former No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn is the all-time leader in career wins for Thai players with 12, including two majors. Thitikul, of course, still has yet to win a major. World No. 1 Nelly Korda leads the way with four wins in 2026, followed by Thitikul, now with three. It marks the second consecutive year that Thitikul has won three times. A rookie in 2022, Thitikul has won at least twice in every season on tour except 2023.Perhaps most impressively, the consistent Thitikul now has 63 career top-10 finishes in 99 starts and $19.7 million in career earnings, putting her No. 6 on the all-time list just behind Cristie Kerr.American Sophia Schubert came into the week 125th on the CME points list. A solo fourth-place finish in Portland goes a long way toward securing her card for the 2027 season. At the U.S. Women's Amateur last week in Tennessee, Schubert served as a starter for the championship. She won the title in 2017. Rose Zhang posted her first top-10 finish on tour since late March despite suffering a back injury early in the week. The former Stanford star is trying to secure a spot on Angela Stanford's Solheim Cup team. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Jeeno Thitikul, 23, wins 10th career LPGA title at Standard Portland Classic

Scottie Scheffler is the winner of the 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship. He carded a score of -17 to notch the victory at the first event of the FedExCup playoffs on Sunday, Aug. 16 at TPC Southwind in Memphis.Fans sprinted over to the green on the last hole to watch the world No. 1's final shot. He barely missed the rim and then tapped the ball in for par. Scheffler's wife and two children were standing in the shade cheering him on and after he finished the hole, they ran around the crowd to give him a hug.This is only Scheffler's second win this season after topping the leaderboard at the American Express back in January."It's always challenging, I think, playing with one of my best friends, both trying to win," Scheffler, who played with Sam Burns on Sunday, said on the CBS broadcast after the St. Jude win. "He's had his fair share of close calls this year as well. Going into today, I just wanted to try and do my best, just try and execute."More: How much money did Scottie Scheffler earn at FedEx St. Jude Championship?Despite his lack of wins, Scheffler is still the leader of the FedExCup standings based off overall performance throughout the PGA Tour."Just staying consistent, staying in it each week, that's what I'm most proud of," he continued. "... Statistics are one thing, but being able to win golf tournaments is another, and this is a lot better feeling than having statistically a good week."Scheffler, the 2024 FedExCup winner, surged in the second round and tied the course record with a score of 61. He shot to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 11-under.He hit a hiccup early on the last day of the tournament when his ball hit a sprinkler head and rolled into the water on the third hole, leading to a bogey. But the former Texas Longhorn rebounded with five birdies."I'm like, 'When is this going to stop happening?'" he said of hitting the sprinkler and his previous late woes this season. "But did a good job of staying in it and bouncing back from that and was able to kind of relax the last few holes coming down the stretch."Burns hit a bogey on the final hole to leave Si Woo Kim standing alone in second place with a score of 9-under.After the first round, five players were tied at the top. Robert MacIntyre withdrew from the tournament after carding a +12 through 18 holes.What does the St. Jude Championship win mean?With the St. Jude Championship win, Scheffler gets 750 FedExCup points, bringing his total at the top of the leaderboard to 4,873 points. He advances to the BMW Championship, which he won last year, at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis next weekend.This win adds to his legacy as one of the PGA Tour's greats. He has won four majors, and, at 30 years old, becomes the third-youngest player to win 21 PGA Tour tournaments since 1960 behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.He leads the top 50 golfers who advance to the next tournament based on FedExCup standings. After that competition, the top 30 players will face off in the TOUR Championship a week later with the FedExCup on the line.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Scottie Scheffler wins 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship. Here's what it means

Ireland lose 3-2 to Spain at World Cup [Getty Images]Ireland missed an opportunity to seize control of their World Cup future after losing 3-2 to Spain in a thrilling opening World Cup Pool C game in Wavre.Ireland went behind twice after goals from Laia Vidosa and Sophia Keenan but fought back with Hannah McLoughlin and Niamh Carey scoring from penalty corners.Despite Gareth Grundie's side being in the ascendancy, a superb strike from Xantal Gine with five minutes remaining broke Irish hearts."We were very disappointed with our second quarter of that game, Irish captain Sarah Hawkshaw told BBC Sport NI."We thought we started quite well, and in the second half we dominated most of the momentum of the game. But the second quarter, we were disappointed with that. It put us on the back foot."Really happy with how we fought back and gave ourselves multiple opportunities to win that game, but disappointed with, you know, how we didn't get over that line."Ireland face New Zealand in must-win matchIreland already faced an uphill task to reach the next phase of the tournament and will need to beat New Zealand, who lost to hosts Belgium, on Tuesday to have any chance.Hawkshaw added that despite the pressure of their next match being crucial to their hopes of progressing, the side must "stick to our processes"."We have two more games in our group, and we know New Zealand lost their first game, so the next game surely is going to be a battle between the two of us," she continued."It is a must-win. We've come into this with focusing on every game, one at a time, and not looking past it."We're going to be going for it in that next game, we have to. But we stick to our processes. We played three quarters of good hockey against Spain and are just fixing that last quarter."It was a cagey opening to the game with Ireland dominating possession but with no end result to show for it.They lost their way in the second quarter and Spain had a pair of goals ruled out after Ireland referred them to the video umpire.When the Spanish opened the scoring, it came as no surprise as Ireland turned the ball over in midfield and then defensively never challenged Vidosa who had time to pick her spot in the corner of Lizzie Murphys goal.Ireland regrouped at half-time and McLoughlin deservedly fired them level from a penalty corner.However their joy was short lived as Keenan pounced on a rebound from another corner that had been cleared of the Irish goal line.Ireland were showing resilience and with the outstanding Niamh Carey showing all her skills, she won a penalty corner and then deflected in the equaliser.It was anybodies game going into the final quarter and Ireland were the better side but lost two players to green cards and Spain snatched their only chance, again from a corner as Gines shot went in off the post.

Luis Enrique makes transfer decision on two attackers clear with lineup decisionLuis Enrique has taken some big, transfer related decisions with his squad for tonights game against Lens.If you enjoy PSG Talk coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.PSG are taking on Lens in the Trophee des Champions right now, but the big news came long before kick off.Luis Enrique announced a very similar lineup to the one that took on Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday but there were some crucial differences on the bench.Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye were both in the squad for that game but are not today. Rumours have swirled around their potential departures all summer, and this feels like a confirmation that the coach now thinks theyre both going to go.PSG ready to sell attackers with replacements already in the doorLiverpool are bidding hard for Barcola and Mbaye has been linked with Aston Villa, amongst others. At this point. the coach wasnt to focus on the players he knows he can rely on, now and in the future.Selling them isnt ideal, but the club were ready for it. Ferran Torres and Maghnes Akliouche have already been signed, and Mika Godts from Ajax is on the way. There could yet be further additions, too.It could mean a slow start to the season for the Parisians but theyve showed year after year theyre more concerned with what happens in May, not September.In other newsThe signing of Zion Suzuki from Parma looked like a done deal but it collapsed at the last minute, leaving PSG back at square one in terms of finding a new goalkeeper.Mika Godts is still coming we expect his announcement imminently.

The Redwoods were in a strong position to make the playoffs entering Sundays regular-season finale: either a win or a loss by fewer than 12 goals would punch their ticket to the postseason.For a team that had lost four of its past five games, however, California needed to do more than back into the playoffs. The Redwoods took advantage of a Denver Outlaws team missing its three starting defensemen and two starting attackmen, putting together a dominant 18-11 victory in Philadelphia.Were excited we earned our way in, head coach Anthony Kelly said. We didnt want to lose our way in. I think thats important. Now, everything to this point doesnt matter. Everything goes out the window. Were in the final phase of the season. The playoffs is a new season. Today feels good, but put it behind us and moving on to Minnesota.The Redwoods seemed eager to get the job done. Ryder Garnsey got the party started with a highlight-reel-worthy goal where he caught a pass on the crease from Chris Kavanagh and shot underhanded, one-handed and behind-the-back to stymie Outlaws goalie Logan McNaney.Finn [Thomson] made a great cut, drew all the attention from the back pipe, Garnsey said. Chris is standing there with his hands free. I did my job to cut at the ball, and the ball ended up in the back of the net.That was followed by a goal from Andrew McAdorey.After that, however, California didnt score for the final 8:53 of the first quarter. During that time frame, the team committed four turnovers and shot 0-for-5.Garnsey said the lack of goals wasnt an indication of poor play on the part of the Redwoods.Maybe the score didnt show it, we went on little bit of a lull, but I thought their goalie made some good saves in the second half of the first quarter, Garnsey said. In games past, when weve played some decent offense, and the shots havent fallen, weve sort of gotten away from what we came into the game trying to do. I thought we did a pretty good job of not getting away from what we were trying to do and trusting it and trusting that were good scorers, and the next ones going to fall, and they started falling there in the second quarter.The team snapped out of its funk in the second quarter, ripping off four consecutive goals to take the lead and six in total to take control of the game.Garnsey (4G, 1A) and Thomson (3G, 1A) each scored twice in the quarter to pace the offense. Garnsey, in particular, had the Outlaws defense biting on every pump fake and hesitation, getting him closer to go and a higher-percentage shot.His creativity shows, McAdorey told ESPNs Dana Boyle. Hes also one of the smartest players on the team. Coaching at [Notre Dame], he brings over a lot of the principles they do, and theyve been successful. Hes just another coach on the field.It was the second weekend in a row Garnsey led the Redwoods in points, but his performance in the victory over the Outlaws had one stark difference when compared to his play in the loss to the Cannons in Boston: turnovers.Garnsey was immensely disappointed with his play against the Cannons after committing five turnovers. Against the Outlaws, he only turned the ball over once.I think it was important to know what Im good at and what Im not good at, Garnsey said. I thought too much last week, we talked about, dodging off the catch rather than the cradle. I dont think Im great dodging off the cradle. I thought I was doing too much of that last week, so just honestly trying to set myself up off-ball to be effective when I caught it and not overcarry.With a seven-goal victory, the Redwoods jumped the Outlaws in the standings and finished as the second seed in the Western Conference thanks to score differential, though the two teams will face each other again in the quarterfinals in Minnesota.The Redwoods offensive outburst was a good sign going into the playoffs, but the teams focus is on maintaining that execution in back-to-back games in order to keep its season going.We punched our ticket to the dance, but thats what we came to do, Garnsey said. Weve played good games over the course of the season and too many times followed up with a bad performance. We have to make sure we carry this momentum to Minnesota.