Two New York recruits commit to SU football

SYRACUSE — The Syracuse University football team has received two more verbal commitments from in-state recruits for the 2010 season.

Linebackers Malcolm Cater and Mario Tull are expected to join the Orange next season. Cater played at Riverhead High School on Long Island last year. According to a report in the Syracuse Post-Standard, he led the team with 106 tackles as a junior and was selected as the defense's Most Valuable Player. Rivals.com reported that Cater turned down offers from Rutgers and Connecticut.

Tull recently completed his junior year at Xaverian High School in Brooklyn. He's projected to play linebacker or safety at Syracuse.

COLLEGIATE BASEBALL

Lightning strikes and postpones Wizards' game

GLENS FALLS — For the third time in a week, a Watertown Wizards game against Glens Falls was postponed due to inclement weather.

The Wizards and Golden Eagles worked through one rain delay Thursday at East Field when lightning from a severe thunderstorm struck a transformer and shut down the lights.

The two teams will play a doubleheader at 5 p.m. Monday in Glens Falls.

Watertown (10-7) hosts Mohawk Valley at 7 p.m. today at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds.

LOCAL GOLF

Beaudin notches ace at Potsdam golf course

POTSDAM — Scott Beaudin recorded a hole-in-one Wednesday at Potsdam Town and Country Club.

Beaudin used a 7-iron on the 164-yard 11th hole while playing with Dave Richardson, Brian Phillips and Dennis Bond.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

SU's 6-overtime victory nominated for an ESPY

Syracuse University's six-overtime 127-117 win against Connecticut in the Big East Tournament has been nominated in the Best Game category for the 2009 ESPY Awards.

At almost three and a half hours, it was the longest game in Big East Tournament history and the second-longest in Division I history. SU is competing against the Steelers vs. the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, and Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon Final.

The ESPYS will be presented July 15 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles and the taped show will air on July 19 on ESPN.

Kentucky man charged in Pitino extortion case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Federal prosecutors have charged a Kentucky man with helping an alleged extortion attempt against University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino.

Lester Goetzinger is charged with aiding and abetting 49-year-old Karen Cunagin Sypher in her alleged attempt to extort millions from Pitino.

■ Marquette guard Maurice Acker will skip his final year of eligibility because he's on track to graduate in December.

■ Former Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe has been hired as an assistant coach at George Washington. He was fired by the Wolverines in 2001.

SOCCER

Late goal lifts Brazil to Confederation Cup final

JOHANNESBURG — Daniel Alves scored the only goal on a free kick with just two minutes left at the Confederations Cup, sending Brazil into the final against the surprising United States and ending host South Africa's upset bid.

Sunday's final at Ellis Park will be a rematch of last week's game in group play, when the five-time World Cup champions crushed the Americans. Brazil is 13-1 in head-to-head meetings with the United States.

AUTO RACING

Suspended driver Mayfield denies drug use

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield denies ever taking methamphetamines and says he doesn't know how he failed a random drug test.

Mayfield's denial is found in an affidavit that is among several hundred pages of documents filed Thursday by his attorneys in U.S. District Court. The driver was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on May 9 for failing a random drug test conducted eight days earlier at Richmond International Raceway. He is suing NASCAR for immediate reinstatement, and his next court date is July 1.

Mosley: Peace deal in doubt over dictator gibe

LONDON — FIA president Max Mosley warned that Formula One's peace deal may collapse unless Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo apologizes for branding him a "dictator."

Di Montezemolo made the comment after Ferrari and seven other teams claimed a significant victory over Mosley when he abandoned a planned voluntary budget cap on Wednesday to ensure there would be no breakaway series.

HORSE JUMPING

Hodges wins event at Lake Placid Horse Show

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Casey Hodges of Aiken, S.C., rode Finn Razel to victory in the Brookledge Horse Transportation 1.45m power and speed class at the 40th Annual Lake Placid Horse Show.

TIMES STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS