BASEBALL

GALARRAGA ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Andres Galarraga retired yesterday after a subpar spring training with the Mets, leaving him a homer shy of 400 for his career. The 43-year-old first baseman signed a minor-league deal with the Mets in the off-season after making his second successful return from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma last season.

A five-time All-Star in a 19-year career, Galarraga was hitting just .235 in 17 games for the Mets this spring, with three home runs and seven RBI.

Galarraga made his big league debut with the Montreal Expos in 1985 and has played for St. Louis, Colorado, Texas, Atlanta, San Francisco, and the Angels. He finished his career with a .288 AVG/.347 OBA/.499 SLG batting line, 2,333 hits, and 1,425 RBI in 2,257 games. With the Rockies, Galarraga hit .370 to win the NL batting title in 1993 and led the league with 47 homers and 150 RBI in 1996.

Galarraga missed the 1999 season after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, then hit .302/.369/.526 with 28 home runs and 100 RBI with Atlanta in 2000. The disease reoccurred in November. He underwent surgery that November and had a stem cell transplant the following February.

REPORT: MLB MEDICAL ADVISOR EXAGGERATED CREDENTIALS

Dr. Elliot J. Pellman, the medical adviser for Major League Baseball whose recent testimony to Congress praised baseball’s steroids policy, has exaggerated his educational and professional credentials according to a report by the New York Times.

Dr. Pellman, who is also team doctor for the Islanders and the Jets and a former president of the NFL Physicians Society, has said repeatedly in biographical statements that he has a medical degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. But Dr. Pellman attended medical school in Guadalajara, Mexico, and he received a medical degree from the New York State Education Department after a one-year residency at SUNY Stony Brook, state records show. He does not hold an M.D. from Stony Brook, according a university hospital spokesman.

Dr. Pellman said he had not tried to mislead anybody about his credentials. He characterized the errors as minor and said he would correct them. And he primarily blamed the discrepancies on other people, including his secretary and the Jets.

FOOTBALL

PANTHERS UNDER STEROID SUSPICION

Carolina Panthers Todd Sauerbrun and Jeff Mitchell and former player Todd Steussie had steroid prescriptions filled by a West Columbia, S.C., doctor now under investigation by federal authorities, according to a “60 Minutes Wednesday” report. In a release yesterday, the CBS News show said the players all had prescriptions for testosterone cream filled within two weeks of the Panthers’ appearance in the 2004 Super Bowl.

In addition to the cream, which is banned by the NFL, Sauerbrun – one of the league’s top punters – also obtained syringes and the injectable steroid Stanozolol, which is also banned by the league. The prescriptions were reportedly written by Dr. James Shortt, who is the subject of a Drug Enforcement Administration probe for allegedly prescribing steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. The Panthers have been cooperating with a federal subpoena that sought contact information for several players as part of the probe of Shortt. Panthers General Manager Hurney has stressed that none of the team’s players have tested positive for steroids.

CBS said Mitchell and Steussie did not respond to repeated calls and letters seeking comment. The network said that when it contacted Sauerbrun by phone and asked him about Shortt, the punter said, “I like the guy very much.” Ten minutes later, CBS said, Sauerbrun called back to say he had been confused and that he did not know Shortt.

BRONCOS ACQUIRE EKUBAN IN EXCHANGE FOR DROUGHNS

The Denver Broncos have acquired veteran defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for running back Reuben Droughns, according to a report last night by ESPN.com. The Broncos will also receive defensive tackle Michael Myers in the deal for Droughns, who is coming off a 1,000-yard season. The trade is contingent on the players passing physical exams with their new franchises.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

SAINT JOE’S, SOUTH CAROLINA ADVANCE TO NIT FINAL

Pat Carroll scored 13 of his 24 points in the second half, and Saint Joseph’s won for the 21st time in 2005 by beating Memphis 70-58 in the NIT semifinals last night.

Carroll, the Atlantic 10 co-player of the year, was 6-of-9 from 3-point range – including 3-of-4 in the second half, when the Hawks pulled away behind 56.3% shooting. Dwayne Jones added 13 points and 14 rebounds – eight offensive – for Saint Joseph’s, 21-5 since January 1.

The Hawks (24-11) will play South Carolina for the tournament championship tomorrow. The Gamecocks (19-13) beat Maryland 75-67 last night behind 17 points from Carlos Powell to advance to their second NIT final in four years.

Josh Gonner scored 11 of his 12 points in the first half, when South Carolina turned an early five-point deficit into a 14-point lead.

UCONN’S VILLANUEVA DECLARES FOR NBA DRAFT

Connecticut forward Charlie Villanueva will forgo his final two years of college eligibility to enter the NBA draft. The 6-foot-11, 240-pounder led the Huskies in scoring this season, averaging 13.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Scouts have praised Villanueva’s ball-handling, passing, and shot-blocking skills, and have projected that he would be a late first-round pick.

TENNIS

VENUS GETS RARE WIN OVER SERENA AT NASDAQ-100

Venus Williams ended a streak of six consecutive losses to sister Serena, winning 6-1, 7-6 (8) last night in the quarterfinals of the Nasdaq-100 Open. Meeting for the first time since July 2003, the sisters produced the same tense, sloppy tennis that has marred the rivalry in the past. But there was plenty of effort and emotion.

When Serena lost the first five games, she took an angry swipe at the hard-court and mangled her racket, prompting jeers from the crowd in a stadium that was only two-thirds full. Then, when Venus smacked a crosscourt winner for a 3-2 lead in the second set, she walked to her chair with a glare, her teeth gritted in determination, while Serena admonished herself and screamed a profanity. In the tiebreaker, Serena pushed a forehand into the net to fall behind 9-8, then flung her racket and buried her face in her hands. She sailed a backhand long on match point, and Venus raised her arms in jubilation.

In the semifinals tomorrow, no. 8-seeded Venus will play no. 2-seeded Maria Sharapova, who interrupted Justine Henin-Hardenne’s comeback from a seven month layoff by winning 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-2.

Advancing to the men’s quarterfinals was six-time Key Biscayne champ Andre Agassi, who endured a grueling first set and beat French Open champion Gaston Gaudio 7-6 (7), 6-2. Gaudio faded after converting just one of 10 break-point chances in the opening set, which lasted 85 minutes. Two Spaniards made the men’s final eight. Rafael Nadal, an 18-year-old with two titles already this year, beat no. 13-seeded Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3. Unseeded David Ferrer rallied past countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-5. No. 26 Dominik Hrbaty, who upset Marat Safin in the third round, eliminated 18-year-old Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3.

SOCCER

DONOVAN LEAVING BAYER LEVERKUSEN

Landon Donovan will not be returning to Bayer Leverkusen, which said yesterday he will rejoin Major League Soccer after 2 1/2 months in Germany. The 23-year-old forward, the U.S. player of the year for three straight years, expressed frustration over his lack of playing time.

Donovan signed with Leverkusen in 1999, when he was 17, but didn’t get into a game and was sent to the San Jose Earthquakes of MLS two years later.

HOCKEY

LAVIOLETTE TO COACH U.S TEAM AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Carolina Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette will lead the U.S. men’s team at the hockey world championships starting next month in Austria, USA Hockey said yesterday. Tampa Bay Lightning coach John Tortorella will serve as associate coach for the U.S. team competing in the tournament from April 30 to May 15 in Innsbruck and Vienna, Austria.

Last year, Laviolette guided Team USA to the bronze medal at the World Championships in the Czech Republic, assuring the United States a spot in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.

– Associated Press