Sports Print Edition

Last night's game

Best Bet: JEESE'S JUSTICE (9)

BASEBALL

The Hampton Bays softball team proved just as accommodating as the quaint beachside community that swelled under the weight of visitors hoping to find some relief from the heat in Game 1 of the Suffolk Class B championship series.

Standing atop the mound, twisting into his windup, Islip freshman pitcher Ed Macaluso is not a picture of intimidation.

Erika Sullivan pitched a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts for No. 2 Bay Shore in its 4-0 victory over No. 3 Smithtown West Saturday in a Suffolk Class AA softball semifinal.

Matt Hickey headed to the mound with nerves.

It is his defining moment in a brilliant high school career. For Patchogue-Medford first baseman Mike Salvatore, it was a walk-off three-run home run for the ages.

BALTIMORE - As the Cornell bench and the school's "Sea of Red" fans celebrated the tying goal in yesterday's NCAA lacrosse semifinal, Duke goalie Dan Loftus thought about overtime. So did coach John Danowski. But Zack Greer thought there still was time to accomplish something.

SALT LAKE CITY - Back in the comfort of home, the Utah Jazz found some things it didn't have the first two games of the Western Conference finals: confidence, defense and scorers other than Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams.

Welcome to Memorial Day weekend, the kickoff of summer and, best of all, the beginning of a stream of blockbuster movies headed to a multiplex near you.

Keep your head down, your left arm straight, your eye on the ball and just don't pay any attention to the cars whizzing by you at 220 miles an hour.

They were flickering images from the past, suddenly out from the shadows - literally from the shadows, given the ancient TV technology and the uneven sunshine in which they used to play World Series games.

One phone call

As he watches the Eastern Conference finals unfold, with five Pistons converging on LeBron James every time he puts the ball on the floor, John Starks is reminded of a different player in a different time facing the same onslaught.

10 "You are going to see blood, guts and sweat. You are going to see somebody hit the floor, I promise you." - Zab Judah's portion of a conference call promoting his June 9 welterweight title fight with Miguel Cotto. Later it was revealed that the speaker was Zab's father, Yoel, who doesn't plan to contribute his own blood, guts and sweat.

MOOSIC, Pa. - For an entire season, Andy Phillips lived the life. He stayed in Ritz Carltons, traveled on a first-class charter jet and went to work in the most storied stadium in baseball.

INDIANAPOLIS - Danica Patrick gets the star treatment, and rookie Milka Duno is IndyCar racing's new glamour girl. So where does that leave Sarah Fisher, who has more Indianapolis 500 starts than both of them combined? "I'm just trying to keep getting better as a race car driver and win races," said Fisher, who will join the other two women in the 33-car field for today's 91st running of the Indy race.

ROW 1

INDIANAPOLIS

BASEBALL

GasBuddy.com reports that a gallon of regular is going for $3.54 at the Speedway station on the corner of 16th & Georgetown in Indianapolis today.

With the ascent of mixed martial arts into the mainstream sports world, came the inevitable friction with boxing. Even though both sides will throw the occasional verbal jab at the other, renowned boxing promoter Lou DiBella told Newsday he feels boxing has to fight its own battles. "I haven't been happy with boxing in years and anyone who's happy is a moron," he said. "But that doesn't mean that we're done. That doesn't mean that we can't come back. And I don't believe that UFC has anything to do with whether we come back or not."

If you look at the potential sellers at the July 31 non-waivers trade deadline, there's a whole lot of nothing available from Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Washington and Colorado. Cincinnati could offer supplementary pieces such as Jeff Conine and David Weathers, and there surely will be the annual discussion of Ken Griffey Jr. possibly waiving his no-trade right. Prediction: He won't.

The Yankees have told sore-legged Johnny Damon to put his feet up for a while. But he's not going on the disabled list.

AL

DETROIT - David Dellucci's tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning lifted the Cleveland Indians to a 6-3 win over the Tigers yesterday.

A teenager wearing a navy blue Yankees T-shirt with the number 24 and the name "MARTINEZ" on the back leaned over the railing of the third-base dugout at Keyspan Park Friday afternoon. A handful of other fans joined him in peering at the University of South Florida baseball team, waiting for a glimpse of the one they came to see.

MIAMI - Jose Valentin became the latest of the Mets' walking wounded to visit the team yesterday at Dolphin Stadium.

MIAMI - John Maine remained focused during his chess match with Shawn Green yesterday afternoon, and Green, bracing for the potential loss, said it was a motivator for that night's start against the Marlins. "Just a quick confidence-booster," Green cracked.

MIAMI - As Shawn Green hobbled around the clubhouse yesterday with crutches, awaiting the arrival of his orthopedic boot, Carlos Gomez punched at the pocket of his new black-and-blue glove, smiling at its bright orange webbing.

Bobby Abreu thought it was a ball. Joe Torre thought it was a ball. More than 50,000 standing, screaming Yankees fans thought it was a ball.

Self-pity rarely presents well, and yesterday proved no different in the Yankees' clubhouse. After all they've been through this season, Joe Torre and company found a great scapegoat in plate umpire Jeff Nelson.

"How's that Yankees lineup thinking go again: A-Rod slumps and is dropped to the eighth hole ... Bobby Abreu can't hit a slow-pitch softball and is moved to the leadoff spot?"

Print Edition features stories printed in today's Newsday.

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• Or view stories from the past seven days by section:

Long Island

• Suspect's suicide 

• Details emerge in bagel shop killing 

• Most LI beaches are ready for summer crowds, but the battle against erosion is far from over 

New York City

• NTSB wants permanent no-fly zone where Lidle crashed 

• NYPD detective pleads guilty to DWI 

• Reputed Canadian mob boss sentenced 

Nation

• Bill made difficult by adding border agents 

• NJ woman gives birth to twins at 60 

• Senate OKs temp worker provision 

World

• P.-G. de Gennes, 1991 Nobel winner 

• Extradition request has a Cold War feel 

• Teen stoned in 'honor killing' 

Health/Science

• NJ woman gives birth to twins at 60 

• Deadly virus hits fish 

• On agenda: trans fat ban in eateries 

Business

• Lynn Brenner: Mom's spouse controls will 

• SHOPPING FOR...A lawn mower 

• YOUR MONEY 

Opinion

• Wary of the leap 

• Les Payne: Second thoughts help Boston clear the air 

• Compromise workers 

Sports

• LONG ISLAND DUCKS WATCH 

• TODAY AT BELMONT 

• HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD 

Part 2

• SINGLE FILE 

• DANCE 

• NY THEATER