Sports in brief

WNBA

Liberty beats Sky behind Pondexter

Cappie Pondexter provided the spark last night and the Liberty responded with its most complete all-around effort of the season. The WNBA veteran scored a season-high 31 points and the Liberty shook off a few sluggish moments in the opening quarter to roll past the host Chicago Sky, 85-70. Pondexter hit 14 of 18 field-goal attempts, and just missed a shot at beating her career high of 35 points when coach Anne Donovan sat her with four minutes to play. Her big offensive night was more than enough to help the Liberty (3-4) snap a two-game losing streak.

The Liberty used a 17-2 second-quarter run on the way to a 41-31 halftime lead. Pondexter then added 11 points in the third quarter as the Liberty pushed the lead to 69-43, and the Liberty led by as many as 27 in the fourth quarter before the Sky made a late run. Liberty center Taj McWilliams added 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Epiphanny Prince scored 20 points off the bench to pace Chicago (4-5), while Sylvia Fowles added 10 points and six rebounds.

SOCCER

Benitez to take over Inter after Mourinho

Inter president Massimo Moratti announced Tuesday that an agreement has been reached for Rafa Benitez to become the club's new coach. Moratti said the only thing outstanding was a countersignature to complete the deal, adding that Benitez was not currently in Italy. The Spanish coach, who left Liverpool on Thursday after six years in charge of the Premier League club, will succeed Jose Mourinho, who left for Real Madrid after leading Inter Milan to a trophy treble in the Champions League, Italy's Serie A and the Italian Cup last season.

BASEBALLAs oil spill protest, team renames 'BP'

In a protest over the Gulf oil spill, a minor-league baseball team is changing the name of batting practice so the players will no longer have to utter the letters "BP." The Brevard County Manatees of the Florida State League say they will now take "hitting rehearsal." BP is the same name as the petroleum company responsible for the massive oil spill that is fouling beaches along the Gulf Coast.

LACROSSE

Lizards pick two LI college players

Hofstra's Christian Scuderi was selected by the Long Island Lizards in the third round of the 2010 Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft Sunday. The Lizards picked Molloy's Albert Maione in the seventh round. Scuderi, a West Islip graduate, was selected with the sixth pick of the third round (18th overall).

GOLF

Palmer, Nicklaus, Player raise $15.1M

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player harnessed their star power to raise a little more than $15.1 million for charity at the "Big 3 for Mountain Mission Kids" event in Bristol, Va. It's being called the biggest single day in fundraising in PGA history. The money goes to the Mountain Mission School for needy children. - AP