HOCKEY

Two assistant coaches get hired by Pirates

Trent Whitfield, who spent parts of seven seasons with the Portland Pirates between 1998 and 2005, and Alfie Michaud, goaltender for the University of Maine’s 1999 NCAA championship squad, were hired Tuesday as assistants coaches.

Whitfield, 36, ranks fourth on the team career list for games (348), goals (102), assists (153) and points.

Michaud, 37, retired this spring after playing in various pro leagues, including the NHL, and most recently in Denmark.

NHL: The Dallas Stars bought out the final year of defenseman Aaron Rome’s contract, a move that will give the club more salary-cap space.

AHL: The Texas Stars won their first Calder Cup, defeating the St. John’s IceCaps 4-3 in overtime in Game 5 of the finals at St. John’s, Newfoundland.

BASEBALL

EASTERN LEAGUE: The Portland Sea Dogs and Erie SeaWolves were suspended in the bottom of the second inning as rain saturated the field at Erie, Pennsylvania, and forced three rain delays.

The game will resume at 11:05 a.m. Wednesday with Portland ahead 2-0 on Matt Spring’s two-run homer and they will play a full nine-inning game. There will be a 30-minute break before the teams play their regularly scheduled game, which will go seven innings.

BASKETBALL

WNBA: Katie Douglas and Chiney Ogwumike scored 18 points apiece at Uncasville, Connecticut, and the Connecticut Sun won their fifth straight, beating the Indiana Fever, 89-67.

The Sun (7-6) moved into second place in the Eastern Conference after beginning the month in last place.

NBA: The Minnesota Timberwolves named Sam Mitchell as an assistant on Coach Flip Saunders’ staff.

COLLEGES

PENN STATE: AD David Joyner will resign Aug. 1.

Joyner was appointed acting athletic director in November 2011 after Tim Curley was placed on administrative leave. Joyner steered the department through the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the death of former football coach Joe Paterno.

BASEBALL: Pinch-hitter John Gatlin’s single into short right field over a pulled-in, five-man infield in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Mississippi a 2-1 victory against Texas Tech in an elimination game at Omaha, Nebraska, in the College World Series.

Ole Miss (47-20) plays TCU or Virginia on Thursday. The Red Raiders (45-20) went 0-2 in their first CWS.

AUTO RACING

NASCAR: Panasonic Corp. reached a deal with Hendrick Motorsports that will make the company the primary sponsor for Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 team for two races each year for the next three seasons in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series.

GOLF

PGA: The agent for Tiger Woods said Woods is progressing from March 31 back surgery and starting to extend his swing.

Woods has missed two majors this year.

TRACK

GOLDEN SPIKE MEET: Justin Gatlin remained unbeaten this season, winning the 100 meters at Ostrava, Czech Republic, clocking 9.86 seconds to improve his world-leading time of the year.

– From staff and news services