FOOTBALL

New England Patriots sign first-round pick Easley

The New England Patriots signed first-round draft pick Dominique Easley on Monday. The defensive lineman from Florida was the 29th pick overall early last month.

Easley can play end and tackle, but his draft prospects dropped because of two ACL knee operations. Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said when Easley was drafted that the team feels he’ll be all right.

Easley started 26 of 32 games during four years at Florida, but just three games as a senior.

The Patriots also signed rookie free agent Chris Martin. The offensive lineman from Central Florida was signed by the Houston Texans on May 16 and released on May 27.

HOCKEY

NHL: Former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Rob Blake, now the team’s assistant general manager, was one of six elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In the players’ category, Blake, 44, was joined by longtime Colorado Avalanche center Peter Forsberg, standout goaltender Dominik Hasek, and Mike Modano, the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history with 1,274 points. Retired referee Bill McCreary and the late coach Pat Burns were elected in the builders’ category.

SOCCER

NOT GUILTY PLEA: U.S. women’s soccer team goalkeeper Hope Solo entered a not guilty plea following her domestic violence arrest at her sister’s home in suburban Seattle.

Solo appeared in court Monday and was released without bail. Authorities say Solo was intoxicated early Saturday when she was accused of assaulting her sister and 17-year-old nephew.

BASKETBALL

GUILTY PLEA: Raymond Felton of the New York Knicks agreed to plead guilty to a reduced weapons charge and will avoid jail time, lawyers on both sides said in court.

Law enforcement sources have said that Felton’s estranged wife, Ariane Raymondo-Felton, reported that Felton carried a loaded, high-powered semiautomatic handgun during a domestic argument.

MAYORS’ CONFERENCE: Former Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin and NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said the comments made by ousted Clippers owner Donald Sterling needed to be viewed within a broader perspective of how America faces racism.

Irvin and Abdul-Jabbar spoke at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ annual meeting in Dallas.

BASEBALL

NECBL: Corey Raley had a single and a triple as the Sanford Mainers edged the North Adams Steeplecats 2-1 in 10 innings in Sanford.

Sanford (6-7) took the lead over the Steeplecats (6-6) in the bottom of the fifth with an unearned run. North Adams tied the game in the top of the eighth on an RBI single by Edgar Michelangeli. Raley led off the bottom of tenth with his triple, Sam Balzano followed with a walk, forcing North Adams to intentionally walk Sam Dexter. A wild pitch to Steven Berman scored Raley with the winning run.

AMERICAN LEGION: Weston Bergeron went the distance allowing just a single run as Massabesic (2-1) nipped Fayette-Staples (1-3) 2-1 at Saco. The game was tied 1-1 going to the top of the sixth when Massabesic scored the eventual game-winner on a fielder’s choice by Tyler Everett.

Evan Balzano was the only player with multiple hits, with a double and a single for Fayette-Staples.

— From staff and news services

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