BRIEFS

Limestone adds

big man

Limestone College Head Men's Basketball Coach Brandon Scott has announced that Danny Friend will join the Saints' program next season. Friend, a 6-foot 6-inch forward, comes to Limestone from USCSalkehatchie.

"Danny is a great sign for us," stated Scott. "We feel like he can be a great player in our league for two years. He is very versatile, athletic, and long. He really knows how to score and use his body around the basket. Danny comes from a great family and I know he will immediately make us better. We are expecting a lot from him."

Friend was an All-Region honoree last season at USCSalkehatchie. He had a standout prep career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy in Georgia, where he led his team to the regional and state championships. He was also named the regional championship game's MVP.

App State's upset

nominated for ESPY

Appalachian State's stunning win at Michigan last year has been nominated for an ESPY award in the best upset category.

The Mountaineers' season-opening 34-32 victory over the then-No. 5 Wolverines marked the first time a team from a lower division beat a major ranked school.

The victory also led to the elimination of the long-standing rule that barred Football Championship Subdivision schools from receiving votes for The Associated Press Top 25.

Appalachian State will be in competition with the New York Giants' win over New England in the Super Bowl, Fresno State's College World Series title and Da' Tara's win in the Belmont Stakes.

The winner will be decided by fan voting and announced on ESPN on July 20.

Ailing Jones returns

to Braves' lineup

Chipper Jones, expected to be placed on the disabled list Tuesday, instead was back in the lineup for the Atlanta Braves.

Jones missed eight straight starts with a strained right quadriceps. Because of the continued discomfort, Jones feared he would be placed on the DL as the Braves opened an important series against the NL East-leading Phillies on Tuesday night.

Jones, who leads the major leagues with his .394 batting average, said he was ''very surprised'' he didn't feel the expected discomfort while stretching and then running before the game.

''It's huge,'' Jones said. ''It's probably nine games I don't have to miss.

''There's no way I'm going to go on the DL right now. I'm not going to come in today and be 75 or 80 percent and sit out. I'm sorry, it's not going to happen.''

Manager Bobby Cox made plans for the possibility of placing Jones and infielder Omar Infante (hamstring) on the disabled list. Neither move was necessary. Infante also felt better Tuesday and said he could play if needed.

Bonds' homer ball

lands in Hall

Now branded with an asterisk, the ball Barry Bonds launched for his record 756th home run nearly a year ago landed Tuesday night in the Hall of Fame.

The souvenir arrived in Cooperstown, N.Y., after a strange day of back-and-forth statements between its owner, fashion designer Marc Ecko, and the shrine.

''We are very happy to receive the baseball as a donation, and not as a loan,'' Hall spokesman Brad Horn said. ''We look forward to adding this ball to our permanent collections.''

A driver walked up the front steps of the Hall, handing over the ball and a letter from Ecko saying it was an unconditional donation. Horn said the ball will be displayed after the museum documents it - that process usually takes weeks, rather than months.