Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — FOOTBALL Sources: Flacco agrees

Joe Flacco is staying in Baltimore. The Super Bowl MVP quarterback agreed Friday to a new contact with the Ravens, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. Terms were not immediately available. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not officially been announced. Flacco played out his rookie contract last season for $6.76 million and led Baltimore to the NFL championship. The 28-year-old Flacco is the only quarterback to win a postseason game in each of his first five pro seasons.

The Atlanta Falcons released running back Michael Turner, defensive end John Abraham and cornerback Dunta Robinson on Friday. The moves free up about $16 million in salary cap space. The 31-year-old Turner rushed for 800 yards this past season, the lowest of his five-year Atlanta career, with 10 touchdowns. Abraham, 34, led the team with 10 sacks but had to cut back on his snaps in a bid to stay healthy. The 30-year-old Robinson signed with Atlanta in 2010 and had four interceptions over the past three seasons.

Several players received their team’s franchise tag Friday, giving them a guaranteed one-year contract if they do not sign a long-term deal or their team doesn’t match a free-agent offer from another team, which would have to give up draft picks. The Cincinnati Bengals tagged defensive end Michael Johnson, who had 11 1/2 sacks last season, his fourth in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills designated safety Jairus Byrd, who had five interceptions last year to finish tied for the AFC lead. The Denver Broncos placed their tag on All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady. The Indianapolis Colts put the tag on punter Pat McAfee, who ranked fifth in the league in punting with a 47.9-yard average. The Chicago Bears tagged Pro Bowl defensive tackle Henry Melton.

New Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin got a raise to go along with his promotion. Durkin, the team’s former linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, will make $490,000 annually as defensive coordinator. That’s a $150,000 raise. He also got an extra year added to his contract, keeping him through the 2014 season. Durkin replaced Dan Quinn, who was hired by the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. Florida released Durkin’s contract Friday, along with deals signed by former Kentucky Coach Joker Phillips and defensive line coach Brad Lawing. Phillips signed a two-year deal worth $265,000 annually. Lawing signed a three-year contract worth $390,000 annually. Lawing also got a $50,000 signing bonus.

The Carolina Panthers have released starting defensive tackle Ron Edwards in a move that frees up $2.5 million in salary cap space. Edwards started 11 games in 2012, recording 16 tackles and one sack before an elbow injury ended his season. Edwards missed all over 2011 with a torn triceps after signing with Carolina. Edwards has played in 139 games with 96 starts, recording 239 tackles and 16.5 sacks.

GOLF Lewis takes 2-shot lead

Stacy Lewis made six birdies to shoot a 6-under-par 66 and take a two-stroke lead after Friday’s second round of the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore. Lewis, the reigning LPGA Player of the Year, was at 11-under 133 at Sentosa Golf Club. The former Arkansas Razorback led a pack of six players tied for second: Ariya Jutanugarn (66), Na Yeon Choi (66), Chella Choi (67), Paula Creamer (67), Sun Young Yoon (68) and overnight leader Azahara Munoz (70). Top ranked Yani Tseng stumbled with a double bogey on the par-5 4th hole and shot a 73. She was in tie for 21st at 3 under. Lewis has started the new season with the same form that saw her win four titles last year and climb to fourth in the world rankings. The 28-year-old American also held the 36-hole lead last weekend at the LPGA Honda Thailand tournament - matching her career-best round of 63 in the process - before shooting a 76 in the third round and winding up in third place. “Last week, my putter just went sideways,” she said. “I don’t know what happened. But I feel a lot more comfortable with my putter this week, which I’m happy about. You can’t force things, and last week, I definitely was trying to force some putts and hit them too hard and through breaks, so it’s really for me just staying patient tomorrow.” Stacy Pramanasudh (Conway) shot a 70 with four birdies and two bogeys for a 143.

Rory McIlroy left before his round was even over. Tiger Woods had to rally just to stick around. And Luke Guthrie shot a 7-under-par 63 to take the lead in the Honda Classic going into the weekend at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. He was at 9-under 131 and had a one-shot lead over Michael Thompson. McIlroy made a double bogey on his second hole and hit two balls in the water on the 16th hole on his way to a triple bogey. He hit his approach to the 18th in the water and never finished the hole. Woods wound up with a 70 to make the cut on the number, nine shots out of the lead. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State), David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks), Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) and Scott Gardiner (Farmington) missed the cut of 140.

Charl Coetzee of South Africa shot a 7-under-par 65 to hold the clubhouse lead by a stroke Friday when a thunderstorm halted the second round of the Tshwane Open in Centurion, South Africa. Coetzee was at 12 under on the Els Club course at Copperleaf Golf Estate. Mark Tullo of Chile shot a 66, while Dawie Van Der Walt of South Africa was also at 11 under after 14 holes in the co-sanctioned European and Sunshine Tour event. Fifty-four of 156 players were unable to complete their round.

BASKETBALL Saint Mary’s penalized

One of the most powerful midmajor programs in college basketball has been found guilty of breaking recruiting rules. The NCAA put Saint Mary’s (25-5) on four years of probation Friday for a “failure to monitor its men’s basketball program.” A report by the NCAA Committee on Infractions found that Gaels Coach Randy Bennett “failed to promote an atmosphere for compliance” at the California school, particularly over the recruiting practices of a former assistant. Bennett will not be allowed to recruit off campus and will be suspended for the first five West Coast Conference games next season. Saint Mary’s will still be allowed to participate in the West Coast Tournament and the NCAA Tournament but can’t play in preseason or in-season tournaments not already contractually obligated to attend. The team also will have a reduction in scholarships from 13 to 11 for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons and an elimination of all foreign tours until the start of the 2017-2018 season.

MOTOR SPORTS Annett out of hospital

NASCAR driver Michael Annett was released from a hospital Friday following surgery to repair a fractured and dislocated sternum. His Richard Petty Motorsports team says the recovery process could take two months for the Nationwide Series driver. Annett was injured in a crash in the series opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday. He spent one night in a Daytona Beach hospital before returning to North Carolina. His injuries were diagnosed in Charlotte, and he underwent surgery Tuesday. Annett was injured before the last lap crash that sent debris into the grandstands that injured more than two dozen fans.

MOTOR SPORTS Martin to start up front again at Phoenix

AVONDALE, Ariz. - Mark Martin will be on the pole at Phoenix International Raceway for the second consecutive year after becoming the second-oldest pole-sitter in NASCAR history.

Martin (Batesville) went around PIR’s mile oval at a speed of 138.075 mph Friday to earn his 56th career pole a week after finishing third in the Daytona 500.

Martin turned 54 in January, leaving him a few months short of beating Harry Gant as the oldest driver to win a Sprint Cup pole. Gant was 54 when he won his last pole at Bristol in 1994.

Kasey Kahne will start on the front row with Martin for Sunday’s 312-mile race. Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson will take the green flag in third next to Kyle Busch.

Martin started on the pole at PIR last year before finishing ninth and won from the pole in 2009. He had a solid Daytona 500 last Sunday, starting 14th and working his way to the front to make a big move on the final lap to finish behind Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Martin hasn’t won since Loudon in 2009.