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Newsmakers: South African judge denies appeal for harsher Pistorius sentence

Dakota Prukop scrambles with the football during the Oregon spring game in Eugene. One year after Vernon Adams made a successful move from Eastern Washington to Oregon, the Ducks are seeing whether another former Football Championship Subdivision quarterback can make a similar transition. (Andy Nelson / Associated Press)
From staff and wire reports

Dismissed: A South African judge dismissed an appeal by prosecutors for a harsher sentence against Oscar Pistorius who was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend in 2013. Judge Thokozile Masipa said Friday in Johannesburg that the state’s appeal to extend the six-year sentence had a limited prospect of success.

East Carolina has dismissed starting defensive lineman Darius Commissiong from the football team after his arrest on a felony animal cruelty charge. Police say a 1-year-old Shih Tzu belonging to a woman they declined to identify was found dead with multiple injuries.

Signed: The Rangers signed free-agent forward Brandon Pirri to a one-year, $1.1 million contract. Newsday reported Thursday that a deal was close for the 25-year-old Toronto native, who will skate for his fourth team since being drafted by Chicago in the second round in 2009.

Promoted: Indiana quarterback Richard Lagow will start Thursday night at Florida International. Coach Kevin Wilson announced that the highly-touted junior college transfer beat out junior Zander Diamont, who had more experience in the Hoosiers’ system.

Traded: The Utah Jazz have traded center Tibor Pleiss to the Philadelphia 76ers for guard Kendall Marshall in a cost-cutting move. Two second-round picks were also sent to the 76ers. Marshall was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2012 draft, but spent four seasons with four teams.

Listed: Montana State graduate transfer Dakota Prukop is listed atop Oregon’s depth chart at quarterback for the season opener. Prukop was listed ahead of freshman Justin Herbert on the two-deep for the home game against UC Davis on Sept. 3.

Named: Canada’s Christine Sinclair, who plays for the Portland Thorns, has been named the National Women’s Soccer League Player of the Olympics. Sinclair scored the game winning goal in a 2-1 victory over host Brazil to earn Canada its second straight Olympic bronze medal. The finish helped propel Canada from No. 10 in the FIFA world rankings to No. 4.

Appealed: NFL star Darren Sharper filed a federal court notice Friday that he now plans to appeal his conviction and nearly two-decade sentence in a drug and sexual assault case – a case in which he pleaded guilty.

Re-injured: Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk is expected to miss the season after re-injuring the Achilles tendon he tore in February.