Softball roundup: Stevenson slugs past InTech Academy

Adlai Stevenson put itself into the conversation for a division title in a slugfest.

Maranda Diaz went 4-for-5 with a home run, five RBIs and two runs scored to lead Stevenson to an 8-5 win over InTech Academy in PSAL Bronx A softball Wednesday at Harris Park.

Ashlyn Concepcion, Gianny Jimenez, Lorenny Nunez Adames and Maglane Rodriguez each had two RBIs apiece for Stevenson (8-5), which ties InTech (8-5) for second place. Both teams are just a game in the loss column behind Clinton (8-4).

Francis Lewis 13, Bowne 3: Bianca Concepcion went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored and Taylor Stanton went 1-for-4 with two RBIs to lead Lewis (10-3 Queens A-I). Bowne is 4-8.

Telecom 4, Bushwick 3: Cristina Morales gave up no runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings to lead Telecom (12-1 Brooklyn A). Ashley Delgado and Susan Gutekunst each had two hits. Bushwick is 3-8.

Stuyvesant 9, Manhattan Center 5: Liana Penny and Megan Mullaney each had two RBIs apiece to lead Stuyvesant (10-1 Manhattan A). Center is 7-5.

American Studies @ Lehman 15, Riverdale/Kingsbridge 1: Sarah Paiser went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored and also gave up one run on one hit with five strikeouts in five innings for American Studies (4-9 Bronx A). RKA is 2-11.

Midwood 20, Lincoln 14: Emily Whelehan went 4-for-5 with five RBIs and three runs scored and Amber Rivera, Breanna Maresca, Carla Canning and Celina Rivera each had two RBIs apiece for Midwood (5-8 Brooklyn A). Lincoln is 1-11.

IVY LEAGUE

Horace Mann 10, Riverdale 4: Mia Farinelli went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a walk and Paige McMahon went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two stolen bases to lead Mann (6-2). Farinelli gave up one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts in seven innings. Riverdale is 5-3.

CHSAA BRONX/WESTCHESTER

Preston 17, Maria Regina 3: Julianna Orrico allowed three runs on four hits, walked one and struck out three for Preston (9-0). Melissa Santiago racked up three RBIs on four hits.

PSAL CLASS B

Lab Museum United 19, Eleanor Roosevelt 0: Kaylee Cimino, Liana Garcia, Lindsey Bernstein and Sarah McKeon all had three RBIs to lead LMU (12-0 Manhattan B-II). Roosevelt is 6-6 in Manhattan B-I.

FDR 18, Lafayette 8: Caitlin DeJesus went 5-for-5 with six RBIs and two runs scored and Shakira Hernandez went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead FDR (8-3 Brooklyn B-I). Lafayette is 5-5.

OTHER SCORES

Forest Hills 13, Richmond Hill 3

Evander Childs 28, Grace Dodge 1

Pace 10, Brandeis 8

Brooklyn Studio 24, South Shore 3

mraimondi@nypost.com

jstaszewski@nypost.com

Adlai Stevenson, Lorenny Nunez Adames, Maglane Rodriguez, Ashley Delgado, InTech Academy, RBIs, Manhattan Center

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Dolby wins Oscar rights

Dolby Laboratories Inc. acquired naming rights to the theater that hosts the Oscars.

CIM Group, the owner of the theater, reached 20-year deals with Dolby, and with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to keep the ceremony at the location it’s occupied since 2002, according to a statement.

Dolby Laboratories Inc., the Academy of Motion Picture Arts

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Avon gets its bell rung; plunges 82%

Avon may not be able to keep its door shut after all.

The struggling cosmetics seller — which last month spurned a $10 billion takeover bid from fragrance maker Coty — said first-quarter profit plunged 82 percent, sending its stock tumbling.

Avon shares dropped 8 percent on the news, losing $1.73 to close at $19.87. That’s well short of Coty’s $23.25-a-share offer and ratchets up the pressure on Avon’s board and new CEO Sheri McCoy, a former Johnson & Johnson exec.

“Stabilizing the business is my first and most urgent objective,” said McCoy, who last week replaced longtime CEO Andrea Jung, who stepped down amid an overseas bribery probe and persistently poor results.

Avon “has lost market share and missed expectations,” McCoy told analysts yesterday. “It has had problems executing. It has faced operational and strategic issues.”

While Avon’s business may not need a complete makeover, McCoy said it’s got problems worldwide. While US drugstore chains continue to push aggressively into cosmetics, skin creams and fragrances, competitors in Eastern Europe are slashing prices.

In Brazil, Avon got bruised last year when glitches in its computer systems botched orders from its sales force. The company is running out of wiggle room there, McCoy said. Competition is increasing, and Avon needs more “Brazilian-centric” products and advertising, she said.

Likewise, a more crowded market has made it more difficult to keep talented sales reps, driving up salaries even as rising commodity costs cut into Avon’s bottom line.

Keeping Avon reps “motivated and well compensated” will be a top priority, McCoy said.

In the first quarter, Avon eked out modest sales gains in Brazil and Russia as it added more reps. In North America, however, revenue dropped 4 percent as the company’s sales force shrank by 10 percent.

jcovert@nypost.com

Avon, Sheri McCoy, Johnson , Coty, Avon reps

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Ovechkin playing less, Capitals winning more

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Alex Ovechkin’s ice time keeps shrinking in the playoffs, all the way down to a career-low 13½ minutes in Game 2 of the Capitals’ Eastern Conference semifinal against the Rangers.

Seems to be working so far.

With the teams tied at a game apiece and shifting to Washington for Game 3 on Wednesday, followed by Game 4 on Saturday, a major topic of conversation is how little two-time NHL MVP Ovechkin is playing. Despite the reduced action, Washington’s captain and leading scorer did manage to net the winning goal on a power play in Game 2.

“To be honest, it’s not even something that we notice. We don’t go down the sheet at the end of the game and say, ‘How much did ‘Ovi’ play?’ That’s just not something that we do,” Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner said Tuesday, a day off for Washington’s players. “You know he wants to play more, and he’s frustrated by not playing 20 minutes. But he doesn’t care — he wants to win that game. Playing 13 minutes, he goes out and scores the most important goal of the game. It doesn’t really matter how much he plays; he’s going to come up big.”

No one on the Capitals has scored more goals this postseason than Ovechkin’s three. And he leads the team with six points, too.

But coach Dale Hunter is hiding Ovechkin on the bench for long stretches at a time, especially when the Capitals are trying to protect a lead.

During the regular season, the player known as Alex the Great topped Washington’s forwards by averaging 19 minutes, 48 seconds of total ice time, and 16:08 of even-strength ice time. In the playoffs, Ovechkin ranks only third, and his numbers are down to 19:08 and 15:23.

“If guys are getting upset about ice time, and that’s all you’re worrying about, then you’re off. You’re just not going to play good,” Alzner said. “I’ve seen that happen to a lot of guys.”

In Monday night’s 3-2 victory, Ovechkin’s 10:36 of even-strength time ranked only eighth among Washington’s 12 forwards, and was nearly 6 full minutes less than Jay Beagle, for example.

“We’ve got guys like Beagle, (Jason) Chimera and (Matt Hendricks) that are looked at when we’re leading in a game to maintain that lead,” forward Troy Brouwer said, “and Alex knows that, and he has to accept that.”

Whether Ovechkin’s diminished role is a result of an inability or unwillingness to play the sort of safe, possession-focused, defensive-minded hockey that Hunter seeks — or a result of something else — it’s tough to argue with the results. After all, the seventh-seeded Capitals got past the second-seeded and reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in a tight-as-can-be, each-game-decided-by-one-goal series.

And now Hunter’s Capitals are even with the top-seeded Rangers.

“He’s coaching the situations. He’s playing certain guys. If we’re down a goal, (Ovechkin is) going to be our main guy. He’s going every other shift. If we’re up a goal, then Dale tends to lean on other guys. That’s the way it is,” forward Mike Knuble said. “I guess they can talk about it this summer after the season and figure it out. For now it’s working and we’re going to run with it.”

Neither Ovechkin nor Hunter spoke to reporters Tuesday. But after Monday’s game, Ovechkin said, “You have to suck it up and use (the) time ... Dale is giving to me. ... Sometimes, if you’re not (out) there, you feel like you’re not in (the) game, but if you have 10-second shift or 5-second shift, you just have to go there and do something. It’s kind of hard.”

And during the Bruins series, Ovechkin acknowledged, “Of course, sometimes you get angry you didn’t play a lot (of) minutes. And sometimes you get angry you’re not out there. But if it’s good for the team, you have to eat it.”

Alex Ovechkin, Ovechkin, Capitals, Capitals, Washington, ARLINGTON, Va.

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Mayor Criticizes Lines at Heathrow

London—London's mayor warned Monday that long delays for passengers arriving at the city's largest airport risk damaging Britain's reputation in the run-up to this summer's Olympic Games.

Boris Johnson wrote to Home Secretary Theresa May amid increasing concerns over lengthy lines at border-control desks for those arriving at Heathrow Airport.

Passengers have complained of frustrating delays, on some occasions of more than an hour, because of lengthy passport and visa checks and an apparent lack of border staff.

Mr. Johnson said the delays were giving "a terrible impression of the U.K." and he demanded action ahead of a busy summer during which Britain will mark Queen Elizabeth II's 60th anniversary as monarch, and hold the Olympics.

"This summer, with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Games, gives us a once in generation's opportunity to promote what is very best about London and the U.K.," Mr. Johnson wrote.

"It is critical for the success of these events that visitors from across the globe have a great experience from beginning to the end of their stay," he told Ms. May, who is responsible for Britain's borders.

Heathrow typically handles an average of 190,000 arriving and departing passengers each day, but is braced for a major influx during the July 27-August 12 Olympics.

Mr. Johnson said that about 80% of visitors and participants arriving for the Olympics will use Heathrow, which would "place short-term additional pressures on the system."

Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman Steve Field said recent disruption had been partly caused by heavy wind and rain, meaning some planes arrived into Heathrow later than planned.

"The problem is, we have seen some particular circumstances—for example, the severe weather conditions over the last few days—which have meant flights have landed later than expected," he said.

However, he insisted that authorities were well placed to cope with the influx of visitors during the Olympics.

A contingency force of retired border staff and workers at other government departments who have been specially trained will be able step in to help ease queues, he said.

"Our objective is to keep disruption to a minimum while at the same time making sure border security is not jeopardized in any way," he said.

Lawmakers and Heathrow's operator BAA Ltd. have called for additional border staff, mindful of the disruption experienced last summer, when Britain's then border chief relaxed some passport checks during the busy tourist season simply to handle the demand.

Mr. Field said that Ms. May will meet with the British Air Transport Association, the airline industry group, to discuss problems over recent days.

Parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee plans to question Britain's Immigration Minister Damian Green on the issue next month.

SmartMoney Glossary:

Britain, Queen's Diamond Jubilee, Home Secretary Theresa May, London Games, London, Heathrow, British Air Transport Association

Online.wsj.com

Avenging angles

If summer means you can start catching up on your movies, these mags will tell what’s out there, from “The Avengers” to the rest. No butter on the popcorn, please, we’ll be on a summer diet.

Only a die-hard tech dweeb could love Sci Fi magazine’s June issue. The Sci Fi Channel glossy magazine for basement-dwelling thirty-something fanboys,delivers its best assessment of Marvel’s blockbuster flick “The Avengers,” which reads more like sycophantic marketing drivel than fascinating insight into the production of the burgeoning Marvel comic book move franchise. When the geeky mag isn’t shilling for Marvel Studios, it’s offering a roster of sci-fi pilots set to air next season on TV, which, based on some of their plot descriptions, appear to be utterly forgettable and destined for the chopping block.

MovieMaker magazine, a genuinely filmmaker-centric magazine, features an interesting Q&A with comedic star Will Ferrell. The Saturday Night Live alum is set to roll out his latest film, “Casa de mi Padre.” The movie is being done entirely in Spanish, a language that’s not native to Ferrell, but sure to be funny/offensive or both. Ferrell’s also set to team up with Zach Galifianakis in another movie, political satire “Dog Fight.”

If you’re looking for the art summer blockbuster movie scene, filmcomment is a very complete guide. Though there are the laughable film geek references, including one to neo-neorealist observational cinema, there are plenty of movie reviews that are easy to follow, and scads of cool lists, like critics’ best 20 movies of the year. “The Tree of Life” wins hands down.

Entertainment Weekly is the McDonald’s of pop culture magazines. It’s tasty, you don’t have to think too hard about what you want from it but it kind of leaves you wanting. Gone are the days when EW used to serve up the kind of insider morsels that would give entertainment trade magazines a run for their money. Now it reads like People or US Weekly. This week “The Avengers” gets the cover treatment and there’s a host of different covers featuring all the superhero stars, and a center spread on a round table with the director, Joss Whedon, and the stars.

The New Yorker reports that George Hotz, the 22-year-old New Jersey native who sparked a global cyberwar after hacking Apple’s iPhone and Sony’s Playstation 3, was invited to Sony headquarters last May by curious engineers, and “walked into the building eating from a box of Lucky Charms, dropping marshmallows across the lobby.” Was this to mark an escape path? We aren’t told, but we are impressed by Hotz’s “agnostic” attitude toward Anonymous and LulzSec, hacker groups whose members have been indicted after ruthlessly hacking Sony’s systems on Hotz’s behalf after he got sued by Sony. “If they were that good, they wouldn’t have got caught,” Hotz says.

Which mainstream periodical, liberal or conservative, is the most shamelessly obsessed with obscene luxury? Even the New York Times and its Dining In and Dining Out sections would have trouble competing with New York. This week, a write-up on Watergate, which finds some provocative questions in Ben Bradlee’s old papers, gets five pages. Meanwhile, we get six pages about Chloe Sevigny’s East Village garden co-op and Zach Braff’s 2,600-square-foot high-rise spread above Union Square, previously occupied by legendary Broadway director Tom O’Horgan. “I wish these walls could talk,” Braff says, despite the fact that he’s covered them all with wood from old barns.

Out of a job? Underwater on your mortgage? Freaked out about your kids’ education and your retirement? Well, don’t worry, because “America is winning,” Newsweek declares on its cover. In a supremely breathless essay that doesn’t bother to acknowledge the basics, we are told to cheer up because, hey, look at the market value of Apple, Google and Facebook. “Sure, they employ relatively modest numbers of people,” the mag admits. But “think of what iTunes has done for the publishing, music, and entertainment industries.” You mean apart from siphoning away their profits and leaving them on the brink, forcing young artists to shill for Diesel jeans to produce a record? Please, remind us.

Sci Fi Channel, Will Ferrell, The Avengers, The Avengers, Zach Galifianakis, George Hotz, summer blockbuster movie, Marvel Studios, Zach Braff, Sony

Nypost.com

High salary cap can’t buy Stanley Cup

Larry Brooks
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Blog: Slap Shots

SLAP SHOTS

Just three of the top nine salary cap teams have made it to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs — the Capitals (first), Flyers (second) and Kings (seventh).

The Western semis feature clubs ranked 22nd, 23rd and 24th under the cap — the Coyotes, Blues and Predators, respectively.

The Sabres (fourth), Flames (fifth) and Maple Leafs (ninth) didn’t make the playoffs.

The Senators’ Little Engine That Almost Did was ranked 26th under the cap.

So we’re waiting to hear someone on Sixth Avenue construct a cogent argument as to why the current collective bargaining agreement needs be amended in further favor of the owners under the guise of giving “everyone a chance to win?”

Yes, it is true the cap charge doesn’t equal payroll, and the franchises that carry the league on their financial backs — such as the Rangers, Canucks and Flyers — can front-load and erase mistakes when other teams cannot, or will not.

But it is a canard that spending ensures success, as Buffalo owner Terry Pegula can attest. It is a myth well managed small-market teams — such as the one in St. Louis run by John Davidson and the one in Nashville directed by David Poile — cannot succeed.

The Ward of the State Coyotes, Blues and Predators have become Exhibits A, B and C for the Players’ Association when the Board puts its hand out for givebacks the league has no legitimate reason to receive.

* A look at the final week or so of the NBA season with myriad teams appearing to tank to gain an advantage in the playoffs, added to the annual farce that occurs in the NFL when teams rest players after clinching playoff spots, only served as yet another contrast to the integrity with which NHL teams conduct their business from Game 1 through 82.

For on the NHL season’s final Thursday, the Devils and Flyers both played to win when losing would have served the best interests of each.

The Devils, who could have locked themselves into the six seed with a defeat, went into Detroit and beat the Red Wings with Martin Brodeur in net.

The Flyers, who could have kept the possibility of sliding to six alive with a defeat to the Sabres, defeated a Buffalo team that needed a victory to stay in the hunt for eighth place.

With all of the criticism heaped on the league, no one can ever question the honor with which its teams and players compete.

And that sets the NHL apart.

* Honestly, with the way the first round was officiated, was anyone on Earth surprised when a series ended on an overtime goal that should have been nullified under Rule 69.1 covering goalkeeper interference?

“If an attacking player enters the goal crease, and, by his actions, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal shall be disallowed,” the rule states.

Guess we missed the part about, “Except when it involves Mike Knuble and Tim Thomas in overtime of Game 7.”

This just in: Brett Hull says the goal was legal.

* Under the NHL’s proposed realignment, the Rangers, Devils, Flyers and Caps all would play in the same conference, meaning two of the four teams that have advanced to the Eastern semis (otherwise known as the Patrick Division Reunion) would necessarily have been eliminated in the first round had they all qualified for the playoffs.

By the way, we’re told two general managers/governors who spoke against the plan when it was presented at the Board meeting cast votes in favor of it under orders from owners getting their marching orders from Gary Bettman.

* Perhaps someone can explain why anyone, let alone seemingly everyone, is in such a hurry to give Brodeur the bum’s rush out of the league, even when the all-time goaltender delivers a 43-save Game 7 victory the way he did against the Panthers on Thursday.

It’s beyond bizarre, this pile-on evaluation of Brodeur, simply because he isn’t exactly the goaltender he was 10 years ago. ...

The Rangers are interested in signing undrafted 20-year-old free agent winger Marek Hrivik, who joined the AHL Whale after playing the last three seasons with Moncton of the QMJHL. ...

When did “skill” become a pejorative as applied to the playoffs?

* The people who thought it was good timing to unveil the 2013 All Star logo in Columbus on Friday — they’re the same decision-makers who thought it was a good idea to schedule Rangers-Caps Game 1 opposite Knicks-Heat Game 1 yesterday, right?

larry.brooks@nypost.com

Flyers, Stanley Cup playoffs, NHL, Coyotes, Martin Brodeur, Sabres, Rangers, Larry BrooksFollow Larry, Rangers, Canucks, the Players’ Association

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