In brief: Virginia earns first College World Series

College baseball: Virginia is headed to its first College World Series after beating Mississippi 5-1 on Sunday in Oxford, Miss., to win the super regional series two games to one.

Matt Packer, in his third appearance of the series, and three others combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed just seven hits as the Cavaliers (48-13-1) set the school record for wins in a season.

Virginia improved to 5-1 since the NCAA tournament began and has done it with pitching, allowing just nine earned runs.

The Rebels (44-20) have lost four straight super regionals over the past five seasons.

Southern Mississippi, North Carolina and Arizona State also advanced to the CWS on Sunday. Southern Mississippi qualified for the first time.

Arkansas, LSU and Cal State Fullerton advanced on Saturday.

Only two of the eight best-of-3 super regionals went to a third game. In addition to Virginia-Mississippi, TCU and Texas will meet today to determine the final spot in the College World Series, which begins Saturday in Omaha, Neb.

Report: Favre had shoulder surgery

NFL: Brett Favre recently had arthroscopic surgery on his ailing right shoulder, ESPN reported Sunday night, another indication the three-time NFL MVP is considering coming out of retirement.

ESPN, citing two anonymous sources, reported that Favre had surgery last month to repair the torn biceps tendon that bothered him late last season with the New York Jets. Favre retired in February, but the Jets released him at his request in April – making him a free agent.

A message was left with Favre’s agent Bus Cook seeking comment.

According to the report, Favre has thrown on a limited basis since the surgery, but isn’t close to 100 percent. A source told ESPN the quarterback wouldn’t return “unless he makes significant progress.”

Minnesota has said it would be interested in Favre if he comes out of retirement.

Brawn’s Button wins Turkish Grand Prix

Motorsports: Brawn GP’s Jenson Button has won the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul for his sixth victory in seven Formula One races.

Button overtook pole sitter Sebastian Vettel on the first lap following a mistake by the Red Bull driver and held on for a 6.7-second win over Red Bull’s Mark Webber.

Vettel, the first driver not to win from the pole in five races at Istanbul, finished third after opting for a three-stop strategy.

Button leads the standings with 61 points. Teammate Rubens Barrichello, who retired after starting third, has 35 points. Vettel has 29 and Webber 27.5.

Button’s fourth straight win – the best streak by a Briton for 17 years – makes him the fifth driver to achieve six victories in a season so quickly. The previous four won the championship.

•Massey captures first Top Fuel title: Top Fuel rookie Spencer Massey raced to his first career victory in the NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill., beating points leader and No. 1 qualifier Antron Brown in the final.

Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won their categories in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

NBA All-Stars return to L.A. in 2011

Miscellany: The NBA All-Star game is returning to Los Angeles in 2011.

The game will be played Feb. 20 at the Staples Center, also the site of the 2004 game. It will be the fifth time the game and its associated events will be held in Los Angeles.

Dallas is hosting the 2010 game.

•Merritt beats own record: Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt bested his own Hayward Field record by winning the seldom-run 300 meters in 31.30 seconds in the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore.

Merritt, who won gold in the 400 last summer in Beijing, surpassed his own mark of 31.31 at the venerated track in 2006. He also topped the Prefontaine-best 32.19 set by Jason Rouser in 1994.

Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot set a record on American soil when she won the 2,000 meters in 5:31.52. She surpassed Mary Slaney’s 1984 record of 5:32.70 in the event, which also is infrequently run.

The Pre, as it is known, is the last major meet in the United States before the national championships later this month.