The San Francisco 49ers terminated quarterback Trent Dilfer's contract yesterday, possibly signaling the end of the 14-year veteran's career.

Dilfer started six games for the 49ers last season, passing for 1,166 yards with seven touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 55.1 passer rating before incurring a season-ending concussion.

"Trent Dilfer is a true professional in every meaning of the word," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. "He is one of the most respected players in the league for good reason. Trent has provided great value to our team over the past two years in terms of his leadership, knowledge of the game and play on the field."

Dilfer missed the 49ers' final three games last season with the latest in a series of concussions, and the 49ers were unlikely to bring him back this year after third-stringer Shaun Hill performed well in two starts last December. San Francisco also recently signed veteran J.T. O'Sullivan to compete with Hill and Alex Smith for the starting job.

BASEBALL

ICHIRO GETS FIRST HIT

Ichiro Suzuki was bound to get a hit again. It finally happened yesterday.

The perennial All-Star and hit machine got his first of the spring while his Seattle Mariners tied the San Francisco Giants, 3-3, in 10 innings at Peoria, Ariz.

"We can all sleep tonight," Mariners manager John McLaren said, chuckling.

Suzuki's 0-for-21 was one short of his career-long slump in the regular season.

"I'm not sure what my next challenge is," Suzuki said through his interpreter after yesterday's pseudo-breakthrough.

LINE DRIVE HITS MADDUX

San Diego Padres starter Greg Maddux took a line drive off his thigh and had to leave the game yesterday against the Chicago Cubs at Mesa, Ariz.

The ball, hit by Derrek Lee in the first inning, left a bruise on Maddux's left thigh. Maddux recovered and threw Lee out, but left the game after two innings.

"I got hit on the leg, and the leg got a little stiff, and I came out," Maddux said. "It's one of those where, hey, if it's April or May, you stay in. But it's March, you come out. I'm just glad D-Lee didn't hit it too good."

BASKETBALL

BUTLER LIFTS WIZARDS

Caron Butler unleashed a month's worth of pent-up energy on his 28th birthday, returning to the Washington Wizards lineup after a 16-game injury absence to score 19 points in a 101-99 victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers last night.

Butler, whose hip injury sent the Wizards into a February slump, scored the game's opening basket, survived some rough contact and made six of his first eight shots. The player the Wizards affectionally refer to as "Tough Juice" finished 8-for-18 from the field and had five rebounds in 41 minutes.

SOCCER

Adu's goal leads U.S.

Freddy Adu scored on a penalty kick in the 41st minute to help the United States' under-23 team beat Panama, 1-0, last night at Tampa, Fla., in the second round of Group A pool play in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying.

The Americans, coming off a 1-1 tie with Cuba on Tuesday, improved to 1-0-1, while Panama dropped to 0-2. The top two teams in the group will advance to the March 20 semifinals in Nashville, Tenn., along with the top two from Group B. The finalists will earn spots in the Beijing Olympics.

The United States will finish group play tomorrow against Honduras (2-0).

SKIING

MILLER, VONN CLINCH

Bode Miller clinched his second overall World Cup title yesterday at Bormio, Italy, while Lindsey Vonn was all smiles after moving so close to securing the women's crown that her closest competitor conceded defeat.

Miller and Vonn are on the verge of the first American sweep of the overall titles since Phil Mahre and Tamara McKinney did it 25 years ago.

Miller finished 12th in the final Super-G of the season and clinched the overall title when his closest rival, Didier Cuche, announced after the race that he would not compete in the season's final slalom.

Vonn finished second yesterday in the season's final Super-G and holds a 197-point lead over Maria Riesch of Germany with two races remaining and 200 points at stake.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Catcher Dane Sardinha, a Kamehameha Schools alum and the top candidate to make the Detroit roster as the backup to Ivan Rodriguez, went 0-for-2 in a 6-6 tie with Atlanta yesterday to drop his average to .154. ... Greg Oden, the 7-foot center from Ohio State taken with the top selection in last year's draft, practiced with the Portland Trail Blazers for the first time since right knee surgery ended his debut season before it started six months ago. ... Fred Couples made four birdies in his opening six holes, en route to a 5-under 65 to tie J.J. Henry for the first-round lead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Orlando, Fla. Tiger Woods opened with a 70.