Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jack Flaherty struck out nine in seven strong innings and Matt Wieters hit a three-run homer as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-0 in a matchup of NL Central leaders. The Cardinals won two games in the three-game set and claimed first in the division, a game ahead of Chicago. The Cubs have lost four of six overall and 11 of their last 16 on the road.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Scott Frost starts his second year at Nebraska with an experienced quarterback and high expectations. The Cornhuskers went 4-2 after an 0-6 start last season and are a trendy pick to win the Big Ten West. The reason Nebraska is favored in a wide-open division is Adrian Martinez. He was the most productive freshman quarterback in the nation. The defense is expected to continue the improvement that started last season. Nebraska allowed an average of 14 fewer points over the last six games.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State lost star wide receiver Hakeem Butler to the NFL a year earlier than it expected to. Graduate transfer La’Michael Pettway joined the Cyclones in hopes of joining Butler in the pros in 2020. The 6-foot-3 Pettway led Arkansas in catches a season ago. He will be counted on to replace the 1,318 yards and nine touchdowns that Butler had last year.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The former head football coach at a Kansas community college where a defensive lineman died of heatstroke after the first day of practice says the death was an act of God. KCUR reports that the comment by former head coach Jeff Sims on Wednesday comes nearly one year after 19-year-old Braeden Bradforth collapsed following practice at Garden City Community College. Sims says, “It’s unfortunate what happened, but God has a plan.”