The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Chris Parks.

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Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says he is ready for the talking to be over the preseason practice to begin. Ferentz addressed Big Ten Media Day in Chicago and big things are expected from quarterback Nate Stanley, only the second junior Ferentz has taken to Media Day.

Ferentz says Stanley is also the second junior he has had be elected a captain.

The biggest hole on offense is at center where James Daniels left early for the NFL. Senior Keegan Render moved over to center during spring drills.

Iowa has found success with a number of players who moved to a different position in college. Senior defensive end Parker Hesse (hess-ee) was a quarterback and linebacker as a standout at Waukon.

Junior tight end Noah Fant has received plenty of preseason recognition and Ferentz says he continues to make progress.

The Hawkeyes open September first at home against Northern Illinois.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Austin Gomber was ready to start the bottom of the seventh, still working on a no-hitter, when a siren sounded and lights started flashing. Great American Ball Park’s fire alarm had malfunctioned.

That was a new one for the Cardinals’ rookie left-hander, who got an unexpected 7-minute, 30-second break.

Gomber lost his no-hitter and his shutout after the alarm was silenced in the seventh inning, but Dexter Fowler hit a two-run shot in the 11th on Tuesday night, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

For the second straight night, a Cardinals rookie went deep into the game without allowing a hit. Daniel Poncedeleon threw no-hit ball for seven innings in his major league debut Monday before the Reds rallied against Norris for a 2-1 win featuring Eugenio Suarez’s homer.

Joey Votto singled with one out for the Reds’ first hit, and Suarez followed with his 21st homer, ending the rookie’s debut as a starter. Gomber made 15 relief appearances this season before the Cardinals sent him to Triple-A to get in shape to help their depleted rotation. He threw 90 pitches in his first major league start.

Mired in a season-long slump, Fowler connected off left-hander Amir Garrett (0-2) for only his second homer while batting right-handed. Fowler is batting .179 overall.

Sam Tuivailala (3-3) escaped a two-on threat in the 10th. Bud Norris got his 19th save in 22 chances, one night after he took a loss.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Jack Flaherty (4-4) makes his fourth career start against the Reds. He made the shortest start of his career last Sept. 19 at Great American Ball Park, lasting only two innings.

Reds: Sal Romano (5-8) has faced the Cardinals twice, with the Reds losing both games.

Class 4A Quarterfinals – Wednesday, July 25

11:00—#4 Valley, West Des Moines (27-15) vs. #5 Waukee (29-11)

1:30—#1 Johnston (34-5) vs. #8 Cedar Rapids, Washington (25-17)

5:00—#3 North Scott, Eldridge (28-10) vs. #6 Epworth, Western Dubuque (33-9)

7:30—#2 Urbandale (33-6) vs. #7 Marshalltown (20-18)

Former Atlantic golf star Brooke Newell took 4th place at the Iowa Women’s Amatuer Golf Tournament on Saturday. Brooke shot a three day total +22 238 at Spirit Hollow Golf Club in Burlington. The University of Nebraska redshirt freshman shot rounds of 79, 83, and 76.

The tournament was won by Indiana State University junior Sierra Hargens who finished with a +12 228 for the tournament.

The Southwest Iowa Swarm softball teams turned in some good performances at the Iowa Games this past weekend.

Their are four age divisions that compete for the invite only teams. The team is organized by Trevor Gipple and he said the teams have three coaches for each age group and they all pitch in to coach the entire program.

At the Iowa Games the 8-U team played up into the 10-U bracket and gained some good experience. The 10-U team placed 4th out of 12 teams. The 12-U team finished 3rd. The 14U team placed 2nd.

The older teams will scrimmage some other select teams from here.

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

CINCINNATI (AP) — Left-hander Austin Gomber took a no-hitter in the seventh inning and Dexter Fowler hit a two-run shot in the 11th, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Fowler connected off left-hander Amir Garrett for only his second homer while batting right-handed. Fowler has been mired in a season-long slump.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Burch Smith picked up his first win in nearly five years, Mike Moustakas and Salvador Perez homered, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 5-4. Smith gave up just one hit _ a single by Niko Goodrum to leadoff the fourth _ and walked two while striking out six in 6 1/3 innings. He got his second career win, and first since Sept. 15, 2013, for San Diego against Atlanta. Injuries limited the right-hander’s career to just 5 1/3 innings the next three seasons.

CHICAGO (AP) — Parker Hesse has turned into a productive defensive end for Iowa after he was lightly recruited coming out of high school. He had 43 tackles, four sacks, one interception and a fumble recovery last season, helping the Hawkeyes to an 8-5 record and a 27-20 victory over Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota will play Oklahoma State on Nov. 30 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. That’s the site of this season’s NCAA Final Four. It’s the first basketball game at the football stadium, which opened in 2016 for the Vikings and hosted the Super Bowl five months ago. The U.S. Bank Stadium Basketball Classic will also include a Division III game between St. Thomas and Wisconsin-River Falls and contests between North Dakota State and Drake and between South Dakota State and Northern Iowa.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Five-time Maui Invitational champion Duke will open against San Diego State in the quarterfinals of this year’s bracket, with a potential showdown against Arizona or Gonzaga in the title game. This year’s tournament is from Nov. 19 to Nov. 21 at the Lahaina Civic Center. The field also includes Xavier, Auburn, Iowa State and Illinois.

ROCHESTER, Mich. (AP) — Oakland University has hired Steven Waterfield as its new athletic director. Waterfield arrives after serving as an executive associate AD at Nebraska. He replaces Jeff Konya, who left in February for Northeastern.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State will open the 2018 Maui Jim Maui Invitational against Pac-12 foe Arizona on Monday, Nov. 19 at 4 p.m. (HT)/8 p.m. (CT) on ESPNU, the tournament announced Tuesday.

The Cyclones will face either Gonzaga or Illinois in their second game of the tournament.

Iowa State and Arizona will meet for the seventh time in series history, with each team having won three times. This will be the first meeting between the teams since 1998.

Iowa State is making its second appearance in the tournament, while Arizona is playing in Maui for the seventh time. The Wildcats won the 2014 tournament in their last appearance.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota will play Oklahoma State on Nov. 30 at U.S. Bank Stadium, the site of this season’s NCAA Final Four.

The Gophers on Tuesday announced the first basketball game at the gigantic football stadium, which opened in 2016 for the Minnesota Vikings and hosted the Super Bowl less than six months ago.

The U.S. Bank Stadium Basketball Classic will include four contests over two days. St. Thomas meets Wisconsin-River Falls in a Division III game on Nov. 30. Then, on Dec. 1, North Dakota State faces Drake and South Dakota State plays Northern Iowa in a pair of matchups between Summit League and Missouri Valley conference teams.

Minnesota and Oklahoma State will also play in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2019. The Cowboys beat the Gophers in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 2015.

3A Quarterfinals – Tuesday, July 24

Assumption, Davenport 5, Bondurant-Farrar 0

Bishop Heelan, Sioux City 3, Solon 2 (8 innings)

Waverly-Shell Rock 8, Carlisle 5

Harlan 5, Boone 4

3A Semi-finals Schedule for Friday, 7/27/18

11:00-a.m. Waverley-Shell Rock vs. Harlan

1:30-p.m. Davenport/Assumption vs. Sioux City/Bishop Heelan Catholic