MILWAUKEE (AP) – Albert Pujols hit a grand slam and the St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with an 8-4 win Thursday. Rafael Furcal led off the game with a home run for the second game in a row and Pujols also hit a first-inning homer before his third-inning slam. Matt Holiday hit his 200th career home run in the fifth to help the Cardinals win for the sixth time in seven games and move within 7 1/2 games of the Brewers, who hadn’t been swept at home since the Dodgers did it Aug. 24-26, 2010. Milwaukee scored all of its runs on homers by Prince Fielder, Jonathan Lucroy and Corey Hart.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – With most of the Super Bowl champions’ marquee players on the sideline, outside linebacker Vic So’oto likely sealed up his roster spot in the Green Bay Packers’ 20-19 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Thursday night’s preseason finale. So’oto, an undrafted free agent out of BYU who ended up in Green Bay after his wife chose among multiple NFL offers, returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown. He had 1 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble. Packers defensive lineman Howard Green, a 340-pounder, gave the Chiefs a scare when he landed directly on top of starting quarterback Matt Cassel. Aaron Rodgers played just one series for the Packers, throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tom Crabtree.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – Mitch Sutton ran for 105 yards and North Dakota’s defense sacked Drake quarterback Michael Piatkowski four times as the Fighting Sioux won 16-0 Thursday night in the season opener for both teams. Joey Bradley completed 18 of 26 passes for 137 yards and Jake Miller ran for an 11-yard score for North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux led 13-0 at the half. North Dakota blocked a field-goal try in the first quarter, and Piatkowski fumbled at the North Dakota 8-yard line on the Bulldogs’ opening drive of the second half. Daryl Brown intercepted Piatkowski’s pass midway through the fourth quarter and returned it 38 yards to the Drake 9. Zeb Miller’s third field goal, a 32-yarder, completed the scoring.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa has some new ways of dealing with unruly fans at Hawkeye football games.  Some disruptive fans could, for example, be given warning cards by stadium security. Associate Athletics Director Rick Klatt says the idea came from a different venue where it’s been successful. He says the cards will be used to notify fans if their behavior is inappropriate. Klatt says the goal is not to kick anyone out of a game but to put them on “a kind of notice.” Fans also will be able to send text messages to security if they see unruly behavior, including during the pregame. University police also will patrol several checkpoints near Kinnick Stadium, conducting random checks of those areas.

(on photo L to R) Seated: Mackenzie Holmes, Justice Parker, Grace Jacob, Marissa Berns. Second row: Alison Krogman, Alisha Hinzmann, Paige Kennon, and Maren McNees.

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has recognized eight Atlantic
High School softball players for being recipients of the Union¹s On-A-Roll
Academic Recognition Award.  On-A-Roll is award to Middle and High school
girls based on the fact they participated in an IGHSAU-sanctioned sport or
cheerleading/drill team last semester, and their semester GPA increased from
the previous semester.  Students with semester GPA improvements of 0.01 to
0.32 receive a recognition certificate.  Students with semester GPA
improvements of 0.33 or greater receive a medallion.  Students who have
maintained a 4.0 GPA also receive a certificate.  Names of all winners are
published on the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union website.  Earning
the On-A-Roll recognition from the Atlantic High School softball team were Mackenzie Holmes, Justice Parker, Grace Jacob, Marissa Berns. Second row: Alison Krogman, Alisha Hinzmann, Paige Kennon, and Maren McNees.

w/ Jim Field

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — When Iowa opens the season Saturday, three of the 13 players who were hospitalized after a now-scrapped weightlifting exercise in January won’t be on the team. One walk-on player and two who were on scholarship quit the team following their hospitalization with rhabdomyolysis, a muscle disorder that caused discolored urine and extreme soreness, according to a report released this week by a committee appointed by President Sally Mason to investigate the injuries.

The walk-on quit before spring practice to concentrate on academics. One of the scholarship players left the team before spring practice, considered transferring and then stayed at Iowa but decided not to play football. The other completed spring practice but left the university for what the report described as unrelated personal reasons. The report, e-mailed to the Iowa Board of Regents and posted online Tuesday, does not identify any of the players. The second player is believed to be reserve senior cornerback Willie Lowe, who had asked for a release from his scholarship last spring to consider transferring but later decided to remain enrolled at Iowa but not rejoin the team.

The committee concluded that all 13 players appear to have completely recovered and it’s considered possible but unlikely they will develop any long-term health problems. It also noted the athletics department has reaffirmed its commitment to never again use the workout that caused the injuries and taken steps to educate employees, athletes and others about how to prevent and identify rhabdomyolysis. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has downplayed the potential impact of the offseason workouts on the Hawkeyes, saying he’s been pleased with his players’ recovery and that he and his staff members were cleared of any misconduct in the matter. Iowa hosts Tennessee Tech at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.

The regents had asked the committee for a follow-up report in six months after its initial findings earlier this year. Board of Regents President Craig Lang praised the university’s multi-layered response in a letter to regents dated Tuesday. “I thank the university for its ongoing careful attention in responding to the individual needs of each player,” he said. He added he was “very pleased” the university halted the workout in question and added: “I commend the University for its commitment to improved education, communication, and medical practices for increased awareness of rhabdomyolysis and other serious health issues that could impact our student-athletes.”

Girls Team Scores (top 3):

1. Tri-Center  55
2. Audubon  59
3. Denison  80

Individual

1. Megan Diest, Audubon

2. Ashtyn Alfers, Tri-Center

3. Breezy Weaver, Missouri Valley

4. Dana Johnson, Audubon

5. Krisann Stephany, St. Albert

6. Michelle Mumm, Tri-Center

7. Paige Pauley, Missouri Valley

8. Alexa Beeck, Denison-Schleswig

9. Ruby Johnson, Audubon

10. Kaylee Grote, Tri-Center

Boys Team Scores (top 3):

1. St. Albert  49
2. Maple Valley-A-O  86
3. Missouri Valley 91

Individual:

1. Josh Sindelar, St. Albert
2. Ted Hanson, MVAO
3. Brian Steele, Boyer Valley
4. Scott Theulen, St. Albert
5. Jacob Wiley, West Monona
6. Dylan Bailey, MVAO
7. Kaleb Young, OA-BCIG
8. George Doll, St. Albert
9. Colin Freese, OA-BCIG
10. Josef Rogers, Denison-Schleswig

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa fans who travel light – really light – will be able to get into Kinnick Stadium faster at football games this season.  Fans who bring nothing to the game but their tickets will be able to go through four new express lanes at Gates C, G, I and M.  All other fans must enter at regular gates where their purses will be checked for prohibited items like alcohol and firearms.  Only small purses, fanny packs, binocular cases, blankets and seat cushions will be allowed into the stadium.  Iowa is expecting a sellout of about 70,000 fans for Saturday’s game at 11 a.m. against Tennessee Tech.