The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 25

SPORTS SATURDAY July 29, 2006 BRYCE MILLER, Executive Sports Editor 515-284-8288e-mail: brmillerdmreg.com STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT 4'A SEMIFINAL WINNERS: West Des Moines Valley, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 3-A SEMIFINAL WINNERS: Cedar Rapids Xavier, Western Dubuque AUTO RACING Rolex races will ran at 6 Iowa in 2007 Wallace hails plans to bring the event to Iowa Speedw ay. By ROB GRAY REGISTER STAFF WRITER Newton, la. Rusty Wallace called driving in January's Rolex 24 at Daytona with teammates such as Danica Patrick one of the most exciting racing moments of his life. On Friday, he trumpeted plans to bring that type of road course-based thrill ride to Iowa Speedway. Track officials and representatives of the Grand American Road Racing Association announced three different series would com 1 ilw pete on the 1.3-mile infield road course July 13-14, 2007, at the Newton-based facility, Wallace said he might even take part.

"I'm honin? tn -Jit run the 24 hours Wallace of Daytona again, but I will tell you, if you ask am I going to run Daytona again or am I going to run Iowa. I'd be leaning closer to running Iowa," Wallace said. Inside Columnist opposes letting drivers jump teams. PagelOC fib I DOUG WELLSTHE REGISTER Valley's Adam Hamilton, right, celebrates with Rick Blodi (22) after Hamilton knocked in the game-ending run in the sixth inning of a 10-0 Class 4-A state-semifinal win over Mason City on Friday. The Tigers play Cedar Rapids Kennedy in today's title game.

The Grand American cars run rain or shine. They turn left and right. Teams include two or more drivers, so there are periodic switches behind the wheel along with pit stops. The main event at Iowa Speedway will be timed at two hours and 45 minutes. "A.J.

Foyt, Mario Andretti, the See SPEEDWAY, Page 7C MlffiW WOODS ODD flDGDft oreir item Go CHICAGO CI CUBS 6 ST. LOUIS Zh CARDINALS 5 Inside, Page 3C ttf Tigers end game in six innings im Rolen gaffe helps Cubs win again Chicago continues mastery of St. Louis thanks to huge inning sparked by error. W. DUBUQUE 5, CARROLL 3 Western Dubuque pitcher Billy Schmitt threw nine innings on Wednesday against Saydel and then the final inning on Friday against Carroll.

Carroll protested, but still lost the game. C.R. XAVIER 11, CHARLES CITY 5 Cedar Rapids Xavier Is in the Class 3-A state baseball title game for the second year in a row. Pitcher Brent Warren had a game-high three hits, and a home run. C.R.

KENNEDY 7, DAV. CENTRAL 5 Adam Rice crushed his second home run in Kennedy's win over Davenport Central. The Cougars will play for their first state title. happens, it's tough to stop them. They hit the ball extremely well and they played flawless defense.

They played a heck of a game." The win gave Valley three wins in the five games against Mason City (34-10) this season. Valley's 22nd consecutive postseason victory moved the Tigers into today's 8 p.m. championship game against Cedar Rapids Kennedy for a chance to make history. No large-school team has won four consecutive state titles in the summer baseball tournament. If See VALLEY, Page 3C By DAN McCOOL REGISTER STAFF WRITER Seven was more than just a lucky number for Valley's baseball team in the semifinals of the Class 4-A state tournament Friday night at Principal Park.

A seven-run second inning and a three-run sixth sent three-time defending state champion Valley (37-8) to a 10-0, six-inning victory over CIML Iowa Conference rival Mason City. "All of the great teams in the state, they need just the littlest thing to spark them," Mason City's Danny Rose said. "Once that spark 1 mt Western Dubuque pitcher Billy Schmitt was at the center of controversy on Friday after his team beat Carroll. State baseball tournament schedule Diamond notes Statistics, Page 3C ASSOCIATED PRESS Chicago, 111. Juan Pierre's bases-loaded triple highlighted a six-run fourth inning, and the Chicago Cubs capitalized on a key error by St.

Louis third baseman Scott Rolen to beat the Cardinals 6-5 Friday at Wrigley Field. "When I'm able to drive in runs, I get excited," Pierre said. "A lot of opportunities I've MENACE REPORT FRIDAY'S GAME: Chicago wins 4-3 in shootout missed out on this year. I'm usually on the other end, scor Menace lose in late-night shootout ft- ing runs. Pierre has picked up seven of his 2A RBIs during a 10- i I 1.

Li game hitting streak that has boosted his Pierre the match shorthanded due to a red card. Des Moines finished the season with a 10-5-2 record. "It was unbelievable," Kother said about the match that ended around 11:20 p.m. "I had fun, but I'm sad we lost. When it comes down to PKs it See MENACE, Page 9C BY LISA C0L0NN0 REGISTER STAFF WRITER Des Moines Menace midfielder Cody Kother awarded his team a second chance.

But the Chicago Fire Premier ended the Menace's run for a repeat Premier Development League title after a marathon 120-minute Central Conference semifinal match came down to penalty kicks. Chicago won 4-3 to advance to the conference championship to play Michigan at 7: 30 p.m. today at Waukee Stadium. Friday's match in front of an announced crowd of 1,453 in Waukee sent the Menace through a throng of emotions as the team played about half ANDREA MELENDEZTHE REGISTER Menace player Tomas Boltnar reacts to scoring on a penalty kick early in the second half on Friday. urnr TOMORROW: SeanKEELER average to .28 1 "This is the Juan Pierre we traded for," said Cubs manager Dusty Baker, whose team has won eight of 1 1 vs.

St. Louis in 2006. "He's playing great defense and he's stealing bases and he's getting on base." The score was tied at 3 with two outs in the fourth when Chicago starter Carlos Marmol hit a grounder to Rolen. The six-time Gold Glover threw high to first, pulling Albert Pujols off the bag. and loading the bases for Pierre.

"That's two in a row." said Rolen, who also made a key fielding error in Thursday's 5-4 los. Pierre hit his eighth triple to put the Cubs ahead to stay. Aramis Ramirez added an RBI triple and John Mabry hit a two-run homer. MLB Standings, Page4C Less than two hours before A year ago, Corey Patterson, left, was playing center field for the Iowa Cubs, a once-hot CYCLING Landis says he did not cheat Tour de France winner Floyd Landis says he didn't cheat and that his body produces high levels of testosterone. He asked that people not judge him until backup test results are released.

Article, Page 2C prospect now deemed a failure on the North Side. Today, he's stealing bases for Baltimore, where he's moved down in the order, shortened his swing taking the field for their first training camp practice, the Green Bay Packers announced they had signed third-round draft pick Abdul Hodge, who played 50 games at linebacker for Iowa. He earned -4. Hodge and found peace with himself. Patterson talks about his new life with the Orioles with columnist Sean Keeler in Sunday's Register.

All-Big Ten honors three times. bob BFovwry SHOP US WAKE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 CAYS A V.UKJL'JO CiOCSE FnZ'A 533 PRE-CiWED NEARL Y1.D33 F.EIV iWZES!.