JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — J.T. Realmuto’s two-out, two-RBI bloop single in the sixth broke a 2-all tie and propelled the Miami Marlins to a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Realmuto lofted what normally would have been a routine fly ball to right-center field, but Cardinals’ right fielder Stephen Piscotty had been positioned to guard the line moments earlier. The ball barely eluded diving center fielder Tommy Pham, allowing Giancarlo Stanton and Martin Prado to score.

The Marlins’ comeback overshadowed a strong start by Jaime Garcia. The Cardinals’ lefty didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning, when Miami struck for two runs. Marlins ace Jose Fernandez spent much of the afternoon working on off-speed pitches. He allowed five hits and walked three while striking out six in 3 2/3 innings.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals say third base coach Jose Oquendo is taking a medical leave of absence for “the foreseeable future.” Oquendo missed several days earlier this spring when he traveled to St. Louis for knee surgery. He returned to camp on March 20, walking with the aid of crutches. He hasn’t returned to the third base coach’s box since the surgery.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) – Ryan Zimmerman belted his second home run of the spring and the Cardinals committed five errors as the Washington Nationals beat St. Louis 7-0 on Saturday. Second baseman Kolten Wong had an error and exited the game after bruising his knee diving for the ball, all in a three-run Washington fourth. Wong said he landed directly on his left knee cap while diving after a bouncer hit by Wilson Ramos. The ball bounced off Wong’s glove and caromed into right field.

After Chris Heisey’s double off the left field wall moved Ramos to third, Danny Espinosa’s grounder rolled through Wong’s legs, allowing both Ramos and Heisey to score. Zimmerman’s blast came earlier in that inning. He drove a 3-2 Mike Leake offering over the left field wall. St. Louis’ defensive struggles continued in the sixth, when back-to-back errors by Ruben Tejada and Matt Carpenter led to three unearned Washington runs.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a public hearing on rules covering the new hunter apprentice license for April 20, from 1-2 p.m., in the fourth floor conference room, Wallace State Office Building, 502 East Ninth Street, in Des Moines.  The new Hunter Apprentice Program will allow Iowans age 16 and older to bypass the hunter education requirement for purchasing a hunting license while they hunt under the direct supervision of an experienced, licensed hunter.  They may purchase the apprentice hunting licenses up to two times without having completed hunter education.

“The idea behind this program is to catch the generation of Iowans who missed hunter education when they were 12 and are now in their 20s and 30s and are interested in trying dove hunting or small game hunting,” said Megan Wisecup, hunter education administrator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  “If they like it, we can get them in the hunter education program and hopefully they become lifelong hunters.”

This apprentice program was approved by the Iowa legislature and signed by Governor Branstad during the 2015 session. At the public hearing, persons may present their views either orally or in writing. Participants will be asked to give their names and addresses for the record and to confine their remarks to the subject of the amendments.

Any persons who intend to attend the public hearing and have special requirements, such as those related to hearing or mobility impairments, should contact the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and request specific accommodations.

Any interested person may make written suggestions or comments on the proposed amendments on or before Wednesday, April 20, 2016.  Written comments may be directed to Megan Wisecup, Law Enforcement Bureau, Department of Natural Resources, Wallace State Office Building, 502 East Ninth Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034; by email at Megan.Wisecup@dnr.iowa.gov; or by fax at (515) 725-8201.  Persons who wish to convey their comments orally may contact Wisecup at (515) 238-4968 or by visiting the fourth floor of the Wallace State Office Building during regular business hours.

Hunters who need to satisfy the hunter education requirement can search for and sign up for a course at www.iowadnr.gov/huntered. Prospective students can see which courses or field days are near them; how many seats are available for the class or if the class is full and a waiting list is available. There is also a map showing the location along with the instructor’s name, a course overview and any special instructions.

Iowa law requires all hunters born after Jan. 1, 1972 to satisfactorily complete a hunter education course in order to purchase a license.  Children as young as 11 may enroll in the course, but their certificate of completion will not become valid until their 12th birthday. Each year, around 12,000 students complete hunter education in Iowa.

Online Only Course Option for Adults:

The online only course for adults is designed for Iowa residents 18 years of age or older that have prior hunting and/or firearms handling experience.  The course covers the same material as the classroom course, allowing the student to complete the entire course, including the final test, in an online setting.  Certification is received at the successful completion of the online course.

The Iowa Dept. of Natural resources reports an estimated 50,000 hunters will be in the timber this spring pursuing the illusive wild turkey and while the woods will not be crawling with hunters, there is a chance for an occasional encounter.  Hunters should practice defensive hunting techniques.  Hunters should make a loud statement like “hey – hunter over here,” if they see someone coming into the same area. One loud noise shouldn’t scare a bird too much because loud noises happen in the woods. However, don’t make motion or throw something to get the other hunters attention.

“Turkey hunters are looking for movement,” said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife species technician for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  “Don’t wave your hand or make a movement because a movement could be misconstrued. If you walk in on someone they’re probably hearing the same bird you hear, just turn and walk away.  Find a different ridge to enjoy the morning.”

The timber will change a lot from early April to middle May reducing the distance hunters can see so it will be important that hunters continuously check their distance for their zone of fire. “You can’t call the bullet back once your pull the trigger so it’s important to know your target and what’s beyond before taking the shot,” Coffey said.  He often recommends setting out distance stick for reference points.  This allows hunters to know exactly how far away a bird is and if it’s within the weapons range.

Hunters should also respect other hunters. “They are out there trying to do what you are going to do. The competition is between turkey and hunter – not hunter and hunter,” Coffey said. One way to avoid walking in on other hunters is to go later in the morning. “Rather than try to get out in the woods for the first gobble, go out a little later, like around 9 a.m., you may have the area all to yourself,” he said.

Safety Tips

• Avoid wearing patriotic colors – red, white and blue.  These colors are also shared by gobblers.
• Bring a blaze orange game bag or turkey vest to use to carry the harvested bird out from the woods.
• Avoid using a gobble call.
• Using a hunting blind can be helpful if taking a young person on their first hunt, or for hunting companions to use.
• Make sure you have permission to be on the land and find out if anyone else has permission to the land and which season they will be hunting.  Just because you had permission a few years ago, does not mean you have permission this year.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Ric Hanson.

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An all-ACC night: Virginia, Syracuse win in Midwest…North Carolina, Notre Dame survive in East….

Virginia is going to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1995. Anthony Gill had 23 points and eight rebounds, leading the top-seeded Cavaliers to an 84-71 victory over No. 4 Iowa State in the Midwest Regional semifinals. Mike Tobey added 18 points and seven boards. Next up for the Cavaliers is the winner of Gonzaga-Syracuse on Sunday. Virginia hasn’t made it to the Final Four since 1984.

That also makes three No. 1 seeds in the round of eight with the Cavaliers joining Kansas and Oregon. North Carolina will try to make it four for four against Indiana later.

VIERA, Fla. (AP) — Max Scherzer outpitched Adam Wainwright in a matchup worthy of opening day, and the Washington Nationals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 8-2 Thursday. Scherzer struck out nine and walked three in five innings, allowing two runs — both unearned — and three hits. Wainwright gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, struck out four and walked one.

Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run double and a two-run homer for the Nationals. Anthony Rendon drove in two runs with his third double in two days. Scherzer struck out eight of the Cardinals he faced, failing to fan Tommy Pham but getting Jedd Gyorko twice. Wainwright was relieved by Nick Maness, who gave up two doubles, Taylor’s homer and a single among his first four batters.