Major League Baseball

CUBS' GRABOW GETS TWO-YEAR DEAL: Pitcher John Grabow became the first of the 171 free agents to reach agreement on a new deal, getting a $7.5 million, two-year contract Friday from the Cubs.

The 31-year-old left-hander combined to go 3-0 with a 3.36 ERA last season in a career-high 75 relief appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cubs.

SOX CLOSE TO DEAL WITH VIZQUEL: The White Sox are closing in on a contract agreement with free agent shortstop Omar Vizquel.

The deal could be announced as soon as Monday. Vizquel, who will be 43 in April, has played 21 major league seasons.

Pro football

BEARS' WOLFE OUT FOR SEASON: The Bears placed backup running back Garrett Wolfe on injured reserve Friday, ending his season.

The Bears also listed tight end Desmond Clark, who has a neck injury, and safety Kevin Payne (back) as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Wolfe carried the ball 22 times this season for 120 yards and one touchdown. He added nine special teams tackles and two receptions for 12 yards.

Pro boxing

YURATOVAC'S TITLE FIGHT CANCELED: Hammond native Amy Yuratovac's upcoming title fight against South Bend native Eva Jones-Young has been canceled, Indianapolis-based promoter Fred Berns said.

Yuratovac, a 26-year-old Clark graduate, was scheduled to face Jones-Young, 45, for the vacant NABC junior welterweight title Nov. 24 at Pepsi Coliseum in Indianapolis. However, Jones-Young pulled out of the bout earlier this week because of a back injury, Berns said.

Prep basketball

YERGLER CASE TO BE HEARD TUESDAY: A Starke County judge accepted the transfer case of North Judson sophomore Winston Yergler with the temporary restraining order hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday.

If the TRO is granted, Yergler could play in the first two games on the Bluejays schedule, lawyer Nick Otis said, beginning Wednesday against Knox and Dec. 4 against Morgan Twp.

Yergler was a freshman on the Kouts varsity team last season before his family moved to North Judson over the summer. Kouts signed off on the transfer order with the IHSAA but North Judson has not. The IHSAA ruled Yergler, a point guard, ineligible for the season and his family is contesting the ruling.

Men's basketball

PURDUE TOPS SOUTH DAKOTA STATE: Led by E.C. Central grad E'Twaun Moore's 22 points, No. 7 Purdue (2-0) beat South Dakota State 74-63 in the first round of the Paradise Jam at St. Thomas. Valpo High grad Robbie Hummel added 14 points, while JaJuan Johnson had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Purdue will face St. Joseph's on Sunday in the next round.

IU DROPS TO 2-2: John Holland scored 21 points and Boston University rallied to beat Indiana 71-67 on Friday night in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Maurice Creek scored 17 to lead Indiana (2-2). Verdell Jones III added 14 points and six assists, and Jeremiah Rivers finished with 13 points.

In other news, Crown Point grad Stephen Albrecht scored 20 points for Toledo (0-3) in a 75-62 loss at No. 2 Michigan State on Friday.

Also, Chesterton grad Zack Novak had eight points and seven rebounds in No. 15 Michigan's 77-55 win over Houston Baptist.

Women's soccer

NOTRE DAME ADVANCES: Notre Dame (20-3-1) beat Oregon State 1-0 in the third round of the NCAA tournament on Friday as Rose Augustin scored the game's lone goal. Lake Central grad and ND senior Rachel VanderGenugten, who scored once in each of her team's previous two NCAA tournament games, did not play.

Around the horn

Valparaiso University freshman Hayley Butcher (St. John) was the highest-placing American and the youngest competitor at the recent World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships. Butcher placed 15th overall in the women's trampoline category. She competed against women from 40 countries. ... For the sixth straight year, Purdue North Central has been named a Champions of Character institution by the NAIA. The mission of Champions of Character is to restore character values and raise a generation of students who understand and demonstrate in everyday decisions respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. ... Valparaiso University goalie Ryan Schwarz has been named one of 34 finalists nationally for the Soccer News Net Player of the Year award. Schwarz, the Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year, broke single-season marks for victories (10), shutouts (7) and goals-against average (1.02). ... In a field that includes 13 Top 20 squads, 20th-ranked Valparaiso University's women bowling team sits in seventh place after day one of the Hawk Classic in Millsboro, Del. The Crusaders totaled 4,380 pins over five matches. The Crusaders are just 100 pins from third place.