BASEBALL

Ducks take another from Gonzaga — Jack Kruger hit his first career home run, Kyle Garlick had four hits, and Cooper Stiles earned his first career win Wednesday to lead Oregon to a 14-5 nonconference victory over Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., on Wednesday. Oregon (21-8) collected 18 hits to sweep the two-game series with the Bulldogs (10-18).

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

College athletes take labor cause to Capitol Hill — Northwestern University athletes pressed their case for collective bargaining rights during meetings Wednesday with lawmakers, as a vote was scheduled for them to decide whether to authorize a union. The vote will be held April 25, according to Ramogi Huma, president of the College Athletes Players Association. During meetings on Capitol Hill, Huma and former Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter tried to drum up support just a week after a ruling that the athletes were employees and had the same rights to bargain collectively as other workers. Even though the issue is not directly before lawmakers, “Congress is an important part of the chess board,” he said after meeting with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. Colter and Huma were accompanied by Tim Waters, national policy director of the United Steelworkers union, which is underwriting and financing the effort. More meetings were scheduled for today. “We’re up here to let the leadership know what’s going on, basically getting information out,” Huma said.

SOCCER

Green makes U.S. debut in draw with Mexico — Mexico rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with the United States in an exhibition match Wednesday night. Highly touted 18-year-old Julian Green made his senior U.S. debut, coming on in the 59th minute as a substitute at midfielder for Graham Zusi. Green is the product of German club Bayern Munich’s developmental system who recently committed his international soccer future to the United States national team. Mexico turned a dreadful first half into a tight game following captain Rafael Marquez’s 49th-minute goal. Mexico became more active on the attack and threatened to tie on almost every run in the second half. The tying goal came in the 67th minute. Alan Pulido collected the rebound of Paul Aguilar’s shot that hit the post and kicking the ball into an exposed net. Midfielder Michael Bradley outran Mexico midfielder Jesus Zavala to a corner kick that went far post from Zusi, and Bradley finished with one touch to give the Americans the early lead. The U.S. took a two-goal lead in the 28th minute with some effective passing. Clint Dempsey sent the ball out wide to Tony Beltran, a defender making just his third appearance for the national team. Beltran crossed to Bradey, who found Chris Wondolowski to his left near the goal, and Wondolowski slotted the ball into the net.

FIFA bans Barcelona from signing new players — Barcelona has been barred from acquiring any new players until the summer of 2015 by FIFA, which punished the Spanish club Wednesday for what it said were repeated violations of the rules for signing teenage players. FIFA said the ban related to the signings and registration of 10 non-Spanish minors from 2009-13. FIFA has strict rules — with a few exceptions — to limit the international transfer of players until they turn 18. In announcing the ban, FIFA also fined Barcelona about $509,000 and gave the club 90 days “to regularize the situation of all minor players concerned.” Barcelona said it would appeal the sanctions to FIFA and, if necessary, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and added in its statement that it would “demand” that it be allowed to sign players until the case is resolved. The ban covers the next two transfer periods, this summer and in January, but FIFA’s announcement made no mention of Barcelona’s pending acquisitions of German goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen and Croatian midfielder Alen Halilovic.

— Bulletin wire reports