Newsmakers

Discovered Three missing North Dakota college softball players were found dead Tuesday in a Jeep pulled from a pond in Dickinson, N.D., and police said they believed the women were in the vehicle when they made two desperate calls to friends for help. Police Lt. Rod Banyai said officers are investigating the cause of the deaths and autopsies are planned. “At this time, foul play is not suspected,” Banyai said. Authorities had been searching since late Sunday night for Kyrstin Gemar, 22, of San Diego; Afton Williamson, 20, of Lake Elsinore, Calif.; and Ashley Neufeld, 21, of Brandon, Manitoba.

Agreed Los Angeles Clippers owner and real estate mogul Donald Sterling has agreed to pay a record $2.73 million to settle allegations by the government that he refused to rent apartments to Hispanics, blacks and to families with children, the Justice Department announced.

Pleaded The mother of New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain faces up to 20 years in prison when she’s sentenced next month on a felony drug charge. Jackie Standley pleaded no contest to an amended charge of delivery of a controlled substance, according to court records. The 44-year-old Standley was arrested in May after selling a gram of methamphetamine to an undercover officer at her Lincoln, Neb., residence.

Traded The Tampa Bay Rays traded second baseman Akinori Iwamura to Pittsburgh for right-handed reliever Jesse Chavez. Iwamura hit .290 with 22 RBIs in 69 games during the final season of a $7.7 million, three-year contract he signed after playing in the Japanese Central League for eight years.

Withdraws D.C. United says Tom Soehn has withdrawn from consideration to stay on as the team’s coach after three seasons. Soehn’s contract expires at the end of 2009.United was 36-30-24 in MLS matches under Soehn.

Thrown Former President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the Japan Series between the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham Fighters in Tokyo.