Cougars fall 15-9 in 12 innings

Despite squandering three leads, the Beloit Snappers never trailed in a 15-9, 12-inning victory over the Kane County Cougars on Monday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva.

Beloit couldn’t hold leads of 1-0, 7-4 and 9-7, but they scored 6 runs in the top of the 12th against Dean Espy (0-1) to finally put it away.

Espy entered as a pinch runner in the bottom of the ninth and played his usual first base before heading to the pitcher’s mound for the 12th inning.

Matt Koch put the Snappers in front with a run-scoring double. Koch came home on a Tyler Grimes single, and Miguel Sano later boosted the lead with a 3-run homer.

Kane County (27-24) sent the game into extra innings with some drama as Orlando Calixte ripped a 2-run homer in the ninth to make it 9-9.

Corey Williams (2-1) finished for Beloit with 2 innings of work. Matt Summers started and pitched 5 innings, striking out eight. Jason Mitchell started for the Cougars and only lasted 3 innings.

The two clubs combined for 41 hits, the Cougars pounding out 21.