Kane County Cougars win first game of playoff series, hope to clinch Friday in Geneva

In a complete team effort, the Kane County Cougars cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Lake Country DockHounds on Wednesday night at Wisconsin Brewing Company Park in the first game of a three-game playoff series.

Cougars starter Greg Mahle (1-0) turned in a strong outing. The left-hander limited Lake Country (0-1) to just one run on seven hits. Mahle also collected five strikeouts against just one walk to earn the victory.

After both teams were held scoreless through the two innings, the Cougars jumped to the lead in the third. Facing Lake Country starter Brett Conine (0-1), Galli Cribbs Jr. led off the inning by reaching third base on a throwing error.

Trendon Craig then singled back through the middle to score Cribbs Jr. and make it 1-0. Following Craig’s hit, Armond Upshaw poked a single to put runners at the corners. Cornelius Randolph then grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Craig and push the lead to two runs.

One inning later, the Cougars struck via the long ball. With one out in the top of the fourth inning, Claudio Finol belted a solo homer over the left-center field wall to make it 3-0.

Lake Country scored its lone run of the night in the bottom of the fourth. Curtis Terry and Josh Altmann smacked back-to-back doubles off Mahle to get the DockHounds on the board.

After Lake Country scored, the Cougars struck back in a big way in the top of the fifth. Craig led off the inning with another single. Two batters later, Todd Lott worked a walk to put two runners aboard. Then Josh Allen crushed a 3-2 pitch over the center-field wall for a 3-run homer that made it a 6-1 Cougars lead.

The Cougars continue the best-of-three first-round playoff series with DockHounds on Friday night at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva. For tickets and more information call (630) 232-8811 or visit kccougars.com/tickets.