Walk-off single lifts Kane County Cougars past Chicago Dogs for division championship

A walk-off single by Armond Upshaw in the bottom of the ninth inning secured a 3-2 win for the Kane County Cougars over the Chicago Dogs to clinch the East Division Championship. The win moves the Cougars on to the Miles Wolff Cup Finals, where they will take on the West Division Champion, beginning on Saturday.

The game was tied at 2 entering the bottom of the ninth with Dogs closer Joey Marciano (1-1) on the mound. Simon Reid led off the inning and blooped a single to right field before Harrison Smith came on as a pinch runner. Galli Cribbs Jr. then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Smith up to second. After Marciano struck out Trendon Craig, Upshaw stepped up to the plate. The Cougars outfielder ripped a ball down the left-field line to score Smith and give the Cougars a 3-2 victory.

Earlier in the night, it was a pitchers’ duel between Cougars starter Spencer Stockton and Dogs starter Connor Curlis. Chicago struck first in the top of the second inning. With one out, Derek Maiben and Nick Novak hit back-to-back singles before Chase Harris drew a walk to load the bases. Then, Nick Dalesandro hit a sacrifice fly to give Chicago an early 1-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the third, the Cougars quickly responded against Curlis. With one out in the inning, Trendon Craig worked a walk before Upshaw doubled to left center to put two runners in scoring position. Following Upshaw’s hit, Cornelius Randolph smoked a double down the right-field line to score both runners and put the Cougars in front 2-1.

After giving up the early run, Stockton settled in. The right-hander finished the night allowing one run on six hits with four strikeouts against two walks. Curlis also cruised after Randolph’s double, limiting the Cougars to two runs on six hits with six strikeouts against three walks in six innings of work.

In relief of Stockton, CJ Carter preserved the Cougars lead by recording the final out of the sixth and the first two outs in the seventh. Jordan Martinson then came on and forced Jacob Teter into a groundout to end the seventh. Vin Timpanelli entered in the eighth and retired Brantley Bell before Narcisco Crook stepped in. In a two-strike count, Crook launched a solo homer over the left-field wall to tie the game at 2 entering the bottom of the eighth.