Ball bounces Cougars' way in home opener

Bryson Brigman was perfectly positioned, shading Kane County leadoff hitter Anfernee Grier up the middle.

The Clinton, Iowa, second baseman was seemingly about to field a routine grounder Thursday in the teams' Midwest League West Division Class A baseball season opener at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva.

But the ball caromed off the second-base bag and bounced innocuously into center.

It was a revelation for the Kane County Cougars, and an equally portentous omen for the Clinton LumberKings.

Eight batters later in the Cougars' first inning in their home opener, Luis Basabe roped a line drive into the right-field picnic area to cap a 7-run outburst and the team went on to a 13-3 triumph.

Prior to the Cougars' second-baseman concluding the two-out, 5-run explosion, Manny Jefferson plated Kyle Smith and Luis Silverio with a bases-loaded single.

Following the fluke Grier hit to start the game, the Cougars' next three batters - Marcus Wilson, Jazz Chisholm and Ramon Hernandez - all singled to set the table for the bottom of the Kane County lineup.

"I was running as fast as I could to first," Grier said. "I saw it bounce (off the bag) and was like, 'I'll take it.' (The first inning) was a lot of momentum for us. It made everyone more relaxed."

"You like to see those kind (of innings) when you're on the good side of it," Kane County manager Butch Hobson said.

Kane County starter Emilio Vargas retired the first 11 LumberKings he faced who had an official at-bat.

The first three Clinton baserunners all reached via bases on balls, but the Cougars' right-hander did not surrender a hit until two outs in the top of the fourth.

Vargas' efficiency was necessary for the Cougars as the caprices of the sport were soon evidenced: Clinton starting right-hander Ljay Newsome did not allow a hit until Wilson reached on an infield single in the fifth inning.

"Tip your hat to that young man for doing that after giving up 7 (runs in the first)," Hobson said of Newsome.

The Cougars scratched across a run as a result, as the LumberKings had considerably tightened the game with one swing of the bat - a Luis Liberato 3-run home run.

But it proved to be the only time Clinton would dent the plate.

The Cougars' double-digit win to start the season became reality with the final 6 runs of the contest.

Hernandez delivered the key blow in the Cougars' 4-run eighth: a 2-run bases-loaded single the opposite way.

Three relief pitchers closed out the victory for Vargas, who went the minimum five innings to record the win.

Kane County was never seriously threatened at the wind-chilled ballpark as the club pounded out 16 hits and did not have any miscues in the field.

The Cougars' four hurlers allowed a mere 5 hits.

"It's a matter everyone getting their work in," Hobson said of using three relief pitchers.