Kernels Score 14 Runs, Topple Cubs 14-8

South Bend, IN - The Cedar Rapids offense explodes for 14 runs on 12 hits Thursday evening to grab game three of the series over South Bend 14-8.

After scoring first in the second game of the set, South Bend again got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning on Thursday night. James Triantos opened the night for the Cubs with a double, and two batters later came home to score on a Matt Shaw RBI single to make it 1-0. The next batter, Kevin Alcantara, then doubled the South Bend lead with an RBI double to make it 2-0 after the first inning.

In the top of the second, Cedar Rapids got a run back. To begin the frame, Andrew Cossetti smashed a solo home run over the wall in left to make it a 2-1 game.

In the third, the Kernels would explode for six runs to open the lead they would never lose. After Keoni Cavaco singled to open the inning, Noah Miller Crushed a two-run home run to put Cedar Rapids on top 3-2. After back-to-back walks, two were on with two-outs for Jose Salas, who smashed an RBI single into right field; after one run came home to score on the play, a throwing error allowed a second run to score, and a second throwing error allowed Salas to come all the home, as three runs scored on the play to make it a 6-2 Kernels lead. The next batter, Carson McCusker, then smashed a solo home run to finish the Cedar Rapids half of the third inning with a 7-2 advantage.

In the bottom of the third, Kevin Alcantara crushed a solo home run to get the Cubs back within four at 7-3.

The Kernels offense would get that run right back in the top of the fourth. Cavaco again singled to open the frame, then came all the way around to score on an RBI Miller triple to put the Kernels back up by five. After Miller was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice, Emmanuel Rodriguez replaced him on first base and scored two batters later on a Ben Ross RBI double to make it a 9-3 Cedar Rapids edge.

In the sixth, the Kernels continued to pad the lead. A Miller walk and a Rodriguez double put two on for Kala’i Rosario, who produced a run with a sacrifice fly. The next batter, Ross, added another RBI with a single, giving the Kernels an 11-3 advantage.

Down by eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, South Bend refused to go down without a fight. A pair of singles and a wild pitch got the Cubs a run in the sixth inning to close the gap to 11-4.

In the bottom of the seventh, a single and two walks loaded the bases for Alcantara, who cleared the bags with a three-run triple. A batter later, Alcantara came home to score on a fielder’s choice to make it a three-run game again at 11-8.

That stayed the score until the top of the ninth inning when McCusker struck again to give the Kernels the insurance they needed. An error and a walk put two on with no one out for the Cedar Rapids left fielder, who belted his second home run of the night with a three-run shot off the batter’s eye in centerfield to open the Cedar Rapids lead back up to six runs at 14-8, the score which would be the final.

The win for the Kernels (73-44) is the second in a row in the series with South Bend (50-65) as Cedar Rapids improves to a season-high 29 games over .500. Game four of the series is set for tomorrow at 6:05 with C.J. Culpepper on the mound for the Kernels opposite Brody McCullough.