The Kane County Cougars are your 2024 Wolff Cup Champions
With a 5-3 victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes, the Kane County Cougars swept their way to the Miles Wolff Cup Championship. The Cougars (7-0) completed a magical undefeated run through the postseason to earn the 2024 American Association Title. The win also secures the third league championship for the Cougars in club history, and the first since winning the Midwest League in 2014.
It was another tight affair with the Goldeyes (4-5), as the game entered the top of the seventh inning tied at three. Facing Winnipeg reliever Zac Reininger (0-1), Cornelius Randolph led off the frame with a single. Todd Lott then cranked his second double of the night to deep center field to put two runners in scoring position. Josh Allen then lined a single through the right side to score Randolph and make it 4-3. Following Allen’s single, Ben Onyshko came on for the Goldeyes. Alex McGarry promptly blooped a single to score Lott and give the Cougars a 5-3 advantage.
After taking a two-run lead, the bullpen shut the door. CJ Carter worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning to put the Cougars six outs from a championship. In the eighth, Jordan Martinson entered, but had to leave the game due to injury with a 2-2 count to Dayson Croes. Logan Nissen subbed in. After surrendering a single to Croes, Nissen recorded three straight outs to put the Cougars three outs away.
In the ninth, closer Tyler Beardsley entered looking for his fourth save of the postseason. Rob Emery hit a lead-off single, but Beardsley then induced a groundout from Rob Emery. Beardsley then struck out Nick Anderson to put the Cougars one out away from history. Roby Enriquez was the last hope for Winnipeg, but grounded right back to Beardsley who flipped to first baseman Alex McGarry to secure the Miles Wolff Cup.
Earlier in the night, the Cougars took a 2-0 lead against Winnipeg starter Travis Seabrooke. In the top of the second, Claudio Finol and Galli Cribbs Jr. both came through with RBI singles to give the Cougars an early two-run lead.
Cougars’ starter Tommy Sommer rolled through the first three innings, but Winnipeg responded with a run in the fourth on a Croes hit. However, the Cougars struck right back in the top of the fifth. Randolph doubled to lead off the frame before Lott drove him in with a double to make it 3-1.
Winnipeg came through with one run each in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game at three before the Cougars took the late lead. Carter (1-0) earned the win for the Cougars by allowing no runs in 1.2 innings. Cornelius Randolph was named Miles Wolff Cup Final MVP. The Cougar outfielder finished the series 6-for-12 with two RBIs, three runs, and a stolen base.
The win made history for the Cougars, as the club claimed its first championship as members of the American Association. The Cougars also became just the third team in league history to go undefeated in the playoffs.
