Best In The West Kernels Clinch Midwest League West Division Title With 7-1 Win Over Beloit

Published on September 12, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release

Cedar Rapids, IA – The Kernels scored seven unanswered runs, and the bullpen threw 8.1 scoreless innings as Cedar Rapids bested Beloit, 7-1, to clinch the Midwest League West Division title and a spot in the championship series.

In a winner-take-all game three, Beloit loaded the bases in the top of the first before a power outage postponed play for 32 minutes. When play resumed, an RBI single from Wilfredo Lara made it 1-0 Beloit.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Kernels answered back. Kyle DeBarge singled and stole second before Marek Houston reached on an error. With one out, Billy Amick lined a single up the middle to plate DeBarge to even the tally, 1-1. A batter later, Danny De Andrade crushed a ground-rule double to center to drive in a run to put Cedar Rapids on top 2-1. Then, Misael Urbina lashed a double down the left field line to score two more to push the lead to 4-1. Now with two outs, an error allowed Urbina to score to make it 5-1.

That was all the Kernels’ bullpen needed. The Cedar Rapids pen combined for 8.1 scoreless innings. Matt Gabbert led the charge with 3.1 innings, striking out two and allowing only two baserunners. After him, Chase Chaney entered in relief and worked three shutout frames with two punchouts to earn the win.

In the bottom of the fifth, Cedar Rapids added on. After a single and a fielder’s choice put runners on the corners with two outs, Urbina lined a double down the line in right to plate the run to make it 6-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Kernels padded their lead. Jaime Ferrer doubled, then Marek Houston chopped an infield single to put two on. Now with two outs, Eduardo Tait beat out an infield single to push across Ferrer to make it 7-1, the score that would be the final.

After Brennen Oxford worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning, Paulshawn Pasqualotto struck out the side in the ninth to close out the win and punch the Kernels’ ticket to the Midwest League Championship Series.

With the win, Cedar Rapids heads to its third Midwest League Championship in five years and matches up against East Division Champion West Michigan. Game one of the title series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Comstock Park, Michigan, at 1:00. Both starters are TBD.

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