Cougars Aim to Clinch Playoff Spot This Weekend
June 19, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release
GENEVA, IL - The Kane County Cougars enter the final weekend of the Midwest League season's first half with everything to gain, including a possible division crown - potentially the club's first since 2004.
Entering this evening's play, the Cougars, along with the Clinton LumberKings, Cedar Rapids Kernels and Peoria Chiefs, are all within 2 1/2 games of each other - each team alive and in the hunt to win one of two first half postseason berths. Each of the four teams plays three more games, which will conclude the first half of the season. The Midwest League breaks down their 140-game season into two halves, crowning a first half and second half division champion, as well as a wild card winner for each half.
Currently, both the Cougars and Kernels are mired in a two-way tie for first place, both sporting identical 39-28 records. Clinton trails both teams by one game, and Peoria is staving off elimination - 2 1/2 games behind the Cougars and Kernels.
The Cougars have several key factors in their favor as the weekend approaches. Due to first half tiebreakers, Kane County would hold the advantage over both Clinton and Cedar Rapids if they were tied at the end of Sunday. The Cougars hold the better head-to-head record over the Kernels, winning five of their eight matchups this season so far. And while the Cougars and LumberKings split their four games, the Cougars hold the second tiebreaker, which is best run differential in head-to-head meetings (Cougars scored 16 runs to Clinton's 14).
The Cougars will also have the fortune of playing in front of a home crowd this weekend, where the team is 21-11 at the friendly confines of Elfstrom Stadium. Meanwhile, the Kernels and LumberKings will be inflicting damage on each other as the teams close the regular season head-to-head.
If the three teams (Kane County, Clinton, and Cedar Rapids) all finish in a three-way tie for first place, the first tiebreaker would be best winning percentage in games involving tied teams. The Cougars compiled a .583 winning percentage against both clubs during the season's first half.
While the playoff picture will become clearer this weekend, the Cougars would love to win the Western Division, as the squad has either held or shared first place in the division for 58 of 72 days. If the Cougars clinch the division this weekend, it would be the club's first division title since 2004 and the Cougars' fifth postseason berth in their seven seasons as an A's affiliate.
The Cougars can control their own destiny starting tonight at 6:30 p.m. against Wisconsin. The Cougars' Matt Fitts (2-5, 4.86), who pitched his best game of the season last Sunday against Cedar Rapids, will face Evan Frederickson (3-3, 5.16). A Cougars win tonight, coupled with a Clinton loss, would guarantee the Cougars no worse than the first half Western Division wild card.
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