Cougars Fall in BCL Semifinals
April 12, 2025 - American Association (AA)
Kane County Cougars News Release
MEXICO CITY - After a great tournament, the Kane County Cougars run at the BCL Americas 2025 came to an end on Saturday afternoon. The Leñadores de Las Tunas of Cuba were propelled by an eight-run third inning to top the Cougars 17-10 in the first semifinal matchup of the day.
Early in the ballgame, the Cougars (2-1) jumped out to a quick lead against Las Tunas (3-1) starter Yadian Martinez Perez. On just the second pitch of the game, leadoff hitter Brantley Bell crushed a solo homer to left to give Kane County a 1-0 edge.
Las Tunas quickly responded in the top of the second against Landen Bourassa. Rafael Viñales countered Bell's blast by hitting a solo shot to even the score at one. However, the Cougars took advantage of a pair of Las Tunas errors to go back in front 2-1 in the bottom of the second.
In the top of the third, Las Tunas broke the game wide open. With two runners aboard, Yoelkis Guibert singled to tie the game. Then, Yosvany Alarcon belted a three-run shot to center that put the Leñadores in front 5-2. Las Tunas added four more runs in the frame on a double by Yordany Alarcon and RBI singles from Andrys Perez, Yuniesky Larduet Domingez, and Roel Santos to take a 9-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, the Cougars responded to the big inning. Dayson Croes led off the frame with a solo homer to left-center to continue his outstanding tournament. Later in the inning, Josh Allen singled, and a throwing error allowed Max Murphy to score to make it 9-4. Ross Adolph kept the rally going with a single up the middle to score Allen and pull the Cougars back within 9-5.
One half-inning later, Las Tunas added to the lead. With one out in the top of the fourth, Viñales belted his second home run of the day off Westin Muir to make it 10-5. Later in the inning, Yordany Alarcon tripled to right field to score Roberto Baldoquin and push the lead to 11-5. Perez capped the scoring in the fourth with a single through the left side to score Alarcon and make it 12-5. Las Tunas added another in the top of the fifth on a Yosvany Alarcon single to push the lead to eight runs.
After falling in an eight-run hole, the Cougars began to rally in the bottom of the fifth. To lead off the inning, Croes smacked his second home run of the day, this time to right field, to make it 13-6. Murphy then singled through the left side to bring up Dillon Thomas. Thomas promptly launched a two-run homer to right-center to pull Kane County within five runs. Later in the inning, Nick Dalesandro doubled home Ross Adolph to make it 13-9.
Once again, the Leñadores had a quick response to the Cougars. Facing Cougar reliever Jake Stevenson, Las Tunas added a pair of runs on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Larduet Domingez and an RBI single by Luis Vicente Mateo to go up 15-9.
Las Tunas added two more runs in the top of the eighth. To lead off the inning, Perez cranked a solo homer to push the lead to 16-9. Later in the frame, Mateo singled home another run to give the Leñadores an eight-run lead once again.
Kane County added one more run in the bottom of the eighth. Squaring off with Frank Medina with one out, Bell crushed his second homer of the day to left-center to make it 17-10. However, that was all the Cougars could muster as Medina allowed just one run on three hits over the final four and two-thirds innings. The Leñadores de Las Tunas advance to Sunday afternoon's championship game, where they will take on the winner of the Santa Maria Pirates and Diablos Rojos de México.
The Cougars open American Association play on Thursday, May 8th at Northwestern Medicine Field, as they welcome the Sioux City Explorers to Geneva. For tickets and more information, go to kccougars.com or call 630-232-8811.
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- Cougars Fall in BCL Semifinals - Kane County Cougars
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