Sky Carp Blank Cubs 7-0 on Opening Day
April 4, 2025 - Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release
Beloit, WI - On a chilly night in Beloit, Wisconsin, Notre Dame legend Rudy Ruettiger threw out the first pitch on Opening Day 2025 as the South Bend Cubs faced off with the Beloit Sky Carp. Ruettiger was visiting Beloit as part of an event honoring the movie 'Rudy'. He took time to recognize the South Bend players and coaches before the first pitch was thrown, and off we went in the new Midwest League season. The Sky Carp took an early lead, and never surrendered it, in a 7-0 shutout of South Bend to begin the year.
Jaxon Wiggins started for the Cubs, while Thomas White took the ball for Beloit. White, the number-one ranked prospect in the Marlins organization, was pitching against South Bend for the second time in his career. He looked like everything a top prospect should, in four shutout innings with seven strikeouts.
Wiggins matched White in the 1st inning, striking out the first batter he faced on the season. Wiggins also punched out Fenwick Trimble to end his initial inning of the season. The game winning run would be plated in the 2nd inning though, as Emaarion Boyd singled home Gage Miller for Beloit's first lead of the campaign. Miller was hit by a pitch to begin the inning.
With two more strikeouts on the day, Wiggins' season debut ended after 65 pitches, and four strikeouts.
The game came down to missed opportunities on the base paths. South Bend had their chances against White, leaving two men in scoring position in both the 1st and 4th innings. The Cubs ultimately went 0/9 with runners in scoring position.
Out of the bullpen, Nolan Clenney made his Cubs organization debut, after being a Rule-5 draft pick of the Chicago Cubs last winter from the New York Mets. Clenney posted 1.2 shutout innings in his first organization action.
Johzan Oquendo also returned to the mound after missing all of 2024 due to injury. Oquendo last pitched with the Cubs in 2023, and worked a 1-2-3 6th inning. Yovanny Cabrera also pitched a scoreless 7th, before Beloit picked up five runs in the 8th to separate themselves in the game.
The Opening Day shutout was one of three whitewashes in the Midwest League to start the season. The Cubs will now turn the page to a day game on Saturday afternoon at 2:05 PM. Right-hander Kenten Egbert will make his Midwest League debut on the mound for South Bend.
Midwest League Stories from April 4, 2025
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