Snell Launches First Pro Homer in 10-4 Cubs Win at Dayton
MWL South Bend Cubs

Snell Launches First Pro Homer in 10-4 Cubs Win at Dayton

Published on April 24, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


Dayton, OH - The South Bend Cubs are two victories away from their third straight series win to begin the season. With a 10-4 beatdown of the Dayton Dragons on Thursday night at Day Air Ballpark, South Bend utilized 11 hits and six walks to storm past the Dragons, taking two of the first three games this week. The game featured outfielder Kade Snell's first professional home run, crushed over the right field wall in the top of the 9th inning.

Lefty Cole Reynolds got the start for South Bend, opposed by right-hander and former Indiana State Sycamores pitcher Luke Hayden. Both pitchers hung zeroes in their first two innings of work, but for the first time this week, South Bend was on the board first.

As a scoreless game crept to the top of the 3rd, South Bend would pick up their first three runs of the game without needing a hit. After back-to-back walks by Hayden to open the inning, South Bend scored first with Justin Stransky sprinting home on a Hayden wild pitch. After the wild pitch, Hayden left due to injury. The new pitcher, Graham Osman, checked in, and his first pitch was a wild one, leading to the Cubs second run. Later in the inning, Kade Snell plated Kane Kepley via a sac-fly RBI.

Up 3-0, Reynolds went on to pitch three shutout innings, before departing in the bottom of the 4th. With two runners aboard, Dayton tied the game in the same inning, thanks to a three-run homer by Alfredo Alcantara.

Tied at 3-3, South Bend would not wait long to strike right back, picking up four runs in the top of the 5th. The 5th inning started with a Kepley walk, who extended his consecutive games on-base streak to 11 in the victory. Cole Mathis then singled, which was followed by a two-run double from Matt Halbach. In the win, Halbach hammered three doubles. Cameron Sisneros then doubled him home, and then Reggie Preciado and Drew Bowser picked up consecutive singles.

South Bend was up 7-3, and after Dayton got a run back in the bottom of the 6th, South Bend swiped it right back with a pair of runs in the top of the 7th thanks to three straight base hits from Halbach, Sisneros, and Preciado. Those three, who hit fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively in the South Bend order, each had multi-hit games.

Dayton stayed in the game the whole way due to 11 walks and two hit-by-pitches, but the South Bend bullpen kept the Dragons from any further scoring.

In the 9th, Kade Snell crushed his first professional home run, a deep drive over the right field wall, for his first career round-tripper. With two more RBI on the night, Snell has 16 RBI in 14 games, and he has been on base in 10 straight games.

Adam Stone closed the final six outs for the Cubs bullpen, and South Bend finished off its tenth win of the season. Due to a Wisconsin Timber Rattlers victory over Fort Wayne, South Bend will remain a half-game back of first place in the West Division.

The Cubs will look for their third win of the series on Friday night when the two clubs meet again at 7:05 PM EST. Right-hander Koen Moreno gets the start for South Bend.

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Midwest League Stories from April 24, 2026


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