With 6-5 Loss to Beloit, Cubs' Win Streak Ends at Six
MWL South Bend Cubs

With 6-5 Loss to Beloit, Cubs' Win Streak Ends at Six

Published on April 17, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
South Bend Cubs News Release


South Bend, IN - The South Bend Cubs (7-3) snapped their six-game win streak with a 6-5 loss to the Beloit Sky Carp (5-7) on Friday night at Four Winds Field. The Cubs scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth but left the tying run at second base. They still will have a chance to win the series on both Saturday and Sunday.

The Cubs jumped out to an early lead in the first inning, turning back-to-back walks into a 1-0 advantage on a sacrifice fly from right fielder Kade Snell. South Bend continued to run after stealing nine bases in Thursday's game, swiping three bags in the first inning Friday. Center fielder Kane Kepley ripped off two of them before coming around to score.

The first inning would be all for Beloit starting pitcher Joey Volini, whose counterpart got off to a far better start. South Bend lefty Cole Reynolds retired 10 of the first 11 hitters he opposed, completing 3.1 hitless innings on just 42 pitches. The Sky Carp got to him in the fourth, though, taking two walks to set up a lead change. Right fielder Jacob Jenkins-Cowart provided the tying run on an RBI single, and center fielder Colby Shade put Beloit on top with a sacrifice fly.

The Cubs knotted the game back up in the bottom of the fourth, as catcher Owen Ayers scored after working a leadoff walk. Third baseman Reggie Preciado drove him in, bouncing a single through the right side of the infield.

Beloit recaptured the lead against right-hander Kenten Egbert, scoring two runs to go ahead 4-2. Left fielder Jesus Hernandez led off with a single, and second baseman Starlyn Caba plated him with a rocketed triple to the right-center gap. Third baseman Juan Matheus followed with a sacrifice fly, doubling the lead.

Egbert settled in after that, turning in three innings of relief. His heir, right-hander Adam Stone, allowed two more Beloit runs in the eighth, pushing the Sky Carp into a 6-2 lead. Both runs scored on an error, as Jenkins-Cowart grounded a ball back to the mound with runners at second and third. Stone and Preciado combined to trap the lead runner, but the Cubs' third baseman threw the ball off the runner and into foul territory, allowing a pair to come in. Stone would return with a clean inning in the ninth.

All told, the Sky Carp bullpen totaled eight innings of solid work in relief of Volini, slowing down a Cubs offense averaging 6.7 runs per game. Right-hander Peyton Fosher produced three innings with one run allowed, righty Nick Brink contributed four shutout frames, and southpaw Hayden Cuthbertson came on for the ninth. Brink was especially dominant, striking out seven Cubs.

Cuthbertson struggled, though, as the Cubs rallied out of nowhere to put the tying run in scoring position after trailing by four. A walk, two hit batsmen, and a single earned the Cubs three runs before Cuthbertson ended the game on a Kepley groundout.

The Cubs and Sky Carp will continue the series with a 4:05 PM first pitch on Saturday, April 18. South Bend right-hander Koen Moreno is scheduled to pitch against Beloit righty Liomar Martinez.

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Midwest League Stories from April 17, 2026


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