South Bend Wins Midwest League Title
CLINTON, IA – For the first time in South Bend Cubs history and 14 years since the South Bend franchise last did it, there is a champion reigning at Four Winds Field.
The South Bend Cubs shut out the Clinton Lumberkings, 5-0, to win the Midwest League championship series 3-0 and run a perfect postseason en route to the title. South Bend did not lose a single game in any of its three series in the playoffs, finishing off Clinton in fine fashion Saturday night. The Cubs beat the Lumberkings in back-to-back games Wednesday and Thursday before clinching last night.
South Bend struck first Saturday night with two runs in the second on a two-run homer from Levi Jordan. The Cubs added another two-run homer from Andy Weber in the fifth and plated one more in the ninth as Weber singled home a fifth run, his third RBI of the game.
Riley Thompson was flawless in the start for the Cubs, working five innings of perfect baseball, not allowing a hit or walk while striking out 10. Three relievers finished off the Lumberkings, which managed just two hits on the night. Brian Glowicki got the final three outs, with Cole Roederer squeezing the golden out.
South Bend went 7-0 in the Midwest League postseason, taking two games each from Bowling Green and Great Lakes before finishing off Clinton. This is the fourth championship in franchise history, joining 2005 (Arizona Diamondbacks), 1993 and 1989 (both Chicago White Sox). South Bend’s fourth title moves the franchise into a tie for third with Burlington in Midwest League history, only trailing West Michigan’s five and Quad Cities’ seven. South Bend became affiliated with the Chicago Cubs in 2015.