Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball

Peoria stops Kernels in 11 innings

The Peoria Chiefs clipped the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 5-3, in 11 innings Tuesday night in a Midwest League game at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Kernels saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end before a smattering of fans who stuck around to the end of the marathon contest that lasted 4 hours and 8 minutes.

There were fewer than 100 fans in the ballpark when the game ended at 10:45 p.m.

Max Murphy continued his hot hitting for the Kernels with two doubles and a two-run homer. It looked like Cedar Rapids was going to escape with a 3-2 victory, but a bad-hop single helped Peoria tie the game in the ninth inning and force extra innings.

Kernels starter Mat Batts was touched for two runs in four innings, but Kernels relief pitchers C.K. Irby, Michael Theofanopoulos and Cam Booser kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard until Peoria got that scratch run off Booser in the ninth.

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Kernels clip Peoria for 7th straight

Cedar Rapids Kernels Manager Jake Mauer is a realist.

The Kernels are riding high right now with a 20-11 record and season-best seven game winning streak, but he knows at some point the Minnesota Twins are going to promote some of his best guys.

"I'm sure we'll get dismantled at some point," Mauer said Monday night. "It's inevitable, unfortunately."

The Kernels clipped Peoria, 3-1, before 1,627 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium with more excellent pitching, good defense and a 410-foot home run to dead-center by Jorge Fernandez.

Mauer has compiled a 181-128 record in two-plus seasons in Cedar Rapids and is bidding for his third straight trip to the Midwest League playoffs, but he's been around the block a few times and knows the score. He's here to help develop players and move them along, not win pennants in the low minor leagues.

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Schmit replaces Hinojosa on Kernels

The Cedar Rapids Kernels and Minnesota Twins announced Monday that infielder Blake Schmit has joined the Kernels from Extended Spring Training and that infielder Jonatan Hinojosa has been assigned to Extended Spring Training in Florida.

The Twins selected Schmit in the 26th round of the 2014 draft from the University of Maryland. He spent 2014 at Elizabethton where he hit .162 (12-for-74) with a double and four RBIs in 22 games.

Hinojosa was batting .154 (10-for-65) with a double and two RBIs in 18 games for the Kernels.

Murphy honored by Midwest League

The Midwest League and MiLB.com announced Monday that Kernels outfielder Max Murphy has been named Player of the Week for the week ending May 10.

Murphy hit .400 (10-25) with two doubles, a triple, a home run and nine RBIs in six games. The Twins selected Murphy in the fifth round of the 2014 draft from Bradley University.

Peoria pitcher Austin Gomber, who is scheduled to face the Kernels Tuesday, was named the MWL Pitcher of the Week for the same period.

Murphy is the fourth Kernel to be honored by the Midwest League this season, joining Felix Jorge, Stephen Gonsalves and Trey Vavra.

The Kernels begin a seven-game homestand Monday at 6:35 p.m. against Peoria, the Midwest League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kohawk netters fall to Chicago

WHITEWATER, Wis. - The Coe College men's tennis team lost to eighth-ranked Chicago, 5-1, in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament Saturday.

Noah Sprinkel and Ryan Hickman posted Coe's only victory at No. 2 doubles.

The Kohawks ended the season with a 21-6 record.

CHICAGO 5, COE 1

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Kernels sweep for 19-11 record

BELOIT, Wis. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels swept a Midwest League doubleheader at Beloit Saturday before 1,085 fans at Pohlman Field, winning 5-2 and 3-2 in nine innings.

The twin-killing capped a perfect 6-0 road trip through the state of Wisconsin.

The Kernels are heading home for a seven-game homestand with a 19-11 record, a season-best eight games above. 500. The Kernels are 12-0 against teams from Wisconsin, with a 6-0 record against Beloit and a 6-0 mark against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

The Kernels are idle Sunday and host Peoria Monday night at 6:35.

Zack Larson had three hits for Cedar Rapids in the first game. Max Murphy scored three runs and collected two hits. Brett Doe socked a two-run homer and Pat Kelly also had two RBIs.

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Kernels rained out, twinbill Saturday

BELOIT, Wis. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels' game at Beloit Friday night was postponed due to rain. The two teams will play a doubleheader at Pohlman Field on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. with two seven-inning games.

The Kernels return home Monday night against the Peoria Chiefs to begin a seven-game homestand.

Kernels blast Beloit,11-1

BELOIT, Wis. – The Cedar Rapids Kernels had their best offensive night of the season, routing Beloit, 11-1, on Thursday night for their fourth straight win on their current road trip.

The Kernels (17-11) scored two runs each in four consecutive innings from the fourth through the seventh. Eight of nine Kernels scored a run.

Pat Kelly collected three extra-base hits, a home run and two doubles, as he went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. Zack Larson also knocked in three runs, going 2-for-3 with two walks to reach base four times. Nick Gordon scored three runs while Tanner English drew three walks.

Three Kernels pitchers held the Snappers to four hits. Stephen Gonsalves (3-1) went five innings for the victory, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out five while walking four. Sam Clay earned a hold, tossing three scoreless innings and striking out four while allowing one hit and walking three. Michael Theofanopoulos worked a perfect ninth inning, striking out a pair.

Jordan Schwartz (0-4) took the loss for the Snappers (13-15), allowing five runs (four earned) over 3 2/3 innings. Beloit used a total of five pitchers on the night.

The teams combined for 16 walks on the night with the Kernels drawing nine and the Snappers collecting seven.

Kernels finish sweep of Wisconsin

APPLETON, Wis. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels finished a three-game sweep of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Wednesday night an 8-2 victory in a Midwest League game before 2,235 fans at Fox Cities Stadium.

Max Murphy went 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs as the Kernels raised their record to 16-11. Trey Vavra also went 3-for-5 for Cedar Rapids. Murphy, Vavra and Nick Gordon scored two runs and T.J. White had two RBIs.

John Curtiss (2-2) gave the Kernels a quality start, allowing just two earned runs in six innings. He struck out eight batters and did not walk anyone.

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