The West Michigan Whitecaps are Midwest League Champions, Defeat Kernels 3-1 to Take the Crown

Cedar Rapids, IA - The West Michigan Whitecaps sit atop the Midwest League throne. They knocked off Cedar Rapids 3-1 in game two of the Midwest League Championship series with shutdown starting pitching and timely hitting to cap off a 96-win 2025 season with a Midwest League Title.

After taking game one at LMCU Ballpark, West Michigan got on the scoreboard first Tuesday night. Woody Hadeen led off the top of the third with a walk and moved up to second on a single. After stealing third, Hadeen scored on a Brett Callahan infield single to put West Michigan on top 1-0.

That was all Whitecaps’ starter Joe Miller needed. The left-hander tossed 5.2 innings of scoreless baseball and struck out six to earn the win.

In the top of the sixth, West Michigan added on. With two outs, Jack Penney tripled to left field, then came in to score on a Bennet Lee RBI single to make it 2-0.

In the top of the eighth, the Whitecaps padded their lead. Callahan singled to lead off the frame, then moved up to second on an Andrew Jenkins double. On a dropped third strike, Callahan scampered home to score the run to push the score to 3-0.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Kernels offense broke through. Two consecutive singles from Billy Amick and Danny De Andrade opened the inning, then Caden Kendle was hit by a pitch to load the bases. One batter later, a wild pitch allowed Amick to score to make it 3-1.

But that was all the Cedar Rapids offense could push across. In the bottom of the ninth, Marco Jimenez entered out of the Whitecap bullpen and tossed a 1-2-3 inning to earn the save and secure the 2025 Midwest League Championship for West Michigan in a 3-1 victory.

The Kernels finish the 2025 season with a 74-63 overall record and as the Midwest League runner-up. The Cedar Rapids schedule in 2026 begins Friday, April 3rd, at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Both starters are TBD.