After playing from behind in the last three contests, the Boomers took the lead early with three first inning runs. Alec Craig led off the game with a homer to right, his third of the year. Craig has hit a leadoff homer twice this season. Three batters later Matt Bottcher hit a two-run homer, his second in as many days. Washington chipped away with single runs in the third and fourth but the Boomers picked up an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single from Clint Hardy to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
Washington pulled within a run again in the seventh but the Boomers tallied insurance again in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Hardy. The Wild Things received a game-tying two-run homer from Jared Mang in the ninth and won the game on a double from Wagner Lagrange.
Blake Stelzer posted a quality start for the Boomers, allowing two runs in six innings in a no-decision. Thomas Nicoll suffered the loss. Jake Joyce, Schaumburg’s all-time leader in appearances, made his 193rd career appearance in the contest, tying Zac Treece for fourth all-time in Frontier League history. Craig tallied a pair of hits and became the franchise’s all-time leader in steals with a swipe in the seventh. Bottcher logged two hits and drove home three. William Salas also notched two hits and scored three times while adding a steal.
The Boomers (14-12) will return home on Tuesday against Evansville to open a five game homestand packed with fun. Tuesday night is Educator Appreciation Night and $1 Hot Dog Night. Teachers and school faculty can receive four free tickets with promo code TEACH thanks to Waterville Advisors. RHP Shumpei Yoshikawa (2-2, 6.14) takes the ball in the opener against RHP Parker Brahms (2-1, 2.16). Tickets for the 2022 season are on sale now! Visit www.boomersbaseball.com.