SCHAUMBURG, IL — The defending Frontier League champion Schaumburg Boomers presented by Wintrust Community Banks, rode the pitching of opening night starter Steven Ridings to a 4-0 shutout win over the Southern Illinois Miners to win the first home series of the season.

Ridings retired the first 12 batters of the game before sidestepping trouble in the top of the fifth, stranding a pair of runners. Southern Illinois starter Kurt Heyer was just as effective, sitting down 11 straight at one point. The first run of the game scored in the bottom of the sixth inning to break the run of zeroes. James Keller was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a double from Jack Parenty. With one away, Clint Hardy drove home the first run with a groundout. Josh Gardiner and Casey Scoggins added RBI doubles in the seventh and eighth to help Schaumburg pull away.

Ridings struck out 10 in 6.2 innings, allowing just three hits to earn the win. The performance marked the second consecutive double-digit strikeout showing by a starter after Kit Fowler fanned 10 on Wednesday. James Mulry and Mitch Schulewitz combined on the seventh and eighth while Jake Joyce closed the door in the ninth. Three of the first six games this season have been shutouts.

The season opening homestand continues on Friday night when the Traverse City Beach Bums visit at 6:30 p.m. to open the first divisional series of the year. LHP Kyle Cedotal starts for Schaumburg. It will be Jurassic Ballpark Night on Friday, featuring postgame fireworks.