JOLIET, Ill. — The 2021 Frontier League Champion Schaumburg Boomers grabbed the lead early, but dropped a 2-1 decision to the Joliet Slammers in a pitcher’s duel on Wednesday night.

Alec Craig led off the game with a double and scored on a groundout from Braxton Davidson to put the Boomers ahead 1-0 in the first. Craig was one of just four runners to reach scoring position in the game. Joliet tied the score on a wild pitch in the third and took the lead on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh. Davidson doubled to begin the ninth, but the Boomers could not push across the tying run.

Ryan Middendorf tallied a second consecutive start with double-digit strikeouts. Middendorf fanned 10 in six innings, allowing one run on seven hits. Erik Martinez suffered the loss, allowing a run in the seventh. Thomas Nicoll fanned the side in the eighth as the pitching staff recorded 14 strikeouts. Matt Bottcher has reached base in every game this season. The Boomers managed just four hits in the contest.

The series with Joliet comes to a close on Thursday night with another 6:35 pm contest. RHP Shumpei Yoshikawa (2-0, 5.50) takes the ball for the Boomers (11-6) against LHP Cole Cook (2-1, 1.53). The team returns home June 7. Tickets for the 2022 season are on sale now! Visit boomersbaseball.com.