The Schaumburg Boomers survived another nail-biter to record a 9-8 victory over the Evansville Otters in the final home game of 2024 and hold on to a slim lead over Lake Erie in the playoff picture.
The Boomers came from behind on two occasions to grab the victory. Evansville scored in the top of the first before Schaumburg grabbed two in the bottom to take the lead just three batters into the contest. Alec Craig walks and scored on a triple from Christian Fedko while Andrew Sojka plated Fedko with a groundout. Justin Felix tied the game with a leadoff homer in the second.
Sojka recorded another productive out with an RBI groundout in the third to score Craig, who had walked to equal his single season team record with 92 on the year. Chase Dawson added to the lead with an RBI single and Anthony Calarco pushed the margin to 5-2 with a double to knock home Dawson. Randy Bednar homered in the fifth to bring Evansville within 5-3 before the Otters opened up a 7-5 lead behind four in the sixth. Brett Milazzo singled home a run to open a four-run response in the bottom of the inning. Jake Meyer tied the game with a sacrifice fly and Sojka accounted for the winning run with a two-run single. Evansville pulled within 9-8 in the seventh and loaded the bases in the ninth but Jake Joyce slammed the door for his 16th save.
Schaumburg matched a season high by issuing nine walks but posted 14 strikeouts. Aaron Glickstein garnered the win in relief, his second of the series and sixth of the year. Antonio Frias struck out nine to match a season best in five innings. Sojka drove home four and was one of four players with multiple hits as the Boomers finished with 12. Craig, Fedko and Kyle Fitzgerald also tallied two apiece. Craig reached base four times while Fitzgerald and Fedko both reaching three times.
Schaumburg broke their single season record for attendance again and capped the year with a 30-20 mark at home, the third consecutive year with 30 or more victories in front of the home fans.
The Boomers (50-43) end the season with three games on the road in Pennsylvania against the West Division Champion Washington Wild Things this weekend beginning at 6:05pm Central tomorrow night with RHP Cristian Lopez (3-4, 3.92) on the mound.
