The Schaumburg Boomers scored four runs with two outs and held a late lead, but the Joliet Slammers plated three runs in the eighth inning to capture the opener of the mid-week road series on Tuesday night.
The contest opened as a pitcher’s duel between Derek Salata and Joliet’s CJ Blowers. Joliet grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third that held until the sixth. Banks Tolley singled with two outs and Andrew Sojka followed with a double on a 3-2 pitch to drive home his 15th run of the last seven contests. Joliet answered with a solo homer before the Boomers played longball in the seventh. Michael Gould nailed his fourth homer, a two-run shot with two outs to also score Christian Fedko. Anthony Calarco followed with a solo blast as the Boomers, who lead the league in homers, went back-to-back for the first time this season. Joliet struck quickly in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead and the win.
Salata spun a quality start, allowing just two runs in six innings. Dylan Stutsman suffered the loss. Sojka, Tolley and Calarco all finished with a pair of hits. Sojka doubled twice while the Calarco homer, his 11th of the year, upped his league best RBI total to 51.
The Boomers (26-14) continue the series on Wednesday night. LHP Cole Cook (4-1, 3.62) will look to stay hot when he takes the ball opposite LHP Aidan McEvoy (2-2, 4.98) in the 6:35pm contest. The team returns home on June 27 to begin the longest homestand of the season, nine games spanning through the 4th of July, with tons of fun in store. The fun of the 2025 season is just getting started. Tickets for all home games this summer are now on sale! Make plans to be part of the fun! Visit www.boomersbaseball.com or call 847-461-3695 to secure yours.