Boomers advance to Frontier League Championship

Behind a dominant pitching performance, the Schaumburg Boomers closed out the Evansville Otters on Saturday night with a 3-1 victory at home to capture the best-of-five series 3-1 and reach the Frontier League Championship Series for the third time in team history.

Evansville grabbed a 1-0 lead with a two-out run in the top of the second against Schaumburg starter Joe Hauser on an RBI double from Zach Welz. Hauser settled in, allowing nothing the rest of the game. The Texan retired the next 19 batters to come to the plate and twirled a complete game.

Schaumburg tied the game in the bottom of the second. Zack Weigel led off the inning with a walk, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error. Sean Godfrey found a hole on the left side of the infield to single home the tying run.

The Boomers scored twice in the third to grab the advantage. James Keller worked a walk to cap an 11-pitch at bat. Jack Parenty dropped down a bunt single and Kyle Ruchim stroked a single up the box to hand the Boomers the lead. With the bases loaded, Weigel extended the lead with a groundout to plate Parenty.

Hauser struck out a career best 10, earning the win in his first career playoff start. The righty allowed just five hits, including a single to begin the ninth that ended the string of retired hitters. The offense finished with nine hits and stranded eight. David Harris, the Frontier League MVP, notched three hits.