Boomers’ starting pitching key to early success

Although he was happy to lead the Schaumburg Boomers to a sweep of Lake Erie in the team’s first series ever, manager Jamie Bennett might have been more encouraged by his team’s first loss.

The Boomers lost their first game Tuesday in a 15-inning affair against the Windy City Thunderbolts, 2-1.

“The main thing I ask those guys is to go play hard from the first out to the last,” Bennett said. “We didn’t come out on top, but to stick with it for 15 innings, I’m very proud of that.”

The Boomers will open their home schedule against the Florence Freedom at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Schaumburg Baseball Stadium. Cameron Roth, who allowed no runs in 6 innings as he earned a win in his first start, will take the mound for the Boomers in the first regular-season contest in Schaumburg since the Flyers played there in 2010.

After Tuesday’s lengthy game, the team didn’t get a break as it fell to the Thunderbolts 5-4 in 12 innings Wednesday. Although the Boomers were unable to maintain their hot start, Bennett said the losses may be a blessing for the young team.

“Having that loss in a game like yesterday, in a way, can be a good thing, because guys start putting a lot of pressure on themselves,” he said.

One group that seems to be immune to any early-season pressure is the pitching staff. After five games in the independent Frontier League, the team ERA was at 2.21, with starting pitchers allowing only six runs. Bennett, a former pitcher, has been happy with his starters in particular.

“We haven’t always had the clean ninth inning, but guys have battled and got the job done with starting pitching,” Bennett said. “That’s key. I feel like they’re going to be in the game from the start.”

On the offensive side, Bennett has been pleased with the first two hitters in his lineup. Outfielder Chad Mozingo has hit .364 in the leadoff spot, and No. 2 hitter Jerome Milons, a Frontier League veteran, went 6-for-13 against Lake Erie.

At this early juncture, Bennett likes that his hand-selected players have developed a healthy atmosphere in the clubhouse.

“You can sense it in the dugout,” he said. “There might be two guys that play the same position, but they’re still rooting for each other, and that’s the key.”