Bennett wins 700th game as Boomers hold off Sussex County

The Schaumburg Boomers held off a late rally to log a 5-4 decision over the Sussex County Miners on Wednesday night to secure the 700th victory for manager Jamie Bennett.

Bennett, the only manager in franchise history, becomes the fourth skipper in league history to log 700 victories and reached the mark in his 14th season.

Sussex County struck first in the bottom of the second inning, grabbing a 1-0 lead with an unearned run. The Boomers immediately answered, taking the lead with two runs in the top of the third. Jeff Nicol and Will Prater doubled to start the inning with Prater’s double tying the score.

Christian Fedko logged an RBI single with one away to hand the Boomers a 2-1 advantage. Another unearned run in the bottom of the fourth tied the game before Schaumburg scored three unanswered to open a 5-2 edge. Kyle Fitzgerald scored a single run to give Schaumburg the lead with a two-out RBI single in the fifth.

Pinch-hitter Derick Andiarena singled home a run with two outs in the seventh and after Alec Craig tripled with two outs in the eighth, Fedko doubled him home. Sussex County scored twice in the bottom of the eighth and left the bases loaded. The hosts had the tying run at second in the ninth but couldn’t even the game.