Boomers receive 2021 championship rings, win home opener
First season in pro ball, first championship ring.
Schaumburg Boomers pitcher Kristian Scott, in a pregame ceremony at Wintrust Field Friday night, received his ring along with his teammates in celebration of the Boomers' 2021 Frontier League title.
Last season was Scott's initial year in professional baseball, and what a way to start it off.
"Honestly, it's special," said Scott prior to the Boomers home opener, "to do it with this group of guys. They're family and this ring represents a lot of work going through a long season. There were a lot of things we had to deal with (due to COVID) and if you look back we did a good job of staying safe."
"We've got a great team again this year," added the second-year player, "and the goal is to get another one."
Schaumburg made sure that it was a memorable night for the nice sized crowd in attendance, as they came away with a 10-6 win over the visiting Trois-Rivieres Aigles on what turned out to be a beautiful night for baseball.
The home team rapped out 16 hits in the victory.
Last year was the fourth overall Frontier crown for the Boomers, and fans Mark Kopinski and Bunny Kopinski said they've been in attendance at the stadium since "day one" of the franchise.
"We've seen all the championships, and we've been season ticket holders since the beginning," said Mark Kopinski. "We love the atmosphere, it's an inexpensive way to spend an evening, and most of the time they've got a good team."
"It's nice, it's close, it's cheaper than major leagues, and you have a lot of fun," added Bunny Kopinski.
The Kopinskis said that they've seen a few players move from Schaumburg up the MLB ladder over the years, and that's been rewarding.
On the field Friday, the Boomers did most of the damage against the Aigles in the bottom of the second, sending 11 men to the plate and scoring 7 times.
Second baseman Matt Bottcher started the 2nd inning festivities with a long home run to left center.
Run-scoring hits from Will Salas, Chase Dawson and Clint Hardy followed, and first baseman Braxton Davidson capped the rally with a 2-run blast.
Boomers pitcher Ryan Middendorf got the win, going 6 innings and striking out six. The Boomers struck again for single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh.
Davidson (2 more) and Nick Oddo had the late game RBI, while Hardy finished with 3 hits on the night.
Scott, meanwhile, came on in relief in the seventh and shut the Aigles down 1-2-3 with two strikeouts as Schaumburg improved to 4-3 on the season.
And no one appreciated the effort, and the overall experience, than another of the Boomers superfans, Chris Allen.
"It's a good time, and good people here," said Allen. We enjoy the games, and they do the same things that a major league team would do, at a fraction of the cost. You can't beat it."