Greetings from Windy City's Standard Bank Stadium...This afternoon its the final exhibition contest of the season as the Boomers take on the ThunderBolts...Windy City's string of playoff appearances came to an end last year...Boomer Bench Coach Mike Kashirsky managed the ThunderBolts the past two seasons...Windy City is now managed by former Big Leaguer and Frontier League success story Morgan Burkhart...
Windy City's roster pretty much sorted itself out due to injuries...There are a few decisions yet to be made for the Boomers today...
Man, I am sitting in a seriously comfy chair...I don't think I could broadcast from this chair...Its like a lounge chair and its fluffy...I could take a nap in this puppy...CUE the shout out music...Today I'm thinking it's Blake Shelton since his entire repertoire came on my iPod in the ride over (Again I drove myself)...No, the shout out isn't for you today Sara Romano...It is for Groundskeeper Mike Tlusty, who told me to avoid jumping on 294 from over by Schaumburg...I heeded his advice and drove back down by me and still hit some construction (See my post from the Gary series about driving down 294)...
Reminder, these two teams will meet in the second series of the season for the Boomers beginning with a 10:35 a.m. game on May 22...
No uniforms for Windy City but I am told that there will be minimal subs due to the fact that the roster is set and they are using a 10-man lineup...Oops...The Windy City grounds crew needs to rechalk the first base line...
What a day for baseball!!! Windy City takes the field...
WINDY CITY THUNDERBOLTS (2-3)
Michael Torres - 2B
Bruce Alter - 3B
Chris Wade - SS
Zach Aakhus - C
Chad Cregar - 1B
Billy Nowlin - DH
Michael Mobbs - LF
Brandon Decker - DH
Matt Grosso - RF
Bryan Burke - CF
RHP Duke Dykeman (Four Innings)
LHP Matt Jernstad (Three Innings - Jernstad is likely to be the opening day starter which could pit him against Schaumburg either Wednesday or Thursday of next week)
RHP Blayne Weller (Two Innings)
RHP Rye Davis (As Needed)
SCHAUMBURG BOOMERS (3-4-1)
Chad Mozingo - CF
Nate Baumann - RF
Gerard Hall - SS
Frank Pfister - 3B
Nick Kuroczko - 1B
Mike Valadez - C
Raphael Turner - DH
Cody McMorris - DH
Sean Mahley - LF
Drew Heithoff - 2B
RHP Tyler Watkins (Five Innings)
LHP Matt Jansen (Two Innings - Jansen is not on the roster...He was just released by Gary and is pitching on a tryout basis for a potential bullpen slot)
RHP Jason Braun (One Inning)
RHP Matt Collins (One Inning)
LHP Thomas Nelson (As Needed)
TOP 1st
First pitch at 2:02...It's 81 Degrees at game time...Sorry, took me a minute to look that up...Apparently half of my facebook friends were born on this day so I had about a hundred Happy Birthdays to write on their walls...Chad Mozingo worked the count and then grounded out to first...Nate Baumann hitting second today...I am kinda curious to see how this works...Might not be a bad spot for him...Baumann rolls a single up the third base line just inside the chalk...Hall grounds into a 4-6-3 double play...
0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
BOOMERS 0, THUNDERBOLTS 0
BOT 1st
For the record big get well soon goes out to my broadcast colleague in Fargo, N.D. - Scott Miller...Read today that he has been diagnosed with melanoma...I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Scott in the American Association last season as he broadcast the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks...Sounds like he won't be out of action long though...Scott also dealt with some flooding issues last year and I had to drive him to the airport to go handle it back in N.D...Michael Torres grounded back to Tyler Watkins...Bruce Alter quickly grounds out to short...Two away on just three pitches...Chris Wade strikes out swinging...Good inning for Watkins...
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
BOOMERS 0, THUNDERBOLTS 0
TOP 2nd
Is American Idol over yet?? I was a big fan of Dave Matthews impersonator Phillip Phillips...I ask because Josh Gracin is blaring over the speakers...I've seen him in concert...I think he was on one of the first seasons...Yes, I have way too much useless knowledge...Frank Pfister fouls out to first on the opening pitch of the inning...Former ThunderBolt Nick Kuroczko at the plate and grounds out to second...Kuroczko spent two seasons here in Crestwood...Mike Valadez, who is having a whale of a spring, has worked the count full but grounds out to short...
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
BOOMERS 0, THUNDERBOLTS 0
BOT 2nd
Frontier League All-Star Zach Aakhus leads off...Aakhus drops a single into left...Chad Cregar jumps ahead in the count...Valadez with a quick visit...And consecutive strikes since from Watkins...Kick it in the Sticks, nice walkout...Its by Brantley Gilbert...He opened for Eric Church on Friday at the show I went to...Cregar flies out to center...Aakhus steals second...Billy Nowlin with a deep flyout to the left field corner...Nice throw from Mahley back to second, almost catching Aakhus...Michael Mobbs struck out swinging...
0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 0, THUNDERBOLTS 0
TOP 3rd
Raphael Turner struck out swinging...Cody McMorris works the count and battles but flies out to center...Sean Mahley walks...Dykeman has been throwing a ton of pitches...Drew Heithoff struck out swinging...
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 0, THUNDERBOLTS 0
BOT 3rd
Second DH Brandon Decker flies out to the track in right on the first pitch...Matt Grosso with a nice bunt to first handled by Kuroczko who had to hurry to put on the tag...Bryan Burke bounces to Kuroczko at first, who feeds Watkins covering...
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
BOOMERS 0, THUNDERBOLTS 0
TOP 4th
Quick game so far...Back to the top of the order for Mozingo...Mozingo receives a friendly hop for a single, skipping up over the second baseman into right...The more I see of Mozingo, the more he grows on me...Baumann broke his bat...Popped up to second...Battling the sun, the ball dropped...Force recorded on Mozingo...Hall flies out to left...The Windy City scoreboard has an error up, but an out was recorded, official scorer Calderwood rules FC...Pfister with a base hit to right...Baumann moves to third...Look for a lot of that this season...Pfister breaks for second...And steals the bag...Kuroczko walks...Bases loaded...Valadez hit by a pitch to force in the first run of the game...Mound visit...Ehren Wasserman, the pitching coach, out for a talk...Wasserman is a former member of the White Sox...Turner strikes out looking to leave em loaded...
1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB
BOOMERS 1, THUNDERBOLTS 0
BOT 4th
Torres flies out to center on the first pitch...Alter singled down the left field line...Pitch out...Nothing doing...Wade with a bloop single to right...Two on...One out...Aakhus grounds into a double play around the horn 5-4-3 to end the threat...
0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 1, THUNDERBOLTS 0
TOP 5th
New pitcher for Windy City is probable opening day starter Matt Jernstad...He is a lefty which will turn around McMorris...For Dykeman in the game, 4IP, 3H, 1R, ER, 2BB, 3K, HBP...McMorris grounds out to third...Mahley walks for the second time today...Heithoff struck out swinging...Stayed in the box thinking it was only strike two...Have I mentioned I am impressed by Mozingo??? Swinging bunt for a single on the first pitch...Double steal...Baumann with another strong at bat...Retired on a very close play at first on a bouncer up the middle...
0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 2 LOB
BOOMERS 1, THUNDERBOLTS 0
BOT 5th
Should be the last inning for Watkins, who is really going to make the decision for the final rotation slots tough...Cregar lined out to right...Nowlin flew out to left...Nice running grab by Mahley...Mobbs with a sharp single to left...Decker pops out to first...Kuroczko taking command on the infield...
0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 1, THUNDERBOLTS 0
TOP 6th
Jansen in the pen for the Boomers...Hall reaches on an error...Not sure official scorer Calderwood would call it that but I will roll with it...A smash to third with the third baseman playing in deflected away...Pfister with a fister to short center...Hall to third and aggressive base running for Pfister as he takes an extra base after getting caught in a rundown...Kuroczko flies out to left to score Hall with an unearned...Valadez with an RBI single to right to score Pfister...Turner struck out looking...McMorris flew out to right...
2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Error, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 3, THUNDERBOLTS 0
BOT 6th
If you have been following all spring you know that the Boomers and Gary SouthShore RailCats met in a pair of exhibitions...LHP Matt Jansen pitched against the Boomers in one of those games...Jansen is now taking the mound in a tryout situation after being released...Heck of an outing by Watkins...Again, the battle for those final rotation slots are going to be tough to decide...Watkins with five shutout innings 4 Hits, 2 K...Grosso with a double off the base of the wall in right to open the inning...Burke with a double tucked inside the first base line to score Grosso...Torres reaches on a fielder's choice...Jansen froze the runner and record the out...Alter reached on a fielder's choice...Nice short hop backhand pick by Pfister...Stolen base for Alter...Valadez not happy with himself...Wade flew out to left...
1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 3, THUNDERBOLTS 1
TOP 7th
Jernstad with a nice stab coming off the mound to deny Mahley...Heithoff with a single through the left side, the seventh hit...Mozingo with a laser beam off the wall in right, narrowly missing a homer...It turns into a triple, scoring Heithoff...Infield is in for Windy City...Baumann with an RBI single down the left field line...Hall popped out to short...Pfister with a bouncer to third...Back-handed for a fielder's choice at second...
2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 5, THUNDERBOLTS 1
BOT 7th
Another inning for Jansen to show what he can do...No changes...This is easily the longest the starters have gone consistently in a game...Pfister made it look easy...So smooth on a grounder from Aakhus...Cregar with a single to right...Nowlin grounds into a double play started by Pfister at third, who again made it look easy...
0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 0 LOB
BOOMERS 5, THUNDERBOLTS 1
TOP 8th
Blayne Weller takes over for the eighth...Jernstad pitched three innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts...Weller is a big dude...Stands 6-5...Kuroczko walks...Valadez hit in the lower back...On the ground...Now up...Looks sore...Trainer Scott Waehler taking a look at the catcher as Pitching Coach Ehren Wasserman visits Weller...Valadez will stay in the game...Turner grounds into a 4-6-3 double play...Second DP turned by Windy City...McMorris with a broken bat single to plate Kuroczko...Run...Run...Run...I wanna see McMorris...Sure enough, there he goes...And steals second...McMorris broke for third...And would have stolen the base but Mahley struck out looking...
1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 6, THUNDERBOLTS 1
BOT 8th
Matt Collins taking over on the hill...Jansen 2IP, 3H, R, ER...Valadez is still in...Mobbs doubles off the wall in left...Decker with a single to right, just inside the line...Mobbs was forced to hold in case the ball was caught...Grosso struck out looking...Burke walks to load the bases...Don't look now but the tying run is on deck...Holy diving catch at the line in left by Mahley...A run scores though...Alter struck out swinging...
1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB
BOOMERS 6, THUNDERBOLTS 2
TOP 9th
Heithoff lined out to center...Mozingo reached for the fourth time by walking on four pitches...Baumann with an inside out single to right, moving Mozingo to third...Three hits for Baumann...Hall walks to load the bases...Pfister struck out swinging...Manager Morgan Burkhart out to the mound and he will make a change with Rye Davis coming in to finish the game...Kuroczko hit by a pitch to force in a run...That's a lot of HBP today...Valadez struck out swinging...
1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 3 LOB
BOOMERS 7, THUNDERBOLTS 2
BOT 9th
Jason Braun in to finish...No changes in the field today...Heithoff takes control behind second base to make the catch and retire Wade...Hall ranges right to retire Aakhus...Cregar walks...Nowlin struck out swinging...
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB
BOOMERS 7, THUNDERBOLTS 2
That's a good way to head into the regular season...Boomers finish 4-4-1 this spring...Lots to be posted tomorrow and I will of course let you know of changes as I hear them...I should have a full run down of spring stats for you tomorrow as well as the rotation for the weekend and so much more...
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