Frontier League

 

Bolts capture third straight in 12-inning contest

Chad Cregar


CRESTWOOD, IL – After a 15-inning game Tuesday afternoon, the ThunderBolts and Schaumburg Boomer took it easy on Wednesday, going only twelve innings before the Bolts walked off to their third consecutive win.

The Bolts got off to a hot start, loading the bases with two outs in the first inning for hot-hitting Chad Cregar, who doubled home all three runs.

Frank Pfister homered off of Dustin Williams in the second to make it 3-1 and the Boomers tied the game in the fourth. Jereme Milons led that inning off with a walk and scored on a Gerard Hall triple. Pfister singled home Hall.

Cregar struck again in the sixth with a solo home run, his third of the year, putting Windy City in front 4-3.

The ThunderBolts bullpen has been nearly unhittable this year, but Andy Mee ran into some trouble in the eighth. With a runner at first and two outs, Nick Kuroczko singled to right, and a throwing error by Cregar allowed Nate Baumann to score all the way from first.

Though the ThunderBolts had the winning run in scoring position with one out in both the eighth and ninth innings, they could not score and it went to extra innings for the second straight day at Standard Bank Stadium.

Windy City had another good chance to score in the tenth, putting a runner at second with one out, but again couldn’t score. The team left 14 men on base in the contest.

Finally in the twelfth, the Bolts broke through. Billy Nowlin hit a one-out double and Cregar was intentionally walked. With two outs, Travis Weaver was intentionally walked as well to get to pitcher Matt Costello. Because DH Zach Aakhus had entered the game defensively in the eleventh and the Bolts had no hitters left on the bench, Costello had to hit for himself.

The first pitch from Thomas Nelson to Costello plunked him in the side, forcing home Nowlin for the winning run. It was the first plate appearance in Costello’s career.

Costello (1-0) also pitched a scoreless inning, picking up his first win of the year. Nelson (0-1) took the loss.

The Bolts will go for the sweep Thursday night at 7:05. Mike Recchia (1-0) makes his second start for Windy City and he will be opposed by Schaumburg’s Robby Donovan (1-0). It will be Bud Light Thirsty Thursday at Standard Bank Stadium with $1.25 domestic draft beer and the game broadcast can be heard on SportsJuice.com.

Box Score




Search Archive »