May 12, 2024 By Chris Dugan 4 min read

This is becoming a habit.

The Schaumburg Boomers swept the Frontier League season-opening three-game series against the Wild Things, winning the finale Sunday afternoon, 6-3.

That 6-3 margin was the same final score in all three games. And Schaumburg had 11 hits Sunday to Washington’s five. That’s the same totals as Saturday’s game.

Adding to the similarities in the three games, Washington first baseman Andrew Czech hit another home run, his third of the season, one in each game.

“It’s like Groundhog Day,” said Washington manager Tom Vaeth, making a reference to the movie starring Bill Murray, who became a part-owner of the Frontier League’s Joliet Slammers this year.

What Vaeth would like to see is a change in the script. Perhaps something that includes the Wild Things winning.

Though his team is saddled with an 0-3 record heading into a six-game road trip this week to play the New England Knockouts, the league’s newest franchise, and the Tri-City ValleyCats, Vaeth wasn’t overly concerned about the start or his team. In fact, he issued what can be taken as a warning.

“Teams better get us now, before we get dialed in. We have too much talent on our roster …,” he said.

Czech, whose opposite field home-run just inside the left-field foul pole pulled Washington to within 4-2 in the sixth inning, echoed his manager’s thoughts about the 0-3 start.

“It’s early. There’s still 93 games left,” Czech said. “Guys have to get comfortable.”

Schaumburg, a perennial playoff team from the West Division, was comfortable with how the series went. The Boomers took a 3-0 lead in the third inning, which included a two-run homer to right field by second baseman Alex Craig off Washington starter Dariel Fregio (0-1).

Washington pulled to within 3-1 in the bottom of the third when third baseman Tommy Caufield hit a long home run over the batter’s eye in center field off Schaumburg starter Jackson Hickert (1-0). Hickert allowed four hits and two runs over six innings.

Washington stayed within striking distance because of reliever Zach Kirby, who will be one of the team’s starting pitchers. He relieved Fregio in the third and gave up only three hits and one run over four innings. He struck out six. The run off Kirby was scored in the sixth when Will Prater tripled to left centerfield and scored on a Flexi Aberouette single that gave the Boomers a 4-1 lead.

“We had planned to piggyback Kirby with Fregio,” Vaeth explained.

Czech led off the bottom of the sixth by slicing a fly ball down the left-field line at the foul pole. It was called a home run despite objections by Schaumburg, thinking it was a foul ball. Manager Jamie Bennett requested that the umpires confer about the call but it stood.

“It was fair,” Czech said confidently.

The next batter showed just how things went for the Wild Things the entire weekend. Designated hitter Tyreque Reed hit a hard liner back at Hickert, who got his glove on the ball and it deflected right to Craig, standing near second base, for a rare 1-4 lineout.

Schaumburg tacked on two runs in the top of the eighth against reliever Hunter Stevens, with another ricochet going the Boomers’ way. With Tyler Depreta-Johnson on second base and Chase Dawson on first, both runners were running on a two-out pitch. The offering was low and bounced off catcher Ricardo Sanchez, then flew high off the backstop screen, allowing Depreta-Johnson to score from second base, making it 5-2. Dawson scored on a single by Craig.

Washington pushed across its final run in the eighth when a sacrifice fly by Reed scored Quincy Latimore.

Extra bases

Schaumburg reliever Dallas Woolfolk got the final four outs for a save. … The game was the 500th for Wild Things broadcaster Kyle Dawson. … With his home run, Czech extended his consecutive game on-base streak to 35 games, dating back to last season. That ties one of the franchise’s oldest records as Shaun Argento reached base in 35 consecutive games back in 2002, the first year for the Wild Things. … Former Wild Things shortstop Nick Gotta has been signed by the New York Boulders.