By: Matthew Gustafson
JOLIET, IL – Geno Encina continued his dominant run through the Frontier League Thursday, throwing his second complete game of the year in only his sixth start to lift the Slammers to a victory over the Schaumburg Boomers.
Joliet (24-29) started the game off strong with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Singles by Liam McArthur and Victor Nova put runners on first and second for Matthew Warkentin.
Warkentin hit a single to left field, and McArthur scored on a throwing error by Schaumburg to put the Slammers up 1-0. Antonio Valdez then walked to load the bases before Drew Stengren hit a groundball to shortstop to score Nova. Stengren was safe at first base and Warkentin scored on another throwing error on the play, giving the jailbirds a 3-0 lead.
Joliet extended its lead in the bottom of the second, starting with a Braden Duhon single and steal. Liam McArthur brought Duhon home with a double to right-center field for a four run lead, and he scored two at-bats later on a Matthew Warkentin single up the middle.
Schaumburg (29-24) scored its first run of the game when Felix Aberouette hit a solo home run to left field in the top of the third inning.
But Slammers starter Geno Encina shut down the Boomers’ offense from there as Joliet won comfortably 5-1. Encina earned the win, pitching seven innings in the shortened game and striking out four batters while allowing four hits and one earned run.
Schaumburg starter Brendan Knoll was tagged with the loss, surrendering seven hits and five earned runs with one strikeout in five innings pitched.
The Slammers will look to take another series from the Boomers in the second game of tonight’s doubleheader, which will be starting shortly. For information on season tickets, premium suites or group outings, please visit the Slammers’ official website at www.jolietslammers.com.
