Ryan Etsell gave up an unearned run, helping the Evansville Otters beat the Schaumburg Boomers 4-3 in the Frontier League Division Series Wednesday at Bosse Field.
The best-of-five series is now tied at 1-1 with Game 3 in Schaumburg set for Friday.
Etsell struck out five batters in his seven inning outing and he was able to work around five walks.
After two scoreless innings, Ryan Long gave the Otters a 1-0 lead with a solo home run. Later in the frame, Alejandro Segovia’s RBI single extended the Evansville advantage to 2-0.
Evansville would double the lead in the fifth when Long led off with a walk and Kolten Yamaguchi followed with a two-run home run to push the lead to 4-0.
The Boomers pulled to within three in the seventh when Sean Godfrey scored on Kyle Ruchim’s RBI single, making the score 4-1.
In the ninth, Rock Shoulders hit a two-run home run off Evansville’s Randy McCurry with two outs, bringing the Boomers to within one at 4-3. However, McCurry was able to get John Holland to ground out to shortstop to preserve the win.
Kit Fowler took the loss for Schaumburg, pitching 4 1/3 innings while giving up four earned runs off four hits. He struck out two batters and walked four.
McCurry earned the save for Evansville after giving up three runs—two earned—in the ninth. Connor Little pitched a scoreless eighth and struck out two.
Yamaguchi finished 1 for 2 with two runs scored and two RBIs for the Otters. Long was 1 for 2 with two runs and an RBI.
Ruchim was 2 for 3 in the loss for the Boomers.
Kagen Hopkins will start for Schaumburg in Game 3 Friday. Hopkins was 9-5 in the regular season for the Boomers with a 4.19 ERA.
Felix Baez will get the start for the Otters. He went 5-4 in the regular season in 15 starts with a 3.69 ERA.
The series shifts north to Schaumburg for Games 3-5. Games 3 (Friday) and 4 (Saturday) in Schaumburg will start at 6:35 p.m. while a potential Game 5 (Sunday) will begin at 5:05 p.m.
Lucas Corley will handle radio duties on WUEV all three games at Boomers Stadium this weekend.
