Cook pitches complete-game shutout, Boomers blank Mud Monsters 4-0

Cole Cook struck out 12 in a complete game shutout as the Schaumburg Boomers blanked the Mississippi Mud Monsters 4-0 in the first ever meeting between the teams at Wintrust Field on Friday night.

The Boomers gave Cook all the support he would need in the first inning. Andrew Sojka and Anthony Calarco singled and Kyle Fitzgerald smacked a double to open the scoring. Aaron Simmons added a sacrifice fly in the inning. Sam Kuchinski homered in the bottom of the second to stretch the lead to 3-0. A fourth run crossed in the eighth on a double from Sojka.

Cook retired 13 in a row from the fourth into the eighth and finished the night with 115 pitches. The lefty struck out the side in the first after the first two reached base and added at least one strikeout in every inning the rest of the way. Cook, who moved to 3-1 on the season, also worked into the ninth in his last outing. Christian Fedko notched three hits from the leadoff slot and Sojka added a pair as the Boomers amassed 10.

The Boomers (21-10) continue the series with Mississippi on Saturday night with another 6:30pm contest. The game will serve as Baseball to End ALZ presented by Matt Harrold: American Family Insurance. The Boomers will wear specialty ALZ jerseys that will be auctioned off the support LMJ’s Lost Souls. There will also be postgame fireworks. Schaumburg has not announced a starter for the game but Mississippi will send RHP Luis Devers (2-3, 6.41).