ThunderBolts' Comeback Effort Falls Short

Published on August 28, 2021 under Frontier League (FL)
Windy City ThunderBolts News Release

CRESTWOOD, IL - The ThunderBolts scored seven of the last nine runs Saturday night, but an early 6-0 deficit proved too much to overcome as they fell to the Joliet Slammers 8-7 at Ozinga Field.

The Slammers (31-50) jumped all over the ThunderBolts (37-45) early, scoring two runs in each of the first three innings. Carson Maxwell's two-run homer set the tone in the top of the first. RBI hits for Scott Holzwasser and Kyle Jacobsen kept the scoring up as they built their six-run lead.

The Bolts started their comeback in the bottom of the third as Zac Taylor tripled and Dan Robinson singled him in. A Payton Robertson RBI base hit brought home their second run.

Donivan Williams's triple kick-started another run in the fifth. He scored on a Nikola Vasic single.

In the sixth inning, Joliet starter Chris Roycroft got wild. A hit by pitch, a wild pitch and a passed ball helped two runs score for Windy City that tightened the score to 7-5.

That's where it remained until the ninth. A two-out RBI single for Maxwell provided a big insurance run for the Slammers before the Bolts came up in the bottom of the inning. Vasic hit a leadoff double and Robertson followed with a two-run homer. That was all, though, for the ThunderBolts as they fell one run short.

Roycroft (4-2) allowed five runs in 5.2 innings and was awarded the victory. Miguel Ausua (7-5) allowed seven runs in four innings and took the loss. Kaleb Honea allowed two runs but recorded his second save.

The series wraps up with a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, JULIE Family Sunday at Ozinga Field. Tyler Thornton (4-8, 3.27) starts game one and Joliet counters with Tom Walker (1-0, 1.80). Tickets, along with links to the audio and video broadcasts can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.

Frontier League Stories from August 28, 2021

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• Action Packed Labor Day Weekend Series to Close out Home Schedule - New York Boulders
• Équipe Québec Evens Series Despite Comeback Effort from Washington - Washington Wild Things
• Grizzlies Hit Three Bombs, Even Series with Win over Evansville - Gateway Grizzlies
• Miners Clipped by Y'alls - Southern Illinois Miners
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• Wirchansky, Bats Pave Way For Boulders Win Over Jackals - New York Boulders
• Lake Erie comeback falls short; Fall to eight games back - Lake Erie Crushers
• Walks, Slugging Effective for Otters in Win - Evansville Otters
• Miners Stumble at Florence - Southern Illinois Miners
• Grizzlies Lose Close Game to Evansville - Gateway Grizzlies
• ThunderBolts Lose in Home Run Derby - Windy City ThunderBolts
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