SAUGET — The Gateway Grizzlies again lost to the Evansville Otters at GCS Credit Union Ballpark Monday by a score of 6 to 1. The loss means the entire Independence Day weekend series results in a complete sweep by the Otters. It also marks the eighth consecutive loss against the Otters.
For the second time in the series, the Grizzlies grabbed the lead at the bottom of the first inning of the game. That was courtesy of a fielder’s choice, which would allow Trevor Achenbach to score an RBI.
J.P. Williams (2-4) took the lead and ran with it, striking out six and firing five shutout innings to keep it 1 to 0.
Unfortunately, the Frontier League rookie gave up a game-tying solo home on two strikes to Evansville’s Zach Biermann to knot it all up at one apiece.
That wasn’t the worst for Williams in the game. He hit fellow rookie Anthony Torreullas with a pitch on a 0-2 count following a ground ball hit to third base by Nick Kennedy.
That would open the way for George Callil to hit a go-ahead, three-run shot to left-center field to put the Otters on top. Callil would make another scoring opportunity in the top of the eighth inning with a two-run homer.
Achenbach picked up another RBI on a single in the ninth inning to add another run to their score sheet, but it just wasn’t enough.
The Grizzlies stranded 11 runners on base and were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Next for the Grizzlies: at Joliet Slammers and at Lake Erie Crushers
Gateway will look to turn things around Tuesday as they hit the road for Joliet to take on the Slammers. Brendan Feldmann will have the 6:35 p.m. start for the Grizzlies against the Slammers’ Trevor Charpie.
The Grizzlies will be in a three-game series with Joliet before continuing to Avon, Ohio to take on the Lake Erie Crushers for a three-game series.
Box Score: Otters at Grizzlies
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville Otters | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| Gateway Grizzlies | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 1 |
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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
