Gateway’s Dale Thomas catches a pop-up during the Grizzlies’ win over Evansville on Sunday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
EVANSVILLE, IL — The Gateway Grizzlies finished off the first half of the Frontier League baseball season in fine fashion on Sunday, with an 11-6 win over the Evansville Otters that gave the Grizzlies a three-game sweep over the weekend.
Gateway has now won five games in a row and heads into the All-Star break with a 35-20 record, which puts them one game behind the Schaumburg Boomers for first place in the Frontier League Midwest Division.
The Grizzlies racked up 43 hits and scored 29 runs in the three wins over the Otters. On Friday, Gateway beat Evansville 12-3, and on Saturday, the Grizzlies won 6-5 in extra innings.
Shortstop Abdiel Diaz was one of the main hitting stars for Gateway. The switch-hitting dynamo, who is in his third season with the Grizzlies, went 2-for-5 in all three games, with a home run, four RBIs, three stolen bases, and four runs scored as well.
Third baseman D.J. Stewart, a Frontier League All-Star for the second year in a row, had seven hits over the weekend — four in Friday’s win. He also blasted his team-leading 11th home run of the season on Sunday and also drove in five runs in that game, which raised his team-leading RBI total to 51.
Second baseman Dale Thomas had five hits and five RBIs over the weekend, including his ninth homer of the year. He is now second on the Grizzlies with 41 RBIs this year.
Rookie righthander Ben Harris got the win on the mound on Friday. He pitched six innings and gave up just one run on three hits, with two walks and nine strikeouts.
It was Harris’ fourth straight start with a win. He is now 5-0 on the season, with a 3.93 ERA, after signing with the Grizzlies in June, following the conclusion of his college career at Georgia Gwinnett College.
Relievers Keegan Collett and Claudio Galva got the wins on Saturday and Sunday. Collett is 2-1 with a 0.51 ERA in 19 appearances this season, while Galva is 4-1 with a 3.13 ERA in 14 appearances.
Alec Whaley got the save in Saturday’s win — his first of the season — for a fitting conclusion to the first half of his season, after he was added to the Frontier League All-Star team on Friday.
The Grizzlies will now have six representatives on the all-star roster this season.
Gateway will return to action on Friday, June 18, when they’ll host the first of three key games in a series against Schaumburg at Arsenal BG Park in Sauget. Friday and Saturday’s games will begin at 6:30 p.m., while Sunday’s series finale is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.
2025 GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 5-4 (1-0) |
| May 9, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | L 3-2 (1-1) |
| May 10, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 4-0 (2-1) |
| May 13, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | W 8-5 (3-1) |
| May 14, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | W 9-8 10 inn. (4-1) |
| May 15, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | W 6-1 (5-1) |
| May 16, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 9-7 (6-1) |
| May 17, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 4-0 (6-2) |
| May 18, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 21-2 (7-2) |
| May 20, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | W 6-1 (8-2) |
| May 21, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | L 6-3 (8-3) |
| May 22, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | W 10-7 (9-3) |
| May 23, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | W 8-1 (10-3) |
| May 24, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | L 4-1 (10-4) |
| May 25, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | L 5-4 (10-5) |
| May 27, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 13-9 (10-6) |
| May 28, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 11-10 (10-7) |
| May 29, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark | Postponed |
| May 30, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 6-5 (10-8) |
| May 31, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 9-2 (11-8) |
| June 1, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 12-7 (12-8) |
| June 3, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | W 9-6 (13-8) |
| June 4, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | L 5-2 (13-9) |
| June 5, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | L 4-3 (13-10) |
| June 6, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 8-3 (14-10) |
| June 7, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 7-0 (15-10) |
| June 8, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | W 10-4 (16-10) |
| June 10, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium | L 6-1 (16-11) |
| June 11, 2025 (Wednesday) | 10 am | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium | L 4-3 (16-12) |
| June 12, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium | W 10-5 (17-12) |
| June 13, 2025 (Friday) | 6 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium | W 10-9 (18-12) |
| June 14, 2025 (Saturday) | 5:30 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium | L 14-10 (18-13) |
| June 15, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium | W 6-1 (19-13) |
| June 17, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 13-10 (20-13) |
| June 18, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 17-10 (20-14) |
| June 19, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 5-2 (20-15) |
| June 20, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 18-3 (21-15) |
| June 21, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 4-0 (22-15) |
| June 22, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 8-7 (22-16) |
| June 24, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 12-8 (22-17) |
| June 25, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 5-4 (23-17) |
| June 26, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 2-1 (24-17) |
| June 27, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium | W 4-3 (25-17) |
| June 28, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium | L 4-0 (25-18) |
| June 29, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium | W 10-3 (26-18) |
| July 1, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 13-6 (27-18) |
| July 2, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 12-2 (28-18) |
| July 3, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 6-4 (29-18) |
| July 4, 2025 (Friday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 2-1 (29-19) |
| July 5, 2025 (Saturday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 7-5 (30-19) |
| July 6, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | L 3-2 (30-20) |
| July 9, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 14-3 (31-20) |
| July 10, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | W 5-1 (32-20) |
| July 11, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 12-3 (33-20) |
| July 12, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 6-5 (34-20) |
| July 13, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:05 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field | W 11-6 (35-20) |
| July 16, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6 pm | Neutral | Frontier League All-Star Game | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium | |
| July 18, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 19, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 20, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 22, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | |
| July 23, 2025 (Wednesday) | 10:05 am | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | |
| July 24, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field | |
| July 25, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | |
| July 26, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | |
| July 27, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field | |
| July 29, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 30, 2025 (Wednesday) | 5 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 30, 2025 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| July 31, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 1, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 2, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 3, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 5, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 6, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 7, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 8, 2025 (Friday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park | |
| August 9, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park | |
| August 10, 2025 (Sunday) | 4:35 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park | |
| August 12, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 13, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 14, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 15, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 16, 2025 (Saturday) | 7:15 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 17, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 19, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | |
| August 20, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | |
| August 21, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field | |
| August 22, 2025 (Friday) | 7:05 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | |
| August 23, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | |
| August 24, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium | |
| August 26, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | |
| August 27, 2025 (Wednesday) | 11 am | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | |
| August 28, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park | |
| August 29, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 30, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| August 31, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark | |
| September 3-6, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Wild Card Round | TBD | |
| September 9-14, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Divisional Championship Series | TBD | |
| September 16-21, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Championship Series | TBD |
Grizzlies have been rolling lately… Too bad the all-star break came when it did.
Go Grizzlies! We need another division title!!
Go Grizzlies!
Go Grizzlies!
Second half of the season should be fun!