UMSL star lefthander Eli Cartwright signed to pitch for the Gateway Grizzlies earlier this week. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

SAUGET, IL — The Gateway Grizzlies announced earlier this week that it had signed former University of Missouri-St. Louis standout pitcher Eli Cartwright to a professional contract to play for the team for the rest of the season.

Cartwright, who had a magnificent season for UMSL this spring, where the Tritons went 34-22, won the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship, and made the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the first time since 2003, was a First Team All-Conference selection and was named the GLVC Pitcher of the year in his only season at UMSL.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound lefthander from Oklahoma City went 8-3 in 15 starts, with a 3.00 ERA, 101 strikeouts, and 53 walks in 72 innings pitched this spring. He also played two seasons at Division I Eastern Illinois and began his college career at Northern Oklahoma College, a junior college near his home town.

Cartwright will be in uniform this week and is expected to make his professional debut in Thursday’s game, when the Grizzlies will host a series final against the Evansville Otters. First pitch at Arsenal BG Ballpark is slated for 6:30 p.m.

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