Gateway’s D.J. Stewart hit two homers and drove in seven runs in the Grizzlies’ win over Evansville, Sunday at Grizzlies Ballpark. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

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Jason Barnes
Staff Writer

SAUGET, IL — The Gateway Grizzlies won their fourth straight series and finished off another successful homestand on Sunday, by taking the final game of a set against the Evansville Otters, 16-2, in a Frontier League baseball game at Grizzlies Ballpark.

Gateway sluggers D.J. Stewart and Cole Brannen did the majority of the damage, as both bashed two home runs apiece, and knocked in career high totals in RBIs — seven for Stewart and four for Brannen — in front of a loud home crowd of 1,577.

The Grizzlies hit five total home runs in the game. Andrew Moritz led off the bottom of the first with his third homer of the season to put Gateway on the board.

Evansville got a homer from David Mendham in the top of the first, so Moritz’s dinger made the score 1-1. The Otters re-took the lead in the top of the fourth, on a sacrifice fly Randy Bednar. But that 2-1 lead was the last one the visitors would have.

That was because Gateway turned it loose in a very big way beginning in the bottom of the fourth. First, Brannen smacked his first homer of the day — a three-run shot over the right field wall — that put the Grizzlies ahead 4-2.

Then in the fifth, Gateway got a bases loaded walk from Peter Zimmermann and an RBI groundout by Jack-Thomas Wold, before Stewart yanked his first homer over the center field wall to make the score 9-2. Abdiel Diaz drove in a run later in the inning to send the game to the sixth with Gateway ahead 10-2.

In the sixth inning, Wold drove in another run, before Stewart hit his second homer of the day and sixth of the season — a grand slam over the left field wall — that made the score 15-2. Stewart’s seven RBIs on Sunday moved him into the team lead with 19 driven in on the season.

Brannen followed with a solo shot — his fourth of the season — that landed in almost the same spot as the first one he hit back in the fourth inning for the final score of the game.

Grizzlies starter Tyler Cornett (3-0) got the win on the mound, after going six innings and allowing just the two runs on five hits and one walk. He also struck out four. Relievers Matt Hickey, Nate Garkow, and Lukas Veinbergs each tossed a shut out inning to close the game out, which proved to be Gateway’s 10th win in its last 12 games.

Overall, Gateway is 14-7 on the season and sitting just a half-game out of first place in the Frontier League West, behind Schaumburg and Washington, who are both 14-6.

Next up for the Grizzlies, is a day off on Monday, before a weeklong trip to Canada, where they will play three games each against the Ottawa Titans and Québec Capitales. The series against Ottawa will begin on Tuesday, while the set against Québec begins on Friday.

Gateway’s next home game is scheduled for Tuesday, June 13, against the Washington Wild Things.

SCORING SUMMARY

Evansville Otters  1st D. Mendham homered, RBI.1 – 0

Gateway Grizzlies  1st A. Moritz homered, RBI.1 – 1

Evansville Otters  4th R. Bednar flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI; A. Calarco advanced to third; M. Peabody scored.2 – 1

Gateway Grizzlies  4th C. Brannen homered, 3 RBI; D. Stewart scored; J. Wold scored.2 – 4

Gateway Grizzlies  5th P. Zimmerman walked, RBI; K. Krause advanced to second; G. Holt advanced to third; A. Moritz scored.2 – 5

Gateway Grizzlies  5th J. Wold reached on a fielder’s choice, RBI; P. Zimmerman out at second 1b to ss; K. Krause advanced to third; G. Holt scored.2 – 6

Gateway Grizzlies  5th D. Stewart homered, 3 RBI; J. Wold scored; K. Krause scored.2 – 9

Gateway Grizzlies  5th A. Diaz flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI; E. Stevens advanced to third; C. Brannen scored, unearned.2 – 10

Gateway Grizzlies  6th J. Wold singled, RBI; P. Zimmerman advanced to second; K. Krause advanced to third; G. Holt scored.2 – 11

Gateway Grizzlies  6th D. Stewart homered, 4 RBI; J. Wold scored; P. Zimmerman scored; K. Krause scored.2 – 15

Gateway Grizzlies  6th C. Brannen homered, RBI.2 – 16

UPCOMING GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL GAMES

DateTimeAtOpponentLocation
June 4, 2024 (Tuesday)5:30 pmAwayOttawa TitansOttawa Stadium / Ottawa, Canada
June 5, 2024 (Wednesday)10:00 amAwayOttawa TitansOttawa Stadium / Ottawa, Canada
June 6, 2024 (Thursday)5:30 pmAwayOttawa TitansOttawa Stadium / Ottawa, Canada
June 7, 2024 (Friday)6:05 pmAwayQuébec CapitalesStade Canac / Québec City, Canada
June 8, 2024 (Saturday)6:05 pmAwayQuébec CapitalesStade Canac / Québec City, Canada
June 9, 2024 (Sunday)4:05 pmAwayQuébec CapitalesStade Canac / Québec City, Canada
June 11, 2024 (Tuesday)6:30 pmHomeWashington Wild ThingsGrizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL
June 12, 2024 (Wednesday)10:45 amHomeWashington Wild ThingsGrizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL
June 13, 2024 (Thursday)6:30 pmHomeWashington Wild ThingsGrizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL
June 14, 2024 (Friday)6:30 pmHomeWindy City ThunderBoltsGrizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL
June 15, 2024 (Saturday)6:30 pmHomeWindy City ThunderBoltsGrizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL
June 16, 2024 (Sunday)1:05 pmHomeWindy City ThunderBoltsGrizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL