The Gateway Grizzlies celebrate after hitting one of five home runs in their win over the Joliet Slammers on Wednesday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| Frontier League Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet Slammers (1-4) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Gateway Grizzlies (3-2) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | x | 11 | 14 | 0 |
WP: Ben Harris – GATE (1-0) LP: Nick Cosentino – JOL (0-1)
SAUGET, IL — Unlike it did in its home opener on Tuesday, when it waited until the late innings to get its bats going and score some runs, the Gateway Grizzlies jumped on the rival Joliet Slammers right away on Wednesday and scored four runs in the first inning on its way to a high-flying 11-3 victory on “Education Day” at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
Bryson Horne got the party started for the Grizzlies with a three-run home run to center field in the first inning, and Dale Thomas later scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0 Grizzlies. It was the only inning Joliet starter Nick Cosentino (0-1) would throw in his Frontier League debut.
Ben Harris (1-1) was the beneficiary of the early run support. The second-year Grizzlie was dominant in his six innings of work, allowing just one run on a solo home run by Peyton Carr in the second inning.
The homer was also the only hit Harris allowed all day as the right-hander struck out six Slammers, walked three, and earned the win.
Gateway would add to their lead with single runs in the third and fifth innings. With two outs on both occasions, Mitchell Sanford delivered an RBI single in the third, and Sawyer Smith homered down the left field line in the fifth to make it 6-1 Gateway.
The next two runs came in the seventh inning, when Mark Shallenberger and Horne went back-to-back on consecutive pitches to put the Grizzlies up 8-1.
The home run parade then continued into the eighth inning. Shallenberger hit another home run, this time a two-run shot that scored José Alvarez, who was freshly aboard after his own RBI single. The scoreboard read 11-1, with Shallenberger and Horne both achieving multi-home run games.
Joliet would score two runs in the ninth inning, but it was too little, too late to change the final result, as Gateway won back-to-back games for the first time and claimed the series by winning the first two contests.
Gateway’s record improved to 3-2 on the season following the victory and will try to complete the sweep in their first home series of the year on Thursday evening, May 14 in Sauget. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m., and will feature a battle of left-handed starters in Joliet’s Gunnar Kines and Grizzlies rookie Blake Peyton.
2026 GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Opponent | Location | Results |
| May 7 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS | L, 5-2 (0-1) |
| May 8 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS | W, 6-5 (1-1) |
| May 9 (Saturday) | 6:01 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS | L, 9-4 (1-2) |
| May 12 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | W, 6-3 (2-2) |
| May 13 (Wednesday) | 10:45 am | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | W, 11-3 (3-2) |
| May 14 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 15 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 16 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 17 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 19 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN | |
| May 20 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN | |
| May 21 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN | |
| May 22 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 23 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 24 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 26 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 27 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 28 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| May 29 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL | |
| May 30 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL | |
| May 31 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL | |
| June 2 (Tuesday) | 9:35 am | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA | |
| June 3 (Wednesday) | 5:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA | |
| June 4 (Thursday) | 6:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA | |
| June 5 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 6 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 7 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 9 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 10 (Wednesday) | 10:45 am | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 11 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 12 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 13 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 14 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 16 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Brockton Rox | Campanelli Stadium / Broxton, MA | |
| June 17 (Wednesday) | 6 pm | Brockton Rox | Campanelli Stadium / Broxton, MA | |
| June 18 (Thursday) | 6 pm | Brockton Rox | Campanelli Stadium / Broxton, MA | |
| June 19 (Friday) | 6:05 pm | New Jersey Jackals | Hinchliffe Stadium / Paterson, NJ | |
| June 20 (Saturday) | 5:35 pm | New Jersey Jackals | Hinchliffe Stadium / Paterson, NJ | |
| June 21 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | New Jersey Jackals | Hinchliffe Stadium / Paterson, NJ | |
| June 23 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 24 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 25 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| June 26 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL | |
| June 27 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL | |
| June 28 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL | |
| June 30 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS | |
| July 1 (Wednesday) | 11 am | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS | |
| July 2 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS | |
| July 3 (Friday) | 7:05 pm | Québec Capitales | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 4 (Saturday) | 7:05 pm | Québec Capitales | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 5 (Sunday) | 6:30 pm | Québec Capitales | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 7 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 8 (Wednesday) | 10:45 am | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 9 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 10 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL | |
| July 11 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL | |
| July 12 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL | |
| July 14 (Tuesday) | 7 pm | Frontier League All-Star Game | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY | |
| July 17 (Friday) | 7 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | ForeFront Stadium / Avon, OH | |
| July 18 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | ForeFront Stadium / Avon, OH | |
| July 19 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | ForeFront Stadium / Avon, OH | |
| July 21 (Tuesday) | 6:52 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY | |
| July 22 (Wednesday) | 10:35 am | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY | |
| July 23 (Thursday) | 6:54 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY | |
| July 24 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 25 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 26 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 28 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 29 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 30 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| July 31 (Friday) | 7:03 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY | |
| August 1 (Saturday) | 6:36 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY | |
| August 2 (Sunday) | 1:07 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY | |
| August 4 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 5 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 6 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 7 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 8 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 9 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 11 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN | |
| August 12 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN | |
| August 13 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN | |
| August 14 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Ottawa Titans | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 15 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Ottawa Titans | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 16 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Ottawa Titans | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 18 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL | |
| August 19 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL | |
| August 20 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL | |
| August 21 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL | |
| August 22 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL | |
| August 23 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL | |
| August 25 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Washington Wild Things | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 26 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Washington Wild Things | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 27 (Thursday) | 7:15 pm | Washington Wild Things | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| August 28 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL | |
| August 29 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL | |
| August 30 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL | |
| September 1 (Tuesday) | 6:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA | |
| September 2 (Wednesday) | 5:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA | |
| September 3 (Thursday) | 6:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA | |
| September 4 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| September 5 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL | |
| September 6 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |