Slugger Peter Zimmermann (30) smacked two home runs in the Gateway Grizzlies’ win over the Florence Y’alls on Tuesday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| Frontier League Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Grizzlies (5-5) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 1 |
| Florence Y’alls (4-4) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
FLORENCE, KY — Every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit, as the Gateway Grizzlies amassed season highs in hits (18) and runs (11) in an 11-7 win, Wednesday night over the host Florence Y’alls.
A crowd of 2,674 at Thomas More Stadium watched Gateway rally from behind three times to even its season record at 5-5. Florence led 2-0 after two innings, 4-3 after three, and 7-6 after seven, but Gateway was able to rally for one of its more fun wins of the season.
Second baseman Gabe Holt and designated hitter Peter Zimmermann were the hitting stars of the night for the Grizzlies. Holt had four hits, two RBIs, and scored two runs, while Zimmermann smacked two home runs, had a game-high four RBIs, and scored two runs of his own.
That first home run was a three-run shot in the top of third that gave Gateway its first lead of the night at 3-2. The Y’alls scored two runs in the bottom of the third to re-take the lead at 4-3.
The Grizzlies answered right back with a run in the top of the fourth, on an RBI double by Cole Brannen, to tie the score at 4. Then in the sixth, a Florence error on a stolen base by Abdiel Diaz allowed D.J. Stewart to score to give Gateway the lead. Gateway added another run in the seventh to go up 6-4.
Florence had its biggest inning of the night in the bottom of the seventh, when it tallied three runs to re-take the lead at 7-6. But that just set the stage for Gateway’s dramatic finish.
First, Holt doubled home two runs in the top of the eighth to put the Grizzlies back up 8-7. Then in the ninth, Zimmermann bashed his second homer of the night (and third of the season), before Kyle Gaedele and Diaz singled home a couple of runs to make sure Florence wouldn’t be able come back.
Gateway relievers Osvaldo Berrios and Lukas Veinbergs came in to shut the door on the Y’alls. Berrios (1-0) pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings to get the win, while Veinbergs tossed a scoreless ninth to get his third save of the season.
The Grizzlies and Y’alls will play Game 2 of their series on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. Second-year pro Tyler Cornett (1-0) will make the start for Gateway, while rookie lefthander Jonaiker Villalobos (0-0) will make the start for Florence.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Innings | Scoring Play | V – H |
|---|---|---|
| Florence 2nd | A. Creal singled, advanced to second, RBI; T. Reeves advanced to third; Z. Richardson scored. | 0 – 1 |
| Florence 2nd | E. Johnson reached first on an error by 3b, advanced to second; A. Creal advanced to third; T. Reeves scored, unearned. | 0 – 2 |
| Gateway 3rd | P. Zimmerman homered, 3 RBI; G. Holt scored; C. Brannen scored. | 3 – 2 |
| Florence 3rd | T. Reeves doubled, 2 RBI; H. Zeisler scored; B. Fuentes scored. | 3 – 4 |
| Gateway 4th | C. Brannen doubled, RBI; J. Alvarez scored. | 4 – 4 |
| Gateway 6th | A. Diaz stole second, advanced to third; D. Stewart scored on an error by 3b, unearned. | 5 – 4 |
| Gateway 7th | J. Wold reached on a fielder’s choice, RBI; K. Krause out at second 2b to ss; G. Holt scored. | 6 – 4 |
| Florence 7th | T. Reeves homered, RBI. | 6 – 5 |
| Florence 7th | E. Johnson doubled, RBI; A. Creal scored. | 6 – 6 |
| Florence 7th | A. Chavez singled, RBI; E. Johnson scored. | 6 – 7 |
| Gateway 8th | G. Holt doubled, 2 RBI; C. Brannen scored; J. Alvarez scored. | 8 – 7 |
| Gateway 9th | P. Zimmerman homered, RBI. | 9 – 7 |
| Gateway 9th | K. Gaedele singled, RBI; D. Stewart scored. | 10 – 7 |
| Gateway 9th | A. Diaz singled, RBI; K. Gaedele scored. | 11 – 7 |
UPCOMING GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL GAMES
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| May 23, 2024 (Thursday) | 5:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| May 24, 2024 (Friday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Wild Things Park / Washington, PA |
| May 25, 2024 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Wild Things Park / Washington, PA |
| May 26, 2024 (Sunday) | 4:35 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Wild Things Park / Washington, PA |
| May 28, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 29, 2024 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 30, 2024 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 31, 2024 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 1, 2024 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 2, 2024 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |