Gateway becomes first team to lock up a 2023 Frontier League postseason spot. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| Final – Aug. 23, 2023 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windy City ThunderBolts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| Gateway Grizzlies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer
SAUGET, IL — Despite suffering an extra-inning 5-2 loss to the Windy City ThunderBolts on Wednesday night, the Gateway Grizzlies became the first team to clinch a spot in the 2023 Frontier League playoffs.
The Grizzlies will be making their first postseason appearance since 2012, thanks to the Joliet Slammers’ loss at Evansville on Wednesday. That defeat by Joliet assured Gateway will have one of the four best records in league this season, which means the Grizzlies will qualify for the playoffs.
The historic moment looked like it would come with a victory attached, as Gateway scored two runs in the fifth to break up a scoreless pitcher’s duel on a D.J. Stewart solo home run, then a single by Jairus Richards followed by two stolen bases and a throwing error.
The lead stayed intact until the bottom of the eighth, when Bren Spillane singled home Paul Coumoulos to make it 2-1. In the ninth, Josh Lucas surrendered a leadoff solo home run to Peyton Isaacson to make it 2-2.
The Grizzlies had a chance to walk it off in the bottom half when Andrew Penner led off with a double for his 114th hit of the season, breaking a tie with Frontier League hall-of-famer Charlie Lisk and setting a new Grizzlies hits record for a single campaign.
But Gateway could not score the winning run, and in the tenth inning, the ThunderBolts scored three times, including twice on a two-out double by Isaacson, to take the lead at 5-2, while the Grizzlies went quietly in the bottom of the tenth to seal the loss.
The defeat spoiled a stellar outing from Lukas Veinbergs, who tossed six shutout innings with seven strikeouts, allowing only two hits on the night. It was also the first time Gateway dropped an extra-inning contest this season (2-1).
Gateway will look to win the series in a crucial rubber game on Thursday night at 6:45 p.m. Parker Johnson will make the start for the Grizzlies against Windy City southpaw Adrien Reese as Gateway celebrates Retro Night by wearing retro uniforms, with $5 tickets and $2 hot dogs at the concession stand.
The Grizzlies will also honor the 20th anniversary of their 2003 Frontier League Championship team by bringing back several members of that team, along with manager Danny Cox.