The Gateway Grizzlies ensured they will finish in 2nd place by winning two of three games in Evansville this weekend. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
EVANSVILLE, IN — After clinching a playoff spot with a home win on Thursday, the Gateway Grizzlies made sure they would finish in second place in the Frontier League West Division standings by winning two of three games on the road this weekend against the Evansville Otters.
By ensuring themselves of second place, the Grizzlies now know that they will host the West Division Wild Card Game when the playoffs begin. That contest will be on September 3 at Grizzlies Ballpark in Sauget.
Gateway will play the team that finishes third in the Frontier League West, which will be either Lake Erie or Schaumburg. Lake Erie currently holds a half-game lead over Schaumburg.
The winner of the Wild Card Game will advance to the West Division Championship Series and face regular season division champ Washington in a best-of-five series for a chance to go to the Frontier League Championship Series.
The Grizzlies secured their second place finish by knocking off the Otters twice this weekend.
In Friday’s game, Evansville scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off Gateway ace Deylen Miley to earn a 6-4 win. Dual threat shortstop/pitcher Pavin Parks had two hits, three RBIs, including a home run and pitched a scoreless ninth to get the save for the Otters. Dale Thomas had two hits, including a home run, for the Grizzlies.
On Saturday, Gateway scored three late runs — one on a homer by Kevin Krause and two in the top of the ninth on a triple by Abdiel Diaz — off of Parks, to force extra innings. Then scored the game-winning run on a line shot RBI single by Thomas to win 4-3.
Thomas had three hits in the game and Krause’s homer was his ninth of the season. Leoni De La Cruz (2-1) got the win and Matt Hickey (SV, 4) got the save.
In Sunday’s series finale, the Grizzlies had the bats going early and often, totaling 13 hits and putting at least one runner on base in every inning in what proved to be a 7-3 win over the Otters.
Five Gateway hitters had at least two hits, led by Peter Zimmermann, who had three and also drove in and scored two runs. Cole Brannen, Victor Castillo, Gabe Holt, and D.J. Stewart had two hits each. One of Brannen’s hits was his eighth homer this season and his third homer this week.
Veteran righthander Collin Sullivan (9-5) pitched five innings and allowed just one run on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts to get his team-leading ninth win of the season.
Monday will be a well-deserved day off for the Grizzlies, before they head to Ohio to play a three-game series against Lake Erie.
Gateway will close out the regular season next weekend, with a series against the Florence Y’alls, before moving on the Wild Card Game on September 3.
UPCOMING GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL GAMES
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 27, 2024 (Tuesday) | 5:35 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Crushers Stadium / Avon, OH |
| August 28, 2024 (Wednesday) | 5:35 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Crushers Stadium / Avon, OH |
| August 29, 2024 (Thursday) | 5:35 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Crushers Stadium / Avon, OH |
| August 30, 2024 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 31, 2024 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| September 1, 2024 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| September 3, 2024 (West Division Wild Card Game) | TBD | Home | Lake Erie or Schaumburg | Grizzlies Ballpark / Sauget, IL |