The Gateway Grizzlies will play a best-of-three series to determine the West Division champions against the Evansville Otters beginning on Thursday. (Image courtesy: Frontier League)

Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer

After winning the Frontier League West Division title and earning the automatic playoff bye that comes with it, the Gateway Grizzlies found out who their opponent in the West Division Championship Series would be on Tuesday, as the Evansville Otters defeated the Schaumburg Boomers, 4-3, in the West Division Wild Card Game.

It was a back and forth game between the Otters and Boomers on Tuesday, with both teams holding the lead at different times. But the visitors on the night, Evansville scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to take the lead for good and held on for the final six outs to close out the game.

The Otters, who finished the regular season with a 52-44 record, which landed them in third place in the West Division, will host Game 1 of the West Division Championship Series against the Grizzlies, beginning on Thursday at Evansville’s historic Bosse Field.

Game 2 will be at Grizzlies Ballpark on Saturday, and if necessary, Game 3 will be on Sunday and will also be played at Grizzlies Ballpark.

This trip into the Frontier League playoffs is the first for Gateway since 2012. And should it finish like the Grizzlies hope, could result in the organization’s second ever Frontier League title.

Gateway went 5-4 in the nine games it played against Evansville during the regular season, including a recent series in Sauget, where the Grizzlies won three of four, which included the victory that gave Gateway the 2023 West Division regular season title.

Game 1 is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., with Game 2 and the if necessary Game 3 at Grizzlies Ballpark slated to begin at 7 p.m.

The series winner will advance to the Frontier League Championship Series, which will begin on Tuesday, September 12 at the home of the East Division Series champion.