The Gateway Grizzlies won their 2024 Frontier League season opener, Friday night, over the Lake Erie Crushers. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| Frontier League | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Grizzlies | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Lake Erie Crushers | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
AVON, OH — The 2024 Frontier League season began much like how the 2023 season went for the Gateway Grizzlies. The team got great pitching, some clutch hitting, and ended the night with a win.
That’s how things went Friday night, when the Grizzlies defeated the host Lake Erie Crushers, 3-2, in the 2024 season opener at Crushers Stadium, in front of a home crowd of 2,321.
Lake Erie broke through first against Gateway starter Deylen Miley (1-0) in the second inning, when Ron Washington, Jr. reached on a walk, went to second base on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a single, and scored on a sacrifice fly by former Grizzlie Jack Harris to give the Crushers a 1-0 lead.
That lead did not last long, as Gateway pounced on Crushers starter and Kirkwood native Jack Eisenbarger (0-1) in the top of the third. Jose Alvarez and Michael Sandle reached on walks to set up Gabe Holt, whose RBI single tied the score at 1-1.
After Holt and Sandle executed a double-steal, Andrew Moritz was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Peter Zimmermann, who drew another walk from Eisenbarger to put Gateway ahead 2-1.
A wild pitch would bring in the final run for Gateway, and Miley held that 3-1 lead for the remainder of his five strong innings in his Grizzlies debut, striking out seven and walking two to earn the win.
The Grizzlies’ bullpen was also outstanding behind him, combining to allow just a single unearned run on one hit and two walks over the final four innings of the game.
Osvaldo Berrios was charged with the run on a two-out RBI double in the eighth inning by Vincent Byrd, Jr., but he struck out Alfredo Gonzalez representing a potential lead run to end that frame. Lukas Veinbergs was not challenged in the ninth inning, retiring the Crushers in order to pick up the save.
Game 2 of the season-opening series will be Saturday night at Crushers Stadium. New Grizzlies pitcher Ryne Moore will make his debut and first start for the team, while Lake Erie’s Leonardo Rodriguez will start for the home club. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Inning | Scoring Play | V – H |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Erie Crushers 2nd | J. Harris flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI; E. Skender advanced to third; R. Washingto scored. | 0 – 1 |
| Gateway Grizzlies 3rd | G. Holt singled to left field, RBI; M. Sandle advanced to second; J. Alvarez scored. | 1 – 1 |
| Gateway Grizzlies 3rd | P. Zimmerman walked, RBI; A. Moritz advanced to second; G. Holt advanced to third; M. Sandle scored. | 2 – 1 |
| Gateway Grizzlies 3rd | P. Zimmerman advanced to second; A. Moritz advanced to third; G. Holt scored on a passed ball, unearned. | 3 – 1 |
| Lake Erie Crushers 8th | Byrd, Jr doubled to center field, RBI; B. Dixon scored. | 3 – 2 |