Connor Owings hit the game-winning home run in the Gateway Grizzlies’ 3-2 win over the Evansville Otters, Friday night in Evansville. (Photo courtesy: Gateway Grizzlies)
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
Unlike the game the night before, when the Gateway Grizzlies and their opponent combined for 24 hits and 22 runs, Friday’s game at historic Bosse Field in Evansville, against the Frontier League West Division-leading Evansville Otters was a pitcher’s duel.
Through seven innings, the Grizzlies and Otters had put up just eight hits and only one run.
But in the final two innings, both teams got hot at the plate and delivered several key hits, including a pair of solo home runs by Gateway’s Dustin Woodcock and Connor Owings that led the Grizzlies to a thrilling 3-2 win.
The Grizzlies led 1-0 after seven innings, thanks to an RBI single by Jay Prather in the sixth. Gateway starting pitcher Sam Gardner was terrific, having allowed no runs and just two hits through six innings.
Teammate Cody Thompson tossed a scoreless seventh for the Grizzlies and that set up the dramatic finish in the eighth and ninth innings.
First, Woodcock launched his sixth homer of the season, deep over the right field wall to make the score 2-0. But Evansville tied it with two runs in the bottom of the eighth.
It would go down as the second straight blown save for Gateway’s Carter Hayes, who came in in the eighth and walked the first two batters, then gave up an RBI hit to Evansville’s Garry Mattis and an RBI sacrifice fly to Andrew Penner.
The Otters, who came into the night tied with Florence with a league-best 44 wins this season, had all the momentum and seemed set up for an exciting walkoff win.
But Owings led off the top of the ninth with a massive blast over the right field wall, for his 12th homer of the season and suddenly, the Grizzlies had the lead again. Owings is now tied with Andres Regnault and Chase Vallot for the Gateway team lead in homers this season.
In the bottom of the ninth, Evansville got a one-hit from their league MVP-candidate J.R. Davis, but Grizzlie closer Tanner Cable got the final two outs to end the game and pick up his sixth save of the season. Despite his second straight tough night on the mound, Hayes (3-2) did pick up the win for the Grizzlies.
The two clubs will play Game 2 of their three-game series, Saturday night at Bosse Field. Veteran righthander Jordan Barrett (3-5) is expected to start for Gateway, while Evansville will like begin the game with rookie Tim Holdgrafer (6-3) on the mound.