Good Is Great, Grizzlies Come Back to Beat Otters
Published on May 26, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
SAUGET, ILL. - The Gateway Grizzlies fell behind the Evansville Otters early, but came all the way back with a six-run bottom of the sixth inning for a 7-3 victory at Arsenal BG Ballpark on Tuesday night. It was their second straight win and third in their last four games, while also snapping the visitors' six-game win streak.
Ty Good (2-0) struggled in the first inning, giving up three runs on four hits, including a two-run home run by Amani Jones just two batters into the game. After a J.J. Cruz RBI single with two outs made it 3-0, however, Good would dominate for the rest of his outing, retiring 16 straight Evansville batters and eventually working seven innings with five strikeouts, the longest start by a Grizzlies pitcher this season.
Meanwhile, the Gateway offense struggled to rev up against Evansville right-hander Landon Willeman. After being no-hit for five-plus innings last week against him on the road, three straight singles in the second inning broke the ice on the scoreboard, capped by an RBI single by Tate Wargo that made the score 3-1.
Willeman then settled into a groove of his own until the bottom of the sixth inning, which would end up turning into the critical inning of the game. Dale Thomas led off with a line drive to right-center field that appeared to bounce on the field of play before caroming over the fence. But it was called a home run by the first base umpire, and also upheld upon a discussion between all three officials, resulting in the ejections of both Willeman and Otters manager Andy McCauley, and the score becoming 3-2 Evansville.
Nolan Thebiay (2-2) was then summoned in the emergency situation, and walked Victor Castillo before recording two straight outs. With Castillo representing the tying run at third base, Cole Brannen extended the inning with another walk, and Sawyer Smith came up clutch with an RBI single to knot the score at 3-3
Gateway was not done. The next batter, Jose Alvarez, hit a sharp ground ball to Otters shortstop T.J. Salvaggio, who could not field it cleanly, with the error allowing Brannen to score to give the Grizzlies the lead at 4-3. After another pitching change, Mark Shallenberger teed off on David Eckaus' first pitch for his Frontier League-leading eighth home run of the season, a three-run home run to right field that made the score 7-3, capping the remarkable frame. Matt Hickey then polished off the game with a pair of scoreless innings to seal the win.
The Grizzlies will go for a third straight win on Wednesday, May 27, sending Blake Peyton to the mound in the middle game of the series against Evansville's Ryan Wiltse. First pitch in Sauget is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.
Frontier League Stories from May 26, 2026
- Bird Dawgs Set Franchise Hit Record Again, Hold off Ottawa for 10-8 Victory - Down East Bird Dawgs
- Ninth Inning Runs End Home Win Streak for Boomers - Schaumburg Boomers
- Good Is Great, Grizzlies Come Back to Beat Otters - Gateway Grizzlies
- Ford's, Czech's Two-Run Hits in Ninth Lift Washington to Comeback Win - Washington Wild Things
- Otters Silenced After Early Three-Run Lead - Evansville Otters
- Crushers Turn Wacky Triple Play in 6-3 Loss to Y'alls - Lake Erie Crushers
- Baker's Four-Hit Night Fuels Florence - Florence Y'alls
- Hitting Paradise Allows Slammers to Cruise over ThunderBolts - Joliet Slammers
- Slammers Pull Away from ThunderBolts in Series Opener - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Mud Monsters Return Home with Memorial Day Victory - Mississippi Mud Monsters
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