Grizzlies Blast Mississippi in Series Opener
June 20, 2025 - Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
SAUGET, ILL. - The Gateway Grizzlies bounced back into the win column in a big way on Friday night, pounding out a season-high 22 hits and scoring in every single inning but one in an 18-3 blowout over the Mississippi Mud Monsters at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
In the first inning, the Grizzlies pounced on Mississippi starter Joshua Paulina (2-3) right away, as Mark Shallenberger brought in Gabe Holt with a two-out RBI single to make it 1-0, went to second base on the throw from the outfield, and scored on a subsequent RBI single by Abdiel Diaz, putting Gateway ahead 2-0.
That lead did not last long, as the Mud Monsters scored three runs in the top of the second inning to take the lead back, going ahead on a two-run homer by Victor Diaz that wrapped around the left field foul pole. But those were the only runs Ben Harris (2-0) allowed in his home debut for the Grizzlies, as the rookie right-hander pitched a "quality start" by lasting six innings and striking out three batters.
Meanwhile, Gateway continued to pile on offense all night long. In the bottom of the second inning, they loaded the bases with one out for Victor Castillo, who smashed a grand slam deep over the right field wall to put the Grizzlies ahead to stay at 6-3. After a single and a walk, Diaz and Dale Thomas came up with back-to-back RBI hits for an 8-3 advantage, and a passed ball and wild pitch later in the inning capped off the frame with a 10-3 lead for the home team.
The Grizzlies would go on to score two more runs in the third on a wild pitch and another RBI single by Thomas, one run in the fifth on an RBI single by Jose Alvarez, three runs in the sixth thanks to an RBI double by Shallenberger and a Thomas sacrifice fly along with another passed ball, and single runs in the seventh and eighth for the final 18-3 margin.
A whopping five batters for the Grizzlies had at least three hits in the contest, led by a career-best four from Thomas in a 4-for-5 performance along with three runs scored and three RBIs. Alvarez, Diaz, D.J. Stewart, and Edwin Mateo had the other three-hit nights, while Thomas joined three other Gateway batters with three runs scored in the balanced, team effort.
Now 4-0 this season against Mississippi, the Grizzlies will look to make it back-to-back wins over the Mud Monsters in the middle game of the weekend set on Saturday, June 21. Zac Treece will start on the mound for Gateway against the Mud Monsters' Rodney Theophile, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
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