Grizzlies Drop Critical Opener to Boomers
July 26, 2024 - Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Sauget, Ill. - After surging in the West Division standings with a 5-1 road trip out of the all-star break, the Gateway Grizzlies came home for another crucial series against the Schaumburg Boomers, and came up short, losing 4-3 in 10 innings at Grizzlies Ballpark to break their four-game win streak.
Gateway had a golden chance in the bottom of the second inning after starter Teague Conrad got out of a jam in the first, loading the bases with no one out against Boomers starter Antonio Frias. They would get one run in the frame on a two-out RBI single by Jose Alvarez to go ahead 1-0, but only got the one run, which Schaumburg would score right back in the top of the third on a two-out RBI single by Anthony Calarco.
Tied at 1-1, Gateway used a leadoff walk and hit batter to lead off the bottom of the third, and David Maberry singled down the right field line to make it a 2-1 game. With runners at the corners, a wild pitch by Frias scored an additional run to give the Grizzlies a 3-1 lead, but that advantage also did not hold in the next half inning.
Conrad walked Aaron Simmons leading off, and after a passed ball advanced the runner to second, a pair of ground balls scored Simmons to make it 3-2. But then Conrad allowed a single to Tyler Depreta-Johnson, followed by a soft, low, line drive to right field by Chase Dawson. Kyle Gaedele could not make a diving catch, and the ball got all the way to the wall for a game-tying RBI triple, making the score 3-3.
That would be the last time either team scored in the contest. Conrad finished a "quality start" by pitching six innings against his former team, and the second part of the game was marked by stellar defensive plays from both teams. Notably, D.J. Stewart was robbed of a go-ahead two-run home run by Christian Fedko on a leaping catch over the right field wall, and Ty Crittenberger was also denied a go-ahead homer to right field by a leaping Gaedele in the seventh, also with the defender tipping over the wall.
In extra innings, Nathanial Tate (1-2) got the first two batters out on a popout and strikeout in the International Tiebreaker, but surrendered yet another Boomers RBI hit with two outs in the game to Fedko, making the score 4-3. Gateway was then unable to advance the tying run past second base in the bottom half of the inning, suffering just their second Friday night loss at home this season.
The Grizzlies will look to bounce back in the middle game of the crucial three-game series on Saturday, July 27, at 6:30 p.m. Collin Sullivan gets the start for Gateway against Schaumburg's Cole Cook at Grizzlies Ballpark.
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