Grizzlies' Offense Stifled at Mississippi
Published on May 7, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
PEARL, MISS. - The Gateway Grizzlies were unable to get their bats going on Thursday night at Trustmark Park, dropping a 5-2 decision against the Mississippi Mud Monsters in their season opener.
Ben Harris (0-1) worked around a leadoff walk in the first inning to keep the game 0-0, and almost did so in the third as well, but with two outs and the bases empty after a double-play, Brayland Skinner singled, went to second on a pickoff error by Harris, and scored on a Kyle Booker RBI single to make it 1-0 Mississippi. Travis Holt would follow with a walk, and Jack Holman hit a two-run triple to right-center field, scoring both men on base and making the score 3-0.
After Harris departed following four innings of work, Alec Sparks took over, and after a scoreless fifth inning, a leadoff error put Holman on base. He was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a double by Samil De La Rosa for the first out of the inning, but after another runner reached base, Kasten Furr snuck a double down the third base line, plating both men and making the score 5-0 Mud Monsters.
That was all the offense Mississippi would need behind Preston Johnson (1-0), who held the Grizzlies scoreless over six innings with no walks and eight strikeouts to get the win.
Gateway would break up the shutout in the top of the eighth inning against reliever Jackson Smith. Jose Alvarez reached base on an infield single, and Victor Castillo followed with a deep, two-run home run to right field, making the score 5-2, but the Grizzlies would not get closer in dropping their first season-opening game since 2021.
Gateway will look to bounce back on Friday, May 8, in the middle game of the series against Mississippi. Blake Peyton will take the mound for his professional debut, opposed by Mud Monsters right-hander Brian Williams, with first pitch at Trustmark Park set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
Frontier League Stories from May 7, 2026
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