Grizzlies Walk off in Third Consecutive Home Opener

June 1, 2017 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Gastonia Grizzlies News Release


Two straight years of walk-off wins in home openers is a coincidence. Three is a trend.

Alex Sosnowski broke for home on a wild pitch and slid under the tag of Forest City catcher Michael Davis to give the Gastonia Grizzlies a 3-2 victory in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was the third consecutive year in which the Grizzlies took a walk-off victory in their home opener, and it improved Gastonia to 2-0 on the Coastal Plain League season.

Two years ago, Anthony Dimino's three-run double in the bottom of the ninth gave the Grizzlies 5-4 win over High Point-Thomasville. Then in 2016, Alex Reynolds hit a base hit in the bottom of the 11th inning and Gastonia took a 9-8 win over Lexington County.

This year, the Grizzlies came into the ninth inning tied. Gastonia took a 2-0 lead in the fifth before Forest City came back to tie the game in the eighth inning, setting up the dramatic ninth.

Player of of the Game: Jacob Breakfield, Gastonia Grizzlies LHP

The 2012 Bessemer City graduate is back for his second season with the Grizzlies, and he shut down Forest City for five scoreless innings Thursday night.

Breakfield, who worked from the stretch throughout the game, allowed five base runners and stranded them all in his outing. He allowed four hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

Just before he arrived back home in Gaston County this summer, Breakfield completed his first season at Western Carolina University. He was 1-2 with a 9.00 ERA this spring for the Catamounts, walking 12 and striking out 18 in 17 innings of work.

Big Moment: In the bottom of the ninth, Belmont Abbey catcher Thomas Yoder led off the inning with a double to the gap and Sosnowski pinch ran. Bradley Evans followed with a base hit, and head coach Evan Wise held Sosnowski at third.

With Austin Riggins at the plate, Landon Whitson of Forest City threw a breaking ball in the dirt that got away. Sosnowski, an infielder from the University of Tennessee, sprinted home, slid in safely, and his teammates mobbed him at the plate. Whitson took the loss, allowing one run and recording one out. Luke Mercer got the win for the Grizzlies, throwing 1 â..." scoreless innings.

Next up: No rest for the weary. The Grizzlies (2-0) and Owls (1-1) will be back at it again Friday at McNair Field in Forest City. The Grizzlies' next home game will be Saturday at 7:05 p.m. against the Savannah Banana. Gastonia will host its first fireworks show of the summer the game.



Coastal Plain League Stories from June 1, 2017


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