
Knockouts Open Road Trip with Victory in Gateway
July 2, 2024 - Frontier League (FL)
New England Knockouts News Release
SAUGET, IL- Austin White went 2 for 4 with two RBIs to give New England an 8-7 victory over Gateway on Tuesday night at Grizzlies Ballpark. The Knockouts improved to 13-32 and the Grizzlies 24-21.
New England starting pitcher Liam O'Sullivan secured his second win of the season, improving his record to 2-7. He pitched seven innings, during which he allowed 13 hits and six earned runs, and issued a single walk while striking out two batters. Reeves Martin stepped in for two innings in relief, effectively shutting the door and earning the save. Gateway starting pitcher Lukas Veinbergs pitched 5.2 innings and allowed nine hits, six runs (with five earned), walked a batter, and struck out three Knockouts, resulting in a no decision. Alec Whaley took the loss, bringing his season record to 1-1 after pitching 0.2 innings, allowing two hits and one earned run.
Gateway took an early lead in the game, scoring in the first inning. Gabe Holt started things off with a single, and then D.J. Steward hit a two-run home run, marking his eighth homer of the season.
Jack-Thomas Wold hit a single in the bottom of the second and then advanced to second base. Two batters later Kevin Krause delivered a double that resulted in an RBI, extending the Grizzlies' lead to 3-0.
New England made a remarkable comeback by scoring three runs in a single inning. The action-packed sequence began with Danny Crossen 's hit by pitch and J.R. DiSarcina 's double, putting the Knockouts with two runners in scoring position. The tension mounted as White delivered a two-run single, narrowing the Grizzlies' lead to just one run. Then, John Cristino stepped up and tied the game with an RBI single. The Knockouts continued to put pressure on the Grizzlies as they found themselves with two runners on base and only one out. However, hopes were dashed when Tommy Kretzler flew out to the center fielder, and Brady West flew out to second base, resulting in the end of the inning.
Holt started things off with a leadoff double in the third. Two batters later, Peter Zimmerman came through with an RBI single, allowing the Grizzlies to take the lead. But Gateway wasn't finished yet. David Maberry singled and Wold walked, loading the bases. Kevin Krause then solidified Gateway's lead with a base hit, bringing the score to 5-3. Moving into the fourth inning, both Holt and Steward delivered base hits, and Zimmerman once again came through with another RBI single, further extending the Grizzlies' lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, Jake Boone hit his third home run of the season, narrowing the score to 6-4. Then, Ramon Jimenez led off the top of the sixth with a double, and later on J.R. DiSarcina elevated the Knockouts performance with a huge RBI base hit, bringing the game to a one-run difference. With two outs and runners in scoring position, DiSarcina seized the opportunity and scored on a passed ball, resulting in a tie game at six runs each.
In the seventh inning, Jalen Garcia stepped up and hit his sixth home run of the season, giving the Knockouts a 7-6 lead. The Knockouts added another run in the eighth inning. However, in the bottom half of the inning, Gateway rallied. Gaedele and Krause both singled, Brannen got hit by a pitch, and Abdiel Diaz walked, bringing in a run for the Grizzlies. New England's Reeves Martin found himself in a tough spot with the bases loaded and nobody out. However, the team managed to turn a ground out into an inning-ending triple play, preserving their one-run lead.
Four different players from the New England team each had two hits, and four players from the Knockouts also recorded hits. In an impressive display from the Grizzlies, Holt, Zimmermann, and Kevin Krause each had three hits, while Stewart and David Maberry had multi-hit games. Additionally, Wold and Gaedele contributed with one hit each.
The Knockouts continue their road trip tomorrow, playing in game two against the Gateway Grizzlies. They return to Campanelli on July 9th, beginning a six-game homestead against the Tri-City ValleyCats. Tickets for the week can be found at https://tickets.knockoutsbaseball.com/.
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Frontier League Stories from July 2, 2024
- Knockouts Open Road Trip with Victory in Gateway - New England Knockouts
- Grizzlies Suffer Tough Loss to New England - Gateway Grizzlies
- Crushers Explode for 9-5 Win - Windy City ThunderBolts
- White Homers Twice in Series Opening Win - Evansville Otters
- Cook Dominates Titans, See Win Streak Snapped - Ottawa Titans
- Y'alls Take Opener with Late Homer - Washington Wild Things
- ValleyCats Capitalize on Capitales' Miscues - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Boomers Blank Ottawa - Schaumburg Boomers
- Y'alls Hold off Wild Things - Florence Y'alls
- Battle of the Badges II - Sussex County Miners
- Ottawa Titans Announce Transactions - Ottawa Titans
- Wild Things Sign Ex-Red Sox Farmhand Brendan Nail - Washington Wild Things
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