Missed Chances Abound in Grizzlies' Extra-Inning Loss
Published on August 26, 2025 under Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
PEARL, MS. - The Gateway Grizzlies stranded 13 runners on base on Tuesday night, proving critical in a one-run loss to the Mississippi Mud Monsters on Tuesday night at Trustmark Park by a final score of 4-3 on a walk-off RBI single by Davis Bradshaw.
Mississippi turned a leadoff walk issued in the first inning by Xander Lovin into the game's first run without the aid of a hit when Brayland Skinner stole second base, went to third on a throwing error, and scored on an RBI groundout by Kyle Booker to make it 1-0. The Grizzlies' offense was able to tie the score at 1-1 in the top of the third inning on an RBI single by Jose Alvarez, but stranded two runners on in that frame, and gave the run back plus one in the bottom of the frame to put the Mud Monsters back ahead 3-1.
Gateway would also strand three more runners on base in the fourth and fifth innings combined before putting together a rally in the sixth. Mark Shallenberger was hit by a pitch in his return to the lineup after missing eight games, and Sawyer Smith and Edwin Mateo followed with singles to load the bases for Cole Brannen, who came through with an RBI double scorched down the first base line off the glove of Charlie Updegrave, knotting the score at 3-3.
But with men on second and third base and one out, Gateway could not take the lead in that inning, leaving two more on base. In the later innings, both bullpens held the line, and in the top of the ninth, Brannen led off with a walk, but was caught stealing representing the lead run. With two outs and the bases empty, Gateway would get three straight runners on base with two outs on singles by Alvarez and Abdiel Diaz, plus a walk by D.J. Stewart, but Gabe Holt popped out to first base for the final out, leaving three on base to run the tally to 11 for the contest overall.
After Francis Peguero sent the game to extra innings with a scoreless ninth, a wild pitch by Chris Barraza (1-1) moved Holt, the lead run, to third base with no outs in the International Tiebreaker situation. But yet again the Grizzlies could not come up with the clutch hit to take the lead, as Barraza struck out the side, stranding a pair to make it 13 for the game by the Grizzlies' offense. After a strikeout by Keegan Collett (2-3) for the first out in the bottom half, Bradshaw singled to center field to win the game for Mississippi despite getting out-hit by the Grizzlies nine to five in the game.
Gateway will face a quick turnaround for the middle game of the series against the Mud Monsters, taking the field at 11:00 a.m. CT back at Trustmark Park.
Frontier League Stories from August 26, 2025
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- Missed Chances Abound in Grizzlies' Extra-Inning Loss - Gateway Grizzlies
- ThunderBolts Lose Late Lead to Schaumburg - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Otters Hit Four Home Runs in Series Opening Victory - Evansville Otters
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- ValleyCats Take Series Opener Thanks to Six-Run Fifth - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Three Games, One Big Goodbye: Campus Takeovers, a Noon-Day Party, and Fireworks to Close the Season - Mississippi Mud Monsters
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