ThunderBolts Can't Hold Early Lead in Loss to Gateway

June 3, 2025 - Frontier League (FL)
Windy City ThunderBolts News Release

CRESTWOOD, IL - The ThunderBolts jumped out to a 5-1 lead but couldn't hold it as the Gateway Grizzlies came from behind for a 9-6 win in the series opener at Ozinga Field Tuesday night.

Jalen Greer walked for the Bolts (5-18) in the bottom of the first inning and Cam Phelts followed with an RBI triple.

After Bryce Hellgeth retired the first seven batters he faced, Gateway (13-8) evened the score in the third on a Cole Brannen solo home run.

The Bolts' bats broke out in the fourth inning. Phelts walked and eventually stole home to recapture the lead. Later in the inning, Michael Sandle cracked his second homer of the year, a two-run shot that made it 4-1. One pitch later, Dakota Kotowski went out to left field to add one to the lead.

Through the first 4.2 innings, Hellgeth retired 14 of 15 batters but with two outs in the fifth, Gateway took over. Their rally began with a hit by a pitch and an error. Jose Alvarez hit an RBI single and the next four batters all walked. Edwin Mateo capped the rally with a two-run double to put the Bolts behind 7-5.

They got one more run on a Garrett Broussard RBI double in the sixth, but the Grizzlies salted the game away with single runs in the eighth and ninth.

Alvery De Los Santos (1-0) picked up his first win despite allowing six runs in 5.1 innings. Darrien Williams (0-1) took the loss. Leoni De La Cruz pitched the ninth for his first save.

The series continues on Wednesday night as the ThunderBolts send Buddie Pindel (1-2, 3.38) to the mound against Gateway's Lukas Veinbergs (2-1, 2.35). It is Senior Night and Military Appreciation Night as well as Karaoke Night at Ozinga Field with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 CDT. The broadcast information can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.

Frontier League Stories from June 3, 2025

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