The Southern Illinois Miners beat the Joliet Slammers twice on Sunday at Rent One Park to sweep a doubleheader by 4-2 and 7-4 final scores, winning their fifth and sixth games in a row overall and taking over sole possession of first place in the Frontier League’s East Division for the first time this season.
In game one, the pitching was the story. Both Matt Bywater (3-0) and former Miner David Kubiak (1-3) pitched the whole game for their respective ballclubs. But it was the reigning Pitcher of the Year who emerged victorious by giving up just three hits and two unearned runs over seven innings, walking only one and striking out a career-high 11 to get the Miners the win on the mound.
The winning hit was driven in by Aaron Gates, whose two-run triple in the fourth proved to be the difference, breaking a 2-2 tie and sending the Miners to victory to clinch the series win in Marion. Jon Minucci also went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in the game.
In game two, the Miners’ offense took center stage as Southern Illinois scored in every inning except the sixth to sweep the series at Rent One Park. They scored single runs in the first, second, third and fifth on RBIs from Wendell Fairley, Brendan Slattery, Niko Vasquez and Gates, while plating three runs in the fourth to blow the game open. Vasquez and Fairley both picked up additional RBIs in the frame, with another run coming home on a wild pitch. Joliet would get within striking distance twice thanks to three RBIs from catcher Dante Rosenberg, but Will Rankin came in and earned his seventh save in as many chances to shut the door in the seventh inning.
Fairley and Vasquez both had two hits and two RBIs in the second contest while Slattery finished 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI as Southern Illinois improved to 11-4 on the season. With Evansville being swept in a doubleheader at Windy City, the Miners now hold first place in the East Division by a full game over the Otters.
The Miners will next host the Schaumburg Boomers in a rematch of last year’s division series beginning on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. looking to extend their winning streak at Rent One Park.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2014 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at 618-998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
Jason Guerette is the Grizzlies' Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations and the "Voice of the Grizzlies." 2023 will be his second season with the organization, handling lead broadcasting duties on the Grizzlies Media Network as well as being in charge of all team press releases and game-day media materials.
2023 will also be Jason's ninth season in the Frontier League after spending 2014-21 in the same role with the Southern Illinois Miners. Overall, he has broadcasted close to 800 games in the league, including playoffs. During the baseball offseason, he serves as a play-by-play broadcaster for Manhattan College and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with games being seen on ESPN+ among other platforms.
In addition to broadcasting, Jason works as a public address announcer for Seton Hall University women's basketball as well as Columbia University men's and women's basketball. He also spent nine years working "behind the scenes" as a freelance board operator and highlight editor at Westwood One for their coverage of the NFL, NCAA football, and NCAA basketball.
Jason graduated from Seton Hall in 2012 with B.A. in Communication Studies and a minor in Broadcasting & Visual Media.
