MARION, Il– The Gateway Grizzlies used an outstanding pitching performance from Vince Molesky and Evan Rogers’ first professional two homer game to top the Southern Illinois Miners, 6-3, Tuesday at Rent One Park.
Rogers put the Grizzlies on top in the second inning, following a Terry McClure single with a two run shot off Southern Illinois starter Chris Washington (3-6.) McClure would reach first on a fielder’s choice in the fourth, setting up Rogers second two-run blast of the evening as Gateway raced out to a 4-0 lead.
Molesky (7-7) faced the minimum through three and one third innings. Brett Wiley recorded the Miners first hit in the bottom of the fourth before coming around to score on a Craig Massey RBI-single. Molesky would not allow another Miner to cross the plate, hurling eight one run innings while striking out four and walking just one en route to picking up the win.
McClure notched his fifth hit in two games with an eighth inning single off Miners reliever Austin Dubsky and Rogers followed with a double to setup a second and third situation for Chase Simmons. Simmons then provided two Gateway insurance runs with a single that caromed off the third base bag, scoring McClure and Rogers and pushing the Grizzlies in front, 6-1.
Michael Elwood toed the rubber in the ninth for Gateway and walked Nolan Earley before surrendering a pair of RBI-singles to Massey and Anthony Critelli. However, with two outs Elwood would induce London Lindley in to a fly out to right ending the ballgame and preserving a Grizzlies 6-3 victory.
Gateway will look for the series victory on Wednesday with right hander Will Anderson on the mound opposing Southern Illinois’ righty Matt Parish. First pitch is slated for 7:05 at Rent One Park.
