Ian Kahaloa fired seven shutout innings Wednesday, but the Gateway Grizzlies mounted only five hits — all singles — in a 1-0 loss to the Florence Freedom at UC Health Stadium.
The seven innings marked a career-high for Kahaloa, a former fifth-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds, but the Grizzlies (28-38) squandered their only significant threat in the sixth inning when Connor Owings grounded into a double play to end the frame after the Grizzlies put runners on the corners with one out.
Gateway bounced into three twin-killings Wednesday.
Florence (42-27) improved upon its league-best record and stretch its marked to 10-1 against the Grizzlies this year.
Wednesday was the Freedom’s second shutout of the Grizzlies in July.
Jason Seever (1-1) took his first professional loss on a sacrifice fly by Ricky Ramirez Jr. in the eighth inning.
Brent Sakurai and Gunnar Buhner had the only two multi-hit games for the Grizzlies; they each singled to set the Grizzlies up with two on and one out in the ultimately futile sixth-inning rally. Buhner also stole a base.
Gateway and Florence will meet for the final time in 2019 with a 5:35 p.m. CDT first pitch Thursday. Reign Letkeman (2-2, 3.07) is the Grizzlies’ probable starter.
