SAUGET, Ill. – After a boon of early runs followed by six scoreless innings, the Grizzlies won a home run derby 5-2 to complete a 5-5 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers.
Lake Erie established an early lead. With two outs in the top of the first inning, Brody Wofford rolled a hard ground ball all the way to the right-center field wall for an RBI double. One inning later, former Grizzlie and current Crusher Shawon Dunston Jr. laced another two-out RBI double for an early 2-0 cushion.
But then, in the bottom of the second, an incredible offensive explosion began. First, the Grizzlies took a 4-2 lead after a Connor Owings three-run home run and a Dylan Jones solo blast. Once the Crushers came back up to bat, Trevor Achenbach, Brody Wofford and Karl Ellison went yard back-to-back-to-back to reclaim a 5-4 advantage.
Later, in the bottom of the third, Owings hit his second long ball of the night to deep right field and squared the score 5-5.
Both teams failed to score between the fifth and tenth innings, leading to Gateway’s third home run derby tiebreaker of the 2021 season. The Grizzlies only needed two batters to down the Crushers 5-0 in the battle. Since the game went to a derby, there is no winning or losing pitcher.
The Grizzlies host the Crushers for the second meeting of three this week on Wednesday night. First pitch at GCS Credit Union Ballpark is set for 6:45 p.m and you can listen live on YO Radio or watch on Frontier League TV. Coverage begins with the Budweiser Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m.
