The Gateway Grizzlies (3-0) completed the opening weekend sweep of the Empire State Greys (0-3) with a 12-2 victory at GCS Credit Union Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
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After the first inning went scoreless for the first time in the series, the Grizzlies offense went to work in the second inning when Jackson Pritchard drove in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. In the bottom of the third inning, Andrew Penner tripled and scored on a passed ball to make it 2-0, with Trevor Achenbach and Isaac Benard following Penner with back-to-back solo home runs to make it 4-0.
Later, in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Grizzlies capitalized on two hit-by-pitches and a walk. Jay Prather ripped an RBI single for a 5-0 lead. With one out and the bases still loaded, the game paused due to a rain delay which lasted just under an hour. Once the skies cleared, Jackson Pritchard connected for Gateway’s first grand slam of 2022 to blow the lead up to 9-0.
Empire State got on the board in the top of the sixth thanks to a two-run double by Jordan Scott. But Gateway got three runs back in the bottom half of the frame thanks to a three-RBI triple by Cam Touchette to make it 12-2.
Pritchard led the way offensively by going 2-for-3 with the grand slam, a sacrifice fly and a career-high five RBIs. Penner also finished 2-for-3 with a double, triple and a run scored as the Grizzlies recorded double-digit runs in three straight games for the first time since 2011.
Meanwhile, on the mound, Clint Freeman pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and notching five strikeouts. Matt Mulhearn (1-0) then tossed four innings of relief, allowing two runs and recording five strikeouts to get the win. Colton Easterwood and John Murphy each tossed a scoreless inning to finish out the afternoon.
Off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2018, the Grizzlies will continue their six-game homestand on Tuesday, May 16 at 6:45 p.m. at GCS Credit Union Ballpark when the Trois-Rivieres Aigles visit for the start of a three-game series.
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.
