Home BaseballGateway Grizzlies Big Inning Leads Grizzlies Over Otters

Big Inning Leads Grizzlies Over Otters

by Jason Guerette

The Gateway Grizzlies scored eight runs in the top of the fourth inning against the Evansville Otters, and got another outstanding performance on the mound from Lukas Veinbergs (4-0) en route to a 9-3 win at Bosse Field on Sunday, taking the road series by winning the final two games of the weekend. 

 

Neither team had a hit in the first three innings, and in the fourth, the Grizzlies led off by drawing back-to-back walks off of Vinny Santarsiero (0-1). Trevor Achenbach singled to load the bases, and Kevin Krause followed with a ringing, two-run double to center field to make it 2-0 Grizzlies. After Clint Freeman walked to re-load the bases, forcing a pitching change, Jay Prather walked to force in a run and make it 3-0. 

 

Gateway was far from done. Alex Hernandez followed with a two-run single for a 5-0 lead, and two batters later, with two outs, Isaac Benard walked to again load the bases for Zach Racusin, who singled home two more runs to make the score 7-0. A wild pitch by Jake Polancic capped the big inning at eight runs and an 8-0 lead, tying the most runs the Grizzlies had scored in any inning this year. 

 

Meanwhile, Veinbergs picked up right where he left off on Tuesday in his near-no-hitter against Washington, striking out a career-high nine batters in six shutout innings while keeping the Otters off-balance all day long. After Veinbergs departed, and after Benard extended the lead to 9-0 on s solo homer in the seventh, the Otters were able to plate three runs against the Grizzlies bullpen, but it was not enough, as Gateway took the road set at Bosse Field for the first time since June of 2016.  

 

The Grizzlies return home next for a critical series against the Lake Erie Crushers, with whom Gateway was tied in the standings entering Sunday’s action in the Frontier League. First pitch is scheduled for Tuesday, August 9, at 6:45 p.m. CT at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.

+ posts

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.

Related Articles