Gateway exploded early in Florence on Saturday night, posting six runs in the second inning to set up an 8-0 win at Y’alls Ballpark.
Y’alls RHP Jonathan Vance set down the first four Grizzlies batters before chaos broke loose in the top of the 2nd. After Dustin Woodcock was hit by a pitch, Andres Regnault (3) crushed a two-run homer over the fence in left to make it 2-0 Gateway. On top of that, the onslaught didn’t stop there. Nick Rotola (4) followed with a solo blast, Dylan Jones walked and then Justin Jones (1) hit another two-run home run to make it 5-0 Gateway. Nate Etheridge plated another run on an RBI double in his second at bat of the inning to pad the lead to 6-0.
In the meantime, Grizzlies RHP Drew Clavenna silently but effectively set down the Y’alls with ease. The Northwestern Ohio alum went five scoreless in his professional debut while allowing four hits and striking out one. Gateway added more insurance in the top of the 5th when Dylan Jones flared a two-run single to expand the lead 8-0. Etheridge rounded out the scoring with an RBI groundout in the 9th, pushing the score to 9-0 and marking the Oregon native’s 4th RBI in his first three games with the club.
Florence strung together a brief rally in the 9th. Joe Lytle and Luis Pintor hit consecutive doubles preceding a Chad Sedio (6) two-run home run that sliced the deficit to 9-3. However, Grizzlies RHP Carlos Vega shut the door after that.
Clavenna (1-0) took the victory in his first pro appearance while Y’alls RHP Jonathan Vance (0-1) got charged with the loss in his Frontier League debut.
The Grizzlies and Y’alls wrap up the series with the rubber match on Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Y’alls Ballpark is set for 1:59 p.m CDT and you can listen live on YO Radio or watch on Frontier League TV. Coverage begins with the Budweiser Pregame Show at 1:45 p.m.
