The Gateway Grizzlies got an outstanding pitching performance from Lukas Veinbergs and five relievers to hold an early lead on Independence Day and beat the Florence Y’alls 5-2, clinching the holiday week series at Grizzlies Ballpark.
Things began well for the Grizzlies’ offense in the first inning, as Florence starter Jake McMahill (1-2) hit two batters and walked another to load the bases with no one out. Two batters later, Abdiel Diaz came through with a two-run single to put the Grizzlies ahead 2-0.
That is the way the game stayed until the fourth inning. Veinbergs (5-3) retired the first seven batters he faced, and struck out five batters in the first three frames. In the fourth, Florence used three straight singles to load the bases, and after Veinbergs picked up his sixth strikeout, he hit Zade Richardson on a 1-2 pitch to force home a run and make the score 2-1. The Gateway starter worked out of further trouble that inning, and also stranded two Florence runners on base in the fifth before the Grizzlies tacked on insurance in the form of a two-out, RBI single by Andrew Penner to take a 3-1 lead into the sixth inning.
Florence again was able to get within a run in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Harrison Dinicola at 3-2, but in the bottom half, McMahill walked three batters in a row with one out. After a pitching change, Gabe Holt came up clutch with a two-run single to right field, expanding the Grizzlies’ cushion to 5-2.
The bullpen took it from there, as Trevor Tietz, Brian Eichhorn, and Colton Easterwood combined to retire all nine batters they faced, with Easterwood striking out the side to earn his seventh save of the season and send the crowd of 5,145 home happy with a fireworks show on the Fourth of July.
The Grizzlies will go for a series sweep against the Y’alls on Wednesday, July 5, at Grizzlies Ballpark. Nathanial Tate will make his first pro start on the mound for Gateway against Florence right-hander Evan Brabrand, with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 p.m. CT.
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.
