GRIZZLIES DROP SERIES OPENER IN FLORENCE

Sauget, Ill. - The Gateway Grizzlies fell 6-5 to the Florence Freedom in their series opener at UC Health Stadium on Friday evening. 

The Grizzlies (39-38) watched the Freedom (34-42) score three times in the first inning against RHP Vince Molesky as Collins Cuthrell hit an RBI single and Josh Henderson drove in a pair of runners with a base hit. Molesky (4-7) went 3.2 innings while giving up five runs. Two of the runs were unearned. 

Gateway rallied against Florence righty Jordan Kraus in the second. Kraus (2-4) allowed a leadoff double to Craig Massoni, who came around to score on a single from Jason Scholl. Logan Davis later plated a run on a fielder's choice to make it 3-2.

In the fourth, Zach Lavy smashed a solo homer to tie the game at 3-3.

The Freedom (34-42) struck back against Molesky in the bottom half of the fourth. Isaac Wenrich led off the frame with a homer while Florence scratched across another run to lead 5-3. 

In the top of the fifth, Brandon Thomas picked up an RBI for Gateway with a sac fly to centerfield as the Grizzlies made it 5-4. 

After Florence got a run in the seventh, the Grizzlies pulled within a single run again as Ben Waldrip crushed his eighth homer of the season. Gateway trailed 6-5 after Waldrip's solo shot. 

In the ninth, RHP Ethan Gibbons allowed a leadoff walk to Cody Livesay but the Grizzlies stranded him there. Gibbons picked up his ninth save of the season. 

A bright spot for Gateway was the relief pitching, as RHP Jon Pusateri tossed 1.2 scoreless innings. RHP Kevin Jefferis allowed a run in his 1.2 innings while RHP Will LaMarche tossed a scoreless frame.

The Grizzlies and Freedom play the middle game of their series on Saturday evening at 5:05 p.m. The game can be heard on the Grizzlies Radio Network, which airs Saturday on 1400 AM KJFF, 94.3 FM WBGZ, and online at www.GatewayGrizzlies.com/Radio.