Grizzlies Shut Out Twice, Swept by Otters
Gateway suffers back-to-back blankings in Thursday doubleheader
EVANSVILLE, IND. – The Gateway Grizzlies were swept in a double header in Evansville on Thursday night, losing 3-0 and 1-0, respectively, in seven innings at Bosse Field.
Blake Peyton (0-2) started game one of the twin bill and pitched well after a shaky start. The left-hander was hurt by a pair of leadoff free passes and his own pickoff error in the first, eventually resulting in a two-run inning for Evansville to put the Grizzlies down 2-0. The Otters would then take advantage of another Gateway error in the second inning when T.J. Salvaggio reached base and came around to score on a double steal, making it 3-0 Evansville after two innings.
Peyton settled in very nicely after that, only yielding a pair of weakly hit singles and a walk from there on out. He would finish his start with five innings pitched, and just three hits allowed. But he received no run support in the process, as the Grizzlies were no-hit into the sixth inning until Mark Shallenberger doubled off the center field wall, spoiling the bid at history for Otters starter Landon Willeman (1-0).
Ty Good was given the ball in game two, looking to put an end to Gateway's skid and leave Evansville with a win. In his first pro start since 2024, Good was outstanding. He departed with four innings thrown and six strikeouts, allowing just three hits and a walk to the Otters.
His best moment came in the fourth inning when he escaped a critical jam, preventing Evansville from scoring despite them having runners on first and third base with nobody out. Gage Vailes then followed suit for the Grizzlies, continuing his hot start to the season out of the bullpen and keeping the shutout intact over the next two frames, facing one over the minimum.
The Grizzlies' offense, however, continued to scuffle, and heartbreak came in the bottom of the seventh. After two quick outs to start his appearance, Matt Hickey (0-1) induced a fly ball to right field off the bat of Salvaggio. It was dropped to extend the inning by Victor Castillo in right field, putting the winning run on second base. Another fly ball soon followed from Evansville's Blake Robertson, but this one was also dropped by Tate Wargo in left field. It was the sixth error of the evening for the Grizzlies, and delivered the Otters the doubleheader and series sweep.
Gateway will return home to Arsenal BG Ballpark on Friday night in search of a win against the Lake Erie Crushers, kicking off a weekend series and a six-game home stand. Xander Lovin will get the ball for the opener against Lake Erie's Robert Helt, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis in Sauget, Illinois. The Grizzlies offer baseball fans affordable, family fun at Arsenal BG Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. They have also won two Frontier League Organization of the Year Awards, four West Division titles, and the 2003 Frontier League Championship. For tickets or general information, please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call (618) 337-3000.
The Frontier League debuted in 1993, and is the largest of the Major League Baseball Partner Leagues, featuring teams stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence Seaway. More information and the complete 2026 schedule can be found at frontierleague.com.