GRIZZLIES STRUGGLE IN RUBBER-MATCH LOSS

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The Gateway Grizzlies fell behind in the middle innings Sunday afternoon and never recovered in an 11-6 loss to the Evansville Otters at Bosse Field.

Gateway (33-51) trailed 9-0 after the fifth inning, battled back in the sixth and seventh, but couldn't find a last big hit to get into the ballgame in the late innings.

Luke Lowery homered in the sixth inning — a three-run shot that was one of his three hits Sunday — to pull the Grizzlies within 11-6 and they followed by loading the bases with nobody out in the eighth inning, but Isaiah Cullum, Connor Owings, and Brent Sakurai all struck out to leave the bases juiced.

Evansville (49-35) took the series, two games to one, and pulled into a virtual tie with the Florence Freedom for first place in the West Division. The Otters piled up three runs in the third inning, five in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one final tally in the sixth to cruise to victory.

Reign Letkeman (3-4) was charged with eight runs (only three earned) over three-plus innings and took the loss. Grant Black was the only standout on the mound for the Grizzlies: He hurled two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.

In addition to Luke Lowery's 3-for-4 performance, Wesley Jones had three singles and an RBI and Sakurai added a pair of base knocks with a run.

Gateway will be off Monday before opening a six-game homestand with a 6:35 p.m. CDT first pitch Tuesday against the Schaumburg Boomers at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.

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ABOUT THE GATEWAY GRIZZLIES: The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 100-yards from I-255 (10 minutes from downtown St. Louis). The Grizzlies offer baseball fans entertainment, the likes of which are difficult to find - affordable, family, fun in the comfortable GCS Credit Union Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. For tickets or general information please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call 618.337.3000.

ABOUT THE FRONTIER LEAGUE: The Frontier League is a professional, independent baseball organization. Since its inception, the Frontier League has provided millions of fans to a fun and exciting baseball experience within the American Midwest. Consisting of 10 teams in two divisions and 96 game schedules, the league is recognized for the amount of talented athletes that are picked up by various MLB teams every year.