The Evansville Otters could not overcome some miscues in the field and getting hurt by three home runs on Saturday, as they lost to the Gateway Grizzlies 7-6.
The game started well for the Otters, pitching a scoreless first and then scoring four runs in the top of the second inning.
Three runs had already crossed the plate in the second when Josh Allen drove in the first of two RBIs on the night with a single to score Justin Felix.
Evansville’s four-run lead didn’t last long, as the Gateway Grizzlies cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second off two defensive errors by the Otters.
In the bottom of the fourth, Gateway took a 6-4 lead, tagging Evansville starter Braden Scott for two home runs in the inning. The first was a three-run homer by Justin Jones, and the other was a solo shot by Jack Harris.
In the seventh, it seemed the momentum was switching back to the Otters, getting an RBI single from Jeffrey Baez to score Miles Gordon and bringing the Otters back within one, 6-5.
Not fazed, the Grizzlies’ Andres Regnault launched a solo homer after the seventh inning stretch to put Gateway back ahead by two runs, 7-5.
Evansville produced a solid rally in the top of the eighth, as Allen picked up his second RBI knock that scored Felix and came within a run at 7-6.
However, the Otters’ rally would stop there for the final score.
Offensively, Allen led the Otters with three hits and a pair of RBIs. Gordon also had a good night at the plate with a couple of hits.
For Gateway, Justin Jones finished with four RBIs.
By the end, Evansville left 12 runners on base, which included a couple bases-loaded situations, compared to Gateway’s three. The Otters will look to flip that statistic going forward.
On the mound, Evansville starting pitcher Braden Scott took the loss. He went 6.2 innings, allowing seven runs – five earned – with six strikeouts.
Samson Abernathy made his return from injury with an inning and a third scoreless.
Gateway’s Jack Dicenso received the win, giving up four runs – one earned – in five innings. Carson Cupo pitched 1.2 innings with three strikeouts for the save.
Following Saturday’s games, the Otters are now a half game ahead of the Florence Y’alls in the Frontier League West Division standings, following Florence’s win Saturday against Southern Illinois.
Sunday’s first pitch for the series finale at Gateway is 5:45 p.m. Sunday’s pitching matchup will be right-hander Polo Portela for Evansville against righty Matt Mulhearn for Gateway.
