SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies could not get things figured out on the mound on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, with the Evansville Otters scoring eight runs in the sixth inning to make them pay for command issues in a 16-5 loss at Arsenal BG Ballpark.
The Otters got a run in the top of the first to take the early lead against Blake Peyton, and doubled the lead to 2-0 on two walks, a hit batter, and just one hit off of Xander Lovin in the top of the third inning. The Grizzlies were then able to get on the board themselves in the bottom of the third when Mitchell Sanford led off with a double, went to third on a flyout, and scored on an RBI infield single by Cole Brannen to make it 2-1. Later in the inning, an RBI groundout by Sawyer Smith scored Brannen to tie the game at 2-2.
But the control problems persisted. The Otters scored the go-ahead run without a hit in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead off Andrew Rust. In the next inning, Alec Sparks would walk three batters and find a way out of the jam for a scoreless frame, but in the top of the sixth, the wheels would fall off completely. The Otters would send 14 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs on six hits and five walks, with all of the hits except one and all of the walks coming with two outs consecutively against Jake Burcham and Eli Cartwright, putting the game well out of reach.
The Otters would score five more runs in the eighth off of position player Davie Morgan to complete their scoring, while the Grizzlies would plate three runs late on a solo home run by Otto Jones in the seventh and a two-run double by Sanford in the eighth for the final margin.
The Grizzlies will look to win the series in the rubber match on Thursday, July 9, in what will be their final home game before the all-star break. Newly-minted all-star right-hander Gage Vailes will take the mound for Gateway against Evansville right-hander Garret Simpson, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
