Gateway starting pitcher Aaron Newcomb allowed only one hit in eight innings in a 1-0 Grizzlies win over the Traverse City Beach Bums Saturday night at GCS Ballpark.
Newcomb (1-0), a right-hander from Carlyle, Ill. struck out four batters and walked only two in his eight innings of work. He threw 97 pitches while notching the win in a game that lasted 1:56. The only Traverse City hit was a third inning single by second baseman Rob Benedict.
Traverse City (0-2) starting pitcher Mike Devine (0-1) matched Newcomb pitch for pitch until the Grizzlies rallied for the game’s only run in the seventh inning.
Jonathan Johnson led off the seventh with a walk and advanced to second base on a Madison Beaird sacrifice bunt. After a wild pitch moved Johnson to third base, Niko Vasquez drove in his second run of the season on a single to give Gateway (2-0) a 1-0 advantage.
Richard Barrett worked a perfect ninth inning to notch his first save of the season.
Traverse City collected only one hit in the game while Gateway picked up just two.
Grizzlies starting pitching has allowed no runs and two hits in 15 innings of work the first two games of the season.
Gateway and Traverse City play game three of the series Sunday afternoon on American Heart Association Day at GCS Ballpark. Right-hander Andrew Aizenstadt gets the start for the Grizzlies, who look for the series sweep. First pitch is set for 3:05.
