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O’Fallon, Mo. – Behind seven solid innings on the mound from RHP Will Landsheft and a productive offensive night, the Gateway Grizzlies beat the River City Rascals in the opener of a three-game series, 6-2. Gateway has won three in a row and eight of their last 10 games.
After scoring 30 runs in the last two games combined, the Grizzlies (18-20) once again got the scoring started early at CarShield Field.
Cody Livesay and Seth Heck started the game with back-to-back singles against RHP Zeb Sneed (2-4). After a walk to load the bases, Tyler Tewell stepped in and rocketed a line drive into center. The ball was misplayed by Rascals centerfielder Alexi Colon and resulted in a three-RBI double for Tewell.
Ben Waldrip capped off the frame with an RBI single to make it 4-0. In the second, Tewell extended Gateway’s lead to 5-0 with another run-scoring double. Blake Brown popped his team-leading eighth home run in the fifth inning to give the Grizzlies a 6-0 edge.
After grabbing an early lead, Landsheft (2-4) buckled down and didn’t allow the Rascals (19-17) to score a run through six innings. He was touched up for two unearned runs in the seventh.
Gateway’s bullpen came on and finished the job. RHP JaVaun West got out of a jam in the eighth when Heck made a dazzling play on a ground ball to second base, starting a 4-6-3 double play to end the frame. RHP Will LaMarche struck out two batters to close things out in the ninth.
The Grizzlies and Rascals continue their series on Saturday night. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. Gateway sends RHP Trevor Richards (2-3, 3.24 ERA) to the mound while River City counters with RHP Tim Koons (2-1, 4.18 ERA).
The game can be heard on the Grizzlies Radio Network, which airs Saturday on 1400 AM KJFF, 1570 AM/94.3 FM WBGZ, and online at www.GatewayGrizzlies.com/Radio
