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Traverse City, Mich. – After mounting a comeback to tie the game at 3-3 in the seventh inning, the Gateway Grizzlies watched the Traverse City Beach Bums win on a walk-off homer from Elijah Trail in the bottom half of the ninth in a 4-3 loss. Despite the defeat, the Grizzlies still took two of three from Traverse City in a three-game set.
The Grizzlies (29-30) trailed 3-0 heading into the seventh, as they struggled to score against Traverse City starter Dylan Stoops. Josh Bunselmeyer started the inning with a walk but Stoops settled down to retire the next two batters in a row. Sam Fischer laced a single to right field and that led to RHP Luke Barker coming on to pitch.
Cody Livesay then stepped in and hit a ball off Barker’s leg that trickled away and loaded the bases. With two outs, Craig Massoni rocketed a bases clearing double down the left field to score all three runs and tie the game.
In the ninth, RHP JaVaun West (1-4) returned for his second inning of work and allowed the homer to Trail to begin the frame.
LHP Corey Kimes started the game for Gateway and turned in a great performance, as he threw seven innings while giving up just three runs. The game got off to a rough start for Kimes, as the Beach Bums (24-33) received a two-run blast from Will Kenjer to begin the scoring in the first. Kimes allowed an RBI single to Giancarlo Brugnoni to extend Traverse City’s lead to 3-0.
The unsung hero for Traverse City was RHP Andrew Brockett (3-3), who retired Gateway’s offense in order during the ninth inning. That set up Trail’s heroics in the bottom half.
The Grizzlies now head down to the Chicago area for a three-game series against the Windy City ThunderBolts beginning on Friday night. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. Gateway sends RHP Adam Eggnatz to the mound.
The game can be heard on the Grizzlies Radio Network, which airs Friday on 1400 AM KJFF and online at www.GatewayGrizzlies.com/Radio
