Right-Hander Bennett Stice Is Brilliant On Mound: Grizzlies Blow Out Slammers

SAUGET – The Gateway Grizzlies received a complete-game effort on the mound from rookie right-hander Bennett Stice (2-0), and plated nine runs to tie a season high for a single inning after a critical two-out error in the bottom of the fourth inning to take control in a 14-3 blowout victory over the Joliet Slammers on Wednesday night at Arsenal BG Ballpark.

Yet again in the games the Grizzlies have won on their current home stand, it was their opponent who scored the first run. In the top of the second inning, Braylin Marine singled, and Jose Contreras hit a line-drive home run to the berm in right-center field for a two-run home run, making it a 2-0 Joliet lead.

But the game turned two innings later with men at second and third base and two outs on Slammers starter Aidan McEvoy (3-4). Paxton Wallace hit a ground ball to Contreras off the line at first base, but he bobbled the ball for an error, allowing a run to score and make it 2-1 Joliet. Abdiel Diaz then followed with a game-tying RBI single, and Cole Brannen hit another ground ball to Contreras, then won the footrace to the bag for an infield hit, extending the inning once more and loading the bases.

Edwin Mateo followed with a go-ahead, pinch-hit RBI single for a 4-2 Grizzlies lead, and Jose Alvarez would plate another run with an RBI single of his own. D.J. Stewart kept the parade moving with yet another RBI single, making the score 6-2 and forcing Joliet to take McEvoy out of the game. Then, against reliever Frank Plesac, Dale Thomas capped the monster frame with a three-run home run to right field, putting the Grizzlies in firm command with a 9-2 advantage. All told, Gateway followed the error with seven consecutive hits.

Gateway would also plate four more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull away on a Thomas RBI single with two outs, followed two batters later by a three-run home run by Victor Castillo for a 13-2 lead. Mark Shallenberger completed the Grizzlies’ scoring on the night by also going deep to right field, a solo shot of Jacob Morin in the eighth that marked the rookie’s tenth home run and 40th RBI, making it a 14-2 advantage.

Stice would give up the game’s final run in the top of the ninth inning on two hits, but the Palmyra, Missouri, native otherwise dominated, setting career-highs in innings pitched (9.0) and strikeouts (7) while not walking a single Slammer in pitching the first nine-inning complete game by a Gateway hurler since Teague Conrad in Springfield, Illinois on August 13 of last year.

The Grizzlies will now look to sweep the abbreviated two-game series on Thursday, July 10, in a 10:45 a.m. CT morning ballgame. Gage Vailes will make the start on the mound against Joliet veteran Gunnar Kines at Arsenal BG Ballpark.

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