Grizzies get thumped in series opener against Florence

The Gateway Grizzlies collected just two hits against the Florence Freedom as they dropped the first game of a three-game series at UC Health Stadium, 9-2 in Florence, Ohio.

Florence starting pitcher Zach Wendorf (1-1) went six innings to pick up his first win of the season. Madison Beaird and Cody Livesay chipped in with a pair of doubles in the third inning to score a run. Those were the only two hits for Gateway.

Frazier Hall doubled in a run to put the Freedom on top 1-0 in the second against Grizzlies’ starter Jordan Spencer (1-1). The Grizzlies responded with a run to tie it in the third before Florence busted the game open in the fourth.

The Freedom (35-41) scored five runs on four hits during the fourth against Spencer. With the bases loaded and one out, an error by Grant Buckner allowed one run to score while Spencer proceeded to walk in a pair of runs while facing the next two hitters. Daniel Fraga then laced a two-run single which made the score 6-1.

Gateway (28-47) scratched across one run in the sixth while RHP Ross Spurgeon dazzled in 2.2 scoreless innings out of bullpen to keep the Grizzlies in reach.

Gateway starter Andrew Delmotte matched Spurgeon with three scoreless frames out of Florence’s bullpen, picking up his first save of the year. The Freedom tacked on one run in the seventh and two more in the eighth inning to make it 9-2.

The Grizzlies and Freedom play the second game of their series on Saturday at 5:05 p.m.

This story was originally published August 15, 2015 at 12:08 AM with the headline "Grizzies get thumped in series opener against Florence."