FOR RELEASE: MAY 29, 2009

GRIZZLIES DROP GAME ONE AT FLORENCE

FLORENCE, KY-A five-run fifth inning wasn’t enough for the Gateway Grizzlies Friday night. The Florence Freedom came back to score a 10-7 win in game one of a three-game series at Champion Window Field. The loss snaps a brief two-game winning streak for the Grizzlies.

After exchanging runs in the third, the Grizzlies (2-6) took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Jareck West tripled to drive home Stephen Holdren. Florence (6-2) answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 4-2, but the lead would be short-lived.

Freedom starter walked three consecutive hitters to load the bases with nobody out in the top of the fifth. Holdren then lined a 3-2 pitch over the right field wall for a grand slam and a 6-4 Grizzlies lead. The grand slam was Holdren’s first homer of the year. Charlie Lisk followed with a long ball of his own, his second in as many nights, to make it 7-4 Grizzlies.

Holdren finished 2-5 with the four RBIs. Lisk was 3-5 with the solo home run.

The Freedom tied it with a single run in the fifth and two more in the seventh. Freedom centerfielder Erold Andrus tied the game in the seventh with a two-run single. Andrus lined a bases-loaded triple to right center in the eighth to put Florence up for good. The triple followed a hit and two two-out walks by Grizzlies reliever Zach Gray. Gray drops to 0-1 with the loss.

The Grizzlies and Freedom continue the series with game two Saturday night in Florence. First pitch is set for 5:05 central time.

Joe Pott

Broadcaster

Gateway Grizzlies Frontier League Baseball