Joliet Drops Game Three to Grizzlies

by Lauren Rhodes

JOLIET, IL - To kick off game three, Joliet sent Cam Aufderheide to the mound looking for a series deciding win. After being down 7 runs going into the bottom of the ninth, a small comeback was put forth by the Joliet sluggers, but wasn't enough to give them the lead. The Slammers came up short to Gateway losing today's game 7-2. 

The game would remain scoreless until the top of the third inning seeing Gateway score 2 runs to take the lead over the Slammers. Andres Regnault would get two RBIs on a single out to center field, Connor Owings and Jay Prather would cross the plate putting the score at 2-0. 

An inning later, the Grizzlies would tally up another run with an RBI single from Justin Jones which sent Dustin Woodcock across the plate giving Gateway a 3-0 lead over Joliet. 

The top of the six would see the Grizzlies strike yet again putting up another run on the board. Connor Owings hit an RBI double, scoring Abdiel Diaz. Gateway now had a 4-0 lead.

Joliet would call to the bullpen in the top of the seventh, bringing Keon Taylor to the mound. The righty sidewinder would relive Aufderheide. Aufderheide would face off against 26 Grizzlies on the mound.  

Taylor would only see one inning on the mound as the Slammers sent Brad VanAsdlen to the mound in the top of the eighth inning. Taylor would see four batters, one being a strikeout. 

Gateway would put 3 more runs up in the top of the eighth inning. Abdiel Diaz would get to first on a rare error from Slammers shortstop Tyler Depreta-Johnson; the play would see Jose Rosario score. A sacrifice fly by Justin Jones would score Dustin Woodcock. Chase Vallot, pinch hitting for Ty Moore, would put up a sacrifice fly, scoring Abdiel Diaz. Going into the bottom half of the inning, Gateway would have a commanding 7-0 lead. 

The ninth inning saw Slammers ace Trevor Charpie take to the hill. Charpie would relieve VanAsdlen after one inning on the mound. VanAsdlen would face 8 batters in the eighth inning. The Slammers would tally up 2 late runs to chip away at the Grizzlies lead. An RBI single by Dave Matthews would send Brylie Ware home. Scott Holzwasser would get to fist on an error by the Grizzlies shortstop, the play saw Dave Matthews score. The two runs would be too little too late for the Slammers as a pop fly would end the inning giving Gateway the 7-2 win. Today's loss puts the Slammers record at 21-38 on the season. 

Join us for the next home game on Tuesday, August 3rd at 7:05 p.m. The three game series will see the Slammers take on the Lake Erie Crushers. Tuesday is a $2 Tuesday and is also School Professionals Appreciation Night. 


About the Joliet Slammers: The Joliet Slammers play at DuPage Medical Group Field in downtown Joliet, Illinois.  They will play their 10th season in 2020.  Visit the Slammers online at www.jolietslammers.com or call the office at 815-722-2287 for more information.  Don’t forget to “Like” the Slammers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jolietslammers or follow them on Twitter at @jolietslammers and Instagram at @jolietslammersofficial