The Gateway Grizzlies’ 2025 season came to a bittersweet end on Saturday, September 13, at Arsenal BG Ballpark, as they fell 4-2 to the Schaumburg Boomers in Game 3 of the Midwest Conference Finals in a series sweep.
Lukas Veinbergs (1-1) took the mound for the Grizzlies and delivered a stellar performance early, keeping the Boomers scoreless through the first three and two-thirds innings. His command was sharp, striking out eight batters over six innings and holding Schaumburg’s potent lineup in check for much of the game. However, the Boomers broke through in the fourth with a two-out rally. A walk and a double set the stage for back-to-back RBI singles by Aaron Simmons and Alex Calarco, giving Schaumburg a 2-0 lead.
The Grizzlies, who hadn’t scored since Game 1, finally broke their 15-inning drought in the fifth. Cole Brannen ignited the home crowd with a solo home run to right field off Schaumburg’s Buddie Pindel (1-0), cutting the deficit to 2-1. The momentum seemed to shift, and in the sixth, Gateway had the tying run in scoring position. Unfortunately, the big hit eluded them, leaving the score unchanged.
In the seventh, Schaumburg extended their lead. A leadoff single followed by a two-run homer from Kyle Fitzgerald chased Veinbergs from the game and put the Boomers up 4-1. The Grizzlies, however, refused to go down without a fight. In the bottom of the seventh, D.J. Stewart delivered a two-out RBI single, scoring a run to make it 4-2 and putting the tying runs on base. The tension was palpable as Jose Alvarez stepped up and crushed a drive to left-center field. But Schaumburg’s Aaron Simmons made a jaw-dropping diving catch on the warning track, robbing Alvarez of a potential game-tying hit and ending the inning.
The Grizzlies managed to get the tying runs on base in both the 8th and 9th innings but despite their best efforts, the clutch hit they needed remained just out of reach. The Boomers held firm, securing the 4-2 victory and completing the series sweep in what was the closest and most competitive game of the Midwest Conference Finals.
