The Gateway Grizzlies started strong with three scoreless innings but collapsed in a 9-0 rout against the Schaumburg Boomers in Game 2 of the Midwest Conference Finals on Wednesday night at Wintrust Field.
Zac Treece (0-1) dominated early, no-hitting the Boomers through three innings with four strikeouts. However, the fourth inning proved disastrous as Schaumburg erupted for six runs on seven hits. Anthony Calarco’s two-run double sparked the rally, chasing Treece from the game. Reliever Alec Whaley struggled, allowing RBI hits to Aaron Simmons, Alec Craig, and Christian Fedko, with the latter two coming with two outs, ballooning the deficit to 6-0.
The Boomers added single runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to seal the victory. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies’ offense was stifled by Schaumburg’s Derek Salata (1-0), who delivered a complete-game shutout, allowing six hits, striking out 11, and issuing no walks.
Now trailing 0-2 in the best-of-five series, the Grizzlies face a must-win Game 3 at Arsenal BG Ballpark in Sauget. Lukas Veinbergs will take the mound for Gateway against Schaumburg’s Buddie Pindel, a former Windy City ThunderBolt. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. CT on Friday, September 12, following an off day.
