By Greg Halbleib
SAUGET – The Normal CornBelters clinched their first-ever playoff berth with a 10-2 win over the Gateway Grizzlies on Thursday night at GCS Ballpark.
The Belters scored before the first out as Mark Micowski led off the game with a walk and went to third on a Santiago Chirino double to the left field corner, followed by a two-run double to the left field line by Aaron Dudley. A passed ball sent Dudley to third followed by a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Pat McKenna for a 3-0 lead.
The CornBelters plated two more in the second by loading the bases and scoring on a throwing error and a single by McKenna.
The Grizzlies picked up an unearned run in the third inning on an infield single by Madison Beaird plus a throwing error to send him to second base, from where he scored on a single by Garrett Vail to cut the deficit to 5-1.
The Belters doubled their run total in the fourth inning by batting 10 men and scoring five times on three consecutive doubles, a pair of two-run drives by Richard Lucas and Sam Judah and an RBI two-base hit by Cameron Monger for a 10-1 lead.
Gateway turned a lead-off fifth-inning double by Grant Buckner into a run with a one-out single by Vail to trim the Belters advantage to 10-2.
Mike Schweiss (8-7) earned the win Dakota Smith (2-3) lasted 3 1/3 innings and took the loss.
The Belters (53-34) increase their lead to four games over the River City Rascals in the Frontier League West Division and reduce their magic number to clinch the division to five, a combination of Belters wins and Rascals losses.
The CornBelters continue the road trip on Friday at 7:05 p.m. against the Rockford Aviators as Frontier League Pitcher of the Week Chris Carmain (6-2, 2.54 ERA) starts on the mound for Normal. The broadcast on WJBC.com begins at 6:50 p.m. from Aviators Stadium.
