SPRINGFIELD – The Gateway High School baseball team avoided the unenviable task of having to beat the supercharged St. Mary Saints in its regular season finale, punching a D3 tourney ticket just a day before the matchup.
Gateway tallied 18 runs on 18 hits and pitcher James Degray silenced host Sci-Tech as the Gators (10-9) pounded the Cybercats 18-2 to earn entry into the postseason.
Ethan Gamble had a blistering day at the plate for Gateway, going 5-for-5 with a double, triple, 5 RBIs, and two runs scored. Gators’ Johnny Haskell went 3-for-5 with a triple, 3 runs, and an RBI. Curtis Dowers had a pair of hits and an RBI, and Nate Croke and Willis Pollard each had a hit and 2 RBIs.
Degray recorded two strikeouts on the mound, walked one, hit one batter, and allowed just one earned run.
