Grays come back in first game, run away in second for doubleheader sweep

POCATELLO — The Gate City Grays opened their season Friday night with a home doubleheader against the Brigham Peaches, winning both games.

After falling behind 9-2 when the Peaches scored eight runs in the top of the third, the Grays (2-0) stormed back behind multi-RBI performances from Alex Romerill, Thomas Anderson and Trayson Kostial. Using an eight-run inning of its own, Gate City snatched a season-opening 14-11 victory.

The Grays finished off a run-rule victory, 13-3, with another eight-run frame, delivering the knockout blow with a sixth-inning walk-off homer from Kostial.

Four Gate City pitchers took the hill in game one, surrendering a combined nine hits and four walks. But they slowed Brigham enough to give the offense an opening to come back.

Heading into the bottom of the fifth down 11-5, the Grays put a pair of runners on base with two outs, on a double and an error. Anderson made the error hurt with a two-run single. Two more Brigham errors made the score 11-10, and set the stage for a Kostial go-ahead two-run homer.

Stetson Higley, who took over on the mound for the Grays at the start of the fourth, allowed three hits and two runs, one earned, while recording all three Gate City strikeouts in his 3-1/3 innings of work, to earn the win. Oaklin Lawerence got the final two outs for the Grays.

Behind a solid performance from starter Trem Tolman, game two had far less drama.

Tolman held the Peaches scoreless on two hits in his 3 innings pitched.

Kolby Landon took over in the fourth, surrendering two hits and two runs in his 2 innings.

While Landon was on the mound, the Grays offense got things moving when Tyler Vance knocked in a pair of runs with a line-drive single. Kostial kept things going with a sacrifice fly.

After trading runs in the middle innings, the Grays went into the bottom of the sixth up 5-3. Hudson John and Tanner Branson each homered, setting up run-scoring hits from Vance and Anderson. Kostial ended the game with his second two-run homer of the day.

The Grays will play their next three games on the road, at the Hyrum Hornets on Thursday, at the Logan Royals next Saturday and at the Smithfield Blue Sox on June 16. They will return to Halliwell Park on June 19 when they host the Peaches for another doubleheader.