Five-Run First Dooms Titans, Drop Third Straight

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

Sauget, IL - Despite falling behind 5-0 after one, the Ottawa Titans (46-36) mounted a late comeback, but could not climb all the way back in a narrow 6-5 loss to the Gateway Grizzlies (38-45) on Saturday night.

Coming off a quality outing, right-hander Ky Hampton (loss, 2-4) was hit around the yard in the bottom of the first, allowing five runs on six hits. In total, the Grizzlies sent ten to the plate in the big inning - with Bryson Horne, Darryl Lee, Jose Alvarez, Sawyer Smith, and Brennan Orf all cashing in runs. The five allowed by Hampton in the opening inning were the most runs surrendered in the first inning by the rookie righty this season.

After retiring the first four in a row to open the game, Grizzlies right-hander Ben Gregory (ND, 1-2) walked Hunter Stokely with one out in the second and left the game due to injury. In relief, right-hander Alex Sparks (win, 2-3) served up an RBI ground-rule double off the bat of Caleb Burr to get the Titans on the board.

In the fifth, Burr's second double of the game came across to score on a Thomas Ferroggiaro groundout, putting the Titans down 5-2.

With the shaky first inning out of the way, Hampton locked in. The Australian gave the Titans six innings - limiting the damage to just an Alvarez sixth-inning solo homer to put the Grizzlies ahead 6-2.

Although taking the loss, Hampton fanned a career-high nine - at one point striking out five in a row. Hampton also allowed just three base runners from innings two through six.

Gaining momentum from their starter, the Titans made things interesting in the seventh - as Taylor Wright unloaded on a Jake Bockenstedt fastball for a three-run homer to make it a 6-5 game. The 16^th homer of the year for the Canadian continues the career year, as he ties Jason Dicochea for the second-most home runs in a single season in franchise history.

Christian Scafidi kept the Titans in the game with a scoreless seventh, leaving a double aboard, and Brett Garcia punched out a pair in a scoreless eighth.

Looking to tie it, the Grizzlies' bullpen shut things down in the late innings, as the Titans left two on in the eighth and the tying run on in the ninth. Matt Hickey (save, 6) retired four of the five batters he faced on strikes to end the contest.

Caleb Burr went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. Jackie Urbaez singled, walked, and was plunked. The Titans had just seven hits in the game, with five going for extra bases.

The Titans have now lost back-to-back series for the first time since the end of June.

The Ottawa Titans end a six-game Midwest Conference road trip with the finale of a three-game series against the Gateway Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. ET at Arsenal BG Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois. The Titans return home on Tuesday for a six-game series against the Mississippi Mud Monsters. All the action can be heard on the Ottawa Titans Radio Network and 94.5 Unique FM, and live-streamed on Frontier League TV powered by HomeTeam Network.

For information on Ottawa Titans’ 2026 Single-Game Tickets, the All-In Playoff Package, and Group Outings, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.