Quad Cities Sweeps Season-Opening Twin Bill

Peoria, Illinois – After Friday’s rainout, the Quad Cities River Bandits made their season-opener one day late, but worth the wait as they defeated the Peoria Chiefs by scores 6-2 and 8-6 in Saturday’s doubleheader at Dozer Park.

While over half of the River Bandits’ 2025 roster features names new to the Midwest League, it was a returning member of Quad Cities’ 2024 squad who led the way in game one. After posting 10 home runs in the Midwest League last season, Carson Roccaforte launched a leadoff home run off Chiefs’ starter Gerardo Salas, before taking Hunter Hayes deep for a three-run shot in the fifth.

New-comers Carter Frederick and Callan Moss made their High-A debuts for the River Bandits, and each contributed a run with a RBI singles in the second and sixth innings respectively.

The run support was more than enough for Quad Cities’ starter Frank Mozzicato (1-0), who earned the win in his first career Opening Night nod, allowing just one run and one hit with three strikeouts in a 5.0-inning start.

Felix Arronde allowed a run in his 2.0-inning Midwest League debut, but teamed up with Mozzicato to hold Peoria to two total hits and 0-for-7with runners in scoring position in the Bandits’ 6-2 win.

Quad Cities again got out to an early lead in the nightcap, with Frederick opening the scoring against Cade Winquest with an RBI-single. The right fielder then stole his way around the bases, including the River Bandits’ first steal of home since 2022 and finished the night with five total.

Drew Beam got the start on the mound and began his professional debut with three scoreless innings, including six-straight outs to begin the ballgame.

A third-inning RBI-single from Moss, a run on a passed ball, and a fourth-inning RBI-double off the bat of Sam Kulasingam put the Bandits up 6-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, but that’s when Peoria chased Beam from the ballgame with a six-run rally.

Zachary Cawyer allowed a pair of inherited runs to score and tie the game on Miguel Villarroel’s two-run double, but stranded a pair of runners in scoring position to end the inning with the score tied 6-6. The right-hander followed the frame with a scoreless fifth inning before fellow High-A rookie Juan Martinez struck out the side in a scoreless sixth.

After A.J. Causey helped force the game to an extra eighth inning, Kulasingam and Moss struck again with two more RBI-singles to push the Bandits back in front 8-6. The pair combined to reach base 10 times, with seven hits, and six RBIs over both games of the doubleheader.

Causey (1-0) returned to the bump in the bottom of the eighth and concluded his professional debut with a second scoreless inning, two of his night’s four strikeouts, and the win.

Quad Cities concludes its weekend series at Dozer Park on Sunday, with Hunter Patteson (0-0) scheduled to make his season debut against Peoria’s Jose Davila (0-0, 0.00). The series finale is set for 2:05 p.m.