PaddleHeads Tally 18 Hits In Win Over Mustangs
Willman Knocks In 4 Runs In 16-11 Victory Thursday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 13 | 3 |
|
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3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | X | 16 | 18 | 0 |
MISSOULA, MT - Offense would tell the story throughout in a battle Thursday night between the Billings Mustangs, and Missoula PaddleHeads at Allegiance Field. Both teams would exchange blows with big rallies in the middle innings to keep the game tight. Both teams would score 27 runs combined on 31 hits when it was all said and done. The team that would have the advantage however scored in 5 consecutive innings coming to the finish line. The bullpen also would do just enough on the flipside to come away with a win.
The PaddleHeads would score runs in innings 4 through 8 consecutively to ensure the lead would not exchange hands coming down the stretch. Billings stayed in the game thanks in large part to a big rally in the middle innings, and the long ball hitting 3 home runs as a team. Missoula's bullpen would stiffen in the final 3 innings however, holding Billings off the board in those frames. These factors would lead Missoula to the win column for the 2nd time in this 6 game series by a final tally of 16-11. The PaddleHeads would also reclaim 1st place in the Pioneer League standings with the win.
Missoula wasted no time getting rolling with offensive fireworks in the bottom of the 1st. After the 1st 2 batters of the inning reached, Mike Rosario would put the PaddleHeads in the lead with a 3-run blast to make the score 3-0. Rosario would have a big night overall in the win finishing 3-for-5 with 3 runs scored and 3 driven in. The 2nd year pro has recorded 2 hits or more in every game in the series.
The Mustangs would find an answer with the long ball themselves in the top of the 2nd thanks to Patrick Mills. With 2-outs in the frame, the 1st baseman would launch a 3-run home run of his own to knot things up at 3-runs apiece. Mills would finish 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored and 4 RBIs in the losing effort. After a quiet 3rd inning, both offenses would come to life in a wild middle inning sequence.
The PaddleHeads offense would record 7 hits in the bottom of the 4th inning in a rally that also plated 7 runs. Kamron Willman would provide the first spark hitting a 3-run home run to right field. Adam Fogel would fan the flames soon after hitting a 2-run single up the middle to keep the line moving. Fogel, and Colin Gordon would later race home in the frame on a base hit from Nich Klemp to put a bow on the rally. At the end of this push Missoula would lead 10-3.
Fogel and Gordon would both finish 2-for-5 in the win with 4 combined RBIs. Klemp would reach each time he came to the plate in the win finishing 3-for-3 with a walk. Willman was no slouch himself knocking in 4 runs in a 2-for-4 performance. Despite landing this body blow, Billings would have an answer initially to this offensive onslaught.
The Mustangs would punch right back in the top of the 5th inning with a 6-run rally to trim Missoula's lead to 1. Tyler Shelnut provided the first big punch with a 2-run double in the inning to trim the lead to 10-6. Jack O'Dowd would then launch yet another 3-run home run in this contest to left field to put an exclamation point on things to make the score 10-9. Shelnut and O'Dowd both finished 1-for-4 in the contest. Both teams would then exchange home runs in the next 2 innings.
Roberto Pena would bring Missoula's lead to 2 in the bottom of the 5th hitting his 16 home run of the season to right field making the score 11-9. The Pioneer League leader in home runs would finish the game 2-for-5. A familiar weapon would bring Billings level in the contest however in the top of the 6th.
Rookie Catcher Sean Lynch would tie the game in the top of the 6th hitting his first professional home run over the wall. The 2-run shot would tie the game at 11 runs apiece. This would put an end to the success in the game with the long ball as both teams would hit 6 combined home runs in the contest. However, this did not mean that the offense for Missoula would not continue to be productive.
The PaddleHeads would plate 5 more runs combined in innings 6 through 8 to get back to the lead. RBI singles from Willman, and Alec Sanchez did damage in the bottom of the 6th as the PaddleHeads regained the lead by a score of 13-11. An RBI single in the 8th from Gordon would also give the PaddleHeads insurance in the bottom of the 8th to expand the lead to 5. Missoula's bullpen also performed well down the stretch.
Zach Lampton turned in a solid effort out of the bullpen putting a stop to the Mustangs attack in 1 ⅔ innings scoreless. Cale Mathison, and Arman Sabouri would do the rest in the final 1 ⅔ innings of the ball game. The duo would only allow 1 base runner in the final 2 innings while striking out 3 batters combined. This allowed Missoula to walk off the diamond Thursday with a 5-run win.
The win for the PaddleHeads (19-8) combined with a loss from the Oakland Ballers Thursday vaulted Missoula back 1st place in the Pioneer League standings entering Friday Night. Missoula will now look for more success Friday night in this series with the Mustangs (12-15). Friday will also be Pride Night at Allegiance Field in what will add a festive element to the affair with Billings. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Stay locked in with all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. if you cannot be there in person.
