Willman Provides Key Swing Late In PaddleHeads Win
Missoula Earns Series Win Sunday In 8-6 Victory Over Billings
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 2 |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | X | 8 | 11 | 1 |
MISSOULA, MT - Sunday's series finale between the Billings Mustangs, and Missoula PaddleHeads was a fitting end to the homestand at Allegiance Field. Both teams would battle in a ballgame that would see the lead exchange hands on 3 separate occasions. Coming down the stretch in the final 3 innings, Billings would initially have an advantage taking the lead in the top of the 7th inning. An answer to this would come off the bat of the PaddleHeads franchise player however providing a swing that would prove to be decisive.
After a 2-out single in the 7th inning from Adam Fogel, Kamron Willman would walk to the plate with a pair of runners on the bases with Missoula trailing by a run. The 4th year PaddleHead did not wait around in the at-bat driving the first pitch over the right field wall to give Missoula an 8-6 lead. This would prove to be the knockout blow in the contest as Billings would manage to only see one man reach base in the final 2 innings of the ballgame. The end result would be an 8-6 win for Missoula to claim a series victory over the Mustangs on Sunday.
After both teams tacked on runs in the 2nd inning, the Mustangs and PaddleHeads would then exchange body blows in the 3rd and 4th innings in a pair of rallies to keep the game tight. The Mustangs would strike first in the top of the 3rd thanks to their 2 most productive hitters in the game, and series.
Jack O'Dowd would kick off a 3-run rally in the frame with an RBI single to right field to give Billings a 2-1 lead. Later with 2 outs, Patrick Mills would strike with a 2-run double off the right field wall to give the Mustangs a 4-1 advantage. Both players would be heard from again later. Missoula also answered back quickly.
The PaddleHeads would jump to the lead for the first time in the bottom of the 4th behind a 4-run rally. Alec Sanchez drove home the first run of the inning on an infield hit that scored Fogel to make the score 4-2. A well struck baseball off the bat of Nich Klemp would then tie the game a few batters later.
The line drive to deep center field would glance off the glove of AJ Shaver allowing 2 runs to come home to tie the game at 4. Colby Wilkerson would then come up with a clutch 2-out base hit up the middle to score Klemp to give Missoula the lead at 5-4. Wilkerson would also play a role in a key push offensively in the 7th inning.
Klemp knocked in a pair of runs in the win, finishing 2-for-4 in his at-bats. Wilkerson was productive throughout drawing a pair of walks while also knocking in a run in a 2-for-3 afternoon at the dish. A pair of familiar weapons would provide a late inning spark on the flipside however forcing Missoula to once again fight from behind.
Mills, and O'Dowd did damage in the top of the 7th to vault the Mustangs back to the lead for the stretch run. Both players would knock home runs with a pair of singles in the inning to make the score 6-5. Mills drove home 3 runs in the ballgame finishing 3-for-4 in his at-bats. O'Dowd had 2 RBIs and a pair of runs scored in a 2-for-5 performance. The PaddleHeads would find a way to the win column however in large part thanks to Willman.
A pair of singles from Wilkerson, and Fogel would set up the situation for the shortstop who would give the PaddleHeads the lead for good with his 4th home run of the season to make the score 8-6. Willman had 3 RBIs in the victory finishing 3-for-4 in his at-bats. Fogel also scored 3 runs in the win in a 3-for-5 performance. The backend of the PaddleHeads bullpen would then slam the door in the final 2 innings.
Zach Lampton would strike out the side in the top of the 8th directly following the sequence in which Missoula claimed the lead back. Arman Sabouri would then look to shut the door in the top of the 9th in the next inning. The veteran southpaw would do just that with the game ending on a double play. In the process Sabouri picked up his 5th save of the season in as many opportunities. The California native is 2nd in the Pioneer League in that category.
After playing the last 12 games at home, Missoula (21-9) will now head back on the road for a 6-game series beginning on Tuesday with these same Billings Mustangs (13-17). Missoula will look for more success on the road at Dehler Park this season after winning the opening series of 2025 in the Magic City. First pitch Tuesday night is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
