Glacier Mounts Rally Late In Walk-Off Win
ange Riders Fight Back In 9th In Victory Sunday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0 |
FLATHEAD VALLEY, MT - Starting pitching told a large part of the story on Sunday afternoon in the series finale between the Missoula PaddleHeads and Glacier Range Riders. Ty Bothwell of the Range Riders and Brenden Beard of the PaddleHeads allowed 3 combined runs in their outings respectively. This meant it would be yet another close run to the finish in the late innings. For both teams offensive success was found in the 9th inning. Thanks to a swing from Glacier's franchise player, the Range Riders would have the advantage.
Going to the top of the 9th inning, Missoula would trail 2-1. The PaddleHeads attack would put together a rally when they needed in the situation to grab the lead in a pressure situation. The Range Riders would quickly answer with a double to knock home a run to push pressure on in the bottom of the 9th. Then outfielder Kingston Liniak would provide a clutch swing that would send the fans at Glacier Bank Park home happy hitting a walk-off home run down the left field line to give the Range Riders a 6-5 victory.
A bases loaded walk from Layton Barry would get the PaddleHeads on the board first in the top of the 3rd inning. The centerfielder would deliver a clutch swing in the late innings to provide a spark late for Missoula. Bothwell would quiet the Missoula attack from this point forward on the hill as well.
The southpaw would allow just 1 run through 6 innings of work to quiet the PaddleHeads offense. The Indiana product would feature a strong arsenal of pitches highlighted by a heavy fastball to limit Missoula to just 3 hits in that span. The 2nd year Range Rider currently leads the league in strikeouts (82). Beard would make sure the game remained tight however in his time on the mound.
The rookie would only allow 2 runs through 5 innings of work. Beard would manage to pitch out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the 1st inning and would not deal with many challenges through the next 4 innings. The Range Riders offense would find a quick spark in the 6th however thanks in part to Liniak.
A double into left center field from the former Tigers product would get Glacier on the board in a 2-run rally in the bottom of the 6th. Liniak would then score the lead run on a triple to right center field from catcher Angel Mendoza to make the score 2-1. The score would remain the same leading all the way to the 9th inning setting up a dramatic finish. Liniak would knock in 4-runs in the win. Mendoza would finish 1-for-4.
Berry would deliver in a huge situation in the top of the 9th hitting a game-tying home run over the top of the foul right field foul pole to knot things up at 2 runs apiece. This would prove to spark the offense as 10 men would walk to the dish in a 4-run rally.
A bases loaded free pass for Roberto Pena would then vault Missoula to the lead at 3-2. Colin Gordon would later give the PaddleHeads more separation with a 2-run single down the left field line to give the visitors a 5-2 lead. Gordon was one of few bright spots offensively finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of walks. Berry would knock in a pair as well in a 1-for-3 effort. Despite absorbing the gut punch in the late innings, Glacier would prove to have the answer when all the cards were down in the bottom of the 9th.
A leadoff walk in the bottom of the 9th in a 3-run game would prove to signal trouble. Eli Paton would knock him home soon after with a double to trim the lead to 5-3. This would set up Liniak with a pair of runners in scoring position. The Southern California native would bring them both home and then some with a line drive over the left field wall to send Glacier Bank Park into a frenzy in a walk-off 6-5 finish.
Despite this tough finish on the road, Missoula would still have a good week collectively opposite Glacier winning 4 of 6 games played throughout the week in the Flathead Valley. These 2 teams will wrap up the season series with one another next weekend when the PaddleHeads return home for a 3-game series at Allegiance Field. Missoula will first turn their attention to its final stop on this road trip.
After an off day Monday, the PaddleHeads (41-19) will begin a 3-game series on Tuesday night in the capital city of Idaho facing off with the Boise Hawks (35-25). This will be the first meeting this season between these ballclubs. First pitch from Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
