Late Offense Leads Boise Past Missoula Friday Night
Hawks Tally 4 Runs In Late Innings To Sneak Past PaddleHeads
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 1 |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | X | 6 | 11 | 0 |
BOISE, ID- The Missoula PaddleHeads opened a 3-game series on Friday night opposite the Boise Hawks beginning a 9-game road trip. Both offenses were relatively quiet at the start of the contest with only 5 combined runs crossing the plate in the first 6 innings. This set up a close battle coming down the stretch of the final 3 frames. Thanks to a late push from the Boise Offense, the Hawks would hold the advantage on this night.
Missoula entered the bottom of the 7th inning with a slight lead over Boise after tallying runs in the 5th and 6th innings. A 4-hit bottom of the 7th for the Hawks changed the narrative quickly however as Boise regained the lead entering the final 2 innings. The PaddleHeads put a run on the board in the 8th and threatened with a pair of runners aboard in the top of the 9th in an attempt to erase the deficit. Missoula stranded the tying runs on the bases in the top of the 9th however in a 6-4 defeat to open this 3-game set on the road.
After seeing only 1 run score combined through 4, the PaddleHeads jumped to their first lead of the contest in the top of the 5th inning. Small ball told the story in the inning as the PaddleHeads took the lead 2-1 on a pair of RBI groundouts in the frame from Colby Wilkerson, and Evan Sleight bringing home Colin Gordon and Carlos Perez. Perez finished with 2-for-4 in his at-bats while Gordon was 1-for-3. The shortstop also put Missoula out in front an inning later.
After the Hawks tacked on the tying run in the bottom of the 5th inning, Gordon put Missoula right back in front in the top of the 6th. The 2nd year PaddleHead found a hole on the left side of the diamond in an at-bat with 2-outs bringing home the lead run to make the score 3-2. Boise's most productive inning rebutted this effort however as the Hawks grabbed a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
A 3-run bottom of the 7th inning for the Hawks proved to be enough to find the win column down the stretch in this back and forth affair. An RBI single from Drew Woodcoxs got things started in the frame, knotting things up at 3 runs apiece. Paul Myro put on the finishing touches of the rally knocking in a pair of runs with 2-outs to give the Hawks a 2-run advantage. Myro performed well throughout offensively finishing 3-for-4 in the contest.
Perez kept Missoula right in the thick of it in the top of the 8th with a single to left field to trim the deficit to 5-4. The 2-out base hit brought home Mike Rosario after he reached in a pinch hit at bat in the frame. An insurance run would shortly follow this sequence in the home half of the inning.
Taylor Darden knocked home a run in the bottom of the 8th to put a bow on a solid performance Friday. The 3rd baseman finished 3-for-5 at the dish with an RBI and a run scored. This gave the Hawks a 2-run cushion going to the 9th inning. The PaddleHeads mounted a threat in their half of the frame.
A 2-out pinch hit from Kamron Willman kept Missoula's hopes alive in the top of the 9th bringing the tying run to the plate. Leyton Berry nearly did just that in his at-bat hitting a line drive off the top of the wall in right field for a double. This resulted in both Willman, and Berry advancing into scoring position. Boise reliever Trey Jones held the line in the situation however, picking up a game-sealing strike out to strand the tying runners in scoring position. This preserved a game 1 win for the Hawks. Berry finished the contest 2-for-5.
The PaddleHeads (60-29) will look to bounce back quickly on Saturday night in game 2 of this set with the Hawks (45-43). Both teams will be in search of an advantage in the season series with both teams having won 2 games opposite one another. Action from Memorial Stadium gets rolling with a 7:00 p.m. First pitch.
