7th Inning Rally Leads Missoula to 10th Consecutive Win
Grand Slam From O’Conner Highlights 7th Inning in 15-7 Victory
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 2 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 0 |
Kalispell, MT- Action in the first 6 innings between the Missoula PaddleHeads, and Glacier Range Riders would go back & forth in game 2 of a 3 game set at Glacier Bank Park on Saturday night. Both teams would find themselves in the lead over different junctures.Furthermore, neither team would lead by more than 2 runs. The bottom of the 6th would be a stressful frame for Missoula for the 2nd consecutive game. Thanks to a tremendous defensive play, the PaddleHeads would stem the tide in their favor.
Glacier would knot the score up at 5 in the 6th on 4 consecutive hits. In a bases loaded situation, Glacier would then have a chance to find a cushion going down the stretch. Gabe Howell would hit a line drive in the clutch situation to the first base side of the field. However, 1st Baseman Dondrei Hubbard would make a spectacular leaping catch to rob Howell of a base hit. After this remarkable defensive play, Missoula's offense would explode in the top of the 7th for the 2nd consecutive game. Missoula would lead by as many as 10 runs coming down the stretch finishing off a 15-7 victory. This win marked the 10th consecutive victory for the PaddleHeads overall.
The longball would be a huge weapon for Missoula throughout the course of the games as the PaddleHeads would tally 5 as a team. Keaton Greenwalt, and Cameron Thompson would both not waste much time to get things started as the pair would both hit solo home runs to left field to give the PaddleHeads an early 2-1 advantage. That would be the 1st of 2 home runs on the night for Greenwalt would finish the contest 2-for-4 with 3 driven in. Thompson would score a pair of runs in the win as part of a 2-for-5 night at the dish.
McClain O'Conner would knock in his first run of the contest in the next inning giving Missoula a 3-1 advantage. The 3rd year professional would have a lot more to say offensively throughout the rest of the night with one swing being the big highlight. The Range Riders would keep things close in the middle innings however thanks to offensive production of their own before seeing things get out of hand.
4 consecutive hits would fuel a 3-run rally for Glacier in the 4th as the Range Riders would regain the lead in the process. After an RBI double from Kingston Liniak, Mason Dinesen would drive in a pair more on a 2-run single of his own to Give the 'Riders a 4-3 advantage. Missoula would tally runs in the 5th, and 6th however and never allowed Glacier to have any breathing room when they did take a lead. Then on the 7th, the PaddleHeads would blow the game wide open for the 2nd consecutive night.
The PaddleHeads would load the bases in the frame to set it up for O'Conner. The UC Santa Barbara product would hit his 5th home run of the season to take advantage of the situation. Giving Missoula a 9-5 advantage. The grand slam for O'Conner was the first by any player in the history of Glacier Bank Park at Flathead Field. Thomas DeBonville would also send a pair of runners home as part of the rally on a double to fan the flames. At the end of the frame, Missoula held a 12-5 lead and never trailed by any margin that was smaller the rest of the way. O'Conner would tally 5 RBIs in the win finishing 4-for-6.
Kamron Willman, and Greenwalt would put the finishing touches on the victory in the 9th inning, launching 2 more home runs as the Missoula advantage would balloon to 15-5. Willman, like Greenwalt, enjoyed another productive night at the plate finishing 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. The Range Riders did show fight scoring a pair in the bottom of the 9th, but would ultimately never challenge Missoula down the stretch.
The PaddleHeads (18-5) will now look to finish off a road sweep for the first time this season in the series finale opposite the Range Riders (11-10). First pitch on Father's Day is scheduled for 1:05 from Glacier Bank Park. Tune in to hear all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
