7-Run 3rd Inning Leads PaddleHeads to Win
Sparks Retires 13 Consecutive Outs in 10-4 Victory
Missoula, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads kicked off the weekend on Friday night in game 4 of a 6 game series squaring off with the Idaho Falls Chukars. Offensive firepower has been a big part of the PaddleHeads success in recent games. After missing a few opportunities in a loss Thursday, the PaddleHeads offense would bounce back storming out to a big lead in the early going.
Missoula's offense would find the scoreboard in each of the first 3 innings to take a sizable advantage at 10-2. The PaddleHeads attack would not find the scoreboard again after the flurry in the early frames, but the effort would prove to be plenty as the PaddleHeads would cruise the rest of the way in a 10-4 victory.
Patrick Chung would immediately give the PaddleHeads momentum against his former club in the bottom of the first. On the first pitch of the frame, Chung would watch one sail to the left of the foul pole on a lead-off home run which made the score 1-0. Jayson Newman would also drive in a run on a single in the inning to give Missoula an early 2-0 advantage. Newman, and Chung would both finish 2-for-5.
Idaho Falls found a quick counter in the top of the second in a blink. Dusty Stroup would immediately cut into the deficit with a solo blast to start things off. After a double from Tyler Kelly, Brenden Hueth would tie the game at 2 with a single of his own. Mitch Sparks would buckle down from that point in the frame inducing a double play in the inning to help stop the threat. That would also begin an outstanding stretch for the southpaw.
Idaho Falls would be completely held in check from innings 3 through 6 by Sparks. The Texas native native would retire 13 batters consecutively in one stretch from the end of the second inning, to the 6th. Sparks would earn the win for his efforts in 6 fantastic innings that saw him allow 2 runs on only 4 hits. The Eastern Michigan product would also get all the support he needed from the offense in the third inning.
The PaddleHeads would send 10 batters to the plate in a 7-run barrage in the 3rd inning that saw Missoula stretch out the advantage. Nick Gatewood got the party started with a double into right center to plate Lamar Sparks. McClain O'Conner would then strike one batter later with a 3-run blast that brought Missoula's advantage to 7-2. Sparks would round out the scoring in the frame, recording his second hit in the inning in the process to plate a pair which gave Missoula their largest lead at 10-2. Idaho Falls never would mount a comeback either down the stretch tallying only 2 runs after the second inning. Sparks wrapped up the night 2-for-3 while Gatewood finished 3-for-4. O'Conner would also chip in, finishing with 3 RBIs in a 2-for-5 effort at the plate.
Mark Simon finished things off down the stretch for Missoula in the final 2 innings ensuring the Chukars would have no opportunity to fight back into it. The Reigning Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year would allow only 1 hit over the final 2 frames while striking out a pair. Simon has only allowed 1 earned run over 10 ⅓ innings pitched with Missoula so far this season.
The PaddleHeads (54-21) will look to clinch a series win on Saturday in Game 5 opposite the Chukars (41-35) on Saturday evening. First pitch from Allegiance Field at Ogren Park is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Catch all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
