11-Run Rally Leads PaddleHeads Past Hawks on Tuesday
Missoula Wins 8th Straight in 13-7 Victory Over Boise Tuesday
Missoula, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads were back at it on Tuesday night in game 2 of a 6 game set opposite the Boise Hawks. It would take the offense some time to get things rolling in game 1 on Monday as Missoula was able to erase a late deficit thanks to a rally in the 8th inning. However, It would not take Missoula's attack long to set the tone in the early going on this night.
Missoula would jump on the board in the first scoring a pair to grab an early lead. This would only be the beginning for the PaddleHeads attack that would explode in the 2nd inning. The PaddleHeads would see an astonishing 12 consecutive batters reach base in one stretch in the rally that brought 11 runs in total. At the conclusion of this inning, Missoula would hold a 13-0 advantage. The PaddleHeads would not find the board from that point forward, but this push would prove to provide plenty of run support in a 13-7 victory. Missoula has now won each of their last 8 games overall.
Cameron Thompson would get the PaddleHeads rolling in the first inning with a 2-run single that brought home Brandon Riley, and McClain O'Conner with 2-outs to give Missoula an early 2-0 advantage. Thompson had a solid night in the victory finishing 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs. Riley would also go on to reach base 5 times on the night finishing 2-for-3 with 3 walks in the win. Both players would also be part of the huge rally in the second inning that saw Missoula break the game open.
Missoula would record 8 hits in the top of the 2nd that did not conclude before the PaddleHeads tallied 11 runs in the frame. Keaton Greenwalt would finish with 2 separate RBI singles as part of the rally bringing in 3 runs total. Nick Gatewood delivered the biggest blow in the frame with a grand slam to right field that brought Missoula's advantage to 7-0. Greenwalt would go on to finish 3-for-5 in the victory. Gatewood would chip in with a 1-for-4 effort.
Boise's attack would come to life in the 3rd, and 4th innings scoring 6 runs in those 2 frames. This would only trim into a huge deficit however as the PaddleHeads would never lead by less than 6 runs after the big rally in the second inning. Abraham Sequera got Boise on the board in the 3rd with a 3-run double down the right field line to make the score 13-3. Ryan Walstad would do the last bit of damage in the frame with an RBI single to put the finishing touches on a 4-run rally. Walstad finished 2-for-4 and Sequera was 1-for-4.
Tyler Jorgensen would bring home a run in the next half inning for Boise in the 4th on a single as part of a 2-run rally that made the score 13-6. Jorgensen finished the evening 2-for-4. This would tell most of the story for the Hawks offensively as well as they would manage to only put 1 more run on the board the rest of the way.
The bullpen combination of Nathan Alexander, and Dan Swain made sure there would be no late inning drama in the final 3 innings. Alexander would overpower the Boise attack in 2 innings of work. The former Marlins product would strike out 5 of the 6 batters he faced over 2 innings of work. Swain would only allow 1 baserunner in the 9th in a scoreless frame that saw Missoula wrap up their 8th consecutive win.
The PaddleHeads also now know who their playoff opponent will be in the upcoming Northern Division Playoffs. The Billings Mustangs claimed their 2nd consecutive win to start the week over the Idaho Falls Chukars on Tuesday. This victory combined with a Great Falls Voyagers loss wrapped things up in the race for the 2nd playoff spot in the Northern Division. This means the PaddleHeads will open the postseason on Monday September 12 in Billings in game 1 of a best of 3 series. Game 2 will be played in Missoula on September 14.
Missoula (67-24) will keep things rolling in this season ending series in Boise in action against the Hawks (28-64). Game 3 is set to get underway at 7:00 p.m. Listen to the call from Memorial Stadium on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
