PaddleHeads Cruise Past Mustangs to Force Game 3
Hubbard Tallies 4 Hits in 13-3 Victory Over Billings Wednesday
MISSOULA, MT- The 2023 Postseason in the Pioneer League continued on Wednesday night in Game 2 of the Northern Division Playoff between the Missoula PaddleHeads, and Billings Mustangs. After the Mustangs took game 1 on their home turf Monday, the PaddleHeads would look for the winds to shift on their home field in game 2. Offensive success backed up by solid starting pitching would be a common formula used throughout the course of the regular season for Missoula. Game 2 of this postseason series would be no different as the PaddleHeads would get back on track in front of a raucous crowd in the Garden City.
After falling behind during a brief stint in the 3rd, Missoula would get their offense going in innings 4 through 7 outscoring the Mustangs 12-1 in that stretch. The Billings offense would never get much going, scoring only once after the 3rd inning as Izzy Fuentes would have a solid outing through 7 innings. The end result would be a 13-3 victory for Missoula. In the process, the PaddleHeads would force a decisive Game 3 of this Northern Division Playoff Series on Thursday night in Missoula.
The PaddleHeads would find the scoreboard first in the early going thanks to Jake Guenther. The Wisconsin native has been solid through the first 2 games of this series finishing with multi-hit games in both contests. Guenther would knock in a run with a single in the 2nd to give Missoula an early 1-0 lead. The former Horned Frog would reach base 3 times in the win finishing 2-for-4.
Thanks in part to 3 errors committed in the 3rd, the Mustangs would jump out to their only lead of the contest, plating a pair of runs. Taylor Lomack drove in both runs for Billings on a 2-run single to left field to give the Mustangs a 2-1 advantage. Lomack would also knock in a run with a single in the 5th and would go on to finish the night 2-for-4. Billings would never be heard from offensively again after the 5th, however, allowing Missoula to pull away.
The PaddleHeads would take the lead back in the 4th behind a 4-run rally. After an RBI single from Austin Bernard, 3 more runs would be brought home on a pair of doubles from Cameron Thompson, and Ryan Cash. Cash would go on to knock in 3 runs from the top of the order finishing 2-for-5 Wednesday. Bernard, and Thompson would both chip in finishing 1-for-4. These runs of support would prove to be more than enough for Fuentes in his outing on the bump.
The 3rd year Pioneer League veteran would set the tone over 7 strong innings for Missoula allowing just 2 earned runs on 4 hits. Fuentes would only walk 1 batter in the outing while striking out 6. The Southern California native would retire the final 7 batters he faced in his outing on his way to a win. The PaddleHeads attack would then pull away for good behind offensive success in the 6th and 7th innings.
McClain O'Connor would bring the Missoula crowd to its feet as part of the 'peanut inning' in the bottom of the 6th. The 3rd year PaddleHead would launch a towering home run to left field to bring home a pair to extend Missoula's advantage to 7-3. O'Connor would score 3 runs, and drive in 3 in the win for Missoula finishing 1-for-4 Wednesday. Another big push from the offense in the 7th would ensure Billings would never have a chance for a late come back.
A double from Dondrei Hubbard would kick off a big 7th inning rally for Missoula that would see the PaddleHeads bring in 6 runs to extend their advantage to 10. Missoula would bring 11 batters to the plate as part of a 6-run rally. RBI singles from Keaton Greenwalt, and Cash would fan the flames in the rally. An error committed in the frame would also play a factor as Missoula would put the game on ice as a result.
Hubbard would have a huge night offensively after a relatively quiet game 1 finishing with a game high 4 hits in a 4-for-5 effort. Hubbard would tally a pair of doubles in the win to go along with 2 runs scored. Missoula would tally 13 hits as a team in the win while limiting the Mustangs to just 4 hits. The stage is now set for a decisive game 3 of this series set for Thursday night.
Missoula will be in search of their 3rd straight berth into the Pioneer League Championship Series in a 3rd and decisive game of this Northern Division Playoff on Thursday night. Standing in the way will be the Billings Mustangs as they look to make their way back to the league championship in its 75th year of existence as a franchise. First pitch from Allegiance Field is set for 7:05 p.m. If you cannot be a part of the playoff atmosphere in Missoula in person, stay involved with the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
