Voyagers Offense Rips PaddleHeads In 18-7 Defeat
9-Run 1st Inning Highlights Great Falls’ Victory Over Missoula
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 21 | 0 |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 2 |
MISSOULA, MT - The Great Falls Voyagers entered Sunday's contest against the Missoula PaddleHeads with confidence. The Voyagers came into the affair having won three straight games After sweeping a double header on Saturday evening. The visitors from the electric city would waste little time setting the tone in the series finale. The Great Falls offense would also prove to have the advantage throughout in a blowout victory.
15 batters would fan the flames to a 9-run rally in the top of the 1st inning that saw Great Falls put Missoula behind the 8-ball early. The offense would keep on coming throughout the afternoon with contributions from multiple players. 6 players for the Voyagers would finish with 2 hits or more in the contest. The end result would be an 18-7 victory for Great Falls that seemingly was never in doubt.
An RBI single from Jack Lynch got the 1st inning off and rolling in earnest for the Voyagers giving them a 3-0 lead. The first 6 batters of the 1st would all reach base as well as the offense blew the doors open in the inning. Oscar Serratos Jr. would then knock in a run with a single of his own ahead of a 2-run double from catcher Jeff Nicol. Freddy Rojas Jr. would then deliver the biggest swing hitting a 3-run blast to make the score 9-0. When it was all said and done, Great Falls would tally 7 hits in a monster 1st inning.
Rojas Jr. was a menace throughout the contest finishing 3-for-3 with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Nicol would also enjoy a big day tallying 2 doubles to go along with a solo home run to finish his afternoon 3-for-5. Lynch would also knock in 3 runs on the day in a 2-for-5 effort. The PaddleHeads would try to find an avenue back into the game with one man leading the charge.
Alec Sanchez would get Missoula on the board in the early going bringing home 4 runs with a pair of long balls. A solo blast would soar well over the right field wall in the 2nd to give Missoula its 1st run. The rookie center fielder would then cut the deficit to 10-4 in the 4th hitting a 3-run blast to right center field. Sanchez would finish the contest with 4 RBIs in a 2-for-5 effort. However, the center fielder on the flip side of the equation would make sure Missoula would have no other thoughts about a comeback.
A pair of triples would highlight a 4-run rally for Great Falls in the top of the 5th that saw their advantage balloon to double digits. Xane Washington would drive in a pair with a triple in the frame and would score on another three-bagger from Serratos Jr. It would be a huge day collectively for the 2nd year Voyager as Washington finished 5-for-6 in the win with 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs. Serratos Jr. was no slouch himself, knocking in 3 runs in a 4-for-5 performance.
The story of this series proved to be the Great Falls offense that scored 10 runs or more in each win they had in regulation. The Voyagers became the 1st team this season to win a 6-game series in Missoula this season as a result. The PaddleHeads will now look to recover quickly with more home games coming in short order.
After a day of rest on Monday, the PaddleHeads (55-22) will get back to it on Tuesday, opening a 3-game stretch at home. Their opponent will be a familiar foe from recent weeks in the Glacier Range Riders (38-40). It will be the final 3 games that Glacier will play in Missoula during the regular season. First pitch from Ogren Park is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. If you cannot make it to Allegiance Field, tune in on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.
