Range Riders Scape By PaddleHeads In Low Scoring Affair
Early Inning Success Leads Glacier to 5-3 Win Over Missoula
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
MISSOULA, MT - The Glacier Range Riders would find the scoreboard in the first 2 innings Wednesday opposite the Missoula PaddleHeads. A pair of swings with 2-outs recorded would play a role allowing Glacier to jump to the lead. The Missoula staff would respond well from this spot however to shut down the Glacier attack. The early inning success however would prove to be enough to hold the line throughout.
The Range Riders would jump to a 5-run lead in the first 2 innings with a pair of extra base hits doing the heavy lifting. Glacier would only tally 2 hits the rest of the way however in 7 scoreless innings giving Missoula a chance to get back into the game. A solid outing from starter Kaleb Sophy and scoreless work from the bullpen down the stretch would hold things up however for the visitors as Glacier prevailed by a score of 5-3.
The Range Riders would see a run scoring chance set up in the 1st for them thanks to 2 walks and a hit batter. Andy Atwood would take advantage of this situation hitting a 2-out double to knock in a pair making the score 3-0. Atwood would enjoy the only multi-hit game on either side of the equation finishing 2-for-4. Another free pass in the next half inning would prove to be costly.
After the first 2 batters of the 2nd went down in order, Glacier's leadoff man Ryan McCarthy would draw a walk. Third baseman Gabe Howell would then send a line drive shot over the wall in left to give Glacier a 5-0 lead. The 2nd year Range Rider would score 2 runs in the win in a 1-for-3 night at the plate. The staff of Glacier would make this lead stand despite some push back from Missoula.
The PaddleHeads would get on the board in the 3rd and 4th innings to cut into the deficit with a pair of long balls bringing those runs in. Patrick Chung would provide the first spark hitting a solo blast to get Missoula on the board in the 3rd. Alec Sanchez would follow suit in the next half inning cutting the deficit to 5-2 with a home run to left field. Both players would finish the contest 1-for-4. There also was not much else that would trip up Sophy on the hill.
The southpaw earned his 5th win of the season on the bump for his 7 innings of work allowing 3 runs on 5 hits. The 1st year pro would strike out 6 batters in those frames working at a quick pace to keep the Missoula offense off balance. Despite this effort, Missoula would stay right in the thick of it thanks to the bullpen.
The trio of Jimmy Loaper, Christian Ciuffetelli, and Ethan Swanson would breeze through 4 innings of work collectively allowing no runs. Loaper would strike out 5 batters in 2 innings to start things off allowing only 2 baserunners. Cuiffetelli, and Swanson would not budge in the final 2 frames allowing no runners to reach. This effort would be mitigated by the pen on the flipside as the PaddleHeads offense was held quiet.
Missoula would manage to only get one runner aboard against Aiden McEvoy, and Ricky Tibbett in 2 scoreless innings out of the pen to wrap up the ballgame. Tibbett would earn his 4th save as a result for his efforts in a clean bottom of the 9th. Missoula will now look to swing momentum in this series before action shifts to the Flathead Valley for the weekend.
Missoula (55-25) will look to get off the snide Thursday opposite the Range Riders (40-40) after a pair of losses to open the series. It will be a fun atmosphere at the ballpark with 'University of Montana Night' festivities taking place. First pitch from Allegiance Field gets the ballgame under way at 7:15 p.m. Catch all the action live on ESPN Missoula and 1029espn.com if you cannot make it to the ballpark in person.
