Atwood & Simms Lead Range Riders To Win Saturday
Glacier Puts Clamps Down On Missoula’s Offense In Loss
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
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3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 8 | 8 | 2 |
MISSOULA, MT - Both offenses for the Missoula PaddleHeads, and Glacier Range Riders would be active in the early going Saturday night. After a 3-run rally in the bottom of the 1st, Missoula would quickly answer with a push of offense that would give them the lead in the 2nd. The PaddleHeads would also see runners on the bases consistently in the 3rd and 4th innings. Glacier would completely turn the tide from this point however, bringing Missoula's attack to a screeching halt from that point forward. Glacier's attack would find enough support on the flipside thanks to the contributions from 2 men.
Andy Atwood, and Drew Simms would knock in nearly every run for the Range Riders in an 8-4 win. The duo would finish with 7 RBIs combined to go along with 5 hits. The PaddleHeads offense would be silent for a prolonged stretch on the other end of the equation as 15 consecutive batters would be retired in order from the 5th through the 9th inning.
A pair of walks, and a hit batter would set up Glacier in the bottom of the 1st inning. The Range Riders would take advantage scoring 3-runs to jump to the lead using a little small ball. After a bases loaded walk to Simms, 2 more runs would be brought home on sacrifice flies from Atwood, and Ty Penner to make it a 3-0 advantage. Missoula would have an early rebuttal to this in the next half frame.
A 4-run rally from the PaddleHeads attack would give them an early 4-3 advantage in the top of the 2nd. The damage would all be done with 2-outs in the frame as well. An infield single from Kamron Willman would get things rolling in the frame. Alec Sanchez would then bring home 2 on a single to right center to knot things up at 3. Willman would later score the lead run in the inning on a wild pitch. Willman, and Sanchez would both finish 2-for-5 at the plate with 3 combined RBIs.
Missoula would have chances to get on the board in the 3rd, and 4th innings with runners on the bases. Neither inning would provide a punch however as Missoula would strand 5 runners aboard in those frames. After leaving the bases loaded in the top of the 4th, Glacier would see 2 swings turn the tide in their half of the inning.
Simms would kick off a 2-out rally in the 4th knocking in the go-ahead run with a single to left field to make the score 5-4. The Range Riders 1st baseman would finish 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs on the night. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Atwood would then take advantage with a bases clearing triple to make the score 8-4. The former White Sox product finished 3-for-3 in the win with 4 driven in.
All would be quiet in the contest from this point forward as neither team would find the board the rest of the way. Glacier would only be able to record a pair of hits after the 4th and Mssoula would not see a single man reach in that time. Successful bullpen outings on both sides played a big role in this.
Aiden McEvoy, and Ricky Tibbett would allow just one hit combined in 5 innings of work out of the Range Riders bullpen to get the bulk of the job done. Christian Cuiffetteli, and Jimmy Loaper were also very strong in 3 innings combined, holding the Range Riders off the board. Cuiffetteli would strike out 4 in 2 innings and Loper would only allow one base runner in his inning of work. The early success for the Range Riders proved to be enough on this night however as both teams will now look ahead to the series finale.
The PaddleHeads (57-26), and Range Riders (41-42) will play in their final regular season game against one another on Sunday afternoon to wrap a week of action. A matinee affair from the Flathead Valley is scheduled to get underway with a 1:05 p.m. First pitch. Hear all the action from Glacier Bank Park on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.
