Offensive Fireworks Highlights PaddleHeads Win
Sanchez Drives In 6 Runs in 20-5 Win Over Great Falls
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 2 |
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8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | X | 20 | 19 | 2 |
MISSOULA, MT - The Missoula PaddleHeads lineup was uncharacteristically quiet in the opening game of this 6-game set with the Great Falls Voyagers Tuesday. Missoula would be limited to 4 runs in a game they never led to open the series. A positive trait from this PaddleHeads club to this point has been its ability to bounce back from one game to the next. Wednesday's contest at Allegiance Field surely was a good example of that.
The offense would scream out the gates in the bottom of the 1st inning plating 8-runs in a flurry to take the lead immediately. Missoula would seemingly never look back from that point on as the offense would continue to produce throughout the night. 7 batters would finish with a multi hit effort with the PaddleHeads tallying 19 hits as a team. Alec Sanchez would be a highlight hitting a pair of home runs in the win. This recipe would lead Missoula to a 20-5 victory to even this series at a game apiece.
12 batters would come to the plate in the bottom of the 1st for Missoula allowing the home team to jump to a big lead right from the start. The first 4 batters of the inning would reach base with Mike Rosario driving home the first run in the rally with a single. Nich Klemp would later strike with a 2-run double to make the score 3-0. Sanchez would deliver the swing that did the most damage in the frame hitting a grand slam to left field which made the score 8-0. Sanchez would prove to have more to say offensively. Rosario, and Klemp would both finish 2-for-5 in the ballgame with 4 combined RBIs.
The Voyagers would trim into the deficit in the 2nd and 3rd innings. Rookie outfielder Kyle Schmack would get Great Falls on the board in the 2nd with a double down the left field line to trim the lead to 7. In the 3rd, home runs in consecutive at-bats from Emilo Carona, and Tommy Specht would then make it a 8-3 ballgame. This would be the closest Great Falls came on this night however as Missoula continued to do damage throughout.
Adam Fogel would highlight a 3-run push in the bottom of the 3rd to bring Missoula's run total past the 10 run mark. After an RBI single from Rosario in the inning, Fogel would launch his 1st triple of the season to right center to bring home the right fielder. Fogel would have a monster game reaching base 6 times in a 4-for-4 effort. Fogel would also score a run in the frame on an error which would see the PaddleHeeds take a 11-3 lead.
To keep the offense cooking, Layton Berry would bring home 3 runs with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the 5th inning. With 3 PaddleHeads on the bases, the 3rd baseman would bring everyone home with a triple to get the lead to 15-4. Berry would finish the contest 2-for-5. A few more big swings would put the finishing touches on in the bottom of the 8th.
2 more extra basehits would bring Missoula's run total to 20 in the bottom of the 8th. Sanchez would go yard for the 2nd time in the ballgame to provide the first spark. The center fielder would knock in 6 runs in the ballgame in a 3-for-6 effort. Colin Gordon would later drive home 3 more with a double in the frame to give Missoula a 15-run advantage. The PaddleHeads offense would tally 10 extra base hits throughout the contest on their way to a game 2 win.
Noah Owen would have a successful PaddleHeads debut in the bottom of the 9th striking out the side in his first appearance in Missoula. The Southern California native is the second right handed reliever to make his debut with the PaddleHeads out of the bullpen in as many games joining Nick Bautista. Both pitchers managed to get out of the gates with successful outings in scoreless innings of work to make a good first impression.
The PaddleHeads (34-16) will look to now gain an advantage in this 6-game set with the Voyagers (15-35) in game 3 of this series Thursday night. First pitch from Allegiance Field will get things started at 7:15 p.m. Head down to the ballpark or listen live on ESPN Missoula 102.9
F.M.
