PaddleHeads Drop Series Finale To Freebirds Sunday
Yuba-Sutter Burns Missoula With 8th Inning Rally In 8-7 Win
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Marysville, CA - Sunday's series finale between the Missoula PaddleHeads and Yuba-Sutter Freebirds felt like a rubber match at Bryant Stadium with both teams fighting in a tightly contested game. Missoula led for a large portion of the contest after scoring first in the top of the 3rd. Yuba-Sutter never let the PaddleHeads gain momentum throughout however with their offense putting on pressure throughout. The Freebirds scored at least 1 run in every inning in their final 5 trips to the plate. For the second night in a row, Missoula's fate was sealed in the bottom of the 8th.
The PaddleHeads held the lead at one point in both the 7th and 8th innings and gave it up in both instances. The Freebirds took their first lead of the game in the 8th with centerfielder Josh Duarte putting Yuba-Sutter in front with an RBI single for the 2nd consecutive game. The Freebirds held the 9th inning advantage for the second straight night as well to claim an 8-7 victory over the PaddleHeads to win the series on their home field.
Xavier Casserilla got the PaddleHeads off to a great start in the top of the 3rd putting the game's first runs on the board. The former Range Rider hit a laser over the right field wall to bring home Nich Klemp and Tyler Stone making the score 3-0. Casserilla enjoyed a solid night collectively finishing 2-for-4. Yuba Sutter began to fight back offensively in the middle innings.
The Freebirds offense trimmed the PaddleHeads advantage to 1 in the bottom of the 5th inning with a 2 run rally. Kendall Foster brought home the first run of the frame with a double ahead of an RBI single by second baseman Zach Chamizo making the score 5-4. The Freebirds then leveled things up in the 6th and 7th.
After a bases- loaded walk brought home a run in the 6th, Yuba-Sutter kept the pressure on an inning later. A 2-out single from Jordan Donahue leveled things up at 6 in the bottom of the 7th setting up another sprint to the finish. Donahue finished 2-for-5 in the win from the top of the order. A PaddleHeads rookie had an answer to this push however soon after en route to the lead once again.
Left fielder Will Bermudez made his return to Marysville this weekend after spending a summer playing at Bryant Field in Collegiate Summer League ball in his time at UC-Riverside. The Southern California native delivered a big swing as a professional for the PaddleHeads in the 8th launching a solo blast to right field to give Missoula the lead at 7-6. It was the 3rd home run of the week for the former Anteater who finished the game 1-for-4. This swing proved to not be enough however as the Freebirds had one more push left in them.
Chamizo struck again in the bottom of the 8th with a double to kick off another push of offense, tying the game at 7. Duarte then knocked Chamizo in with a bullet up the middle in the next at-bat to give the Freebirds the lead for the first time at 8-7. This proved to be the final nail in the coffin as Missoula fell short in the late innings for the second night in a row. Chamizo and Duarte both finished 2-for-4 in the win.
The PaddleHeads (3-3) will now shift their attention to the next leg of this road trip which will now take them to the Beehive State. After an off day on Monday, Missoula will begin a 6-game set opposite the Ogden Raptors on Tuesday night. The PaddleHeads will look for more success at Lindquist Field having won their last 4 games played there. First pitch of game 1 is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Lock in with every pitch on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
