More Offensive Fireworks Highlights PaddleHeads Win
Missoula Takes 3rd Straight In Series With Ogden Friday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
Ogden, UT - A 6-game series featuring the Missoula PaddleHeads and Ogden Raptors rolled into the weekend on Friday night in game 4 from Lindquist Field. To say the Missoula offense had performed well coming in would be an understatement, as they had scored 39 runs combined in their last 2 games. Friday's game was low-scoring in the early going with only 2 combined runs on the board through the first three innings. Once the PaddleHeads kicked it into gear in the middle innings, however, things got out of hand quickly.
Missoula's attack scored 15 runs combined in a 3 inning stretch from the 4th through the 6th. Things got completely out of hand for Ogden in the 6th when the PaddleHeads offense struck with a 10-run rally to blow the game open. The Raptors managed only six hits as a team on the flip side. This effort added up to Missoula's 3rd straight victory by a score of 16-5.
First baseman Tyler Stone kept cooking at the plate Friday finishing with at least 3 hits for the 3rd game in a row. Things began quickly for the rookie in the first inning hitting a single up the middle to knock in the PaddleHeads first run. Stone finished 3-for-6 Friday knocking in a pair. The Scottsdale native has been on a tear in his last 3 games finishing 11-for-16 in his at-bats with 13 RBIs.
Ogden hung in the fight early tying things up with one swing in the bottom of the 3rd. Shortstop Chase Valentine delivered the power hitting a moonshot to dead center field. The ball traveled 480 feet before coming to rest tying the game at 1. Valentine finished 1-for-4 in the game. This game would not remain tied for long however as the PaddleHeads offense came to life.
A 4-run rally in the top of the 4th began to get the wheels turning for the Missoula offense. A pair of runs scored in the inning on walks while also setting the table for the hitters that followed. Nich Klemp later took advantage in the frame hitting a 2-run single to make the score 5-1. This also began what would be a big night for the 2nd year PaddleHead.
Missoula's offense put it all together with a huge push in the top of the 6th inning plating 10 runs in the frame. Missoula brought 13 men to the plate in the flurry recording 9 hits in the inning. After an RBI double from Enzo Apodaca, Joskar Feliciano and Stone also did damage with singles themselves. After a pair of sacrifice flies, Klemp delivered another blow. Feliciano had a fantastic night finishing 3-for-4 while Apodaca was 2-for-6.
Klemp put the first exclamation point on the 6th inning rally, hitting a 2-run blast to left field to make the score 15-1. Apodaca was a part of the story as well in the next at-bat, hitting a home run of his own to bring an end to the scoring in the inning. Klemp knocked in 4 in the win finishing 3-for-6.
This run support proved to be more than enough for starter Tom Reisinger. The former Athletics farmhand kept the Raptors off balanced with a 4-pitch arsenal allowing only 4 hits over 6 innings of work. Reisinger allowed 2 runs in those frames while striking out 5. This also marked the 3rd straight game in which a PaddleHeads starting pitcher delivered a quality start and picked up the win. With momentum fully on their side, Missoula will now look to claim a series win in game 5 Saturday night.
The PaddleHeads (6-4) will look to keep the good vibrations rolling in this series with the Raptors (3-7) on Saturday night. The final night game of this series will begin with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch. Catch all the action from Lindquist Field on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
