PaddleHeads Complete 3-Game Sweep Of Range Riders
Dominant Effort Leads Missoula To Win Over Glacier Sunday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 0 |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 |
Flathead Valley, MT - The Missoula PaddleHeads took aim at their first sweep of the season in Sunday's series finale with the Glacier Range Riders. The PaddleHeads turned to rookie Luke Wechsler on the mound making his first professional start at Glacier Bank Park. The California Lutheran product handled this pressure quite well in what was a fabulous outing on the hill. The offense also provided plenty of support along the way.
Missoula jumped out of the gates quickly in the top of the 1st, mounting a rally to set the tone. The PaddleHeads followed that up with another big push of success a few innings later building a double digit lead. Wechsler firmly controlled things for a large portion of the ballgame on the flipside, never allowing the Range Riders a chance to fight back in the game. This led Missoula to a Sunday to remember in a 13-1 victory to complete the sweep of Glacier. The PaddleHeads now head home with momentum opening a 6-game series in the coming days with the Oakland Ballers.
The offense gave Wechsler run support immediately, sending 10 batters to the plate in the top of the 1st inning. After a run scored on a wild pitch to get things started, Tyler Stone delivered an RBI single to keep the ball rolling. Leyton Berry had an RBI knock of his own in the inning to do the final damage giving Missoula a 5-0 lead out of the gates. The offense did a lot more damage 2 innings later.
Missoula put together another big rally in the top of the 3rd racing to a big lead. Jeremy Piatkiewicz sent home the first run of the frame with a single to right field to make the score 6-1. A sacrifice fly from Nich Klemp later brought the shortstop home to give the PaddleHeads a 7 run lead. Former Range Rider Xavier Casserilla then delivered the biggest blow with a 3-run double down the left field line to give Missoula an 11-1 advantage. Wechsler made sure his side stayed firmly in control from that point.
The Santa Barbara native was exceptional over 6 innings allowing only 3 hits and 1 run while striking out 7. Wechsler retired 9 batters in a row in one stretch from the 3rd to the 6th to keep momentum firmly in his dugout. The right hander earned his 1st professional win as a result in a dominant team win. Casserilla made sure to leave nothing to doubt in the late innings.
The 3rd baseman put on the finishing touches in the top of the 7th. With a runner aboard, Casserilla jumped on the first pitch he saw, lacing a home run over the 380 marker in right center field to bring Missoula's lead to 12 runs. The Texas native finished with 5 RBIs in the win in a 2-for-5 day at the plate.
Reece Fields, and rookie reliever Jack Robinson took Missoula home over the final 3 innings. This wrapped a solid week of work for Fields in relief after his sensational outing to start things off on Tuesday. The 3rd year pro did not allow a run in 7 ⅓ innings of work combined while striking out 10.
Robinson had no drama in the bottom of the 9th to wrap up the sweep with Glacier in a scoreless inning. Now Missoula will look to take this momentum into a home series opposite the defending league champions.
The PaddleHeads (11-7) will open a 6-game set on Tuesday evening playing host to the Oakland Ballers (7-11). This will be Missoula's 2nd meeting this season with the Bay Area based club having played in Oakland to open the season. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Head out to Allegiance Field at Ogren Park to enjoy all the fun in person or follow the action live on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
