Ballers Bats Explode In Game 2 Win Over PaddleHeads
Klemp Tallies 7 RBIs In Losing Effort Wednesday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 20 | 1 |
|
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1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 18 | 2 |
Missoula, MT - Game 2 of this 6 game set featuring the Oakland Ballers and Missoula PaddleHeads featured 2 teams going in separate directions. Missoula came in having won 4 straight. On the flipside Oakland had lost 6 of its last 7 games overall after Tuesday's defeat. The game featured another solid performance from the PaddleHeads offense tallying over 10 runs for the 2nd consecutive night. Missoula nearly tallied 20 hits as a team in the ballgame. Despite these things working in the PaddleHeads favor, Oakland's offense was ahead of them at every turn.
The Ballers wasted no time jumpstarting a big offensive day tallying 7 runs in the top of the 1st inning. Oakland would go on to lead throughout the game by a margin as large as 8 runs. The PaddleHeads bats did all they could to stay in it scoring runs in the first 6 innings of the game. The Ballers never led the lead slip at any point however tallying 21 hits as a team en route to a 17-12 win to even this series at a game apiece.
Oakland came screaming out of the gates in the top of the 1st inning on their way to a 7-0 advantage. There was seemingly nowhere to hide in the inning with the Ballers recording 8 hits alone in the inning. RBI singles from Jake Allgayer, Jeter Ybarra, and Noah Blythe kept the fire burning in the frame that featured 11 men walking to the plate. Blythe knocked in 5 runs in the win in a 4-for-6 performance. Allgeyer was no slouch himself in a 3-for-4 effort and Ybarra was 2-for-4.
The PaddleHeads began to battle back in the 2nd and 3rd with contributions from a newly signed player. Outfielder CJ Dean got his first professional start Wednesday and raised eyebrows with a 3-hit performance. Dean got out of the gate with an RBI double in the second and followed it up with a triple one inning later to make the score 8-5. Dean provided more muscle in the 8th inning.
Nich Klemp powered Missoula right back into the game in the 4th and 5th innings with the long ball. The designated hitter hit a solo blast to left field cutting the deficit to 4. In the 5th, Klemp brought Missoula within a run with a grand slam into right center making the score 11-10. The former Pilot finished with 7 RBIs in the game matching a season high in a 3-for-5 performance. The Ballers grabbed momentum back quickly however after this sequence to regain control.
Home runs in the 6th and 7th inning allowed Oakland to take some pressure off following Missoula's push of momentum. A 3-run blast from Blythe expanded Oakland's lead back to 4 to get things rolling in the 6th. Allgeyer, and Ybarra provided more power in the 7th hitting a pair of solo home runs to give Oakland a 15-10 lead. Missoula's final punch came in the bottom of the 8th.
Dean wrapped up his sensational night offensively in the home half of the 8th hitting a home run to the left of the batter's eye to cut the lead to 6. The left fielder finished 3-for-5 in his 2nd game played as a professional, knocking in 3 runs. Now both teams will look for an advantage in this series in Thursday's game 3.
This 6-game set between the Ballers (8-12) and PaddleHeads (12-8) continues on Thursday night in game 3. First pitch at Allegiance Field is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Head to the ballpark to enjoy all the fun or listen to hear every pitch on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
