Offensive Onslaught Leads Ballers Past PaddleHeads
Oakland Tallies 30 Hits In 23-11 Win Over Missoula Sunday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 29 | 2 |
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0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 14 | 2 |
Missoula, MT - Offensive success for the Oakland Ballers had dictated a sizable portion of this series entering the finale with the Missoula PaddleHeads Sunday. Oakland had scored 10 runs or more in 3 games of this series and needed a win at Allegiance Field to claim a series victory. To say the Oakland offense left nothing to doubt would be putting in lightly in what was their biggest performance of the week.
The Ballers offense came unglued Sunday afternoon scoring runs in 6 of the first 7 innings of the ballgame. This stretch was highlighted by 13 unanswered runs scored in the 4th and 5th innings en route to a big lead. Oakland led by as many as 16 runs throughout the course of the ballgame. 6 players in the order recorded 3 hits or more with their being seemingly nowhere to hide for PaddleHeads pitching. Oakland finished with 30 hits total in a game they never trailed cruising to a 23-11 win.
The Ballers grabbed the lead right out of bed in the top of the 1st. Cam Bufford brought home a pair in what was a 4-run rally in the frame with a single through the left side. This proved to only tell part of the tale for the designated hitter who finished 5-for-6 in his at-bats knocking in 4 runs along the way.
Will Bermudez, and Jeremy Piatkiewicz helped keep Missoula in the fight in the early going, knocking in a pair. Piatkiewicz brought home a run with a single in the frame while the third baseman had an RBI groundout to make the score 4-2. Piatkiewicz finished the day 2-for-4. Bermudez was solid throughout, finishing 3-for-6 with a home run, 3 RBIs, and a pair of runs scored. The Ballers offense then exploded in the middle innings to set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
Home runs from Jeter Ybarra, and Jake Allgeyer played a big role in a 7-run rally for Oakland in the top of the 4th. The 1st baseman knocked in 5 runs in the win finishing 4-for-6. Allgeyer was no slouch himself in a 7 RBI performance finishing 4-for-7. After an RBI single in the frame from Tremayne Cobb Oakland had opened a 12-2 lead.
The offense just kept on coming for the Ballers in the 5th. Esai Santos struck first in what was a 6-run rally with a double to bring home Cobb. This duo was lethal at the top of the order tallying 8 hits combined with 6 runs scored. Another double in the inning from Allgeyer knocked in a pair as well giving Oakland an 18-2 lead.
CJ Dean provided a spark in the losing effort offensively. The left fielder brought home 3 runs on a home run to left center in the 5th to cut into the deficit. The rookie also recorded an RBI single in the 6th making the score 19-7. The North Greenville product finished 3-for-6 in the ballgame with 4 RBIs.
The Ballers put on the finishing touches to a huge day offensively in the top of the 7th bringing home 4 more runs. Allgeyer, and Bufford were at it again in the frame with RBI singles. Catcher Jaden Collura also got in on the act with an RBI double that saw Oakland take a 23-8 lead. Collura finished 3-for-6 in his at-bats with 4 runs scored. The PaddleHeads will now have to bounce back quickly with an important series looming.
After an off day on Monday, the PaddleHeads (13-11) will welcome the Billings Mustangs (18-5) to Allegiance Field for the first time this season. This 3-game set will be the first meeting between these 2 teams this season. First pitch of game 1 of the series is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday night. Head out to the ballpark to experience the fun or tune in to the live broadcast on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
