Offensive Fireworks Leads PaddleHeads to Win On The 4th
Casserilla Drives In 5 Runs In Victory Over Idaho Falls
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 13 | 0 |
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4 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | X | 25 | 24 | 0 |
Missoula, MT - The Missoula PaddleHeads welcomed a sold out crowd to Allegiance Field Ogren Park for a 4th of July battle with the Idaho Falls Chukars. The PaddleHeads had enjoyed great offensive success throughout the week. After a solid performance in game 1, Missoula brought momentum to the holiday occasion. Fans in the stands eagerly awaited the fireworks display throughout the evening. Luckily for those in attendance, offensive fireworks told the story for the PaddleHeads well before the show.
The Missoula offense was rolling from the very start in one of their best performances of the season. Every batter in the order had something to say finishing with at least 1 hit. Each of the first 7 hitters in the lineup also finished with at least 2 hits overall. Sergio Gutierrez, Bryce Cerminelli, and Xavier Casserilla highlighted this group with 4 hits apiece. As a result, the PaddleHeads led the game from start to finish in a dominant 25-14 victory over the Chukars.
The PaddleHeads got going in the 1st with a home run for the 2nd consecutive game thanks to Jeremy Piatkiewicz. The shortstop launched his 4th home run of the season to right field to get the party started. Casserilla then knocked in a run with a single and would later score on a double from Enzo Apodaca giving Missoula an early 4-0 cushion. The 2nd year PaddleHead was 2-for-2 reaching base 6 times in the win. Apodaca was 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and 3 RBIs.
The Chukars did answer quickly to this early push, tying the game in the top of the 2nd. RBI singles from Garrett Ostrander, Wesley Mitchell, and Casey Vaughan told the story bringing home 4 runs to knot things up at 4. The Chukars finished with 13 hits en route to 14 runs in the game collectively. Despite this effort, it would prove to not be close to enough.
The PaddleHeads went all the way around the order and then some in a big push in the bottom of the 2nd plating 7 runs. 6 separate players had an RBI hit in the inning in a collective onslaught taking a 11-4 lead. Missoula never looked back from there.
Nich Klemp kept the hammer down for PaddleHeads in the 3rd, launching a home run as part of a 4-run rally. Mike Koszewski also raked a double down the left field line in the frame to plate a pair to make the score 16-4. The Centerfielder had 4 RBIs from the top of the order while also scoring 4 times in a 4-for-6 performance. The offense then put the final nail in the coffin in the 'Peanut Inning' a few innings later.
The fans did not have to wait long for peanuts to go flying into the crowd in the bottom of the 6th thanks to Casserilla. The 3rd baseman launched a home run to left center on the very first pitch he saw in the frame to jumpstart a 6-run rally. The former Shocker reached 7 times in the ballgame in a 4-for-4 night knocking in 5 runs. Gutierrez kept things rolling with an RBI single in the frame as well as part of a 4-for-7 night. Cerminelli also contributed with an RBI knock as part of a 4-for-6 performance.
When the dust settled from this rally, Missoula held a 24-8 advantage. The Chukars attack found success in the later innings, plating runs in 3 straight frames from the 6th through the 8th but never threatened Missoula's lead. With wins in the first 2 games of the series, Missoula will now look to end this homestand on a high.
The PaddleHeads (19-21) have a chance to break out the brooms at home for the first time in the finale on Sunday afternoon with the Chukars (12-29). A matinee affair at Allegiance Field will get started with a 2:05 p.m. first pitch. Head out to the ballpark for a 'Kids Free Sunday' or listen in on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
