14 Run Onslaught Leads PaddleHeads Past Hawks

Missoula, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads were coming off a fantastic offensive performance in Thursday's series finale opposite the Boise Hawks on Thursday night at Allegiance Field at Ogren Park. The PaddleHeads would tally 14 runs in a victory Wednesday looking to keep it rolling to complete the sweep over the Hawks. In an incredible effort, the PaddleHeads would match the offensive performance from the previous night in just  one inning. 

The PaddleHeads would send their entire batting order to the plate twice in the first inning in an incredible 14 run rally. Missoula would also strike for 5 runs in the next half jumping to a 19-0 lead after the first 2 frames. The Hawks would battle with a large rally of their own a few innings later to trim the deficit. But the damage had already been done in a 21-10 victory for Missoula. 

Brandon Riley got the party started in the first inning rally immediately giving Missoula a 1-0 lead on a solo home run. The offense would just keep coming after his at bat as the next 8 batters consecutively would all single as part of the inning. Even the first out of the frame would prove to be productive as Riley would send the eighth run of the inning home on a sacrifice fly. After the dust settled, the PaddleHeads recorded 15 hits in the first to go along with 14 runs. 

Nick Gatewood started another rally for the PaddleHeads in the second inning that saw Missoula stretch the lead even further with an RBI single. Jayson Newman would also get in on the act with an RBI single of his own as part of a huge night at the plate that saw the PaddleHeads stretch their advantage to 19-0. Gatewood was one of 5 batters that would finish with at least 3 hits in the win finishing 3-for-5. 

Despite facing an insurmountable deficit, the Hawks would show fight with a big rally of their own that saw 10 runs come in to score in the third. Jacob Cruce, Ryan Walstad, and Tyler Jorgensen all recorded RBI singles in the frame. Abraham Sequera also doubled home a pair as part of the barrage. Boise would still trail by a tally of 19-10 despite that effort however and would never find the scoreboard again. 

Newman got Missoula back on the board in the sixth with another single to bring home a run to put a bow on his offensive performance. Newman would finish 5-for-5 on the night with 4 RBIs. Patrick Chung wound out the scoring in the next half frame with a sacrifice fly which made the score 21-10. Chung would also finish with 4 RBIs in a 1-for-3 performance at the dish. 

The PaddleHeads bullpen would also continue its solid stretch in 6 ⅔ innings of work. Nate Boyle would perform well to start quieting the Boise offense after its big rally in the third. The Ohio native would not allow a run over 3 ⅔ innings. The rookie has not allowed a run over his last 13 ⅔ innings pitched. Nathan Alexander, and Newman would then take the PaddleHeads home in the final 3 frames allowing only 1 base runner over that stretch while striking out 4 combined.

The PaddleHeads (47-20) will now look to take this recent success against the Hawks (22-46) to the road as Missoula will open a 3 game set in Boise on Friday night. First pitch at Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. All the action can be heard on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.