4 Home Runs Power PaddleHeads to 15-2 Win Saturday

Great Falls, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads had a night to forget offensively in the opening game of action Friday night at Centene Stadium. Game 2 opposite the Great Falls Voyagers presented another challenge due to a weather delay that lasted over an hour. Pitcher Conner Shultz was also thrown into the fire having to take the mound in his first professional start on short notice due to a pregame injury to Austen Seidel. Despite having a lot mounted against them, Missoula would leave nothing to doubt in a complete performance in all aspects. 

The PaddleHeads offense would set the tone from the very beginning rushing out to an 8-0 advantage in the first 3 innings of play. With the long ball playing a big role, the PaddleHeads offense would tally 15 runs before things were all said and done. Despite being put in a difficult position, Schultz would impress in his first professional start in 5 innings to earn the win. The bullpen would also do more than hold up their end of the bargain as well in 4 shutout frames. Behind a dominant performance in multiple facets, Missoula would walk away with a convincing 15-2 win. 

Keaton Greenwalt got the PaddleHeads bats going right away in the top of the first with a solo blast as part of a 2 run first inning. It would be the start of a big night for Greenwalt who would go on to finish 3-for-6. 5 batters in the PaddleHeads order would finish with at least 2 hits on the night. The PaddleHeads would see the bats go quiet in the second inning, but it would prove to only be a brief stint of silence. 

Cameron Thompson got Missoula's offense rolling again in the third with a single through the middle to put the PaddleHeads up by 3. After a second run scored on a wild pitch,  Brandon Riley would approach the plate with the bases loaded. The former Tar Heel would land a huge blow in the clutch situation, launching a  grand slam over the right center field wall to give the PaddleHeads an 8-0 lead. This 6-run rally would prove to be plenty for Shultz, and the rest of the pitching staff. Riley was 2-for-4 at the dish in the win. 

The Iowa product would perform exceptionally well in his first outing as a starter in professional baseball earning the win in 5 innings of work. Shultz would allow only 2 runs over those innings on 4 hits while striking out 6. The former Hawkee had only pitched 1 ⅔ innings as a professional going into that outing. 

The bullpen combination of Dan Swain, and Nathan  Alexander would also impress down the stretch in 4 combined innings. The duo would hold the Voyagers off the board in those innings while striking out 6 batters to ensure the Voyagers would never gain any momentum. 

Jayson Newman provided the final exclamation point for the PaddleHeads offense with a towering blast that soured over the 415 foot marker in center field to bring Missoula's run total to 15 in the 7th. Newman would drive in 3 in the victory total finishing 3-for-5. The second year PaddleHead also brought his home run total to 25 in the process. This means Newman is only 1 long ball away from tying the Pioneer League record set by league MVP Zach Almond last season. 

The PaddleHeads (45-19) will look to take the series in the rubber match opposite the Voyagers (36-28) on Sunday afternoon in their final regular season appearances at Centene Stadium. Action from the Electric City is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Hear all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.