PaddleHeads Take Down Mustangs in Pitchers Duel
Sparks Corrals Mustangs in 5-1 Victory Thursday Night
Billings, MT- Runs would be hard to come by in game 3 of a 6 game set between the Missoula PaddleHeads and Billings Mustangs on Thursday night. The score would remain tight at 2-1 for much of the night at Dehler Park as both offenses would be held in check for a large chunk of the ballgame. Despite being held completely in line for much of the evening, Missoula's offense would find success in the final 2 frames to support a superb effort from the PaddleHeads pitching staff.
Missoula would tally runs in both of the final frames to give themselves a 5-1 cushion going down the stretch. This burst in the late frames would help support a fabulous outing from southpaw Mitch Sparks who allowed only 1 run in his start on the hill. Sam Hellinger would also hold off the Mustangs for the second straight night, recording the final 4 outs as the PaddleHeads would hang on for a 5-1 win.
After falling into an early 1-0 hole in the 2nd, Missoula would immediately erase the early deficit in the 3rd with a 2-run rally. Nick Gatewood, and Kamron Willman would both come through with 2-out singles to drive home a pair in the inning to give Missoula a lead they would never give up the rest of the way. Success with 2-outs would prove to be a big factor through the night as all 5 of the PaddleHeads runs would come across with 2-outs recorded. Gatewood had a solid night finishing 3-for-5 while Willaman would chip in with a 1-for-4 effort.
Sparks made sure the PaddleHeads would hang on to the slim lead in 6 fabulous innings of work, scattering 4 hits over those frames while striking out a pair. Sparks would find much of his success pitching to contact in the outing. The Texas native would induce a double play in 3 consecutive frames to start the ballgame. Sparks has only allowed 3 runs over his last 2 starts.
The PaddleHeads attack managed to stretch out the lead in the final 2 innings thanks to more success with 2-outs. Andrew Noviello singled home a run in the eighth to bring home Gatewood to extend the advantage to 2 runs. In the ninth, Lamar Sparks managed to reach base on a 2-out single to left. This would creak the door open ever so slightly for Jayson Newman.
Newman would take advantage of his opportunity in the ninth hitting an opposite field bomb to right to exstend the PaddleHeads advantage to 5-1. This brought Newman's home run total to 31 on the season. The Cal-State Northridge product also brought his RBI total to 111 in the process. This is only 5 shy of the Pioneer League single season RBI record of 116 that was set by Matt Fienstein of the Idaho Falls Chukars in 2021.
The 4-run cushion would prove to be plenty for flamethrower Sam Hellinger coming down the stretch recording a 4-out save. Hellinger would strike out 2 in 1 ⅓ innings of action allowing only 1 baserunner in that stretch to earn his 13th save of the season. The Seattle native now leads all relievers in the Pioneer League in saves.
Missoula (58-22) will look to continue the momentum in the series in game 4 slated for Friday night opposite the Mustangs (43-36). Action is set to begin at 6:35 p.m. Catch every pitch from Dehler Park on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
