PaddleHeads Clinch Home Field Advantage Throughout Postseason In Win
Missoula Claims 2nd Half Pennant In Northern Division in 10-8 Victory Friday
Missoula, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads looked to be well on their way in action on Friday night opposite the Glacier Range Riders. Standing 1 win shy of claiming the 2nd Half Pennant, Missoula looked to be in a great position. Behind a surprising rally in the 7th inning Glacier would make things interesting coming down the stretch.
Trailing 8-0, Glacier would come storming back with a 6-run rally that made the score 8-6. This would set up a tight battle to the finish over the final 3 innings that would end with Sam Hellinger on the bump. It would not be the Seattle native's cleanest inning in the 9th as a run would come in to score in the frame. However, the flame thrower would find a way to make the pitches he needed to down the stretch striking out Ben McConnell on a high heater to put Missoula in the win column. In the process, the PaddleHeads claimed the 2nd half Pennant in the North. Furthermore, the PaddleHeads also clinched home field advantage throughout the upcoming Pioneer League Playoffs with the win.
Missoula got off to a very quick start offensively over the course of the first 4 innings scoring in each frame to jump out to a sizable advantage. Success with 2-outs would tell a big part of the story in the 2nd, and 3rd innings. Brandon Riley would bring Missoula's lead to 3 in the 2nd with a 2-run bomb that made the score 3-0. Riley would collect 3 hits in the win finishing 3-for-5.
The PaddleHeads attack would just keep on coming in 3rd plating 3 more runs in the frame. Nick Gatewood would kick things off in the inning with a double to score a run. 2 more would then be sent home on a triple down the right field line that came off the bat of Keaton Greenwalt to make the score 6-0. Lamar Sparks would then assert himself in the 4th, and 6th innings to put the game out of reach. Gatewood finished 3-for-5 in the victory while Greenwalt was 2-for-4.
Sparks would strike with a pair of extra base hits in the 4th, and 6th innings to bring Missoula's advantage to 8. Sparks would launch his second home run of the series to right in the fourth before doubling home a run in the 6th to make the score 8-0. These were just a few highlights in a fabulous performance for the Texas native that finished 4-for-4 with 2-driven in. The offensive support proved to be more than enough for southpaw Austin Crowson who would pitch a beauty in a winning effort.
The Oregon native would allow only 1 hit over 6 fabulous innings moving his record to 7-0 on the season. Crowson would not allow a single run over those frames while striking out 3. The Western Oregon product only allowed 1 baserunner over his first 4 innings pitched to set the tone for the night. Glacier's offense would find success after Crowson's departure, but it would prove to not be enough.
Glacier would make things interesting in the 7th sending 11 batters to the plate as part of a 6 run rally. A double from Brody Wofford, and 2-run single from Dean Miller would do the bulk of the damage as Glacier would cut Missoula's advantage down to 2. The Glacier offense would get on the board in each of the final 3 innings fighting till the bitter end. However, the mountain would prove to be too tall to climb in the end as the PaddleHeads would hang on for the win.
The PaddleHeads would move their record to (64-24) with the victory improving their winning percentage to 0.727. This ranks 1st amongst all teams across all levels of professional baseball. The job may not be complete for this club in 2022 with the postseason looming on the horizon. But Missoula will begin that journey knowing that all roads in the postseason will lead through Zoo Town.
Missoula will play in their final regular season home game of 2022 on Saturday night in the series finale opposite Glacier (35-52). The PaddleHeads will be in search of a clean sweep of the 6-game slate with a win in the series finale. Action begins at Allegiance Field at Ogren Park at 7:15 p.m. Hear the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
