7-Run Rally Leads PaddleHeads Past Range Riders
Missoula Finished Regular Season Home Slate on High
Missoula, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads played in their final regular season home game on Monday night in the finale opposite the Glacier Range Riders. Having won each of their first 5 games of the series, Missoula held all the momentum looking to win their sixth win in as many nights. Behind a big push in the fourth inning, the PaddleHeads would do just that.
11-runs would score combined in a wild 4th inning that saw 19 batters come to the plate from both teams. Missoula proved to have the upperhand in the frame scoring 7 runs to take an 11-6 lead. Glacier would never recover after the big rally scoring only 1 runs down the stretch as Missoula would send the fans home happy one last time in the regular season in a 12-7 victory.
Missoula would tally runs over each of the first 4 innings to jump on the Range Riders. The first 3 innings saw the PaddleHeads use an unselfish approach as 2 sacrifice flies, and an RBI groundout would bring in 3 runs. Nick Gatewood also would strike with his first of 2 doubles to bring in a run to make the score 4-2 in the 3rd. Gatewood had a fabulous night in the win finishing 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs.
Glacier would battle the Missoula offense in the early going taking their only lead of the night behind a 4-run rally in the 4th. RBI singles from Eddie McCabe, and Ryan Cole did the bulk of the damage that saw Glacier take a 6-4 lead. Missoula's offense would make sure it would not stand for long in action in the bottom of the 4th.
A pair of 2-run home runs from Cameron Thompson, and McClain O'Connor would tell the story for Missoula in a 7-run rally that saw the PaddleHeads take an 11-6 advantage. When it was all said and done, Missoula would send 11 batters to the plate as part of the rally. The PaddleHeads never would relinquish the lead again after this push. Thompson, and O'Connor both went 1-for-3 in the victory.
The PaddleHeads bullpen did well to settle things down over the final 3 innings allowing only 1 baserunner in that stretch. After Dan Swain struck out a pair in a scoreless 7th, Cody Thompson would take Missoula home over the final 2 innings. Thompson would retire all 6 batters he faced in order ensuring there would be no late inning drama on this night.
The PaddleHeads (65-24) ended their final home stretch of the regular season on a tear going 14-1 in their final 15 home games. After an offday on Sunday, Missoula begins their final series of the regular season on the road opening a 6-game set against the Boise Hawks (28-62). Action on Monday afternoon is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. Catch all the action from the Idaho State Capital on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
