PaddleHeads Earn 5th Straight Win In Ogden

OGDEN, UT - Friday's ballgame featuring the Missoula PaddleHeads, and Ogden Raptors would have a different feel than the games that game before it in game 4 of the series. Missoula would open contests with a cushion in the early going in previous games to set the tone. Ogden would flip the script in the 1st inning on this night, jumping out to the lead. The PaddleHeads offense would also taper off a bit from where it had been in recent games falling shy of the 10 run mark. Despite this different trajectory, Missoula would find another way to win Friday thanks in large part to fabulous work on the mound.

PaddleHeads ace Alfredo Villa would take the ball for the 3rd time of the season in the contest looking for his 1st win of the year. The Reigning league pitcher of the year would find his groove on this night in 7 stellar innings. Ogden would never manage to find the scoreboard again after the 1st inning as the Missoula staff would turn in a fabulous performance. Success in the early inning with the long ball would be all Missoula would need in the end in a 6-2 win. The PaddleHeads would claim a 5th consecutive win on this road trip in the process. They also clinched another series win on the road opposite the Raptors. 

Catcher Chris Sargent would help give Ogden an early advantage in the bottom of the 1st with an RBI single as part of a 2-run rally. Pierce Howard would also get credit for an RBI in the frame on a groundout that would see Ogden take an early 2-0 advantage. This would be the only threat mounted from the Raptors however as Missoula would never allow more than one hit in an inning after the 1st. A power surge in the innings that followed would also send the PaddleHeads into the lead. 

Home runs in the 2nd, and 3rd innings would give the PaddleHeads their 1st lead. Roberto Pena would kick it off with his 2nd home run in as many games to left field to cut the Ogden lead to 1 in the 2nd. Both Kamron Willman, and Adam Fogel would leave the yard with solo home runs in the 3rd as the PaddleHeads would claim a 3-2 advantage. This would prove to be all the production that would be required for the Missoula staff. 

Villa was surely at his best on Friday night in 7 spectacular innings. The 3rd year professional would mix his pitches extremely well throughout keeping the Raptors off balance. The Arizona native would strike out 9 batters in the outing allowing just 2 runs. In one stretch in the 2nd, and 3rd Villa would record 5 outs in a row via the strikeout. The bullpen would show no signs of weakness other down the stretch thanks to Arman Sabouri, and Andrew Garcia. The pair would not allow a single hit over the final 2 frames with only one man reaching on an error. After a scoreless 8th from Sabouri, Garcia would once again retire the side in order in the 9th after doing the same the night prior. 

The PaddleHeads offense managed to give the pitching staff some breathing room in the 6th to wind out the scoring on both sides. Bases loaded walks to Colin Gordon, and Willman would bring the Missoula advantage to 4. The PaddleHeads also would outscore the Raptors 6-0 after falling behind early in the 1st to take down Ogden for the 4th straight time. 

The PaddleHeads (8-2) will play in their final night game of this road trip on Saturday night in game 5 of the series opposite the Raptors (1-9). A Saturday night from Lindquist Field will get underway with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch. Catch all the action on 102.9 F.M. ESPN Missoula and 1029espn.com.