PaddleHeads Earn 5th Straight Win Over Voyagers

MISSOULA, MT - A Saturday night at Allegiance Field at Ogren Park featuring the Missoula PaddleHeads, and Great Falls Voyagers would begin with Missoula in search for a 5th straight win. The PaddleHeads would not be hard to spot on the field either as they sported their 'PowerderHead'  alternate uniforms for the first time this season. The PaddleHeads would also take control of the contest on this night from the start. 

Missoula would get on the board in 3 of the first 4 innings of the game scoring 6 unanswered runs to lead by that margin. Great Falls would trim the deficit to 3 in the 9th inning in an attempt to get back into the game. Andrew Garcia would get through the sequence however retiring the final hitter of the night with a strikeout to clinch a 9-6 victory over the Voyagers. Missoula will now look to sweep this 6-game slate at home on Sunday afternoon in the series finale. 

Roberto Pena would make sure Missoula would jump to the lead early hitting a solo home run to left field to give the PaddleHeads an early advantage. Collin Runge would score a run as well in the next inning that would extend the advantage to 2. A 4th inning rally featuring Runge, and Patrick Chung would give Missoula control. 

Runge would once again score a run on a double off the bat of Chung to kick off a 4-run rally in the 4th. Adam Fogel would also provide a spark in the inning with a 2-run double of his own that would make the score 6-0. Fogel has now tallied 31 RBIs on the season and would finish 2-for-4 on Saturday. The Western Oregon University duo of Chung, and Runge would both tally 3 hits in the win with Chung finishing 3-for-4 and Runge going 3-for-5. 

Connor Schultz would pitch effectively to earn his 3rd win of the season in 6 innings of work on the mound. The Iowa native would strike out 5 while allowing 2 earned runs. Arman Sabouri, and Ethan Swanson were also effective in 2 innings out of the bullpen as the pair would allow just 1 hit in 2 scoreless frames. The PaddleHeads would get a run of insurance offensively in the 8th to help back this effort. 

Reece Yeargain would send Runge home once more on a double to right field to give the PaddleHeads a 9-5 advantage heading toward the top of the 9th inning. This would prove to be relevant as Great Falls would have one last gasp in the frame. 

The Voyagers would see the first 3 batters of the top of the 9th reach base. The 3rd batter of the frame Jack Lynch would double home a run to kick off the rally in earnest. A 2nd run in the frame would later score on a wild pitch as Great Falls trimmed the lead to 3. In a bases loaded scenario, Garcia was able to settle down by striking out consecutive hitters to put out the fire. The series finale now awaits between these 2 teams Sunday afternoon. 

The PaddleHeads (14-3) will look to complete the 6 game sweep of the Voyagers (3-14) in the first matinee affair this season at Allegiance Field Sunday. Action begins with a scheduled 2:15 first pitch time. All children aged 14 & under can get into the ballpark for free as part of 'Kids Free Sunday.' If you cannot make it to the field, be a part of all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.