PaddleHeads On Brink Of Postseason After Win Saturday

BOISE, ID - After falling for the first time in the series Friday night,  The Missoula PaddleHeads would face challenges throughout the contest Saturday opposite the Boise Hawks. Missoula would lead for the bulk of the contest but would fail to find separation with Boise also landing counter punches. The Hawks would score in 3 separate innings in which Missoula also scored. The X factor that the Boise Hawks did not have on this night however would prove to be Adam Fogel. 

Fogel has been a monster with the long ball all week and Saturday would be no different. The Kentucky product would homer in his 1st 2 at-bats of the night in the 2nd and 4th innings to pace the PaddleHeads attack. Fogel has also homered in each of his last 4 games tallying 5 home runs total in that span. 

Rallies from Boise in the 4th, and 6th would keep things interesting, trimming into the lead. However, the Hawks would never lead at any point as the PaddleHeads would get the win 11-7. Missoula is now also on the cusp of clinching a postseason berth as its 'Magic Number' to clinch the playoffs is down to 1. 

After Fogel's home run in the 4th, Missoula would see the lead keep on growing. Collin Runge knocked in a run with a single in the frame ahead of a home run from Colin Gordon that made the score 5-0. Runge and Gordon both finished 1-for-3 knocking in 5 combined runs in the win. Boise would hang around with a rally of their own in the bottom of the inning. 

The Hawks would see 6 of the first 7 batters reach base as part of a 3-run rally in the bottom of the 4th. A pair of singles from Tyler Jorgensen, and Kole Kaller would both knock in runs in the frame ahead of an RBI double from Noah Marcelo to open the scoring. Marcelo had a team high 3 hits finishing 3-for-5 while Jorgensen finished 2-for-4. A clutch swing with 2-outs would help the PaddleHeads stretch its lead back out a few innings later.

Luis Navarro would see a pair of runs come home on a single through the right side that saw the PaddleHeads bring its lead to 7-3. Another rebuttal from the Hawks would be waiting in the bottom of the inning as Boise continued to fight.

A 2-run double down the left field line from Patrick Marino saw the Hawks trim the Missoula lead to 7-5 to land yet another counter punch to the PaddleHeads. Merino was held quiet in other at-bats however finishing 1-for-4. Missoula would also start to pull away for good in the last 2 innings. 

Runge would bring home a pair of runs in the bottom of the 8th in a very unique way. With runners at 2nd and 3rd, the PaddleHeads 3rd baseman would hit a towering fly ball to a deep part of left center field. Marcelo of the Hawks would manage to make a diving catch on the warning track. On the flipside, both runners on the bases would tag and score in the sequence as Fogel, and Alec Sanchez would both race home to make the score 9-5. Missoula would take its biggest lead a frame later. 

After 1 run scored on a throwing error, Fogel would fittingly bring an end to Missoula's offensive night hitting a single through the left to give Missoula a 11-5 lead. In the end, Fogel finished 3-for-3 with 4 runs scored and 3 RBIs. With the win, Missoula now sits at the doorstep of a playoff berth for the 4th time in as many seasons. 

With a win Sunday, the PaddleHeads (31-10) would claim the 1st half pennant in the Pioneer League for the 4th straight season. A loss from either the Glacier Range Riders, or Northern Colorado Owlz Sunday would also clinch a playoff berth regardless of the outcome of Missoula's contest. Losses from both teams Sunday would also see the PaddleHeads clinch the 1st half pennant with a win or loss. A win Sunday for Missoula would surely will be worth celebrating in the series finale with the Hawks. 

The PaddleHeads will make its final regular season appearances at Memorial Stadium Sunday afternoon in a battle with the Hawks (22-19). Action begins in this matinee affair with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch from the Idaho state capital. Listen in as Missoula chases a playoff berth on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.