PaddleHeads Notch 2 Wins Over Mustangs Saturday

MISSOULA, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads began the process of making up for lost time on Saturday night in play with the Billings Mustangs. To get things started, action would resume continuing Wednesday's affair that was brought to a halt due to severe weather. Both teams would then play in a 7-inning affair after the conclusion of this game. Surely this was a unique circumstance for both teams. But It would prove to be worth the wait for the PaddleHeads after the dust settled in both battles. 

A 5-run push in innings 5 through 7 would be enough for the PaddleHeads offense to battle back from a 2 run deficit in action from the suspended affair to grab the lead. Ethan Swanson would manage to bring the PaddleHeads home in the top of the 9th to preserve a 11-10 win in the first game of the night. 

Alfredo Villa would make sure game 2 was nowhere near as dramatic in a 7-inning complete game. Villa would also receive a lot of help from the home run ball in a 10-2 win in Saturday's 7 inning affair. This scenario allowed the PaddleHeads to add a pair of wins to their total when things were all said and done. 

The first game of the night picked up where things were brought to a halt by the storm Wednesday in the bottom of the 4th. Missoula would trim into the Billings lead scoring runs in the 5th, and 6th but would fair to grab the lead. That would change in the 7th inning in play Saturday. 

Patrick Chung would bring the PaddleHeads to the lead for the first time knocking in a pair with a double to make the score 10-9. Roberto Pena would back that up with an RBI double of his own to hand Missoula a 2-run advantage. Pena, and Chung would both notch 3-for-5 stat lines from this contest. Ethan Swanson would make this effort stand in the 9th. 

The 2nd year PaddleHead would manage to strand a pair of runners on in the 9th to preserve a PaddleHeads win in the 1st game of the evening. It was the 6th save accredited to the Oklahoma native which tied Andrew Garcia for the team lead. Villa, and success from home runs would ensure that game 2 would not feature a tight late inning spot. 

Pena would not wait around to get things started offensively in the 2nd game of the night hitting a home run in the bottom of the 1st to give Missoula the lead immediately. The former Kansas State product would prove to just be getting started with the home run ball. 

Pena would hit his 2nd home run of the night in the bottom of the 2nd inning as part of a 5-run rally. Alec Sanchez, and Taylor Smith would both also leave earth in the inning as the PaddleHeads advantage swelled to 6-1. Pena would finish 2-for-3 in game 2 with 3 driven in. Smith would provide more muscle in the innings that followed to allow the lead to grow even  more. 

Smith would also homer twice in the win, launching his 2nd home run of the night in the 4th. The 2-run blast to center field from the Texas native would fly over 440 feet before coming to rest. The Texas-San Antonio product would then put the finishing touches on offensively for Missoula in the 5th knocking in 2 more runs with a double to make the score 10-2. Smith knocked in 5 runs in the win in a 3-for-3 performance. This would prove to be plenty of help for his battery mate. 

Villa would cruise through 7 innings earning the win for the PaddleHeads allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. The reigning league pitcher of the year would seemingly get stronger as the game went along. The Arizona native would not allow a run in his final 4 innings of work. Villa would also retire 9 of the final 10 batters he faced overall. This put Missoula's pitching staff in good position ahead of the doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. 

The PaddleHeads (45-13) and Mustangs (26-32) will wrap up the series Sunday with a twin bill at Allegiance Field at Ogren Park. Action will begin with a 2:15 p.m. first pitch in game 1, Both contests will be 7 innings in length. The 2nd game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game 1. If you cannot be a part of a 'Kids Free Sunday' at the ballpark, follow all the action live on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.