8th Inning Barrage Leads Missoula Past Glacier Tuesday

FLATHEAD VALLEY, MT - The Missoula PaddleHeads opened a 6-game set of action Tuesday night opposite the Glacier Range Riders. A large chunk of this battle would be dictated by starting pitching. Neither team would find the scoreboard until the 6th when Glacier managed to scape a run across. The Missoula offense would be held in check through 7 on the flipside thanks to an outstanding effort from southpaw Patrick Wicklander. After the departure of the Bay Area native, the winds would shift in a big way. 

The PaddleHeads would tie the game in a blink in the 8th inning recording 3 consecutive singles. This would only begin to tell the tale of the frame as Missoula would go on to record 7 hits in the inning. Missoula would not be brought to a halt either until they had put 5 runs on the board taking their first lead in the process. This would prove to be plenty for a bullpen that did not move an inch down the stretch in a 7-1 PaddleHeads win. 

Wicklander would be thoroughly in control of the PaddleHeads offense through 7 innings of work. The former Rays product would strike out 10 in those innings allowing just 3 hits in his Range Riders debut. After seeing Missoula's starter Reece Fields keep Glacier under wraps for the bulk of his outing, Glacier would find their only bit of success after his departure. 

A 3 batter stretch would get Glacier on the board for the 1st and only time to take the lead. After a walk and single started the 6th, Andy Atwood would bring home a run with a sacrifice fly to give the 'Riders a 1-0 lead. A double play ball would quickly end the inning ensuring momentum would not be built further. This would also be the only time the bullpen would budge. 

Andrew Garcia, Ethan Swanson, and Arman Sabouri did well collectively in 3 scoreless innings coming down the stretch. The trio would only allow 3 base runners in those innings while striking out 3. The offense would back that effort and then some coming down the stretch. 

Missoula would score 7 unanswered in the final 2 innings highlighted by their 5-run effort in the 8th. Missoula would see 5 consecutive singles lead them to the lead in the frame. Alec Sanchez would have the big swing in that instance knocking in Mike Rosario to give Missoula their first lead at 3-1. A sacrifice fly from Cameron Thompson and RBI single from Kamron Willman also fanned the flames as Missoula took a 4-run lead. Sanchez would lead the team in hits finishing 3-for-5 Tuesday with 2 driven in and 2 runs scored. The rookie center fielder would help the PaddleHeads add runs of insurance in the 9th. 

Sanchez would score a run in the top of the 9th after hitting a double to set things up. The Florida native would come home on a base hit up the middle from Collin Runge that brought home 2 giving the PaddleHeads a 6-run cushion. Sabouri would cruise through the home half of the inning on the flipside as Missoula took home a game 1 win on the road. 

The PaddleHeads (51-16) will look to build on their late inning momentum out the gates in game 2  on Wednesday night in the Flathead Valley.  Action from Glacier Bank Park is scheduled to get underway with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. Stay in tune with every pitch from just outside of Glacier National Park on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.