7-Run 7th Inning Leads PaddleHeads Past Range Riders

FLATHEAD VALLEY, MT - After wrapping up action at home on a high, the Missoula PaddleHeads would take the show on the road Friday opposite the Glacier Range Riders. This opened a 9 game road trip for Missoula as well. Starting pitching set the zone in the first chunk of the contest as both teams would be held off the board in the first 3 innings. Both teams would then take turns out in front in the middle innings. When the game entered the late innings however, things would take a drastic turn in the PaddleHeads favor.

The first 7 batters in the top of the 7th would all reach base to fan the flames of a 7-run rally that changed the course of the game. The PaddleHeads would follow suit in the next inning putting 4 runs on the board to stretch the lead to double digits. Glacier would only score 1 in the final 3 frames allowing Missoula to cruise down the stretch to a 14-5 win. 

Dawson Day of the PaddleHeads, and Patrick Wicklander of the Range Riders would both have solid outings as the starters with both offenses held in check in the early going as a result. Both starters would pitch 5 innings on the mound with 16 combined strikeouts. Day would allow 2 runs in his outing while Wicklander would allow 3. Despite both delivering solid outings, neither would earn a win. Offense would begin to play a role for Missoula as well in the 5th. 

The PaddleHeads would jump out to their first advantage in the 5th thanks to a pair of home runs. Adam Fogel would tally his 34th home run after breaking a league record Thursday to give Missoula their first run. Later in the frame Josh Elvir would also hit his second home run in as many nights to give the PaddleHeads a 3-0 lead. The outfield duo would both finish 2-for-5 in the win with 6 combined RBIs. Glacier would bounce back in the innings that followed to take the lead themselves. 

The Range Riders would tally 4 unanswered runs from innings 4 through 6 to take the lead. A 2-run rally in the 6th would see Glacier take a 4-3 lead to highlight these efforts. Drew Simms would knock in a run with a double to get things started and would then score on a single from J.D. McLaughlin to make the score 4-3. Simms would finish 2-for-4 in a solid effort at the plate. Missoula would waste no time in rebutting this effort in a big rally that immediately followed. 

After a double from Elvir started the 7th, the 2nd year PaddleHead would immediately score the tying run on a single up the middle from Hayden Travinski. This would prove to be a precursor as RBI singles from Fogel, and Alec Sanchez would follow in quick order as Missoula took a 10-4 lead. Sanchez would knock in a team best 4 runs in the win finishing 2-for-4. In the next half frame, the offense would also just keep on coming. 

The PaddleHeads would put things away with a 4-run rally in the 7th to bring their lead to 9. A 2-run single from Roberto Pena would do damage to start things out, expanding the lead to 6. After an RBI groundout from Fogel, Sanchez would then put on the finishing touches offensively, launching a 2-run bomb to left field to wind out the scoring. The PaddleHeads will now look to shift momentum fully to their side on Saturday night. 

The PaddleHeads (57-25) will look to build on the success they have found in their last 2 games opposite the Range Riders (40-42) in the final night game of the week Saturday. Action is set to begin at Glacier Bank Park with a 7:05 p.m. First pitch. Catch every inning on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.