6th Inning Rally Leads PaddleHeads to Win Over Range Riders

Kalispell, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads were looking to get back on track in game 5 of a 6 game set opposite the Glacier Range Riders on Saturday night at Flathead Field. Both offenses would fail to do much of anything in the first five innings as Missoula would lead 1-0. Offensive production for the PaddleHeads offense has been an issue in the series at times with Glacier holding an advantage in the series. Thanks to a rally in the 6th inning however, the Missoula attack would find the success they needed to get back on track. 

Missoula would bring home 4 runs in the sixth to jump ahead of the Range Riders 5-0. Brody Wofford of Glacier would continue his offensive success in the late innings to keep things interesting, but his efforts would not be enough as the PaddleHeads would take game 5 by a score of 5-2. 

The rally in the sixth would be highlighted by a likely culprit in Jayson Newman. The Pioneer League leader in homers would launch his 24th homer of the season over the wall in left to give the PaddleHeads a 3-0 lead. Newman is now just 2 home runs away from tying Zach Almond's Pioneer League record total of 26 homers from last season. Newman would finish 1-for-4. 

With 2-outs recorded in the sixth, second baseman Patrick Chung would come through in the clutch with a single up the middle with 2-strikes to bring Missoula's lead to 5-0. It would highlight a solid night at the dish for the Western Oregon product who finished the night 2-for-4. The 5-run cushion would prove to be enough to preserve the victory for starter Mark Timmins who would do more than hold up his end of the bargain. 

The Omaha native would corral the Range Rider attack allowing no runs, and 3 hits over 5 innings to earn his third win of the season. Timmins' most dominant stretch came in the first, and second innings when Timmins would strike out 5 batters consecutively as part of 2 scoreless frames. Glacier would find the scoreboard after Timmins' departed, but it would prove to not be enough. 

Wofford continued his recent power surge for Glacier in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to get the Range Riders on the board. Glacier would fail to find much other success down the stretch however as the Missoula bullpen would hold the line for the win. The Georgia native has now homered 4 times in his last three games and would finish 2-for-5 Saturday. 

Sam Hellinger would earn his second save this week in action opposite Glacier in the ninth striking out Wofford looking to end the ballgame. The Washington native now has recorded 7 saves total on the season which now leads the team. The former Ranger farmhand has only allowed 1 run over his last 4 outings. 

The PaddleHeads (41-17) will look to end this 6 game set on a high note Sunday to salvage a split in action opposite the Range Riders (21-37). This will be Missoula's final regular season appearance at Flathead Field. This matinee affair is set to begin at 1:05 p.m. Hear all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.