PaddleHeads Offense Held in Check in 13-2 Defeat

Kalispell, MT- After getting off to a rough start in game 1 of a 6 game set Tuesday, the Missoula PaddleHeads got back at it Wednesday in game 2 opposite the Glacier Range Riders. Things for Missoula would not begin well as the Range Riders would jump out to an early advantage in the first inning. That would only begin what was a rough night for Missoula the rest of the way. 

The Range Riders would outscore the PaddleHeads  8-1 in the first three innings setting the tone in the early frames for the second night in a row. Missoula would never find a rebuttal offensively throughout the night tallying only 4 hits in the contest. When the dust settled, Missoula would walk away from Flathead Field with their second straight defeat in a 13-2 loss. 

After the PaddleHeads were set down in order in the top of the first, Glacier would find separation right away in the bottom half with a 4-run rally to jump ahead 4-0. Sam Linscott would drive home a run with a single to kick off the scoring. Later in the frame, Drew Sims also came through with a 2-run single with 2-outs to give Glacier the early cushion. Linscott finished 1-for-5. 

The lead for Glacier would swell to 7 runs in the third innings thanks to a 3 run rally. Livingston Morris' RBI single got the party started prior to a pair of RBI groundouts in the frame. The 8-1 advantage would prove to be plenty down the stretch as Missoula's offense would never find continued success through the night. 

The lone bright spots offensively for the PaddleHeads came on a pair of solo home runs from Cameron Thompson, and Lamar Sparks. Thompson would get Missoula on the board with a shot to right in the third, and Sparks would lead off the seventh with a homer that made the score 8-2. That would be all for Missoula's offense however in what would be a rough night at the dish. Thompson did finish 2-for-3 in the loss while Sparks was 1-for-4. 

On a night where a lot of things did not go the PaddleHeads way, Nate Boyle would have a solid outing in relief for Missoula. The rookie right-hander would not allow a single run in 4 innings out of the pen allowing only 1 hit while striking out a pair. This effort would not be enough however as Glacier would extend the lead in the late innings.

The Range Riders would make sure there would be no chance of a comeback in the eighth inning scoring 5 runs in the frame. Home Runs from Ryan Cash, and Robbie Scott would do a bulk of the damage scoring 4 runs. Simms would then wind out the scoring with an RBI single of his own to make the score 12-2. Sims, and Cash would both finish 3-for-5 and Scott was 1-for-5. 

The PaddleHeads (39-16) will look to get back to their winning ways in game 3 of the series opposite the Range Riders (20-35) on Thursday night at Flathead Field. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Listen to the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.