Ogden Offense Rolls Raptors Past PaddleHeads Friday

MISSOULA, MT- Game 4 of this 6 game slate featuring the Missoula PaddleHeads, and Ogden Raptors  saw the home team  get off to a great start in the 1st inning. Behind a 4-run rally, Missoula would be off and running it would seem after a blowout victory a night prior. This surely put pressure on the visitors sitting in the 1st base dugout having suffered losses the 3 previous night. The 1st half champions from the Southern Division would prove to be up to the challenge thanks to a huge offensive run. 

Ogden would quickly erase Missoula's early lead, scoring 7 runs in the first 3 innings of action. This would only be the beginning for the Raptors attack who would go on to tally runs in innings 2 through 7. This effort ensured that Missoula would never lead after the first rolling to a comfortable 15-7 win to earn their first win of this series. 

The PaddleHeads would bring 8 batters to the plate to grab an early 4-0 advantage in the 1st. Jake Guenther would get the scoring started with a 2-run single up the middle to get Missoula on the board. After a sacrifice fly from Luis Navarro, Cameron Thompson would bring home the 4th run of the frame on an RBI single. Guenther would finish the night 2-for-3. Thompson would also have a solid night in the loss with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate. After a quiet top half of the first, the Ogden attack would then take over taking momentum quickly. 

Dane Tofteland would begin to turn the tide for Ogden in the 2nd inning with a 2-out 2-run home run to cut the PaddleHeads lead to 2. Toftland would go deep twice on the night finishing 2-for-4 with 3 driven in. Behind a big push in the next half frame, Ogden would take a lead they would never relinquish to take control. 

The Raptors would take their first lead of the night behind a 5-run push in the 3rd to jump out to a 7-4 advantage. Reese Alexiades would deliver the first blow with a 2-run double in the frame to bring the Raptors level at 4-runs apiece. Juan Tiexiera, and  Sal Gozzo would then bring in runs on singles in the frame to go along with an RBI double from Damien Henderson. Henderson would reach base 4 times finishing 2-for-4 and Gozzo was 1-for-3. Tiexiera would chip in finishing 2-for-6 and Alexiades was 1-for-5. 

 Nick Ultsch would lead the way in another big rally for Ogden in the 6th to put the game away. The former Napa Silverado would knock in a run with a single in the frame as part of a 4-run rally that saw Ogden take a 14-7 advantage. Free passes would also fan the flames to the rally as the Raptors would see 2 hit-batsmen, and 2 walks lead to more offensive production. Walks would be an issue throughout for Missoula who walked 9 batters as a staff on the night. Ultsch had team best 3 hits in the win finishing 3-for-5.

The PaddleHeads (38-14) will look to get back to their winning ways in game 5 opposite the Raptors (32-20) on Saturday night at Allegiance Field. Action from the Garden City is set to get underway at 7:05 p.m. Catch the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.