Walk-Off Single From Gordon Claims 5-4 PaddleHeads Win

MISSOULA, MT - Friday's battle between the Great Falls Voyagers, and Missoula PaddleHeads at Allegiance Field was all about pitching through a large chunk of the action. Both teams would be held scoreless through 5 innings. Alfredo Villa, of the PaddleHeads and Nick Marshall of the Voyagers seemingly fed off each other's success mowing through inning after inning. Things would take a drastic turn in the late stages however, setting up a wild finish. 

Trailing by 3 entering the top of the 9th, the Voyagers would come up clutch, tying the game behind a rally that saw 6 batters reach base. Ethan Swanson did manage to keep the lead run on the bases however as action then entered the bottom of the 9th all knotted up. 

After just 3 hitters, the PaddleHeads would then bring an end to the ballgame thanks to Colin Gordon. The 2nd baseman would line a single to right to bring home Kamron Willman from second base, cueing up a celebration in the stands. It surely was all about the pitching until it was not in a dramatic 5-4 walk-off win for Missoula.

Villa delivered a vintage performance Friday in 7 fabulous innings of work. The 2nd year PaddleHead allowed just 4 hits and a run over those frames while striking out 6. The Arizona native's ability to mix his pitch types was key to keeping the Voyagers lineup in check. The Adams State product would also exit the game in line for a win after the offense was able to get on the board in the 6th and 7th. 

After taking a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the 6th, Missoula would ensure that lead would be short lived thanks to Patrick Chung. The leadoff man would hit his 3rd home run this week to knot things up at 1. It was a highlight to another big night at the plate for the 3rd year veteran who finished 3-for-5. Chung has tallied 3 hits or more in every game he has played against Great Falls this week. Missoula would then take the lead in the same inning thanks to another big swing. 

Adam Fogel would give Missoula their first lead with another solo bomb in the 6th that made the score 2-1. It was the 27th of the season for the Pioneer League leader in home runs. Missoula would see its lead expand an inning later. 

Consecutive singles from Taylor Smith, Gordon, and Chung would push 2 more runs across for the PaddleHeads in the 7th to make the score 4-1. Smith had a solid night in the 8 spot in the order reaching base 3 times finishing 2-for-3. Gordon would knock in runs in his final 2 at-bats to finish 2-for-4. The Voyagers would prove to have a clutch aspect to them in the 9th however to set up a tight finish. 

6 of the first 7 batters that came to the plate in the 9th for Great Falls would reach base as part of a 3-run rally to tie the game. Freddy Rojas Jr. would do the first damage on an RBI single. 2nd year Voyager Xane Washington would then tie the game with a single to right field to knot things up at 4. 

The Nichols St. product turned in a fabulous effort in the loss finishing 3-for-4. Washington has had a fabulous week opposite Missoula in 4 games as well tallying 10 hits in 17 at-bats. This effort on this night would prove to all be for not however as things in the bottom of the 9th slipped away. 

The PaddleHeads (48-16) will now look to build on this momentum at home in game 2 of the series Saturday night opposite the Voyagers (21-43). Another night at Allegiance Field at Ogren Park is scheduled to get going at 7:15 p.m. 

It will also be the 3rd Annual 'Tie Dye Night' at the ballpark. The first 750 fans through the gate will receive their own custom PaddleHeads bucket hat to design with tie die on the concourse. If you cannot make it to Ogren Park, catch all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M. and 1029espn.com.