PaddleHeads Fail to Erase Early Deficit in 7-4 Defeat

KALISPELL, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads found themselves in a familiar predicament in game 2 of a 3 game set opposite the Glacier Range Riders at Flathead Field. For the second consecutive night Glacier would jump on top in the first inning to grab the early edge. The PaddleHeads would trail by as many 5 in the first 5 innings failing to get the bats going. Missoula would rally in the sixth inning to tighten the game going down the stretch but would never be able to get over the hump in a 7-4 loss. 

After taking a 2 run advantage in the first, Glacier would add on to the lead in the third on a clutch swing from Vinny Bologna with two outs recorded. Bologna would hit a laser over the wall in left center field to give the Range Riders a 4-0 advantage. Glacier would do more damage in the fifth with 2 outs when catcher Luis Trevino singled up the middle to give the Range Riders their largest lead of the night. Trevino finished the night 1-for-3 and Bologna was 1-for-4. 

Missoula's offense would kick into gear in the sixth inning to tighten things up in the final four innings with a 4 run rally to cut the deficit to 5-4. Nick Gatewood got the party started with a double off the wall in right center field that scored Cameron Thompson which got Missoula on the board. Brandon Riley would then bring in a pair on a single through the right side of the infield before scoring later in the frame on a throwing error which cut the deficit to 1. Glacier would not allow Missoula to get any closer however, shutting down the PaddleHeads the rest of the way. Gatewood would finish 2-for-4 and Riley was 1-for-4 . 

The Range Riders would immediately have an answer after the PaddleHeads tightened things up in the top of the sixth scoring a pair in the bottom half of the frame. The two runs would come in to score on an error, and a wild pitch in the frame to make the score 7-4. That would prove to be plenty for the Glacier bullpen that shut the door for the second consecutive night. 

After pitching 4 shutout innings in game 1, the Range Riders would see their bullpen hold the line once again in 3 shutout innings. Austin Steinfort, Tyler Solomon, and John Beuckelaere each pitched scoreless frames to help bring the Range Riders to the finish line. The Glacier pen has now thrown 7 shutout innings against Missoula in the series. 

The Range Riders (10-12) will look for a sweep of the PaddleHeads (13-9) in the series finale scheduled for Sunday Afternoon at Flathead Field. Action on Father's Day is scheduled to get under way at 3:05 p.m. Listen to all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.