6-Run Lead Evaporates In 9-7 Loss to Range Riders

FLATHEAD VALLEY, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads were cruising in the early going in action opposite the Glacier Range Riders on Sunday afternoon. Missoula would use a 1st inning rally to immediately jump in front. After a home run in the 3rd inning, Missoula would hold a 5-0 lead. On the other side, Glacier would be held to just 2 hits over the first 3 innings. Despite all of this going Missoula's way, one swing would prove to sway things in a completely different direction. 

The Range Riders would load the bases in the 4th thanks to a hit batsman with 2-outs. With 2-strikes in the next at-bat, Kingston Liniak would completely change the trajectory of the game hitting a grand slam to cut Missoula's advantage to 1. Glacier would erase the deficit in the next half inning tying the game at 6. More clutch work with 2-outs in the late innings would bring the Range Riders all the way back grabbing their first lead behind a rally in the 8th inning. Glacier would outscore Missoula 9-1 after trailing early to win the series finale by a final tally of 9-7 Sunday. 

Home run power would highlight a 4-run push from the PaddleHeads in the 1st inning. Josh Elvir would hit the first of 2 home runs in the frame making the score 2-0 with a 2-run blast to right. 2 batters later, Keaton Greenwalt would follow suit with a towering home run that went over the scoreboard at Glacier Bank Park to make the score 4-0. Greenwalt would also be heard from a few innings later. 

The 2nd year PaddleHead would bring the Missoula advantage to 5 behind his 2nd home run of the game in the 3rd inning. Greenwalt would finish the contest 2-for-4 with 3 driven in Sunday. Greenwalt now tallies a team best 19 home runs to go with 84 driven in which also leads the team. Despite landing these blows, it would prove to not be enough as the Glacier offense would take off after a slow start. 

After the 4-run push in the 4th, Kristian Kirtley would get Glacier right back on the comeback trail with a solo home run in the 5th to cut Missoula's lead to 1. This would be the first big swing for the rookie  coming down the stretch. Mason Dinisen would tie the game for Glacier later in the frame on a single up the middle knotting things up at 6. It wouldn't take long however for Missoula to answer the offense of Glacier in the 4th, and 5th. 

Patrick Chung would bring home McClain O'Connor with a double off the top of the wall in right field to put Missoula right back in front in the top of the 6th. Chung has tallied at least 2 in his last 3 games played finishing 2-for-5 Sunday. This would be the final time Missoula would find the board however, allowing Glacier the opportunity to fight back in the late innings. 

The Range Riders would take their first lead of the afternoon behind a 3-run rally in the bottom of the 8th. Dean Miller would bring home the tying run in the frame with a 2-out single to left field to knot things up at 7. Kirtley would then land the knockout blow with a double to give Glacier a 2-run lead at 9-7. Missoula would see one man reach base to start the 9th but would not threaten further. Kirtley would have a fabulous day in the win finishing 3-for-5. 

Missoula (60-24) will have an off day on Monday to lick their wounds after the tough loss to the Range Riders (46-36). Missoula will then begin a 3-game set at home starting Tuesday opposite the Great Falls Voyagers (32-51). Action from Allegiance Field is set to begin at 7:05 p.m. Catch every pitch on Western Montana's sports leader ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.