8th Inning Rally Leads Voyagers Past PaddleHeads

GREAT FALLS, MT- After taking the lead in the 3rd inning, the Missoula PaddleHeads would lead the Great Falls Voyagers for much of the night in game 4 of a 6 game set. Great Falls would only manage to score 2 runs on 3 hits through 7 innings as Missoula would hold a comfortable advantage. With seemingly everything stacked against the Voyagers heading down the stretch of the last 2 innings, Great Falls would turn things around in a flurry to put themselves in position to steal a win late. 

Trailing by 4, Great Falls would mount a huge rally in the bottom of the 8th bringing 10 batters to the plate in the frame. This would completely turn the game on its head as the Voyagers would lead in the game for the first time. Missoula would make things interesting, scoring a run in the top of the 9th. The PaddleHeads would also see the tying run advance into scoring position in the frame. However, the nightmarish 8th inning would end up being the deciding factor as Great Falls would edge out a win by a tally of 8-7. 

A pair of RBI singles would get the Voyagers out the gates in the 6-run eighth inning as second baseman Eddie McCabe, and Designated hitter Christian Coipel cut into the deficit. Catcher Jaylyn Williams delivered the biggest blow in the frame however with a bases clearing 3-run double that gave Great Falls their first advantage at 7-6. Williams would later score in the frame on an error as the Voyagers would get the runs they needed to hold on down the stretch. Coipel had a big night in the win finishing 3-for-4. Williams also had a productive night finishing 2-for-4. 

After a quiet start offensively, the PaddleHeads would get out the gate in the early going in innings 3, and 4. Shortstop Ryan Cash would bring in the first run of the night on a double down the left field line that made the score 1-0. Right fielder Thomas DeBonville would also knock in a run in the 4th as part of a 2-run rally as the PaddleHeads would lead 3-0 in the early going. DeBonville enjoyed a fabulous night in the losing effort finishing 3-for-4 and Cash was 1-for-4. 

Extra base hits would help the PaddleHeads stretch their lead out to their largest of the night in the 6th inning. After a leadoff double from Jake Guenther, left fielder Jared Akins would knock in a pair with a double of his own to give Missoula a 5-1 advantage. Akins would knock in 3 at the plate as part of a 2-for-4 performance. Guenther would also continue his fabulous series at the dish opposite Great Falls finishing with his 2nd consecutive 3 hit performance finishing 3-for-5.

PaddleHeads starter Connor Schultz put Missoula in great position with his outing Thursday in 6 innings. The Pennsylvania allowed only 2 runs on 3 hits over 6 innings while striking out 3. Despite being in line for the win on departure, Schultz would watch the PaddleHeads lead evaporate in the late innings allowing the Voyagers to steal a win on this Thursday night. 

The PaddleHeads (33-13) will look to get back in the win column Friday night in action opposite the Voyagers (15-29) at Centene Stadium. A victory would give the PaddleHeads a series win on the road in this 6-game slate. Action in game 5 of the series is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. Listen to the call on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.\