Big 8th Inning Propels Voyagers over Paddleheads

Voyagers Score Late For Comeback Win

(Great Falls, Mt. ) The Great Falls Voyagers looked to take game four of a six-game series versus the Missoula Paddleheads. After securing the first-half championship with a win last night, one might have thought the Paddleheads would come out a little slow. However, this was not the case as they scored the first three runs of the game in the first four innings. While their starting pitcher was able to keep the Voyagers off the scoreboard until the 4th inning.
The Voyagers first hit came in the 4th inning, which was by Christian Coipel as he hit a single to center bringing home Riley Jepson who had drawn a walk to open the inning. Trailing 3-1, the Voyagers were down 5-1 after six innings as the Paddleheads scored two in the 6th.
The Voyagers were able to scrape up one run in the 7th inning as Christian Coipel started the inning off with a double to right field. Coipel moved to third on a double play turned by the Paddleheads and came home on a wild pitch. The Paddleheads got that run back in the top of the 8th to make their lead 6-2.
The bottom of the 8th saw the Voyagers come out of their batting slump for the game, though, as they had six runs on six hits in the inning. The inning started with a fly out to center field, but Xane Washington got a single, followed by Jepson's single to right. A single to the left by Eddie McCabe scored Washington, and Coipels single to the right brought home Jepson. Anthony Herron Jr. loaded the bases with a walk, and Jaylyn Williams came through big time, clearing the bases with a double to left field. Williams was able to go home on a throwing error by the Paddlehead's 3rd baseman as Charley Hesse forced a lousy throw running hard down the line. That rounded out the scoring in the inning but gave the Voyagers an 8-6 lead going into the 9th.
The Paddleheads were able to get one run against the hard-throwing Andrew Garcia, but in the end, Garcia got the last laugh as the 3rd out was nestled safely in the centerfielder, Xane Washington's glove. The Voyagers came away with a much-needed 8-7 victory giving Garcia a save and relief pitcher Ethan Swanson a win.
The Voyagers will look to pick up another win in the six-game series on Friday night as the Voyagers celebrate Military Appreciation night at Voyager Stadium with the first pitch at 7 p.m.