Villa Leads Missoula to Series Win Over Chukars

MISSOULA, MT- Alfredo Villa got the Missoula PaddleHeads off to a great start this week in action on the road opposite the Idaho Falls Chukars Tuesday. The 2nd year professional would strike out 12 batters as part of a PaddleHeads win at Melaleuca Field. The Arizona native would once again be called upon in the rubber match of a 3 game set opposite these same Chukars on Sunday afternoon at Allegiance Field at Ogren Park. It would not take long to see that Villa would once again be primed for another fabulous outing. 

Each of the first 6 outs Villa would record in the first 2 frames came via the strikeout in a pair of scoreless innings. The Chukars would never have more than 2 base runners in any frame that Villa pitched in. On the other side of things, Missoula would score 5 runs in the middle innings to give Villa plenty of breathing room. As a result, the PaddleHeads would take the rubber match of a 3 game set by a final tally of 6-1 as the PaddleHeads wrapped up the week with a 5-1 record in games played against Idaho Falls.

Villa would only allow 2 hits over 8 fabulous innings of work Sunday while striking out 11 batters. The former Grand Junction Rocky would also retire the last 9 batters he faced in the outing allowing only 1 run. In 15 innings pitched against the Chukars this week, Villa tallied 23 strikeouts allowing only 1 run. Villa is now tied with PaddleHeads starter Kelvan Pilot for the Pioneer league lead in wins (5), and is first amongst all pitchers in strikeouts (49). 

Thomas DeBonville would get Missoula rolling in the 3rd thanks to a solo home run to make the score 1-0. The former Chukar made a habit of doing just that in action opposite his old club finishing with 4 home runs in 6 games played against Idaho Falls. The Nebraska-Omaha product finished  with a .434 batting average in 6 games to go along with 10 RBIs. 

The PaddleHeads offense would stretch things out further in the 5th, and 6th innings. Jared Akins would bring home Patrick Chung with a single in the 5th inning to kickstart a 3 run rally. Later in the frame, Keaton Greenwalt would make the score 4-0 on a sacrifice fly. Luis Navarro would also strike with an RBI single of his own to highlight a 2-for-3 effort at the plate. Greenwalt currently leads all players in the Pioneer League in RBIs (40). Akins would finish his day 1-for-4. 

DeBonville would knock in a run with double as part of a 2-run push in the 6th inning to the delight of the home crowd during the 'Peanut Inning.' Patrick Chung would also put an exclamation mark on a fabulous week offensively with an RBI single that made the score 6-1. Chung held a .468 batting average in 6 games opposite the Chukars this week to go along with 7 RBIs. The Washington native finished 2-for-5 in action Sunday. 

The PaddleHeads (23-7) remained 5 games clear of the 2nd place Glacier Range Riders in the 1st half pennant race in the Northern Division with the victory Sunday. After an off day on Monday, Missoula will open a 3 game set on the road opposite the Great Falls Voyagers (8-20) on Tuesday. First pitch from Centene Stadium is set for 7:05 p.m. Catch all the action from the Electric City on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.