Day Fans 14 In PaddleHeads Win Over Voyagers

GREAT FALLS, MT - Success in the top of the 1st inning has been a factor in recent games for the Missoula PaddleHeads opposite the Great Falls Voyagers. After putting 4-runs on the board Wednesday, Missoula would up the ante scoring 7 runs to get things rolling in game 3 Thursday night. The PaddleHeads  would get 9 runs on the board in the first 2 innings offensively. This gave Missoula's starter Dawson Day a cushion to work with right from the start. Clearly the southpaw would be comfortable on the mound in what would end up being an outing to remember and then some. =

Day would strike out 2 batters or more in 5 of 6 innings of work. In total, the Oregon native would punch out 14 batters in an outstanding effort on the bump. Great Falls was shut out in every inning after the first as well in what would be a comfortable 13-2 win. 

The PaddleHeads attack would send 13 batters to the plate in a 7-run 1st inning to jump to a sizable advantage. RBI singles from Adam Fogel and Kamron Willman would get things started to make the score 4-0. Walks would also play a role in the frame as Voyagers ace Nate Madej would not make it through the 1st inning walking 5 batters. The only blip of success for Great Falls would come in the next half inning. 

Hylan Hall would launch a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 1st to make the score 7-2. The Voyagers right fielder would not be heard from again however, offensively finishing 1-for-5. Missoula would also get the lead right back to 7 with another push in the 2nd inning. 

An RBI single from Roberto Pena would be a highlight to a 2-run 2nd inning that saw 8 men come to the dish to make the score 9-2. Pena would have another big swing in his bat in the late innings to bring his night to an end. Day would cruise from his perspective with the sizable advantage. 

The 3rd year professional would keep his recent roll of success going Thursday on his way to his 5th win on the mound. Day also tied a PaddleHeads franchise record for strikeouts in a game with the 14 strikeouts on the road. The 2nd year PaddleHead has been outstanding in his last 8 outings in the last month. In his last 24 ⅔ innings, Day has allowed only 4 earned runs while striking out 48 batters. The PaddleHeads attack would put on the finishing touches in the late innings. 

Pena would get the PaddleHeads back on the board with a long home run to highlight his efforts in the top of the 7th. RBI singles from Fogel, and Mike Rosario would follow in the 8th as the PaddleHeads jumped to an 11 run advantage. Rosario and Pena would both finish the contest 2-for-5. Fogel would knock in 3 runs in the win while also finishing 2-for-5. 

Fogel's league leading RBI total now stands at 111. Furthermore, this is 5 RBIs away from tying a Pioneer League record of 116 that was set back in 2021. The PaddleHeads left fielder is also 2nd in the league in batting average currently at .395. 

The PaddleHeads (59-28) will now look to string wins together on the road to even the series at 2 games apiece opposite the Voyagers in game 4 Friday. A weekend in Great Falls gets kicked off with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch. Catch all the action on 102.9 ESPN Missoula and 1029espn.com.