PaddleHeads Quiet Voyagers Bats in 8-2 Victory

Great Falls, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads were back in action in game 5 of a 6 game set at Centene Stadium opposite the Great Falls Voyagers on Saturday night. Missoula would find success in the early frames taking a 4-0 lead  in the first three innings. That advantage would prove to be plenty for the Missoula pitching staff who would hold the Voyagers offense in check for a large bulk of the evening. 

The Voyagers would put a pair of runs on the board in the fifth inning to cut into the PaddleHeads lead. That would be the only time Great Falls would present much of a threat in an 8-2 victory. Austin Crowson would have a solid night earning his fifth win of the season ahead of a solid effort from the bullpen as the PaddleHeads took a 3-2  series lead in the 6 game set. 

Jayson Newman got the PaddleHeads offense rolling in the early going with a sacrifice fly in the first to give Missoula the early advantage. Newman would knock in 2 more in the third inning with a 2-run single that made the score 3-0.  The Southern California product would later score in the frame on a single up the middle from Keaton Greatwalt to give Missoula a 4-run cushion. The second year professional has recorded 12 RBIs so far in the series opposite the Voyagers and finished 1-for-3 Saturday. 

The Voyagers would cut the PaddleHeads lead in half in the fifth inning. Jake Malec got Great Falls on the board with an RBI single to start things off. Michael Deeb would later drive in a run in the frame with a sacrifice fly. That would be all the Voyagers would be able to muster however opposite Crowson and the Missoula bullpen. 

The Oregon native moved his record to 5-0 on the mound in six solid innings of work allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 4. The PaddleHeads bullpen would be more than up to the task in 3 innings of work after Crowson departed shutting down the Great Falls attack. Nathan Alexander, and Sam Hellinger would not allow a single base runner in their 3 combined innings of work. Hellinger would earn the save for his efforts in two innings down the stretch striking out 3 in the outing. 

A 4-run rally from the PaddleHeads in the ninth inning would put the game away for good. Lamar Sparks would wrap up a huge night at the plate with an RBI single in the frame. McClain O'Conner would also double home a run as part of the rally before scoring himself on the single from Sparks. Greenwalt  also knocked in his second run of the game with a single as Missoula saw their lead grow to 6. 

Sparks would reach base 5 times in the win finishing 3-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. O'Conner would score 3 runs in the victory finishing 3-for-5. Greenwalt had a pair of RBIs and finished 2-for-5. 

The PaddleHeads (34-12) will look to end the first half of the Pioneer League regular season on a high in the series finale opposite the Great Falls Voyagers (27-19) on Sunday afternoon. Missoula will also have a chance to win the series in action Sunday at Centene Stadium. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. Hear the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.