PaddleHeads Sweep Twin Bill Monday Opposite Mustangs

Billings MT- After seeing action put on hold the last two days due to weather, the Missoula PaddleHeads finally got back to action on Monday night in a  double header opposite the Billings Mustangs at Dehler Park. After sweeping the Mustangs in their last three games prior to the double-header Missoula would enter action with confidence. Despite the long lay off, the PaddleHeads would pick up right where they left off. 

In Game 1 of the double-header, the offense would not find its footing for the first five innings of play being held scoreless. With help from the longball however, the PaddleHeads would come through down the stretch to earn a 4-2 victory. Missoula wasted no time in gema 2 jumping out to a large advantage in the first and would cruise the rest of the way to a 9-3 victory to sweep the twin bill. 

After the Mustangs grabbed an early 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first on an RBI groundout, the PaddleHeads offense would be held scoreless for the next four innings of game 1. Nick Gatewood would kick start the Missoula offense in the sixth  with one swing of the bat. The Georgia State product would launch a home run over the concourse into the parking lot beyond the right field wall to bring in a pair to make the score 2-1. Gatewood would finish the night 1-3.

McClain O'Conner provided some breathing room in the next inning on a two run blast to left that gave the PaddleHeads a 4-1 lead. O'Conner would finish the night 1-for-4. It may have taken a few innings for the PaddleHeads attack to get in gear, but the offensive production proved to be plenty for starter Domingo Pena. 

After allowing a run in the first, Pena would settle in over the next four innings to not allow anything further. The native of the Dominican Republic would allow only three hits over 5 innings while striking out 4 to earn the win. In one stretch from the end of the first through the third, Pena would retire 8 batters in a row. Sam Hellinger would do the job down the stretch in the final two innings to earn the save on the hill. 

The PaddleHeads would take control from the very start in game 2 of the double header thanks to a 5 run rally in the top of the first. After a pair of runs came in on a single from Lamar Sparks, Jared Akins would deliver the big blow in the frame. Akins would see a towering drive strike the  the foul pole in right for a three run home run that made the score 5-0. Sparks would also do more damage in the fourth knocking in Nick Gatewood from second to make the score 6-3. The combination of Gatewood, Sparks, and Akins would do the bulk of the damage in the game finishing 6-for-11 combined with 3 runs scored and 8 RBIs. 

After starter Mark Timmins departed after 3 innings, reliever Zach Smith would take Missoula home the rest of the way in a fabulous outing out of the bullpen. Smith would not allow a single run and only two hits over those four innings to earn the win out of the bullpen. Smith now also leads the team in innings pitched (18 ⅔) and strikeouts (17). 

The PaddleHeads (11-6) have now won each of their last 6 games overall and are 8-0 in games played against the Mustangs (7-8) this season. Missoula will not have a lot of time to enjoy the victory however as they will open a 3 game set Tuesday against the Great Falls Voyagers (13-5). Action from Allegiance Field at Ogren Park is set to begin at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday night.  Catch all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.