4-Run 7th Inning Leads Voyagers Past PaddleHeads

GREAT FALLS MT- Another tight contest between the Missoula PaddleHeads, and Great Falls Voyagers would roll into the 7th inning deadlocked at 5 in action on Wednesday night from Centene Stadium. Both teams would find themselves out in front over the course of game 2 but neither team would lead by more than 2 runs leading to that point. That would change in a big way thanks to a 7th inning rally. 

Great Falls would bring all 9 batters to the plate during the 7th inning which allowed the Voyagers to their largest advantage of the night. The PaddleHeads would fail to find a late inning answer on the flip side of things seeing only 2 base runners reach over the final 2 frames in a 9-5 defeat. This now sets up a rubber match between these 2 teams in the series finale on Thursday night. 

The Voyagers would score first for the 2nd consecutive night in the 1st inning as Collin Runge would bring home a run in the frame on an RBI groundout to make the score 1-0. However, the lead would exchange hands numerous times over the course of the night and it would not take long for Missoula to find an answer. 

Missoula would take their first lead in the 2nd thanks to catcher Austin Bernard. The 1st year PaddleHead would drive one over the left field wall to bring home a pair in the frame to make the score 2-1. The Southern California native would go on to have a tremendous night in the loss finishing 3-for-4 with 2 driven in and 3 runs scored. Great Falls would find a rebuttal however one inning later. 

The Voyagers would snag the lead back in the bottom of the 3rd thanks to their first 4-run rally of the night. Rookie Second baseman Langston Ginder would kick off a big night at the plate with an RBI single to start the scoring. Later with 2-outs in the frame, right fielder Derek Kolbush would deliver the biggest blow hitting a 3-run blast down the left field line to give Great Falls a 5-3 advantage. Ginder would score 3 runs finishing 3-for-4. Kolbush would also have a solid night finishing 2-for-3. 

Missoula would level things up in the middle innings tacking on runs in the 4th, and 6th frames. McClain O'Connor would bring home a run in the 4th with an infield single to cut into the deficit. In the 6th, Patrick Chung would provide a clutch 2-out single to knot things back up at 5 runs apiece. This would be the last time Missoula would get on the board on this night however and Great Falls would prove to have one last rally in them. O'Connor finished the night 2-for-5 and Chung was 1-for-4. 

The Voyagers 4-run push in the 7th inning included 5 hits as Great Falls would send their entire order to the dish in the inning. Jaylyn Williams would put the Voyagers back on top 6-5 with a single to get the party started. Catcher Billy Hancock would drive in a pair more with 2-outs as Great Falls would see the lead extend to 3. A 4th run would later score in the frame thanks to an error as Great Falls would wrap up the frame leading 9-5. Missoula would never recover down the stretch allowing the Voyagers to even the series at a game apiece. 

The PaddleHeads (24-8) saw their lead in the Northern Division of the Pioneer League go back to 5 games over the Range Riders with the loss on Wednesday night. Missoula will now look to bounce back in the rubber match of this 3 game set opposite the Voyagers (9-21). First pitch from Centene Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Hear all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.