7-Run Rally Leads Missoula Past Glacier in 13-3 Win

MISSOULA, MT- The Glacier Range Riders would take an early lead over the Missoula PaddleHeads  in the 2nd inning thanks to a 3 batter stretch Saturday night. This would prove to not be a trend in the series, and season finale for both teams as Glacier would only tally 2 hits the rest of the way. After the offense was held in check Friday, Missoula would make sure that was not the case on this night, getting rolling with a big rally in the 3rd. 

The PaddleHeads would bring 13 batters to the plate in the 3rd inning as part of a 7 run rally. This allowed Missoula to push the advantage to 5. Missoula would outscore Glacier 11-0 after falling behind briefly in the early innings. The Range Riders would never find a counter punch on this night as Missoula would build momentum toward the postseason in a 13-3 win. 

The PaddleHeads would be the first team to the scoreboard in the first inning taking a 2-0 lead. Jake Guenther would strike in the frame with a 2-run single up the middle. This would only be the start for the Wisconsin native who would contribute more offensively in the early innings. 

Glacier would take their only lead of the night in the 3rd thanks to a 3-run rally. Rookie first baseman Ben Huber delivered the big swing in the inning hitting a 2-run home run to tie the game at 2. This was the first home run in the professional career of Huber who would go on to finish 1-for-4. Glacier would see the lead disappear one inning later however in Missoula's big offensive push in the 3rd. 

Guenther would strike first with an RBI single as part of a 7-run rally in the 3rd. Guenther would finish the game with 4 RBIs as part of a 2-for-4 effort. McClain O'Connor would also knock in a pair with a double in the frame to give Missoula a 2-run advantage. Sacrifice Flies from Keaton Greenwalt, and Cameron Thompson would also do damage along with a single from Dondrei Hubbard as Missoula's lead expanded further. 

Thompson would record a team best 3 hits as part of a 3-for-4 effort. Hubbard,and O'Connor would both finish 2-for-5 and Greenwalt chipped in finishing 1-for-4. This group would put the finishing touches offensively behind a rally in the 6th. 

The PaddleHeads faithful would be brought to their feet one last time during the regular season in the 'peanut inning' in a 3-run rally. O'Connor would drive in 2 with his 2nd double of the night to get things started, scoring Thompson and Austin Bernard. Hubbard would also record his 50th RBI of the season in the frame as Missoula extended its advantage to 10 at 13-3. This production would prove to be more than enough for the PaddleHeads hurlers. 

Dawson Day would not allow a 3 batter stretch in the 2nd trip him up as the southpaw would be solid after this sequence in 6 innings of work. The former Range Rider would strike out 6 over those innings allowing 2 earned runs to earn his 4th win of the season. The former Boise State Bronco would also retire 11 of the last 12 batters he faced to end his outing. The bullpen combination of Mark Timmins, Karl Blum, and John LaRossa would then pitch 3 scoreless innings down the stretch ensuring Missoula would see no drama on their way to the win column. 

Missoula's postseason push now begins as the Northern Division Playoffs are now on the horizon. With a win Saturday afternoon, the Billings Mustangs clinched their playoff spot in the Northern Division opposite Missoula and will host game 1 of the Northern Division Series in the Magic City. Action from Dehler Park is scheduled to begin at 6:35 p.m. Stay tuned in to all the action from Billings on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.