8th Inning Rally Leads Chukars Past PaddleHeads

IDAHO FALLS, ID, The Missoula PaddleHeads opened a 3-game set on the road opposite the Idaho Falls Chukars on Friday night. The PaddleHeads would fall behind in the early going by a sizable deficit for the 2nd night in a row trailing 5-0 after 1. The PaddleHeads would pick themselves up after this sequence however, outscoring Idaho Falls 8-1 in a stretch from the 2nd to the top of the 8th. Missoula would even take its first lead of the contest behind a clutch home run in the top of the 8th. With seemingly all the momentum in their corner, Missoula would see things slip away in the bottom of the 8th in seemingly a blink of an eye. 

In a wild sequence, Idaho Falls would see 9 base runners in a row reach base in the bottom of the 8th inning. As a result the Chukars would tally 8-runs in the frame to regain the lead after falling behind in the top half. Hunter Hudson's swing to clear the bases with a double would prove to be the biggest swing as Idaho Falls would bring 12 batters to the plate. This allowed Idaho Falls to grab the momentum in this 3-game set early taking home a game 1 win by a score of 14-8. 

Idaho Falls would waste no time getting on the board in the 1st inning as each of the 1st 4 batters that would come to the plate would all record hits to start the frame. Before the dust settled, the Chukars would tally 7 hits in the 1st inning to plate 5 runs. Michael Kohn would strike with a 2-run single to highlight the rally as part of a 3-for-5 performance. Hudson would also knock in a run with a single in the frame to wind out the scoring. Hudson would go on to finish with 4 RBIs in the win finishing 2-for-5.

The PaddleHeads would get themselves on the comeback trail in earnest in the 3rd, and 4th innings cutting the Chukar advantage to just 1 run. Luis Navarro would knock in a run with a single in the 3rd to cut the lead to 3. Navarro would reach base 4 times in the loss finishing 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. McClain O'Connor's single through the left in the 4th would then bring Missoula to within 1 at 5-4. A huge swing from O'Connor would see Missoula jump to the lead for the 1st time a few innings later. 

Behind clutch offense with 2-outs, the PaddleHeads would knot things up at 6 runs apiece in the top of the 7th. Navarro would knock in his 2nd run of the contest with a double to left field to start things off. Jake Guenther would then bring him in with a single of his own to bring Missoula level. One more swing would vault the PaddleHeads to the lead in the top of the 8th. Guenther would finish the contest 2-for-5. 

After a leadoff walk started the 8th, O'Connor would hit a home run in his 2nd straight contest to bring Missoula to the lead by a score of 8-6. O'Connor would tally 3 RBIs in the game as part of a 2-for-4 effort at the plate. Despite seeing all this momentum build, it would all seemingly fade in an instant in the bottom of the 8th as Idaho Falls would find the win column on this night. 

Having lost 3 of their last 4 games, the PaddleHeads (61-27) will be looking to get things back on track in game 2 of this series opposite the Chukars (31-57). First pitch from Melaleuca Field is slated for 7:05 p.m. Stay tuned to all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.