9-Run 7th Inning Leads PaddleHeads Past Raptors

MISSOULA, MT- It was all quiet on the Western Front for a large portion of the afternoon in the series finale Sunday between the Missoula PaddleHeads, and Ogden Raptors. Through the first 6 innings of play both teams would combine for just one run as both starting pitchers would have solid days on the mound. The 7th inning would see the Raptors break through however, scoring a pair to put Missoula behind for the first time coming down the back stretch. This body blow landed by Ogden would prove to be only a footnote after the end of the 7th as Missoula would land a few punches of their own. 

The PaddleHeads attack would wake up in a big way in a huge 7th inning rally that featured 6 hits in the frame. A pair of defensive errors would also fan the flames as the PaddleHeads would tally 9 runs total in a barrage. The end result would be a 10-2 advantage for Missoula entering the final 2 innings of play. Ogden would be unable to pick itself up off the canvas in the final 2 innings as Missoula would take home a series win with an 8 run victory in the series finale.

Missoula would grab an early advantage in the 2nd inning thanks to a clutch swing from left fielder Jacob Kline. The 2nd year pro would line a single to left field with 2-outs recorded to bring Designated Hitter Dondrei Hubbard home to give Missoula the early 1-0 lead. Kline would finish the afternoon 1-for-3. PaddleHeads starter Izzy Fuentes would make sure this one run would be enough to keep Missoula in front for a large chunk in his work on the mound. 

Fuentes would not allow a single run until the 7th in what was a solid afternoon for the right hander over 6 ⅔ innings. The Southern California native would retire 8 batters in a row in one stretch from the 4th through the 6th. The 3rd year professional would allow 2 runs total on 7 hits while striking out a pair. Fuentes has been rock solid as well in recent weeks having pitched into the 6th inning in each of his last 4 starts overall. 

The Raptors would manage to find the scoreboard for the first, and only time in the 7th to briefly take the lead. A clutch double with 2-outs from Designated hitter Nick Ultsch would tie things up at 1 to get the scoring started. Ultsch would then score to give Ogden the lead at 2-1 on an infield single from right fielder Cameron Phelts. Phelts would enjoy a 2-for-4 afternoon and Ultsch would finish 1-for-5. This push would prove to be all for not however after the bottom half of the frame came to a close. 

The PaddleHeads would send 15 batters to the plate as part of a 9-run rally in the 7th that saw Missoula grab a lead they would never relinquish. Catcher Austin Bernard would get the hit parade started with a leadoff single and would score later in the inning on an extremely costly throwing error by 1st baseman Juan Tiexiera of the Raptors. After a sacrifice fly from Jake Guenther, Thomas DeBonville would knock in a pair with a double down the right field line. McClain O'Connor would deliver the final blow with a 2-run single up the middle to give Missoula an 8 run advantage. 

Bernard would consistently reach base in the series opposite Ogden finishing 8-for-21 his at-bats. The Pepperdine product would reach base 3 times Sunday finishing 2-for-3. O'Connor would also enjoy a solid afternoon at the plate recording 3 hits to finish 3-for-4 with a run scored and 2 driven in. 

The win for the PaddleHeads (39-15) gave Missoula a 4-2 advantage in the 6-game set this week opposite a very strong outfit of Ogden (33-21). Things will not get any easier for Missoula either as they now will prepare to hit the road for a 6-game set against the Glacier Range Riders (34-18). A lot will be riding on this series for Glacier as they will need to play their way into the postseason with success in the 2nd half. Action on Tuesday night is scheduled to begin at 7:05 from Glacier Bank Park. Stay in tune to all the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.