Wild 10-9 Win Caps Missoula Series

By Tyler Petersen

MISSOULA, Mont.  – In a game that saw nineteen runs, four lead changes, and six ejections the Rocky Mountain Vibes picked up their first ever win against the Missoula Paddleheads by the score of 10-9.

The Treasure State had not yet been kind to the Vibes through two games and in the final game of the series, they needed a response after two losses to start the road trip.

Missoula struck first with three runs after three innings off Peyton Long (only two were earned). Then the Vibes got on the boards

Rocky Mountain was the beneficiary of a number of free passes on offense including two to start off the fourth. Dusty Stroup knocked in the first run on an RBI double, putting men at second at third with no outs. Edmond Americaan came up next and promptly hit his first home run of the season, a three-run shot that gave the Vibes their first lead 4-3.

A couple more walks the very next inning set up the bases loaded for Jacob Barfield. He lined a ball down the left field line scoring two, then an error on the play allowed the third runner to score. The Vibes had their biggest lead of the whole series – they were up 7-3.

Long held the lead through five and was replaced in the sixth. Unfortunately, the pendulum of momentum swung back the other way. Six runs were scored off of Jackson Cunningham, who surrendered six hits in the 0.2 innings he threw. He was replaced by Matt Swilley who got the last out of the inning. Now it was 9-7 Paddleheads.

Trailing by two, the Vibes got more help in the next half inning courtesy of a hit batter and two walks. With the bases loaded, Carson Maxwell lined a ball to left that Jared Akins couldn't handle, allowing all runners to move up one base making it 9-8. Sonny Ulliana's subsequent single had the same effect, making it 9-9. Brandon Trammell was called on to pinch hit with the bases loaded as he was last Sunday. And just like last Sunday he came through…in a way. He drew an RBI walk and the Vibes led 10-9.

It would be a lead they would not give up again.

Swilley went 1-2-3 in the 7th. Dutch Landis went 1-2-3 in the 8th. Alexis Cedano went 1-2-3 in the 9th and the game was over.

But there was some excitement in the otherwise quiet finish in the box score. In the top of the eighth, Jacob Barfield tried to call time in his at-bat and some miscommunication with the home plate umpire led to an awkward exchange where play seemed to come to a stop for a moment that irked a few on the field and dugout. When Barfield struck out in the at-bat some words were exchanged across the field leading to dugout emptying and the ejections of Barfield and Jayson Newman of Missoula.

Some more disagreements in the following two innings saw another bench clearing incident (just words) and the ejections of fout more Paddleheads: Thomas DeBonville, Austin Bernard, manager Michael Schlact, and coach Brandon Riley.

The Vibes now head a couple hours north for their first series in Kalispell for a three-game series with the Glacier Range Riders. First pitch tomorrow is scheduled for 7:05 pm.