6-Run Rally Leads PaddleHeads Past Range Riders

MISSOULA, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads began their final home series of the regular season on Thursday night in the first game of a 3 game set opposite the Glacier Range Riders. This series could play a role in determining Missoula's opponent in the upcoming league playoffs. The Billings Mustangs would enter the night with the slight edge leading the 2nd half standings over the PaddleHeads by a ½ game. However, Billings would fall Thursday leaving the door open for Missoula to get back to the top of the 2nd half standings. Thanks to a big 5th inning rally, the PaddleHeads would do just that. 

After getting out the gates slowly, Missoula's offense would catch fire with a big push in the bottom of the 5th. The PaddleHeads would see 10 batters come to the plate as part of the rally as Missoula would take their first lead of the night. The PaddleHeads would score 7 unanswered runs combined in the 5th, and 6th to bring their lead to 6. Glacier would make things a bit dramatic in the 9th scoring 3 runs to cut into the lead but ultimately would fall shy of the mark in an 8-6 defeat. This loss in a way does benefit Glacier however as the Range Riders would be Missoula's opponent in the postseason if the PaddleHeads claim the 2nd half pennant in the North. 

Glacier would draw first blood in the opening 3 innings tacking on a pair of runs to take a 2-0 advantage. Jackson Raper would bring in the first run of the night in the first with a basehit up the middle. Later in the 3rd, Dean Miller would bring home another run on an RBI groundout to extend the Range Rider advantage. Raper would finish the night 1-for-3 and Miller would contribute to the cause by finishing 2-for-4. 

A double from Reece Yeargain would set up Missoula's first run scoring opportunity in the bottom of the 3rd. After the leadoff hit, Ryan Cash knocked in Yeargain with an opposite field single to left field to cut the lead to 2-1. This kicked off a huge night at the plate for Yeargain who would also tally 3 singles in the win to finish 4-for-4. Cash would also have a solid night at the top of the order reaching base 3 times as part of a 2-for-3 effort. 

Izzy Fuentes would make sure the PaddleHeads stayed within striking distance with his work on the mound over 7 innings. The 3rd year professional would earn his 9th win of the season in 7 innings of work while striking out 6 batters. Fuentes would use a changeup effectively through the outing, retiring the side in order on 3 separate occasions. The Southern California native would also strike out 4 consecutive batters in one stretch from the 4th to the 5th. Fittingly enough Fuentes would also get all the run support he needed in the bottom of the inning. 

The PaddleHeads would tally 5 hits in a 6-run rally in the 5th inning to take the lead for the first time at 6-2. Dondrei Hubbard would get it started knocking his first of 2 runs in on the night with an RBI single to tie the game. One batter later, Josh Elvir would deliver the big blow launching a grand slam over the left field wall to vault Missoula to the lead for the first time. Elvir would go on to finish the contest 1-for-4. Hubbard would also tally 2 RBIs in the win finishing 1-for-3. 

Glacier would push back in the top of the 9th after only tallying 1 run from the 4th through the 8th. Mason Dinesen knocked in 2 as part of a 3 run rally with 2 outs in the inning. Gabe Howell would also single home a run himself as part of the rally cutting Missoula's lead to 8-6. The mountain would prove to be too tall to climb on this night however as Glacier would see the game end with the tying runs aboard. 

Missoula (65-28) will look to continue to build up momentum ahead of the looming postseason push in game 2 opposite the Range Riders (53-41). Action from the Garden City will get kicked off on Friday night beginning at 7:05 p.m. Catch all the action from the ballpark on 102.9 ESPN Missoula.