Seidel Throws 6 Shutout Innings in 8-5 Win Over Range Riders

Missoula, MT - The Missoula PaddleHeads made their return home after a six game road trip on Friday night opposite the Glacier Range Riders. In the series opener at Allegiance Field at Ogren Park, Austen Seidel would make his first appearance for the PaddleHeads as the starting pitcher on the hill. The Texas native was in search of a new start in professional baseball after making his professional debut earlier this season in the American Association. After the performance from the Tabor College product, it looks like Seidel may have found a new home. 

The Right hander would not allow a single run over the course of his outing making a fabulous first impression in his debut with the PaddleHeads. Missoula would also jump out to a 7-0 lead over the course of the first five innings. The Range Riders would tighten things in the eighth with a rally, but would fail to lead at any point as Missoula took game 1 by a final tally of 8-5. 

Seidel would breeze through the Range Rider lineup in 6 stellar innings of work allowing no runs on only 2 hits. Seidel would do well mostly by pitching to contact in the outing. In one stretch from the third inning to the fifth, Sidel would retire 8 batters in a row. The PaddleHeads offense would provide enough support in the early going to make sure they held up their end as well. 

For the fourth consecutive game, Missoula's offense would find the scoreboard in the first inning. After a single from McClain O'Conner and a walk from Cameron Thompson, Jayson Newman would give the PaddleHeads the lead with his 16th home run of the season to make the score 3-0. Newman would finish the night 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs. 

The PaddleHeads would strike again with the long ball in the third inning thanks to Thompson who would hit a solo blast to right field to highlight another 3 run rally as Missoula extended its advantage to 6-0. Thompson would finish the night 2-for-3. The Kansas State product has been on a roll in 4 games against Glacier this week as well finishing 9-for-17 with 6 RBIs in that stretch. 

Despite not finding the scoreboard until  the seventh, Glacier would make things interesting down the stretch cutting into the Missoula lead. After a solo home run from Dean Miller in the seventh, the Range Riders would send 8 batters to the plate in the eighth as part of a 4 run rally to cut the PaddleHeads lead to 7-5. A pair of doubles from Miller, and Sam Linscott would fan the flames in the inning as the Range Riders would get themselves back into the game. Despite the push, the Range Riders would not be able to get over the hump in the final inning. 

Sam Hellinger would slam the door shut in the top of the ninth earning his second save of the season to preserve the win for Missoula. After allowing a leadoff single to start the frame, Hellinger would strikeout Brant Broussard, and induce a double-play ball to end the ballgame.  The Seattle native has not allowed a run in his last 8 innings pitched out of the bullpen. 

The PaddleHeads (29-10) remain 6 games clear of the second place Great Falls Voyagers (23-16) with the win Friday as the first half of the Pioneer League season begins to come down the stretch. Missoula will be in search of its eighth consecutive victory in game 2 opposite the Range Riders (13-25) on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Hear the action on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.