7-Run Rally Leads PaddleHeads Past Range Riders
September 4, 2022 – Pioneer League (PL) – Missoula PaddleHeads News Release
Missoula, MT- The Missoula PaddleHeads played in their final regular season home game on
Monday night in the finale opposite the Glacier Range Riders. Having won each of their first 5
games of the series, Missoula held all the momentum looking to win their sixth win in as many
nights. Behind a big push in the fourth inning, the PaddleHeads would do just that.
11-runs would score combined in a wild 4th inning that saw 19 batters come to the plate from
both teams. Missoula proved to have the upperhand in the frame scoring 7 runs to take an 11-6
lead. Glacier would never recover after the big rally scoring only 1 runs down the stretch as
Missoula would send the fans home happy one last time in the regular season in a 12-7 victory.
Missoula would tally runs over each of the first 4 innings to jump on the Range Riders. The first
3 innings saw the PaddleHeads use an unselfish approach as 2 sacrifice flies, and an RBI
groundout would bring in 3 runs. Nick Gatewood also would strike with his first of 2 doubles to
bring in a run to make the score 4-2 in the 3rd. Gatewood had a fabulous night in the win
finishing 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs.
Glacier would battle the Missoula offense in the early going taking their only lead of the night
behind a 4-run rally in the 4th. RBI singles from Eddie McCabe, and Ryan Cole did the bulk of
the damage that saw Glacier take a 6-4 lead. Missoula’s offense would make sure it would not
stand for long in action in the bottom of the 4th.
A pair of 2-run home runs from Cameron Thompson, and McClain O’Connor would tell the story
for Missoula in a 7-run rally that saw the PaddleHeads take an 11-6 advantage. When it was all
said and done, Missoula would send 11 batters to the plate as part of the rally. The
PaddleHeads never would relinquish the lead again after this push. Thompson, and O’Connor
both went 1-for-3 in the victory.
The PaddleHeads bullpen did well to settle things down over the final 3 innings allowing only 1
baserunner in that stretch. After Dan Swain struck out a pair in a scoreless 7th, Cody Thompson
would take Missoula home over the final 2 innings. Thompson would retire all 6 batters he faced
in order ensuring there would be no late inning drama on this night.
The PaddleHeads (65-24) ended their final home stretch of the regular season on a tear going
14-1 in their final 15 home games. After an offday on Sunday, Missoula begins their final series
of the regular season on the road opening a 6-game set against the Boise Hawks (28-62).
Action on Monday afternoon is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. Catch all the action from the Idaho
State Capital on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
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