PaddleHeads Open Postseason with 6-2 Victory over Mustangs
September 13, 2022 – Pioneer League (PL) – Missoula PaddleHeads News Release
Missoula PaddleHeads pitcher Domingo Pena
(Missoula PaddleHeads, Credit: Wes Harton)
Billings, MT – The Missoula PaddleHeads began their postseason push on Monday evening in
Game 1 of the Pioneer League Northern Division Series Opposite the Billings Mustangs.
Missoula would face a road test in the opening game of this best of 3 series with Dehler Park
being the venue for Monday’s ballgame. Missoula’s success with the long ball played a big part
in the PaddleHeads offensive success during the regular season. Missoula wasted no time
setting the tone on this Monday evening using that very weapon to immediately jump out in
front.
Brandon Riley would immediately put the PaddleHeads ahead in the top of the first inning,
sending a leadoff home run over the right field wall to give Missoula an early 1-0 advantage. The
PaddleHeads would never relinquish the lead from that point forward as the offense would do
their part collecting 12 hits on the night. Domingo Pena, and the PaddleHeads pen would also
support the effort of the offense, never allowing the Mustangs to get going offensively as
Missoula would take game 1 by a tally of 6-2. The PaddleHeads now return home to Missoula
for Game 2 with an opportunity to advance to the Pioneer League Championship Series.
After Riley’s home run in the top of the 1st, Missoula would tack on another run in the opening
frame thanks to Nick Gatewood. The Georgia State product would single through the left side
scoring Lamar Sparks to make the score 2-0. Gatewood would finish 2-for-4 in the win while
Riley was 2-for-5. After this early jolt from the offense, Missoula would take control of the game
a few frames later thanks once again to home run power.
Sparks would get things rolling in the top of the 4th, recording his 2nd double of the game to
bring home a run to start a 3-run rally. Jared Akins would then deliver the big blow with a
towering 2-run blast that soured over the right field wall to make the score 5-1. Akins would also
help wind out the scoring for Missoula one inning later hitting a sacrifice fly to bring Missoula’s
run total to 6. Akins tallied 3 RBIs in the win finishing 1-for-3. Sparks also chipped in hitting a
pair of doubles to finish the night 2-for-5.
Designated Hitter Andrew Fernandez would provide the only spark offensively for Billings driving
in a pair for the Mustangs over the course of the action. Fernandez would get the Mustangs on
the board in the 2nd hitting a solo home run to right field. Fernandez singled home another run
in the 6th to bring Billing’s final run to the plate to make the score 6-2.Pena would hold the line
for the vast bulk of the night however in his start on the bump ahead of a solid effort from the
bullpen.
Pena would keep the Mustangs in check over 6 solid innings allowing 5 hits over those frames
while striking out 5 earning the win for his efforts. After the departure of Pena, the PaddleHeads
bullpen would make sure the Mustangs would never have a chance to fight their way back into it
in the final 3 frames.
The late inning combination of Cody Thompson, Mark Simon, and Sam Hellinger would slam
the door shut in the final 3 innings of the ballgame. The trio would not allow a single hit over
those 3 frames with the only runner getting aboard on a hit batsman in the 7th. Simon, and
Hellinger would pitch a pair of clean innings in the final 2 innings ensuring Missoula would
escape Dehler Park with a crucial win on the road.
After the game 1 victory, Missoula will now have a day to reboot as Tuesday will be an offday.
The PaddleHeads will then have a chance to punch their ticket to the Pioneer League
Championship Series on Wednesday night in game 2 of the series opposite the Mustangs. The
series will also shift to Allegiance Field at Ogren Park Wednesday. Tickets are still available
online at
www.gopaddleheads.com
. First pitch from the Garden City is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. If
you can’t make it out to the field, tune in on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.
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