Missoula Bats Wake up, Blow Away Mustangs to Extend Series
The PaddleHeads stay alive as they look to make it back to the Championship Series for the third straight year.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | X | 13 | 13 | 3 |
Facing elimination, the PaddleHeads got on the board first on Wednesday night with an RBI single by Jakob Guenther. In the third inning though, the Mustangs took advantage of two Missoula errors before Taylor Lomack gave Billings the lead with a two-run single. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Missoula bats awoke, scoring four runs on an RBI single from Austin Bernard, a two-run double by Cam Thompson, and an RBI double by Ryan Cash. Lomack drove in another run with an RBI single in the fifth, but McClain O'Connor padded the lead with a two-run homer in the sixth, his first hit of the series. In the seventh, Missoula capitalized on a few errors by Billings, scoring six runs in the frame. Keaton Greenwalt, Josh Elvir, and O'Connor drove in runs before Cash capped the rally with a two-run single.
On the mound, Izzy Fuentes settled in, allowing just two earned runs and four hits, walking one and striking out six over seven innings. Ethan Swanson struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning, and John LaRossa shut the door with a scoreless ninth inning. The PaddleHeads stay alive as they look to make it back to the Championship Series for the third straight year. Game 3 is scheduled for 7:05 PM Thursday at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field.