The Missoula PaddleHeads put in extra work on Saturday night and it paid off.
Zootown’s professional baseball team secured two wins against the Billings Mustangs at Ogren-Allegiance Park. First, the PaddleHeads came back to win 11-10 in a game that was suspended earlier in the week due to bad weather, then they dominated Billings in the second game, winning 10-2.
Trailing 8-6 in the suspended game, the PaddleHeads staged a comeback in the fourth inning on Saturday. They were behind in the score until the seventh inning when they put together a game-changing three-run rally.
Patrick Chung and Roberto Pena were the stars of the Missoula seventh inning. Chung hit a two-RBI double and Pena a one-RBI double to give the home team an 11-9 lead.
The PaddleHeads (45-13) allowed a run in the eighth inning but held on with strong relief pitching from Mark Timmins and Ethan Swanson. Noah McBride earned the win after coming in the sixth inning and allowing only one run on one hit in 1 1/3 innings.
People are also reading…
Pena and Chung led the team in hits with three each. Mike Rosario hit a home run.
In the second game, Alfredo Villa pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts in seven innings. He improved his record to 6-1.
Missoula had 12 hits compared to five for the visitors. Pena and Taylor Smith each hit two home runs, with Smith going 3 for 3 with a game-high five RBIs.
The PaddleHeads will play two seven-inning games against the Mustangs (26-32) on Sunday, starting at 2 p.m.
Bill Speltz is Missoulian Sports Editor. Email Bill at bill.speltz@missoulian.com.
