Voyagers Survive Late Surge by Paddleheads to take Game 1

(Great Falls, Mt.) The Great Falls Voyagers (4-0) and Missoula Paddleheads (3-1) both came into the first game of their 3 game series undefeated. The Voyagers came away with the win in the end, but the game could have gone either way.

The Voyagers started the scoring in the 2nd inning without getting a hit. The inning began with Michael Deeb being hit by a pitch, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Tyler Krabbe drew a walk but was put out at 2nd on a fielders choice on a ground ball to short by Riley Jepson, that moved Deeb to 3rd. Jepson stole 2nd base and on the throw to second the shortstop for the Paddleheads was hurt and layed on the ground the ball next to him. Deeb playing heads up baseball, saw the opportunity to come home and did.  Collin Runge drew a base on balls, and Runge and Jepson moved up on a passed ball.  With runners at 2nd and 3rd Eddie McCabe hit a slow roller to first and in a close play at home, Jepson was tagged out at home, allowing McCabe to reach on the fielders choice and Runge to advance to third. Runge then scored on a wild pitch, and in doing so the Voyagers scored two runs without a hit.

Starting Voyager pitcher Pablo Arevalo did an excellent job of keeping the Paddlehead batters guessing as he kept the Paddleheads to ony 3 hits through 8 innings. The only run given up by the Voyagers was due to a throwing error in the 6th inning by third baseman Runge.

The Voyagers however were able to score one in the 4th inning as Runge drew a walk, stole second, and got to 3rd on an error and came home on a sacrafice fly from Adam Oviedo. Another Voyager run was scored in the 5th inning when Breyden Daniel hit a triple down the right field line and was brought home on a sacrafice fly by Jake Malec.

Voyagers bats kept the scoring going with two more runs in the 7th  with a lead off double by Daniel to left center. Atwood hit a single scoring Daniel and was brought home himself after a single by Deeb, Krabbe was hit by a pitch and Jepson drew a bases loaded walk. With the bases loaded and one out a bit of bad luck for the Voyagers as Runge hit a scorching ground ball to the pitcher who fielded it and threw home to get out Deeb on the force out then completed the rare 1-2-3 double play by throwing to first.

Going into the top of the 9th the Voyagers felt like a comfortable lead of five was going to hold up. Two singles by the Paddleheads started the 9th then a strike out was completed. A base on balls followed by another single then a double made the score 6-3. A runner reached on a fielding error by the Voyagers and a double by the Paddleheads brought home two more runs. A pop up and a ground out ended any hopes of a comeback win however and the Voyagers came away with the 6-5 win.

The Voyagers will face the Paddleheads for two more home games before going on the road for six games in Missoula. The action will continue with the 2nd game of the series being played Sunday at 4 p.m. and the final game Monday at 1 p.m. See you at the stadium!!

Written by Ross Drishinski