Voyagers Comeback Spoiled In Knockout Loss

MISSOULA, MT— Fresh off their first knockout round of the season—a first round victory in a 6-6 contest versus Idaho Falls—the Great Falls Voyagers (7-6) once again found themselves in the Pioneer League's unique tiebreaker, this time against the rival Missoula PaddleHeads (8-5). It took three rounds of home run derby to settle the 8-8 game, but PaddleHeads' outfielder Lamar Sparks would ultimately win it for the home team with a blast over the left field wall.

In their first matchup of the second half with Missoula, Great Falls got out to a rocky start, watching its opponents plate six runs in the first two frames to fall behind early. However, the offense responded in a big way, putting up four runs each in the third and fourth innings, including seven with two outs. Reigning Pioneer League Player of the Week, Riley Jepson, led the offense with a four RBI night in the losing effort.

The PaddleHeads came out of the first inning up 4-0, taking advantage of a sloppy frame that included two walks, a hit batter, and a Voyager error. Back-to-back home runs by Brandon Riley and McClain O'Connor extended the lead further, leaving the visitors with the tall task of working back into a game against the team that has played them the most competitively all year. With runners on the corners and two outs, Jepson, Derek Kolbush, and Chris Monroe all notched base hits, bringing in four runs on the inning and cutting the deficit to two. After a leadoff double and stolen base for Collin Runge, an RBI groundout from Lukas Polanco put the Voyagers within one as the order turned back over. Breydon Daniel drew a walk and was followed quickly by a Jake Malec single before Jepson delivered what at the time was the biggest blow of the night, an opposite field three-run home run that put the Voyagers on top 8-6. Missoula worked across a run in the bottom half of the fourth to bring the game back to 8-7, a score that would hold true through the middle of the eighth. Down to their last six outs, the PaddleHeads were able to turn a leadoff walk into the tying run when second baseman Patrick Chung, making only his third start with the team, came through with an RBI double to tie the game back up at eight runs apiece. 

Voyagers starter Matt Thomas salvaged a respectable start after a rough first two innings, getting through 5.2 innings on the night while surrendering seven runs (five earned) on eight hits. Connor Spear was the first arm out of the 'pen for Great Falls, pitching a scoreless 1.1 innings in relief. The PaddleHeads managed to score the only run for either team after the fourth against Pioneer League ERA leader Josh Gainer but were shut down by Montana Quigley in the ninth to send the game to Knockout.

For the second straight game, manager Tommy Thompson tabbed Riley Jepson as the Voyagers representative in the opening round of the home run derby, but he came up empty this time around, leaving the door open for Missoula to win with just one swing. The PaddleHeads sent Jayson Newman, the league leader in home runs, to the plate with what would seemingly be a simple task for a man with 24 long balls on the year, but Newman popped out four times to send the tiebreaker to round two. Thompson sent Breydon Daniel to the plate for the next two rounds, looking to use a left-handed swing to take advantage of the short wall in right field. Missoula manager Michael Schlact countered with Lamar Sparks, a right-handed hitter currently riding an 18-game hitting streak. Daniel got close on a number of his swings, but it was only a matter of time before Sparks ran into a ball and celebration ensued for the PaddleHeads.

The Voyagers continue their six-game home-and-home set against the PaddleHeads on Wednesday night at Ogren Park for the second of three games in Missoula. The Voyagers will send right-hander Breonn Pooler to the mound looking to keep pace with Idaho Falls for the second-half title and a spot in the Pioneer League playoffs. First pitch is set for 7:05 MDT.