Voyagers Win Big in Game 3 of 6 Game Series Versus Paddleheads

(Great Falls, MT) - The Great Falls Voyagers (2-4/21-33) came into Friday nights game versus the Missoula Paddleheads (3-3/38-16) needing a win to keep pace with the rest of the Northern Division. Mission succeeded as the Voyagers came away with the big win 15-5.

The game started out as what looked like it might be a pitchers duel between Voyagers starter, Damon Ellis and Paddleheads starter, Matt Mogollon. The Paddleheads squeaked out an unearned run after an error in the second inning, while the Voyagers scored two in the 3rd for their first lead of the series. Jake Malec drew a walk to get on and was driven in by a triple to deep center by Troy Dixon. Dixon then scored on a ground out by Jason Matthews.

With a 2-1 lead going into the top of the 5th hopes were riding high for the Voyagers only to see them dashed with a run put up by the Paddleheads to tie the score at 2. The Voyagers decided enough was enough as they batted 17 batters and scored 12 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Patrick Sheehan started the inning off with a double to center, followed by a single to left by Malec. Dom Abbadessa drew a walk, Dixon singled to right and Matthews cleared the bases with a triple to right center. The hit parade wasn't over though as Ben Norman had a single, Kyle Crowl had a hit to left, and Chris Caffrey singled to right. With no outs in the inning so far the Voyagers kept it going with Jackson Raper hitting a single to right with two errors allowing him to get to 3rd base and pushing everyone else home. Sheehan came up for his second time in the inning and followed his lead off double with a single. Malec accounted for the first out of the inning on his second at bat by flying out to left. Abbadessa promptly tripled to right center and came home on a ground out by Dixon. Matthews single to left, Norman walked, and Crowl singled to right. Caffrey, the 17th batter in the inning, struck out to finally stop the scoring at 12 for the Voyagers.

The Paddleheads added two runs in the 6th but these were answered by a towering home run for Norman over the right field fence for a solo shot in the 7th inning. One final run for the Missoula squad in the 9th made the final score, 15-5 in favor of the Voyagers.

The Voyagers look to keep the bats going in game 4 of the series on Saturday night. Game time is at 7 p.m. with gates opening at 6 p.m. See you at the game!!!

Written by Ross Drishinski