PaddleHeads Keep 2 Game Lead in Playoff Race Despite Loss Tuesday
PL Missoula PaddleHeads

PaddleHeads Keep 2 Game Lead in Playoff Race Despite Loss Tuesday

July 9, 2025 - Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release


OGDEN, UT - The Ogden Raptors and Missoula PaddleHeads would battle back and forth on Tuesday night in the opening game of a 6-game slate at Lindquist Field. Both teams would hold the lead over different stretches of the ballgame with the momentum swinging in numerous instances. This game would be decided in the late innings with Missoula trailing by 3 going into the final 3 frames. The PaddleHeads would score runs in the 7th, and 8th innings to erase the deficit and give themselves a chance to win in regulation. A victory in the 9th inning would then be taken out of their grasp in an extremely unlikely sequence.

The first 2 Ogden hitters in the bottom of the 9th would go down quietly with the PaddleHeads leading by a run. Cole Jordan would be tasked with keeping the game alive with the bases empty. The Raptors left fielder would hit a pop fly on the infield to the right of the mound which looked to be the 27th out. As fate would have it however, the ball would find the infield grass on an error to allow the game to continue.

Carmine Lane would take advantage of this mistake hitting a game-tying double off the wall in left center field to knot things up at 9 runs apiece. For the 2nd consecutive game, a winner would be decided in a 'Knockout Round' in a game featuring the PaddleHeads. This sequence would also work against Missoula for the 2nd time in as many games as the Raptors snuck out a game 1 win. Despite the loss, Missoula remains 2 games clear of their closest competition in the race for a Playoff spot with the Yuba Sutter Highwheelers also suffering a loss Tuesday.

After a solo home run gave the Raptors the lead early, Missoula's bats would come alive in the middle innings to jump to their first lead of the night. A single from Carlos Perez in the top of the 4th inning would tie the game at 1 with 2-outs in the inning. Colby Wilkerson would then put Missoula in front one batter later on a double to left center field which drove home 2 runs to make the score 3-1.

Both players would enjoy solid nights of production with Perez finishing 2-for-3 and Wilkerson finishing 2-for-6. After Missoula tacked on another run in the top of the 5th, The Raptors would fight back in their half of the inning with their biggest push of success.

Ogden would send 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the 5th inning in a rally that was aided by 3 infield hits, and a hit batter to set things up. The Raptors would plate 5 runs when it was all said and done to take a 6-5 lead. Chris Sargent, Connor Bagnieski, and Damian Stone would do the bulk of the damage in 3 consecutive at-bats on a pair of RBI singles, and a 2-run double from Stone to give Ogden the lead back. Stone finished 2-for-5 in the game while Bagnieski was 1-for-5. Sargent would prove to play an impact throughout.

The Raptors catcher struck again in the bottom of the 6th with another RBI single to give the Ogden their largest lead of the game at 8-5. The 2nd year professional would finish 4-for-5 in the contest with a pair driven in. Sargent would then put on a proverbial cape for the Raptors in the 'Knockout Round" later in the evening.

The PaddleHeads would fight right back in the innings that followed scoring in the 7th and 8th innings to run back to the lead. Missoula would plate a pair of runs in the 7th bringing home a run on a walk with the bases loaded, and a wild pitch to make the score 8-7. It then would not take long in the next half frame for Missoula to do damage again.

The PaddleHeads would hit a pair of doubles on consecutive pitches to start the top of the 8th to tie the game at 8 runs apiece. Roberto Pena, and Adam Fogel would be the contributors in the situation to knot things up. A throwing error from the Raptors would then play a role in Missoula taking the lead at 9-8 a few batters later. Pena and Fogel would both finish 2-for-4 in the ballgame.

Zach Lampton would turn in an admirable effort late in the contest in 1 '..." innings. Lampton's biggest pitch came after the game tying double in the bottom of the 9th. On a 3-2 pitch, Lampton would freeze Elliot Good of the Raptors with the winning run in scoring position to force the 'Knockout Round.' Despite the loss, all was not lost for Missoula on Tuesday.

Despite the tough defeat Tuesday, Missoula would remain 2 games ahead of their closest playoff competitors in Yuba Sutter. The PaddleHeads (30-13) would receive a big lift from the Grand Junction Jackalopes who defeated the Highwheelers (28-15) 3-2 Tuesday. Missoula will now look to turn things in their favor in game 2 of this series to inch closer to a postseason berth.

The PaddleHeads will get back at it in action with the Raptors (24-18) on Wednesday evening.

First pitch from Lindquist Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Stay locked in with all the action from the Beehive state throughout the week with live radio broadcasts on ESPN Missoula 102.9 F.M.

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