Pena Belts 3 Home Runs in Win over Great Falls
PL Missoula PaddleHeads

Pena Belts 3 Home Runs in Win over Great Falls

Published on June 4, 2025 under Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release


GREAT FALLS, MT - The Missoula PaddleHeads opened a 6-game set Tuesday night on the road opposite the Great Falls Voyagers. This was the first of many battles between these 2 Treasure State rivals. Game 1 at Voyagers Stadium Tuesday was the first of 18 games that are to come in the regular season. The Electric City was a difficult road block for Missoula in 2024 as the PaddleHeads finished 4-5 in games played in Great Falls. This was the only road venue in which the PaddleHeads finished with a record under .500 last season. It did not take long for Missoula to send a message that things could be different in 2025 in a dominating performance.

The PaddleHeads offense sent an early message in the top of the 1st with a home run from Roberto Pena. The hits would keep on coming in the early innings as well for Missoula tallying 11 hits in the first 3 innings alone. The end result would be a 12-2 lead at the end of the top of the third. PaddleHeads starting pitcher Mike Peterson would also settle in after a slow start to the season earning his first win of 2025. This would all add up to a lopsided affair when it was all said and done as Missoula grabbed early momentum in this series with a 25-3 blowout.

The Pioneer League leader in home runs would be the first to strike for the PaddleHeads with Pena hitting a solo home run with 2-outs in the 1st inning. The 1st baseman would be far from finished. Alec Sanchez would also go deep a few batters later driving home 2 more runs to make the score 3-0. This also was the start of a huge night at the plate for Sanchez as the PaddleHeads continued to roll.

Missoula would pick up where they left off in the 2nd inning with the long ball to begin a 5-run push. Carlos Perez would touch them all to bring home a pair in the frame hitting a laser over the left field wall to make it 5-2. RBI singles from Sanchez, and Pena then fanned the flames as Missoula would grab an 8-2 lead. The hits would just keep on coming in the 3rd.

Things would begin to get out of hand in the top of the 3rd with a 4-run rally for Missoula. After RBI singles from Sanchez, and Kamron Willman, Mike Rosario would bring them both home with a 3-run blast of his own. Missoula would lead 12-2 after this push off success. Peterson held up his end of the bargain in his outing as well.

After not making it through the 5th inning in either of his first 2 starts, Peterson delivered his best outing of the season to this point earning the win. After a pair of runs crossed the plate in the 1st, the 3rd year pro would settle in nicely allowing just 1 run over the next 5 innings.

Peterson would finish his night after 6 innings allowing just 4 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out a season high 8 batters. The reigning league pitcher of the year would retire 8 straight hitters in the best stretch of his outing. The offense would deliver its biggest punch after his departure.

A 7-run rally for the PaddleHeads turned Tuesday's contest completely upside-down as Missoula would surpass the 20 run mark for the 1st time this season. RBI singles from Perez, and Rosario would bring home 3 in the frame. After Willman walked with the bases loaded, Pena would blast yet another home run to left field to make the score 22-3. Pena would finish with 3 home runs in the win. Doing so, he matched a PaddleHeads franchise record for home runs in one game matching the effort of Adam Fogel in a game last season.

When it was all said and done Missoula's offense would have 5 players that would tally 3 hits or more in the victory. Furthermore, Rosario, Pena, Sanchez, and Perez also all drove in 4 runs or more in the victory.

Pena would be the highlight fishing 4-for-6 with a team best 7 RBIs and 4 runs scored. Sanchez knocked in 4 runs finishing with a game high 5 hits in a 5-for-7 performance. Perez knocked in 4 and scored 3 runs in his night as the PaddleHeads 3rd baseman chipped in with a 3-for-5 effort.

The reigning Pioneer League MVP would fittingly put on the finishing touches for Missoula's offense.

Fogel would get in on the act in the 9th hitting a moon shot to left field ito bring his home run total to 4 on the season. The left fielder brought his hit total Tuesday to 3 in the process in a 3-for-6 effort as Missoula tacked on its 25th run. Work from one PaddleHeads reliever down the stretch ensured Great Falls would remain silent throughout on the flipside.

Reece Fields pitched exceptionally well out of the PaddleHeads bullpen in the final 3 innings.

The 2nd year pro would not allow a single hit in those frames while fanning 6 Voyagers to bring the game to the finish line. For his efforts, the South Carolina native earned his first career save.

This obliteration surely sent a message, now Missoula will look to keep the momentum going.

The PaddleHeads (8-5) have now won 4 of their last 5 games overall starting this series with the Voyagers (2-11) with a victory. Great Falls is also licking their wounds having lost 8 consecutive ballgames. Game 2 of this slate is set for 7:00 p.m. Wednesday night from Voyagers Stadium.

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Pioneer League Stories from June 4, 2025


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