Dillon Rallies Twice to Sweep Missoula Impact
DILLON - Andrew Bartlome ripped a walk-off RBI triple in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading the Dillon Cubs to a 2-1 victory over the Missoula Impact Baseball Club and spoiling a 13-strikeout, two-hit gem by Missoula’s Caleb Hoppe. Dillon rallied again in the night cap, coming back from a fifth inning deficit to win a 25-15 slugfest in the nightcap to sweep a doubleheader at Ray Lunch Field in Dillon last Wednesday evening.
Hoppe was spectacular in a six-inning masterpiece for Impact, displaying great command of his sharp breaking stuff and a mid-80s fastball. Hoppe walked only three and gave up one unearned run before departing after a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh. Bartlome hit reliever Joey Supola’s first pitch sharply just inside the bag at first and into the corner to plate the game-winning run.
Cole Smith went 3-for-3 with a double to spark a strong offensive showing by Missoula in the nightcap. Nolan Oschell chipped in two hits, including a double, and three RBIs. Madden Hensel continued his hot streak with two ringing doubles, and Nick Karvandi, Sawyer Tackett, and Matt Doty also had two hits each on the day.
The first game was a beauty with starters Hoppe and Dillon super senior Damon Skradski each sharp on the mound. Bartlome relived Skradski in the fourth and the Cubs hurlers combined to hold Missoula to only four hits.
The nightcap was a wildly entertaining albeit sloppy affair with each team hitting the ball all over the yard and playing generally erratic defense. Kale Konen had four hits to lead a Cubs squad that amassed 21 hits in the contest. Bartlome, Cohen Hartman, and Jase Alvarez each chipped in three hits. Missoula tallied 10 hits in the slugfest.
Missoula jumped all over Dillon starter Tyler Lagunas in the first inning. Hensel drilled an RBI double one hop to the wall in left field and Karvandi smoked an RBI triple. Smith hammered an RBI double to the fence in right field in the second inning as Impact tacked on another two runs to take what appeared to be a commanding 5-1 lead.
Dillon exploded for 11 runs in the bottom of the second, but Missoula fought back. Smith led off the fourth inning with a line drive single to center, Karvandi delivered a sharp RBI single to left, and Oschell crushed a booming RBI double to left-center to cut the gap to 12-8.
Missoula came roaring back in the top of the fifth. Trailing 14-8, Smith greeted reliever Hartman with a ringing line drive RBI single to left center. Dillon Gunlock delivered an RBI single to right and Oschell tacked on more with a two-run single. Sawyer Tackett capped the inning with sharp grounder that went for a two-run error, bring Missoula all the way back to take a 15-14 lead.
The euphoria of the rally was short-lived as Dillon took advantage of five walks and three errors in the bottom of the frame to record their second 11-run inning of the day, walking it off in the fading light.