Johns, Evans, and Gunlock Spur Missoula Impact to Comeback Victory over North Idaho Lakers in Spokane

SPOKANE - Hunter Johns was brilliant in a scoreless long relief performance, the red-hot Kody Evans had two hits, and Dillon Gunlock delivered the game-winning RBI single in the sixth inning to key the Missoula Impact Baseball Club to a 7-6 victory over the North Idaho Lakers on July 7.

The win resulted in Impact finishing with two consecutive victories to wrap up the at the Spokane 4th of July Wood Bat Tournament.

Johns, the lanky right-hander, scattered three hits over 4 and 2/3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts by keeping his pitches down and demonstrating impeccable control. With the stellar outing, Johns now has thrown 15 scoreless innings. Evans wrapped up a magnificent week in Spokane, finishing 8-for-13 in the tournament. Gunlock went 2-for-3 on the day.

North Idaho jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second inning, but Missoula chipped away with single runs in the next two innings and two more in the fifth on a couple Lakers errors to tie the game. The story of the game was Johns masterfully carving up the strike zone and inducing weak contact, keeping Impact within striking distance.

Tied 5-5 in the fifth, Johns reached on an error and Landin Ramsay drilled a key two-out opposite field single to left. Gunlock ripped a sharp infield single to plate the go-ahead run, and then Evans smoked a sharp single single to center for an insurance run. John’s retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth to earn the victory, punctuated by two strikeouts.