Karvandi’s Walk-off Caps Rally, Sends Missoula Impact to Semifinals of Billings Expos Invitational

Written by Dave Smith

BILLINGS - Nick Karvandi ripped a walk-off RBI single after Cole Smith lined a clutch two-out, two-run single to tie the game in the sixth inning with the time limit expired, leading the Missoula Impact Baseball Club to a scintillating 7-6 victory over the Lockwood Razorbacks in bracket play of the Billings UpperDeck Expos Invitational in July 20.

Hunter Johns threw another brilliant game, tossing six innings of clean baseball, with all six runs unearned due to a flurry of late game errors by Impact. The run extended Johns’ remarkable summer stretch to 28 and 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run. The senior mixed his pitches well and again had excellent control, allowing only two walks in the complete game victory.

Missoula got solid contributions throughout their order on the day, particularly in the late innings with the game on the line. Smith, Karvandi, and Kody Evans led the way with two hits each including a triple by Evans. Landin Ramsay clubbed a long double to ignite a rally in the fourth and Dillon Gunlock delivered a clutch RBI single to cut the gap and set the stage for the walk off win. Marek Hall and Matt Doty had huge hits in essentially do-or-die situations during the final three-run rally.

The game started off smoothly for Missoula as Johns breezed through the first inning and the bats came alive early. Ramsay walked, Evans crushed an RBI triple to deep right-center, and Karvandi delivered an RBI single to put Impact up, 2-0.

Johns was masterful over the next three innings, spacing three hits and a walk. However, Missoula’s offense sputtered against Lockwood starter Tyler Lienemann and it was still 2-0 going into the fateful fifth inning.

The Razorbacks’ Reed McAuliffe and Brendan Koch led off with sharp singles, then the Impact infield defense fell apart with three consecutive miscues that would have ended the inning but instead opened the floodgates. Teig Egge piled on with a ringing two-run double and Jacob Hernandez and Will Wetzel capped the inning with run-scoring singles.

Down 5-2 with the time limit approaching and the chance to win a tourney slipping away, Ramsay provided the key jolt. The 135-pound second baseman hammered a towering double off the right field fence to lead off the inning. Smith followed with a single, and Ramsay scored on a passed ball. Gunlock eventual brought Smith in with a line drive RBI single to left field, cutting the gap to 5-4.

With just moments remaining to start a new inning, Johns quickly dispatched Lockwood after an other error and unearned run, making it 6-4.

I’m the final frame, Cash Mickey reached on a one-out error and then Hall and Doty delivered key one-out singles to load the bases. Ramsay was retired on a great diving catch in left field, bringing Smith to the plate with the game on the line.

Smith, the Minnesota North College-Vermilion commit, promptly drilled a line drive two-RBI single to right-center to tie the game, 6-6. Evans then walked to load the bases.

Karvandi walked it off by crushing a line drive to the gap in right-center, setting off a jubilant celebration.