Smith, Karvandi, and Hensel Lead Missoula Impact to 6-5 Win over 970 Sun Devils in V Tool Colorado Summer Invitational

DENVER - Cole Smith crushed a ground-rule double one hop over the fence in right center to tie a close game, Nick Karvandi drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single, and Madden Hensel tossed three spectacular innings in relief to lead the Missoula Impact Baseball Club to a 6-5 victory over the 970 Sun Devils in the V Tool Colorado Summer Invitational at All-Star Park, the field of Colorado Christian University, in Lakewood, Colorado.  

Hensel was the story of the day for Missoula. The talented Class of 2026 right-hander allowed only one hit in three scoreless innings, with two strikeouts and no walks, to earn the victory. Hunter Johns started and threw two spotless innings, retiring the first six hitters in order with 18 pitches.

Joey Supola and Smith each had two hits to lead Impact. Smith drove in two runs and was named V Tool Player of the Game.

Missoula’s exciting Class of 2026 set of prospects - Karvandi, Hensel, Marek Hall, Sawyer Tackett, and Supola - and 2027’s Matt Doty all played key roles in the win. Supola had a key RBI single to spur a second-inning rally, Karvandi had the big RBI single, Hall and Tackett drilled line drive singles, and Matt Doty drew three walks to continue his high on base percentage.

Johns was brilliant on the mound for Impact early in the game, retiring the first eight batters. However, a 40-minute rain delay broke his rhythm and 970 exploded for five runs in the third inning. Nevertheless, Johns set the tone and Missoula battled back for the gritty win.

“We continued to play good baseball against a team who could swing the bat well and were defensively sound,” said Ryan Roche, Missoula Impact Manager. “Johns came out strong for us and gave us what we needed and Hensel sealed the deal on the mound with his best outing of the year. The bats continued to be hot as we had clutch hits from Supola, Karvandi, and Smith, who gave us the momentum we needed.”

Smith got Missoula on the board on the first inning with a sharp single to right, scoring later on a passed ball. In the second inning, Impact loaded the bases on a hit batsmen and two walks. Supola then delivered a line drive RBI single to center. Smith tacked on another run with an RBI groundout to make it 3-0.

The Sun Devils came roaring back to score five runs in the third inning on a walk, hit batsmen, and four consecutive extra base bits by Vincent Fuller, Kayden Bryant, Charley Wilson, and Maddox Adam. However, Karvandi threw a strike to catcher Dillon Gunlock on a relay to cut down Maddox attempting an inside-the-park home run. Missoula tacked on a run in the fourth to narrow the gap to 5-4.

Doty led off the fifth with a walk and Supola drilled a line drive single to left field, but southpaw Vinnie Juarez notched a strikeout. Smith then crushed a high fastball one hop over the 375-foot fence in right center, scoring Doty to tie the game. Two batters later, Karvandi executed a great piece of hitting, lining a two-strike fastball on the outside corner down the right field line for the go-ahead RBI single.

Hensel closed it out from there, retiring the side in order in the final two frames, including two strikeouts.

The win marks another significant step for the Impact Baseball program, knocking off a premier club team that plays most of its summer season outside of Colorado in national club baseball events.

Missoula is back in action today with a 9:00 tilt against an elite Marucci Elite Texas squad for a stake in the V Tool semifinals. Both teams enter 2-0 in pool play. Only the four semi-finalists out of the 18 teams in the tournament advance to bracket play on Sunday.