OGDEN — From the start, the Missoula Paddleheads paraded around the bases at Lindquist Field with a never-ending string of hits Wednesday night, ultimately defeating the Ogden Raptors 16-6 to open a six-game series in Ogden.

Of five Raptors pitchers, only Cory Wills — an in-and-out player in roster terms before more recently seeming to become more permanent — had any success against a Missoula team that racked up 23 hits. Wills gave up one run on three hits, striking out three, in 2 1/3 innings that helped slow the Paddleheads.

After starter Jack Cunningham threw just 1 2/3 and couldn’t get out of the second himself, giving up four runs, Wills helped shut the door and, when his time was up, Missoula led only 5-3 through four innings.

The left-handed Wills has given up two runs in 9 1/3 innings of effective spot work, good for a 1.92 ERA.

Ogden appeared ready to make it a back-and-forth slugfest after falling down 4-0 in the second. Pavin Parks led off the bottom of the frame with a solo homer, then Nick Michaels, David Maberry and Raul Shah each singled to load the bases, the latter a deftly placed bunt.

But Chris Burica, who struck out eight batters in 5 1/3 innings, kept Ogden from any more hits in the frame. Despite loading the bases with no outs and a 4-1 score, the Raptors could only make it 4-3 on a ground-ball error and a fielder’s choice.

Not scoring a big inning there soon proved costly. A Michaels error and a two-run single from Chris Eusay made it 8-3 in the fifth against Ogden’s Mark Mixon. Jared Akins smoked a fast-exiting liner over the right-field fence against Dylan Pearce and the margin eventually grew to 11-4 against Pearce.

And, in the ninth, Brandon Riley and Nick Gatewood each homered off Raptors reliever Chris Campbell for a five-run inning and a 16-4 mark.

Jakob Goldfarb doubled in two runs in the bottom of the ninth for the final 16-6 tally.

Missoula had five batters total three hits, while Ogden totaled 12 hits overall.

Ogden hitter Maberry hit 2 for 4 to move his league-leading season average to .439.

The two teams play again at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

WEDNESDAY SCORES

Missoula 16, Ogden 6

Grand Junction 5, Rocky Mountain 3

Great Falls 13, Billings 4

Idaho Falls 9, Boise 2

UPDATED STANDINGS

Second Half – 14 games left

NORTH

Billings 19-15 … 37-45 overall

Idaho Falls 18-16 … 52-30

*Missoula 18-16 … 53-29

Great Falls 16-18 … 35-47

SOUTH

Boise 20-14 … 40-42

Grand Junction 18-14 … 44-35

*Ogden 17-17 … 46-36

Rocky Mountain 8-24 … 18-61

* — denotes 1st-half champion

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