FALLON - Galena won its fourth straight High Desert League varsity boys' baseball game Thursday by banging out 17 hits to defeat Fallon 11-1 at the Ed Arciniega Athletic Complex.
The Grizzlies (4-3 in league, 9-4 overall) broke open a close game with four runs in the fifth inning and then added four more in the seventh. Lyle Gardner, who struck out 10 batters in five innings, suffered his second straight loss for the Wave (4-6 in league, 4-11 overall). Tony Thompson picked up the win.
Galena coach Gary McNamara said Thompson has been a major part of the Grizzlies' winning streak.
"He's been a part of the whole run," McNamara said.
Gardner, who dominated Galena for the first three innings, began to fall behind in his count and got the ball up.
McNamara said Gardner threw well, but he said his players made some adjustments after the third inning.
Leadoff batter Justin Norvick led Galena with four hits and four RBI. McNamara said he's glad to see Norvick's hitting.
"He's been struggling with the bat, but he's been more aggressive," he said.
Fallon scored its lone run in the bottom of the seventh on Brandon Pruitt's RBI single to left field. Fallon coach Brad Barton said Fallon faced a good baseball team. However, he said his team played good defense, allowing only one error. The two teams play a doubleheader in Fallon on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
Galena began to score off Gardner in the fourth inning when Pete Lazzari hit a single off the fist of the bat, and Norvick beat out an infield hit for an RBI.
Basim Azzam singled in a run in the fifth inning to give Galena a 4-0 lead.
Craig Tanaka and Matt Evans each followed with RBI hits to put the score at 6-0. Lazarri then worked a full count before lining a single up the middle to make the score 7-0.
Norvick's three-run double in the seventh gave Galena a comfortable lead with Fallon coming to bat for its final time in the game.