Galena baseball beats Douglas

Galena pounded out 14 hits and got a strong performance from pitcher Eric Maupin to advance to today's Northern 4A Region championship game with McQueen, which begins at 1 p.m. at Bishop Manogue High School.

Both Galena, now 26-7, and McQueen, 34-3, will represent the north in next week's Class 4A state championships.

Maupin struck out 10 batters and allowed four runs - two earned - in 7 innings on the mound and spread out six hits, two walks and hit two batters. But just as important, Maupin went 2-for-2 from the plate, and had 5 RBI.

"The whole thing started with Eric Maupin," said Galena coach Gary McNamara. "He gave up a couple of early runs, but after the second and third innings he settled in. We finally got the offense going today, too, and it all clicked at once."

The Tigers, who ended their season at 20-16, took an early lead in the first inning.

Galena got on the board first after Tony Thompson - who finished the day 3-for-4, with a home run - got on base with a double and Maupin drove him in with a single up the middle.

But Douglas first baseman Ryan Laing scored on an error by Galena shortstop Pete Lazzari, then catcher Roman Davis hit a single to right, scoring Jordan Hadlock to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning.

Lazzari atoned for the error in the second and his single up the middle brought home right fielder Jacob Anderson, who had doubled off Douglas starter D.J. Brady, and tied the game 2-2.

Galena took a 4-2 lead in the third, courtesy of a pair of sacrifice flies by Maupin and catcher Basim Azzam.

Thompson hit a homer to the left - estimated at 350 feet - for a 5-2 lead in the fifth, but Douglas responded when Laing launched his own rocket to left to cut the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the inning.

Brady, who took the loss, pitched 5 innings for the Tigers and surrendered five earned runs and eight hits, while walking one and striking out two.

Pat Lahlum, Tyler May and Adam Burnside all saw action in a catastrophic sixth inning, one in which the Grizzlies sent 12 batters to the plate, scored eight runs (seven earned) and got six hits.

Galena's Matt Evans finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and started the scoring frenzy when he scored on an error on Lazzari's fielder's choice. A Justin Norvick RBI-single drove in pinch hitter Ryan Howsley and Maupin's double to right off May scored Lazzari and Norvick for a 9-3 lead.

Anderson finished 3-for-4 and got both of his RBI when he drilled a Burnside offering for a double. Evans (2-for-4, with 2 RBI) followed with his own two-run double to center for an insurmountable 13-3 lead.

Davis scored Douglas' last run in the bottom of the sixth and a Maupin sacrifice fly rounded out the scoring in the top of the seventh.

"I'm proud of the kids and the seniors," said Douglas coach John Glover, who will lose seniors Brady, Davis and Ryan Guzman and to graduation. "They did a great job. Nobody expected us to be here. They persevered and bounced back. We started off the season a little bit rocky, but we played our best ball at the end of the year.

"That was a big accomplishment. We knocked off Reno and Galena (on Thursday). They should be proud of themselves."

McNamara said he was impressed with the fight the Tigers showed throughout the playoffs.

"Coach Glover did an outstanding job," he said. "He got his kids to play outstanding this week. It was a tough task and this was a tough bracket. They beat everybody in the bracket at least once. They deserve all the credit in the world."

McNamara also lavished praise on Thompson, who also drew an intentional walk in the sixth.

"Right when I think I've seen everything possible from him, he shows me more," McNamara said. "From the mound, with his bat against really good pitchers, he's one of the best kids that's ever been through the program. He's a big-time Division-I prospect."

And now it's time for McNamara and his squad to face a McQueen team that won the High Desert League, went 3-0 in its bracket and have beaten the Grizzlies all three times in league this year.

"We're playing for the northern championship - there's a lot of pride in that," McNamara said. "I look forward to playing them. (McQueen) Coach (Brian) Nelson is family to me. He's godfather to my middle son, Kyle. I look forward to it. We both go to state. It's a good thing for the Nelson and McNamara families. My wife and I are godparents to one of his children. Truthfully my brother will be sitting in the other dugout."

McQueen last won the Northern 4A Region championship in 1997, while Galena last did it in 2001.