Douglas balked win away

With two of the top teams in the Sierra League matched up for an early-season duel Thursday afternoon, it was a given that it would be a close game.

In the end, all that separated the two teams was a bases-loaded balk.

Galena's Charlie Price scored the game-winning run when Tiger reliever Tyler May was called for a balk with no outs and the bases full in the top of the seventh. May recovered to get out of the inning with three outs in only two batters, but Galena held on for a 7-6 win in Minden.

The game was a collection of timely hitting and untimely mistakes for both sides as five of the 13 runs scored came as a direct result of errors, of which the two teams combined to commit nine.

"That's just high school baseball," Douglas coach John Glover said. "You have to give Galena credit. They hit the ball, put it in play and made things happen. They're just a good baseball team."

The sentiment was echoed on the other side.

"This was a great high school baseball game," Galena coach Ron McNutt said. "We came over here knowing Douglas has an outstanding baseball club, very well coached. Today the breaks went our way and I'm very happy about that. We knew we'd have to play the whole seven innings, and it came right down to that today."

That the winning run was even on base came as the result of an error as Galena's Luke Hooper opened the inning by reaching on a misplayed grounder at first. Brian Walker drew a walk to put runners on first and second, causing Douglas to bring May into the game.

Tony Guidara laid a bunt down and reached on an error to load the bases and after two pitches to Luke Hess, the balk brought Price, who had come in to run for Hooper, home.

After hitting Hess with a pitch, May struck out Josh Evans on three pitches and induced a double-play grounder back to the mound to get out of the inning.

Douglas came right back as third baseman Troy Torres hit a one-out single and catcher Beau Davis hit a two-out single, which moved Conner Dillon, running for Torres, to third as the potential tying run.

Second baseman Jeff Crozier made solid contact with an 0-1 pitch, lining the ball sharply to right center, but Galena's Pointer caught up with it for the out.

"When you make five errors in a high school game, you are going to get hurt," Glover said. "When we made a mistake, Galena capitalized."

That started from the outset as Tiger starter Tyler Hoelzen recorded two quick strikeouts on seven pitches, but Hooper reached first on the strikeout No. 2 when the third strike ended up in the dirt and the throw to first was dropped.

Galena took quick advantage as Pointer drew a walk and Guidara singled to load the bases. Hess followed with a base-clearing double to give Galena the early 3-0 lead.

The Grizzlies added another run in the top of the second when Nick Dufur reached on an error and advanced to second. Steven Biehle later drove a one-out double to left to score Dufur.

Grizzlies' starter Victor Walker kept Douglas hitless through two innings, but Crozier drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the third and May later belted a one-out double down the left field line to move Crozier to third.

Tanner Thomas hit a sacrifice fly to bring Crozier home and Tim Rudnick hit a two-out single to center to score May.

Galena put two more runs across in the top of the fifth when a blown pickoff attempt moved Hooper and Pointer to third and second respectively. A sacrifice fly from Guidara brought Hooper home and Hess singled to center to score Pointer.

Douglas cut the lead to 6-4 in the bottom half when May hit another double down the third baseline, Rudnick hit a run-scoring double off the right field fence and Hoelzen singled to bring Rudnick around.

The Tigers tied the game up in the bottom of the sixth as Van Winkle was hit by a pitch to lead the inning off. Davis and Crozier each singled to load the bases and Michael Whalin reached on an error to bring two runs across.

May and Thomas each reached on errors, but Galena turned a double play to end the inning on the next batter.

Hoelzen struck out four for Douglas, walking two in five innings of work.

Walker struck out two in four innings of work, but it was Beau Bickel who took the win for the Grizzlies.

Hess finished with four RBIs and a double to lead Galena while Davis led the Tigers, going 3-for-4 at the plate. Hoelzen, Rudnick and May each went 2-for-3 and Rudnick drove in a pair of runs.

The two teams meet up again Saturday in Reno for a doubleheader.

"We just have to stay positive and try to get after them on Saturday," Glover said. It's just one of those things where this kind of game happens."

McNutt agreed.

"It's a long season," he said. "We have a doubleheader against the same team. We have to go out and play 14 good innings on Saturday."