DAYTON - Logan Garling might be the best No. 9 hitter in Northern Nevada.
Garling has punished opposing pitchers all year long, and he did it again Wednesday afternoon by ripping a three-run homer to snap a 3-all tie and lead the Dust Devils to a 12-4 win over Fallon.
The win improved Dayton's division record to 9-0 and 18-1 overall. Dayton will visit Fallon for a Saturday doubleheader starting at noon. Tim Ply and Houston Berntson are the expected starters for Dayton.
"He (Garling) definitely had a big day today," Dayton coach Jay Merrell said. "I like having him where he's at. He's comfortable and sees a lot more good pitches to hit."
"I feel comfortable there," said Garling, who has four homers this year. "I see a little bit of everything (in terms of pitching). The one advantage is that I get to see a lot of pitches. I try to study (the pitcher) as much as a I can."
Garling was one of three Dayton players to homer. Winning pitcher Conner Oliver had a solo homer in a 4-for-5 day and Jake Koch hit a two-run homer.
This was one of few times when Oliver's hitting outshined his effort on the hill. He worked the first five, allowing only two hits and striking out eight. He walked six and hit a batter in what were less-than-ideal conditions.
"I was nervous all morning," Oliver said. "I woke up with a stomach ache. I just couldn't throw strikes."
Oliver stranded runners at second and third in the first inning, but ran into trouble in the third when Fallon broke a scoreless tie to score three runs. Oliver walked three batters and then gave up a two-run single to Scott Hutchings. The final run scored on an Oliver wild pitch.
Dayton broke the game open in the bottom of the inning, scoring six runs on four hits while sending 10 batters to the plate.
Oliver started the rally with a one-out double, and after a strikeout, scored on a double by Kyle Farnworth to make it 3-1. Koch followed with an infield single to shortstop, sending Farnworth to third. A wild pitch scored a run and a two-out error on a Timo Ply groundball scored another, tying the game at 3. That set the stage for Garling, who homered to left-centerfield to give Dayton a 6-3 lead.
"That changed the game," said Fallon coach Lester deBraga. "That was a little bit of a momentum changer. Dayton put the bat on the ball."
DeBraga said giving up a big inning has been a problem for his club this year.
"I can remember four or five games when we've given up five or six runs in an inning," deBraga said.
"When the guys put that six spot, I just went out and threw strikes and let them hit the ball," Oliver said.
Fallon managed just a run and two hits over the final four innings. Oliver departed after the fifth and Garling finished up with two scoreless innings of relief.
The Dust Devils increased their led to 9-3 in the fourth thanks to a solo homer by Oliver and a two-run opposite-field shot by Koch.
After Colton Oney's run-scoring single in the fifth made it 9-4, Dayton scored three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Farnworth drove in two runs with a double and the third run scored on a wild pitch.
Besides Oliver, Farnworth and Koch added two hits each.
