SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Tommy Palica dominated the Fighting Pheasants, allowing just four hits over eight shutout innings while fanning eight, as the Lincoln Saltdogs defeated Sioux Falls 4-1 at the Birdcage Wednesday night.
 

The southpaw from Huntington Beach, Calif. worked around an error in the bottom of the third to retire the league's home run leader Brandon Sing on a pop-out which stranded three runners and preserved a 1-0 Lincoln lead.
 

From that point on Palica (2-0) didn't allow a hit until the eighth inning en route to the victory.
 

Lincoln struck for single runs in the first, sixth, seventh, and ninth innings to slowly build its lead. Jon Nelson went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Blake Gailen went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and a stolen base.
 

Sing smacked an opposite field home run off Saltdogs closer PJ Zocchi in the bottom of the ninth inning, his sixth long ball in six games against Lincoln.
 

Adam Cowart (2-1) pitched eight innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while walking two to suffer the loss.
 

The teams meet Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. for the series finale. Tim Brown (1-2) is expected to pitch for the Saltdogs against Brandon Rapoza (0-2) for the Pheasants. Radio coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. on KFOR 1240.