It’s always notable when a pitcher spins a four-hitter.

It’s even more notable when his team is giving up 10 runs a game.

Colt Prielipp bottled up Mauston’s batting order for seven innings and led the Tomah American Legion baseball team to a 6-1 victory Monday at Dennis Senz Field.

The victory raised Tomah’s record to 3-7 and snapped a three-game losing streak. Tomah dropped an 11-3 decision at Sparta Friday and lost a 12-6, 6-0 doubleheader at home against LaFarge Sunday.

Tomah coach Aaron Steffel believes the victory is a step in the right direction.

“It’s not the offense that has been killing us -- it’s the defense,” Steffel said. “When we communicate and give 100 percent effort, we’re fine.”

Prielipp struck out eight and gave up just one hit through the first five innings. He lost his shutout in the sixth on an unearned run but got defensive help later in the inning that kept Mauston from mounting a bigger rally. Prielipp picked a runner off first for the inning’s first out, and Tomah gunned down a Mauston player trying to score for the second out. Prielipp took care of the third out himself by ringing up a strikeout.

An error allowed Mauston’s leadoff runner to reach in the seventh, but Prielipp retired the next three batters to nail down a complete game. It was easily Tomah’s best pitching performance of the season.

“Colt did a stellar job, and the guys behind him played real hard,” Steffel said. “Colt hit his spots when he needed to.”

Tomah scored all its runs in the first two innings.

In the first, Joey Organ led off with a walk, stole second, went to third on a Tyler Von Haden single and scored on an Alex Egstad single.

Wyatt Blado followed with an RBI single, and Egstad scored when the ball got past the rightfielder. An RBI groundout by Prielipp capped the rally and gave Tomah a 4-0 lead.

In the second, Matt Leis launched a rally with a drag-bunt single. He stole second, went to third on an error and scored on a Von Haden fielder’s choice.

Organ and Von Haden later executed a double steal for the inning’s second run.