By Mike London
Salisbury Post
SALISBURY — Rowan County will grab the first win — or take the first loss — in the American Legion baseball state tournament.
Rowan (26-9) is scheduled to play Asheville at 10 a.m. on Saturday to get the double-elimination tournament started.
Games will be played at Buck Fraley Field in Cherryville through Wednesday.
The Asheville Post 70 Cardinals have lost only two games this season. They were the strongest team in Area IV during the regular season and have been perfect in the playoffs.
In the playoffs, Asheville swept a best-of-five quarterfinal series with Rutherford, swept a best-of-five semifinal series with Caldwell, and then beat Cherryville 11-5 in a single game for the Area IV championship and a No. 1 seed in the state tourney.
The idea of a state tournament bringing together all the Area champions and runners-up at a single site began in 2000.
Rowan County was part of that inaugural state tournament in Lenoir.
Rowan qualified this season, the first for new head coach Seth Graham, as one of the Area III representatives for the 14th time.
Rowan did not make the state event in 2024, but won three games and finished third in its most recent state appearance in 2023.
Rowan has been quite successful in state tournaments over the years, winning at least one game in every appearance and posting a 38-19 record. Rowan marched through the state events unblemished in 2022, 2015 and 2016. Rowan lost a game in the tournament in 2009, but bounced back to win the state title.
Rowan has not won a state crown since the 2016 team also won the Southeast Regional and finished as national runner-up.
Rowan is led at the plate by outfielder Cole Blevins, left fielder Marshal Faw and second baseman Carter Durant. They bat 1-2-3 in the lineup. Blevins leads Rowan in most offensive categories. The UNC Wilmington commit is a rising senior at West Rowan and is batting .436 with 40 runs and 37 RBIs. He has three homers, three triples and 10 doubles. Faw, a South Rowan High graduate who was recruited by Catawba, is batting . 393 with eight doubles. Durant, a rising senior at West Rowan, is batting .375 with a homer. 12 doubles and 35 RBIs.
Other probable starters are center fielder Brice Knox, first baseman Luke Ponczka, DH Cameron Williamson, third baseman Corbin Hales, shortstop Eli Graham and catcher Gaige Scruggs.
On the mound, Rowan will rely heavily on Kendal Sifford, Brant Graham and Connor Park. Sifford, a rising senior at Carson, is 7-2 with a 0.81 ERA and 47 strikeouts. Brant Graham, a rising senior at West Rowan, is 5-0 with an 0.55 ERA and 31 strikeouts. Park, a rising senior at Mooresville, is 5-2 with a 1.21 ERA.
All four Areas scheduled a one-game Area championship, but Area II hasn’t been able to play a title game yet. They will try again Wednesday night. Wilmington will be hosting Beulaville.
Area III champ Union County will play Cherryville in the last game of the first day at 7:30 p.m.
Area I champ Garner will play the Area II runner-up at 1 p.m. Area I runner-up Pitt County will play the Area II champ at 4 p.m.
The state tournament winner will advance to the Southeast Regional hosted by Randolph County at McCrary Park on Aug. 6-10.
The World Series again will held at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby on Aug. 14-19.
