By Mike London
Salisbury Post
GRANITE QUARRY – Any concerns about the health of East Rowan standout Harrison Alshie were put to rest on Tuesday night.
Ailshie homered and earned a three-inning save as the Mustangs edged West Rowan 2-1 in a marquee South Piedmont Conference baseball matchup that lived up to expectations. The majority of a big crowd at Staton Field went home happy.
“I feel fine,” said Ailshie, who had to sit out a few games recently. “I had a pulled muscle on the left side of my lower back, but everything feels good now.”
A UNC recruit, a potential MLB draft pick this summer and the reigning Rowan County Player of the Year, Ailshie began the game in center field. He ran down a few balls to help East starting pitcher Charlie Lefler, who has come out of nowhere to be a key part of coach Brett Hatley’s staff.
Lefler staged a non-stop battle with the Falcons’ all-star lineup. There was traffic all over the bases, but Lefler prevented the Falcons from getting a key hit. West had chances for big innings in the second, third and fourth, but Lefler limited the damage to a run-scoring single by Carter Durant in the third.
“Charlie has done an awesome job for us and he did it again tonight,” Ailshie said. “He kept them off balance.”
East scored first in the second inning when Isaiah Osterhus singled home Sam Blackwelder.
Durant knocked in Cole Ludwick in the top of the third for a 1-all tie.
The lefty-hitting Ailshie led off the bottom of the third against West lefty Maddox Moore with a blast to the opposite field for a 2-1 East lead, and despite trials and tribulations in the fifth, the Mustangs managed to make that run stand up the rest of the night.
Ailshie and Moore are friends who have played together for the South Charlotte Panthers showcase team.
“It feels good when you pull a home run, but the backside homers are even better,” Ailshie said. “It was a fastball, high and out. I got the barrel on it.”
When Lefler walked Cole Blevins to start the West fifth, the Mustangs made the call to the “bullpen,” and Ailshie, who fires bullets from the left side, came jogging in from center field to take the mound.
Blevins advanced on a passed ball, and Brody Pope’s infield hit put Falcons on the corners with no outs. Durant, who historically has hit Ailshie better than anyone in West’s lineup, smacked a hard ground ball that was the key to the inning – and the game. Ailshie’s younger brother, Brady, mans third base for East. He not only fielded the ball and got the out at first, he kept the run from scoring.
“Great play by Brady,” Harrison Ailshie said. “He gave us a chance to get out of the inning.”
Luke Ponczka, a powerful right-handed hitter who leads the county in RBIs, was next. He was intentionally walked, and Ailshie struck out young lefty swinger Preston Javidi for the second out. Belmont Abbey recruit Carter Lefebvre grounded out, the Falcons had stranded three, and the inning was history.
“I had a left-on-left matchup and was able to get a strikeout for the second out when we needed it,” Ailshie said. “That third out was a tough play, but (shortstop) Sam Blackwelder made it. Keeping them from scoring in the fifth, that gave us the momentum for the rest of the game.”
Moore lashed a clean hit in the sixth, but it came with two outs, and Ailshie put up another zero. The Falcons went down 1-2-3 in the seventh, with the game ending on a swinging strikeout by Durant and a check-swing strikeout by Ponczka.
Lefler earned his second win, striking out six and walking four. Ailshie logged his second save.
West left 11 men on base.
Moore, a UNC Pembroke recruit, lost for the first time this season.
Moore had two of West’s six hits. Harrison Ailshie and Blackwelder had two hits for the Mustangs.
East (12-2, 7-0) stayed on top in the SPC, one game ahead of South Rowan. The Raiders pummeled Robinson on Tuesday.
West (11-4, 5-2) slipped below Carson in the standings to fourth place, at least temporarily. The Cougars are 6-2 in the league after finishing off an early sweep of Concord with romps on Monday and Tuesday.
West will play East in Mount Ulla on Thursday. The pitchers probably will be West’s Brant Graham, a Catawba recruit, and East’s Brady Ailshie.
West 001 000 0 -1
East 011 000 x -2
W – Lefler (2-1). L – Moore (4-1).
HR – H. Ailshie (2).
