West Rowan’s Carter Durant. Photo Credit: Sean Meyers
Staff report
MOUNT ULLA – Cole Blevins drove in six runs and Brant Graham pitched a shutout as West Rowan’s baseball team rolled 10-0 against Carson in Thursday’s South Piedmont Conference championship game.
It was a perfect storm. West was focused, Graham was cooking, and the fourth-seeded Cougars (12-14) didn’t have a lot of juice left after Tuesday’s lights-out performance that knocked out top-seeded East Rowan.
West, coached by Seth Graham, who recently passed the 200-win threshold, also won the tournament in 2025.
Second-seeded West (22-5) scored in every inning and ended the game early via the mercy rule with a four-run bottom of the fifth.
Carson used Dylan Alexander, Jacob Prevette and Ryan Snyder on the bump. Alexander started and took the loss.
West senior right-hander Brant Graham breezed to his county-leading eighth win with six strikeouts and no walks. He faced only 18 batters and threw 41 of his 61 pitches for strikes. Graham lowered his ERA to 1.02 for the season.
A Catawba recruit, Graham limited Carson’s offense to singles by Jase Overcash, Cameron Williamson and Maverick Walters.
West had nine hits and drew four walks in the shortened game.
Blevins went 3-for-4 with two runs to go along with the six RBIs. The UNC Wilmington recruit hit his fifth homer of the season. He’s batting .432 with 38 RBIs and 47 runs scored.
Catawba recruit Carter Durant socked his fourth homer. He’s batting .500.
The Falcons have hit 26 homers this season.
UNC Pembroke recruit Maddox Moore didn’t hit one out of the park, but he had two doubles and drove in two. Preston Javidi scored three runs. Cole Ludwick scored two.
The one-and-done playoffs are next. West Rowan is fifth in the 5A RPI rankings, while Carson is 29th. While East Rowan won the SPC regular season, NCHSAA is based entirely on RPI, with league standings no factor. West will get a higher seed than the Mustangs, who are seventh in the RPI rankings.
Carson 000 00 – 0
West 131 14 – 10
W – Graham (8-1). L – Alexander (3-5).
HR – Blevins (5), Durant (4).
