Staff report
WILMINGTON – Carter Durant’s fourth hit of the game was a decisive, two-run double in the top of the 12th inning that scored Cole Blevins and Maddox Moore.
Durant’s clutch hit, a line drive to center, lifted Rowan County to a 6-4 victory against Wilmington Post 10 Red in the second game of Saturday’s wild doubleheader. Rowan has won 14 straight games.
“Some really amazing things happened,” Rowan head coach Seth Graham said.
Cameron Williamson’s brilliant relief outing – he shut out Wilmington in the ninth, 10th and 11th – gave Durant a chance to be a hero.
Williamson, the fourth of five Rowan pitchers, got the win.
Kendal Sifford started, worked four innings and allowed one run.
Maverick Walters pitched the fifth and an eventful sixth. Durant walked four but survived the seventh and eighth.
Dylan Alexander pitched the bottom of the 12th to earn a save.
Rowan trailed 1-0 in the fifth when Moore and Drew Pegram knocked in runs.
Durant had the RBI as Rowan (16-2) went ahead 3-2 in the top of the sixth.
Wilmington had two runners cut down at the plate in the bottom of the sixth as Rowan held the lead.
On what looked like it would be a run-scoring wild pitch with a runners at second and third, catcher Gaige Scruggs got to the ball with a dive, and got the ball to Walters covering the plate. Walters made a diving tag for the out.
The next batter hit a ball in the hole, but Williamson made a backhand play at shortstop and threw home to Scruggs for another tag at the plate. Then Walters caught a line drive headed up the middle for the third out.
Wilmington scored to tie the game at 3-all in the bottom of the seventh.
Both teams got a run in the eighth. Moore had a sac fly for the Rowan run, but Wilmington scored on an error for 4-all.
Rowan didn’t score in the next three innings, but Williamson kept the score tied until Durant got his big hit.
Rowan had 15 hits. Blevins had a triple. Durant and Jayven Parks had doubles.
Parks made an impact on his return to the lineup, as he had three hits. Blevins, Pegram and Brant Graham had two hits.
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Rowan headed east planning to play four games in three days, but only got to play the pair on Saturday. Duplin had to cancel Friday when the coach had a family emergency. Horry County opted out as it had to make up a league game. Wilmington has two teams. The Blue team didn’t have enough to play, as some players were in showcase tournaments, so Rowan played the Post 10 Red team in both games of Saturday’s twin bill. …A game at Mooresville is next for Rowan on Tuesday.
Rowan County 000 021 010 002 – 6
Wilmington Red 010 010 110 000 – 4
W – Williamson (1-0). S – Alexander (1). L – K. Moore.
