Staff report
GASTONIA – Wilson’s Mattox McKeel delivered a bases-clearing hit in the sixth inning to knock Rowan County out of the American Legion state tournament.
McKeel’s hit broke a 6-all tie and provided a 9-6 victory and advancement in the tourney for Post 13.
Unlike Saturday’s Wilmington game, Rowan had plenty of chances to win this one. Rowan had 10 hits, including four doubles.
The biggest difference was in the field. Rowan, which finished 32-6, made three errors. Wilson had none.
“The nine-team tournament was a horrible idea,” Rowan head coach Seth Graham said. “Either Wilmington or us was going to be at a disadvantage on Sunday and it happened to be us. Having to play a doubleheader on a day when no one else did was unfair. We had played three games while teams were still at the hotel that had only played one. The boys were spent after the Shelby game early Sunday (Rowan won it 9-4). Just ran out of gas, and it really didn’t need to be like that. We had a great season, earned our spot in the state tournament. We just weren’t lucky. We got put in the worst spot in the bracket.”
Young lefty Parker Durant pitched most of the game for Rowan, throwing 90 pitches before he was running on fumes in the sixth.
Rowan scored first in the top of the first when Jayven Parks and Brody Pope doubled, but Wilson scored four in the bottom of the inning with a flurry of hits and a sacrifice fly.
Cameron Williamson had a two-out hit to get Rowan back to a 4-2 deficit, and there was plenty of hope after Parker Durant put up a zero in the second and looked to be settling in.
Carter Durant’s run-scoring single in the third made it a 4-3 game. Luke Ponczka’s two-run double gave Rowan a 5-4 lead.
Rowan stayed ahead 5-4 until Wilson scored twice in the fifth. Wilson loaded the bases with no outs. Parker Durant got a strikeout for the first out. Then he got the ground ball he wanted, but the relay throw got away as Rowan attempted to turn a double play, and two runs scored.
Williamson had another RBI single in the top of the sixth for 6-all. It looked like Rowan might get more, but Cole Blevins rapped into a double play.
In the bottom of the sixth, Wilson again loaded the bases with no outs.
That’s when Parker Durant exited, Jacob Prevette relieved and McKeel produced his key hit.
Colson Gray pitched into the sixth for Wilson. Red Willougby benefited from the three-run bottom of sixth and got the win. He got the last five outs.
Pope, Ponczka, Moore and Williamson had two hits. Moore scored twice. Williamson and Ponczka had two RBIs.
Rowan County 113 001 0 – 6
Wilson 400 023 x – 9
W – Willoughby. L – P Durant (4-3).
N.C. state tournament (at Gastonia Sims Legion Park)
(Friday, July 24)
Game 1- Gaston Braves 10, Shelby 3
(Saturday, July 25)
Game 2- Wilmington 8, Rowan County 1
Game 3 – Cherryville 4, Wilson 0
Game 4 – Union County 7, Beulaville 4
Game 5- Garner 13, Gaston Braves 3, 5 innings
(Sunday, July 26)
Game 6- Rowan County 9, Shelby 4, Shelby eliminated
Game 7- Gaston Braves 6, Beulaville 0, Beulaville eliminated
Game 8- Wilson 9, Rowan County 6, Rowan County eliminated
Game 9- Cherryville 4, Wilmington 3
Game 10- Garner 2, Union County 0
(Monday, July 27)
Game 11- Gaston Braves vs. Wilmington, 1 p.m.
Game 12- Wilson vs. Union County, 4 p.m.
Game 13 Cherryville vs. Garner, 7 p.m.
(Tuesday, July 28)
Game 14- Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 15- Game 13 loser vs. Game 14 winner, 7 p.m.
(Wednesday, July 29)
Game 16- Game 13 winner vs. Game 15 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 17 (if necessary)- If Game 13 winner loses Game 16, 7 p.m.
