Jonathan Batts belted two of Wilmington’s four homers as the perennially strong eastern North Carolinians defeated Rowan’s perennial Piedmont power 8-4 in a contest that was cut short to 7 1/2 innings because of lightning.

It was a matchup of programs that have combined to win 13 state championships, including eight by Wilmington. Post 10 won its last two state crowns in 1994 and 1995. Rowan’s last state championship came in 1993.

Coach Jim DeHart’s Rowan club dropped to 8-4 overall heading into a 2 p.m. contest against another Wilmington team, Pleasure Island, at 2 p.m. today at Hoggard High School.

Post 10, coached by Jerry Moore, is undefeated through nine games.

“We didn’t do some things right,” said DeHart, whose team was hurt by three errors, two wild pitches and two passed balls.

But the veteran Rowan coach did see some things he liked.

“I was real happy with the way Spencer Steedley came through again. That proves to me he can pitch against quality teams. Wouldn’t you know the first time up, he hit a home run,” said DeHart.

The 14-year-old Steedley pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter and loser Nathan Woodburn (0-1). Steedley, who has a 3-0 record, allowed two hits and an unearned run.

His pitching was no surprise, but Steedley surprised a lot of Rowan fans when he belted a solo home run over the 339-foot fence in right field in his first at-bat of the season. Rowan still trailed 7-3 after his homer.

“Sometimes you have to give credit to the pitcher,” said DeHart, referring to Wilmington starter Trevor Lawhorn (3-0), who allowed five hits and four runs (three earned), walked two and struck out seven in six innings. “He kept us offstride and started jamming us a little bit. We learned from that.”

Rowan had six hits, including a 2-for-4 outing by Ben Hampton and doubles by Hampton, Brian Hatley and Cal Hayes Jr.

Batts, who had not hit a homer coming into the game, led off the second inning with a solo shot to right-center. The 15-year-old rising sophomore at New Hanover High School came up again with the bases loaded in the fifth, and the left-hander hammered another homer over the left-field fence.

Teammates Nick Strickland (solo) and Milton Redd (two-run homer) hit shots out of the park in the fifth inning.

“I think we’ve had eight or 10 (homers) coming into this game,” said coach Moore. “It’s been real spread out. We had some guys hit the long ball tonight that haven’t been hitting it. They just got it up and they went out of here. We’re not a long-ball hitting club.”

Batts and Redd each went 2-for-3 to lead Post 10’s eight-hit attack.

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