The surprise factor may not work much longer for the South Rowan AmericanLegion baseball team.
Scores have trickled across the state the past few weeks, and word of a team that once stood 3-11 beating up on its Area IIISouthern Division playoff foes is out.
So whenSouth travels to Asheboro on Tuesday night to open the third round of the Legion playoffs, Asheboro will be ready.
“We tell our kids that the way Legion’s set up, you never know what can happen,”Post 45 head
coach Tony McKee said. “The regular-season records don’t mean anything.”
At stake in this best-of-7 series is a berth in the state tournament. Asheboro, the No. 1 seed in the Area
III Northern Division, boasts a 24-9 record and once again is a heavy favorite against seventh-seeded South (16-15).
“They finished first in that league and people told us all year that the North side’s stronger anyway,”South head coach Allen Wilson said. “We’ll take our little hitting, little fielding team up there and see what we can do against the big boys.
“I’m sure they’re shaking their heads and wondering how we’ve done it,”he added. “They probably don’t know if it’s a stroke of luck or if we’re playing good baseball.”
Asheboro swept Surry County in the last round behind strong pitching from Lance Cole, Michael Stefanacci,
Chris Powell and Seth Pitt. McKee’s staff gave him three complete games in the four-game sweep and has powered the team all summer.
“The pitchers threw well last week,”McKee said. “We’ve got plenty of pitching, really.”
Brett Andrews leads an offense that McKee said has a different star every night. Asheboro’s motto of “Keep it simple, stupid” only asks for a little hitting, a little pitching and some routine defense.
“There have been nights when one of those may dominate, but the pitching’s not all there. Or the hitting.”McKee said. “We actually ask them every night, ‘Who’s bringing the defense? Who’s brought the sticks?’ ”
For South, it’s a different question: Who’s showing up?
Despite its recent success, Wilson’s team has suffered a rash of injuries and illness. The South roster is down to 15 or 16 players, Wilson said, and the pitching staff has been reduced to six.
The latest victim is ace reliever Brandon Hiatt, who Wilson said has either Rocky Mountain spotted fever or mono. Wilson said Hiatt, who is 2-0 with two saves, looked like somebody had beaten him.
Leftfielder Matt Morgan, recovering from a pulled groin, also has been sick and catcher/DH Ryan Wilson can’t throw or bat thanks to an injured wrist.
Of the pitchers remaining for South, lefty Nick Mayle (4-2, 4.95 ERA) should get the Game 1 start. Adam Earnhardt probably will be moved up to Game 2 because Andrew Morgan won Saturday night’s finale against Concord. Mike Davis, who saved that contest, will likely start Game 4.
The one luxury South’s pitchers own is a solid defense as of late. Justin Pinyan, behind the plate, has slowed opposing baserunners and blocked everything.
In the infield, All-County second baseman GregDeal has starred at third and RonnieShore makes all the plays at shortstop. Second baseman Brad Matthews and first baseman Aaron Safrit have been solid and the outfield, led by Adam Cornelius in center, even got a nice surprise — the play of DHJeremy Alderman in left when he filled in for Matt Morgan.
“I’d rather play good defense and not hit it as well any time,”Wilson said.
“We know we have to play twice as good this series to win it,”he added. “We have to make fewer mistakes, hit better, pitch better, don’t make mental mistakes.”
To win this series, underdog South will need all of that and then some, McKee warned.
Food.
Asheboro brings a lot of fans, McKee said, so have the concession stand in Landis well-stocked.
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