GRAHAM— Rowan County wrapped up a state playoff berth in style Friday night, whipping Burlington-Graham 11-0 to sweep the best-of-seven American Legion series.
Rowan struck early, staking a 4-0 lead after three innings, then buried Burlington down the stretch.
A four-run ninth inning iced the game for Rowan (32-3).
“We knew we wanted the series to end here,” said Rowan catcher Drew Davis, who was 2-for-6 with three RBI’s. “Our game plan was to jump out early, then make them catch us. We didn’t want to have to go back to our place to finish this thing.”
The series sweep gives Rowan one of Area III’s berths in the American Legion Baseball State Tournament. Rowan is scheduled to start state tournament play next Friday against the winner of the Asheboro/South Rowan series.
Jacob Cooper (5-0) pitched for Rowan on Friday, the rising East Rowan sophomore weathering a few rocky innings to record the complete-game shutout.
Cooper, just 15, gave up 10 hits and watched as Burlington (20-17) loaded the bases against him on a number of occasions.
But the lanky left-hander always came through, striking out batters to escape bases-loaded jams in the sixth and eighth innings. In the ninth, Burlington again loaded the bases but Cooper forced shortstop Lance Hart to ground out to first baseman Shawn Trosper to end the game.
“My fastball wasn’t as good as I wanted, but my breaking ball helped me a lot,” Cooper said.
He said that on a couple of occasions he watched as Rowan coach Jim Gantt strode to the mound, fully expecting to be pulled for a relief pitcher.
“But he let me stay out there,” Cooper said. “He trusted me.”
Actually, Gantt said, chuckling at game’s end, it might have been one of his assistant coaches, Michael Lowman, who kept Cooper in the game.
Gantt said that once he stood in the dugout and started to head to the mound to pull Cooper. But he said Lowman nudged him, saying, “No, no, no, let him stay.”
Gantt said Davis, the catcher, also chipped in a good word for Cooper.
“He told me, ‘Don’t do it coach. He’s got it tonight,’ “ Gantt said.
In retrospect, Gantt said he was glad he listened to his assistant coach and catcher.
“I generally pull my pitchers too fast,” Gantt said. “This was a good win for Jacob. He needs to pitch through jams and this is the only way he’s going to learn.”
Rowan commanded the hot hand from the start, right-fielder Aaron Rimer singling in the first inning, then advancing and finally scoring thanks to a pair of Burlington errors.
Rowan added three more runs in the fourth, Drew Davis leading off with a double, then scoring off a double by left-fielder Jimbo Davis. Center-fielder Nick Lefko drove Jimbo Davis in with a single, then scored himself before the inning ended.
Cal Hayes scored in the sixth after leading off with a double. Designated-hitter Spencer Steedley also scored on a solo home run over the right field fence before the end of the inning.
Rowan appeared determined to end the series Friday, though Gantt said he never said much to inspire his team.
“They’re a self-motivated bunch,” he said. “They know the job that’s ahead of them.”
Burlington coach Todd Wirt said his team still felt it had a chance of coming back in the series despite entering Friday’s game in a 3-0 hole.
“Nobody expected us to win our last series (when Burlington trailed Eastern Randolph 3-1), so we didn’t think this was out of reach,” Wirt said. “But you’ve got to give Rowan credit, they’re an excellent Legion team. They don’t beat themselves. They play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.”
Wirt also said he was impressed with Cooper.
“We kept thinking we were going to bust out against him, but he was tough when he needed to be,” he said. “We just didn’t have the focus tonight. We couldn’t push across any runs.”
Some fine defensive plays by Rowan also played a part in holding Burlington scoreless.
In the sixth inning, Burlington’s Matt Tucker led off with a walk, then moved to second on a single by Blane Jordan.
But Rowan third baseman Bobby Parnell put a temporary halt to the threat, grabbing a line shot off the bat of Nick Starnes, then throwing to second to double off Tucker.
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Contact Steve Huffman at 704-797-4247 or shuffman@salisburypost.com
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