LANDIS — No controversy this time. Unfortunately for South Rowan, no contact either.
Asheboro right-hander Seth Pitt fanned 15 South batters on Friday night, sinking South into a 3-1 pit in this best-of-7 third-round series.
Pitt’s 15 Ks brought South’s four-game total in the series to a scary 58.
“We’re just not getting it done at the plate,” said South coach Allen Wilson. “It’s hard to do much when you’re striking out as much as we are. It’s not like you can hit and run. We’ve just got to find some way to put the ball in play.”
South’s batting just .205 in the series, is averaging fewer than three runs per game and less than seven hits per game against a pitching staff that is the backbone of the Asheboro club.
“Asheboro’s pitching’s just been the real deal,” sighed Wilson. “We’ve seen four of their arms and they’ve all been quality. Good pitching’s stopped good hitting as long as they’ve played baseball and they’ve got pitching.
“We’ve got some guys in slumps and they’ve got a bunch of pitchers who are slump creators.”
South’s only success at the plate in the series, ironically, came against Pitt, the victim of Adam Cornelius’ dramatic 10th-inning homer that won Game 3.
“Seth was down Thursday night,” said Asheboro coach Tony McKee. “But it’s like we told him, ‘Holy cow. It’s never just one pitch or one at-bat that wins or loses a ballgame.
“We were glad to see him come back tonight and throw a real good game.”
South hitters, who mustered four hits off him, would tell you that Pitt was more than just “real good.”
He’s got a funky delivery during which he turns his back on the hitter. Then his ball just explodes. He’s not a big guy, but he was throwing mid-80s and was mixing in both curves and sliders.
“My delivery, I don’t think any of my coaches have ever really liked it, but it’s what I’ve always done and it’s always worked for me,” chuckled Pitt, who’s from Trinity High School. “Look, South’s a good hitting team, but we’ve got a nice scouting report on them. I knew which guys had trouble with the curveball and which ones can’t catch up with the fastball.”
The only South hitter who solved Pitt was leadoff man Ronnie Shore, who had two hits for the sixth game in a row and is 8-for-14 in this series. Shore was the only South player to draw a walk and drove in his team’s only run in the sixth when he singled home Brandon Hiatt.
“Yeah, I guess we’re still working on that scouting report on Shore,” said Pitt. “Shore has to be the hardest freakin’ guy in the world to get out.”
South also got a well-pitched game, as right-hander Mike Davis was the best he’s been all summer. Davis limited Asheboro to six hits, but dropped to 1-5 with a tough-luck loss.
“Unbelievable,” said Wilson. “Davis gave us a great effort, holds a great team to four runs and pitches our first complete game of the year — and he loses. I hate it for him.”
As usual, Asheboro used great execution to manufacture four runs.
Leadoff man John Pugh reached four straight times and scored twice, while cleanup man Kyle Pugh was twice asked to lay down bunts and did so successfully on both occasions.
Asheboro’s first run to snap a scoreless tie in the fourth was typical. Ben Yow walked. Kyle Pugh bunted him over. Jay Carroll singled Yow in.
Asheboro made it 2-0 in the sixth on an error-stolen bas-sacrifice-groundout sequence.
“Asheboro’s very good at small-ball,” said Wilson. “They kept getting that leadoff man on and moving him around and that’s something we couldn’t seem to do.”
Davis finally tired in the eighth and Asheboro hit a couple of shots. Michael Stefanacci hammered a single to the left-field fence and Yow doubled him home. Yow moved up to third on the throw to the plate that nearly nailed Stefanacci, then scored on Kyle Pugh’s bunt up the first-base line.
Other than that solitary run in the sixth, South had few threats, never getting more than one baserunner in an inning. Pitt even handled Cornelius this time, striking him out twice.
“He hit a fastball for the homer Thursday,” said Pitt. “I mean, it happens. I was just glad to get the chance to get right back out there and do better this time. I know I’ll sleep a lot better tonight than I did last night.”
Don’t expect either coach to sleep much tonight, though, as they prepare for Saturday’s Game 5 at Asheboro’s McCrary Park.
Wilson will toss and turn, trying to figure out a way to get his guys hitting again.
Meanwhile, McKee has seen enough of South not to take anything for granted.
“South’s impressed me,” he said. “It’s not like they got this far by being lucky. I told the guys they couldn’t take them lightly before this series started. They haven’t and that’s why we’re up 3-1.”
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NOTES:Wilson will pitch lefty Nick Mayle (4-3), the loser in Game 1, tonight. McKee said he’ll most likely counter with ace Lance Cole. “If he says he can go, we’ll go with him,” McKee said. Cole fanned 15 and tossed a seven-hitter in Game 1. ... McKee’s son Derrick, was a basketball/baseball star at Asheboro High a few years back. East Rowan fans will remember Mckee beating the Mustangs in the 3A state playoffs at McCrary Park. He’s now at N.C. State. ... Pitt said he just can’t pitch a shutout for some reason. “I could strike out 50 and still not get one,” he said. “I just can’t do it.” ... The game ended when Jeremy Alderman was picked off first base.
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