STATESVILLE — Rowan County turned the little ballpark at Statesville High
School into Hitsville, U.S.A. Saturday night.
The visitors placed 25 runners on base, knocked out
14 hits and rock-and-rolled to an easy 12-1 American Legion victory.
“We always go out there swinging the bats
aggressively,” outfielder Aaron Rimer said after Rowan (12-1 overall/7-1
league) collected its ninth straight win. “We’re usually trying to get the
10-run rule and get out of there.”
That didn’t happen against Statesville (3-13/2-7)
because seven of Rowan’s runs were scored in the last two innings — when
losing pitcher Steven Hancock was spelled by a couple of hot-wired relievers.
“The offense came late,” said first-year RC coach Jim Gantt. “We missed
about 20 signals early on. I don’t know if that was my fault or guys weren’t
picking them up. But we battled. If we had bases loaded and didn’t score, we
didn’t panic. We just kept coming back and came through.”
The beneficiary was winning pitcher Julian Sides
(2-0), who tossed a three-hitter and struck out 12 in a commanding complete-game
performance. The East Rowan lefty used an adequate fastball as a show pitch and
a sweeping curve to frustrate the hosts. But his money pitch was a parachute
change-up that dropped off the end of the table.
“I’m not an overpowering pitcher,” said Sides,
who came within one out of recording his second consecutive shutout. “I have
to work on hitting spots and let my defense get people out for me. Tonight I was
able to get ahead of them and put them away with off-speed stuff.”
Sides was at his best through the first seven
innings. He retired the side in order four times — including the fifth, when
he fanned three batters — and put down 17 of 18 Statesville hitters during one
amazing stretch.
“He pitched another great game for us,” said
Gantt. “He had command of all of his pitches. He threw strikes, got ahead of
batters and then buried them when he had the chance.”
Meanwhile, Rowan had plenty of chances against
Hancock (1-2), a righthander who doubles as the team’s shortstop. After
hitting into rally-ending double-plays in the first and second innings, the
locals broke on top with an unearned run in the third. Cal Hayes was hit the
helmet, stole second and advanced to third on an error. Then came a clutch,
two-out single up the middle by Rowan catcher Drew Davis.
Rowan gave Sides some breathing room an inning
later, when it batted around and scored four times for a 5-0 lead. Key blows
were struck by Hayes — who beat out a well-placed bases-loaded bunt — and
Rimer, who followed with a two-out, two-run bloop single to center.
“I stayed back on that pitch,” said Rimer, who
has spent extra time working with assistant coach Sandy Moore. “That’s what
they’ve been telling me do. I hit it off the top of the bat, not the sweet
spot, but it dropped in.”
Rowan added another run when Hayes crossed on a wild
pitch, then battered relievers Michael Gilbert and Rowdy Cox for four more runs
in the eighth — two on Nick Lefko’s triple down the right-field line. In the
ninth Rimer drilled a three-run homer to right, providing a 12-run edge.
“Rimer is just a good hitter,” said Gantt. “You
don’t hit .500 in high school if you’re not. He’s got some power and these
great, quick hands. When he sits back and uses them, that’s what he can do.”
The rest was up to Sides, who zeroed in on a shutout
but was undone by his ninth-inning throwing error. Statesville’s lone run
scored with two out when Sides bobbled a bunt by catcher Tim Hancock, then fired
wildly past first-baseman Shawn Trosper.
“I really wanted the shutout,” said Sides. “It
was just a little chopper that bounced off my stomach. I rushed it, didn’t get
a good grip on the ball and it spun out of my hand.”
n
The teams meet again tonight at Newman Park.
Today's News
