Mooresville tops Kannapolis, but star player badly injured

BY MIKE LONDON
SALISBURY POST

Mooresville beat Kannapolis 9-3 in 10 innings in an American Legion baseball game at Veterans Field on Tuesday in a game that determined the second seed in the upcoming Area III Southern Division playoffs.

But seeds and standings held precious little meaning for either side after a terrifying collision left young Mooresville star Michael McClain with a fractured skull. McClain, a rising soph at South Iredell High and the team’s top hitter, is in intensive care at NorthEast Medical Center.

“Yeah, this was a tough loss,” said Kannapolis coach Joe Hubbard. “But a ballgame’s not so important when a kid gets injured like that. That puts it all in perspective. I think after McClain got hurt, there was a shock factor for both teams.”

Left fielder McClain was racing in for a shallow fly ball in the second inning when he and shortstop Josh Haire crashed at high speed. According to base umpire J.T. Bost, the shortstop’s right knee connected squarely with McClain’s right temple.

Spectator Mike Winecoff said the sound of the collision rivaled that of football players crashing into one another with shoulder pads.

“I know the doctors are watching over Michael and our prayers are with him,” said subdued Mooresville coach Whitey Meadows. “Our kids won the game for Michael and they’re all signing a game ball for him. I hope he gets to see it. I hope it helps him get better.”

McClain’s injury overshadowed brilliant pitching performances by Kannapolis’ Andrew Petty and Mooresville’s Seth Graham.

Petty and Kannapolis held on to a fragile 1-0 lead as Mooresville lost two men at the plate — one on Tyson Fink’s perfect throw home to Craig Waller from center field.

But the Moors (15-9, 10-4) finally broke through for three in the seventh. A tiring Petty issued a couple of walks and the Moors got key singles from Graham and Ronald Crum.

Kannapolis (8-7, 8-4) came back to tie in the eighth. Haire, who had just turned a marvelous double play, booted consecutive routine grounders to open the door. No one could have blamed him if his mind was elsewhere.

“He was just too anxious,” said Meadows of the shortstop, who is also his grandson. “He made a couple of boo-boos.”

Fink’s ground single up the middle got Kannapolis even at 3-all, but Graham fanned Craig Waller to strand runners at second and third.

Neither team threatened in the ninth, with Petty grimly gutting it out for the home team and with new hurler, Chris Mills, easily setting down Kannapolis.

In the Mooresville 10th, Kyle Allison drew a one-out walk and Michael Sandlin unloaded a booming triple to give his team a 4-3 edge. Hubbard then removed the hard-luck Petty, who’d earlier lost a 1-0 game at Stanly County.

After Petty’s exit, Mooresville teed off. Haire and Crum came up with big hits and West Rowan High’s Justin Graham iced the cake with a two-run single for the 9-3 final.

“Our kids showed some character — they really did,” said Meadows. “They went up there and ripped off a bunch of hits.”

Mills sailed through the bottom of the inning and the marathon matchup was decided.

But it was two quiet teams that filed off the field. All minds were on something much more important than a ballgame.

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NOTES:Hubbard is concerned heading into the playoffs, because his team hasn’t shown any consistency. “We’re hot or we’re cold,” he said. ... Kannapolis could still tie Mooresville in the standings if it wins its remaining two games, but the Moors have locked up the second seed by virtue of a season sweep of the Towel Citians. ... As the No. 3 seed, Kannapolis will host sixth-seeded rival Concord in Saturday’s playoff opener. That’s okay with Hubbard. “Short trips, good gates,” he said.” ... Meadows also likes his position. “Second place is what we wanted,” he said. “We wanted to play (No. 7) South Rowan. It’s not far to go and we love playing those Rowan County boys.”

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Contact Mike London at 704-797-4259 or mlondon@salisburypost.com .