In fact, Kannapolis’ undramatic 9-5 American Legion baseball win over South Rowan on Wednesday night at Veterans Field was just what the doctor ordered. Fans, players and coaches of both teams have never been so gratified to be part of a run-of-the-mill, ordinary, forgettable ballgame. Not after the horror story that unfolded on the same field 24 hours earlier.

A pregame moment of silence was observed for Mooresville left fielder Michael McClain, who suffered a fractured skull in a ferocious Tuesday night outfield collision. The public address announcer read a statement from the McClain family that said simply, “Michael’s condition is somewhat improved. He’s still in critical condition — but stable.”

South coaches, Allen Wilson and Ernie Faw, and players, Greg Deal and Ronnie Shore, were among the stream of concerned visitors who maintained a vigil outside McClain’s NorthEast Medical Center room on Wednesday afternoon. The 16-year-old McClain remains on a respirator, but according to witnesses, was showing small signs of movement and had periods of consciousness.

South players plan to wear red armbands with McClain’s number on them during the team’s first-round, best-of-7 playoff series that begins at Mooresville on Saturday night.

“He’s an opponent, but when you’re a baseball player, you’re part of a bigger family that extends far beyond your own team,” said Wilson. “We just want to show our support.”

Kannapolis third baseman Wally Tuttle, who’s also an undersized A.L. Brown High offensive lineman who’s survived a thousand violent football collisions, loves sports as much as anyone, but admitted it was tough to take the field last night.

“What happened to that kid was terrible,” said Tuttle. “He’s such a great player. It was a huge shock. It made me think about how lucky I am — made me realize that maybe my sprained ankle’s not so bad.”

Kannapolis (9-7, 9-4), the league’s No. 3 seed, will start the playoffs at home Saturday against Concord. It tuned up its bats, while Wilson tuned up a quartet of South pitchers. Kannapolis smacked six doubles in the first four innings, five of them to exactly the same spot in right-center.

“They hit the same panel on the fence five times,” said Wilson.

What happened was that South pitchers had orders to work low and away. They got half of it right. They stayed on the outer half of the plate. But their pitches were often waist-high. And with South hurlers providing the elevation, Kannapolis bats provided serious acceleration.

“The balls just kept falling in that same hole out there,” said Tuttle. “Not that we were complaining.”

Kannapolis coach Joe Hubbard was just glad to see his guys get on base. After scoring three runs in 10 innings Tuesday, he’d have gladly settled for some singles. The rash of two-baggers was a nice bonus.

Brett Stirewalt socked a pair of those doubles, including the only one that dropped in left-center. Tuttle, Brooks Little, Josh McKnight and Craig Waller participated in that persistent parade to right-center.

By the fifth inning, Wilson had moved right fielder Raymondo Brady 50 feet closer to that popular gap. Needless to say, that’s when Kannapolis stopped drilling doubles and started slapping singles.

“Kannapolis definitely hit the ball and, yeah, they hit a lot of doubles,” Wilson said. “What beat us, though, was the errors we made in front of the doubles. Our defense stunk it up. That’s what killed us.”

Wilson had a point. Kannapolis was in command 8-0 after four innings. Five of the runs were unearned.

It looked like a certain 10-run rule game for 90 minutes, because South couldn’t do anything against Kannapolis starter Jonathan Goodman, the same right-hander who baffled Rowan at Newman Park. Goodman had a no-hitter until the fifth when Justin Pinyan led off with an infield hit. Goodman lost his shutout in the sixth when South (8-14, 3-11) scored three times with two outs. Pinyan slapped an RBI double to the opposite field and second baseman Gabe Beaver followed with a two-run single.

Things got mildly interesting in the eighth when Shore blooped a two-out, two-run single over first base to cut the lead to 9-5. South then filled the bases for team homer leader Aaron Safrit, who stepped to the dish as the tying run.

But reliever Adam “Eggs” Russell, who had been struggling, slipped a called strike three past Safrit on the outside corner and South was fried.

“Still, we came back and gave ourselves a chance to win,” said Wilson.

“South hit a couple of flares and next thing you know they were right there,” agreed Hubbard. “They didn’t quit. They really battled hard to get back in it.”

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NOTES:Kannapolis’ Little and South’s Pinyan had three hits each. ... Wilson was pleased with two strong innings from closer Tim Cook ... South’s Adam Cornelius walked three times. ... Kannapolis ace Zach Ward stayed sharp with a strong ninth. ... South’s first three playoff starters will be Andrew Morgan, Nick Mayle and Mike Davis. ... Kannapolis catcher Craig Waller was hurt (not seriously) and was replaced by Josh McKnight. The burly McKnight will probably be behind the plate tonight at fourth-place Mocksville (7-6 league).

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