MOORESVILLE — This time both teams showed up. Unfortunately, so did Mother Nature.

The wild third game of the South Rowan-Mooresville Legion playoff series on Monday night was suspended after 512 innings with the homestanding Moors holding a 6-5 lead. The contest will commence from that point tonight at 7:15, as the teams return to the Mooresville High Field with seventh-seeded South still leading the series 2-0.

It was a shame no winner could be declared last night. Both teams wanted it, fought over this pivotal game like snarling bulldogs battling for a juicy bone. But three lightning delays and a pair of drenching downpours finally put a damper on an evening that featured football-like intensity.

Fans jawed at umpires on nearly every pitch and the arbiters groused back at fans. Coaches barked at the men in blue and players on both teams grew increasingly edgy with each nerve-wracking delay. Certainly this was the most heated playoff game South’s been a part of since it’s miraculous 3-2 win over Rowan County four years ago.

Patrick McClain, father of Mooresville’s injured star, Michael, offered the invocation, a moving prayer which had to stir the hearts of coach Whitey Meadows’ team, which had taken it’s worst beating of the year (13-0) in a going-through-the-motions effort on Sunday.

More emotion arrived around national-anthem time when centerfielder Michael Sandlin, who’s hand was feared broken, arrived on the scene, cleared to play. Meadows said Sandlin, known as “The Sandman” to Mooresville rooters, has only a sprain. Sandlin, No. 3 hitter for the second-seeded Moors, played and played well, reaching base in three straight at-bats.

It was all South early, as coach Allen Wilson’s team kept up its recent hitting tear. Ronnie Shore, first batter to step in against Seth Graham, unloaded a homer. Greg Deal shot RBI-doubles to the gaps in each of his first two at-bats and Aaron Safrit and Jeremy Alderman produced run-scoring singles.

But down 5-1 and having been outscored a scary 25-2 in the series, Mooresville slowly, courageously dragged itself off the deck in the last of the second inning against South starter Mike Davis. Davis was one pitch away from escaping the second with his four-run lead intact, but with two outs, the bases full and the count full, Chris Mills smashed a ball through the left side for two runs. If Mooresville comes back to win this game and this series, Mills’ hit will be the one that started the tide flowing the other way.

“That hit got us going,” said a proud Meadows. “After that, we pecked away and didn’t stop.”

Meadows did his part. Moments after Mills’ hit, the 30-year Legion vet lobbied for — and got — a balk call on reliever Derick Morrison, when he tried to pick Mills off first. That scored Sandlin from third and the Moors were within 5-4.

“When you get up on a team, you gotta go back out there and throw strikes and put up a zero,” said Wilson. “We walked too many guys and let ’em climb right back in it.”

Mooresville assumed its first lead in the series since a short-lived 1-0 advantage in Game 1 in the fourth inning. Kyle Allison plopped a flare in front of rightfielder Raymondo Brady and Darrin Jones sped home from second to tie the game at 5. Allison eventually made it 6-5 on a close play at the plate, sliding in under a high tag by Morrison, who was covering the dish after a pitch bounded past catcher Justin Pinyan. That call (it appeared to be correct) had South fans, already antsy after the balk, steaming.

They went from steaming to screaming in the fifth inning. South had two on and one out, when a Graham pitch struck Jeremy Alderman in the shoulder. Alderman was initially awarded first, but after considerable discussion, it was ruled the South DH had created the contact by ducking in with his shoulder. He was shipped back to the batters box. Just as a thoroughly miffed Alderman grabbed his bat and strode to the plate, lightning flashed, creating the second delay of the night. Moments later, the skies opened up. South fans wryly suggested it was a heavenly reaction to the Alderman ruling.

Once the rain halted, Mooresville’s hard-working crew restored the field to playable conditions.

When action resumed, Graham, who had weathered that early South onslaught and settled down to pitch very well, fanned Alderman.

There was still more to come.

South’s third pitcher, Brandon Hiatt, who finally got his team out of its fourth-inning mess, left the bases full of Moors in the fifth.

Then, with a pelting rain falling in the top of the sixth, South pinch-hitter Brad Matthews banged a long double and Shore was hit by a pitch to put two on with no outs. But the inning died when Matt Morgan popped up trying to sacrifice and Deal rapped hard to shortstop Josh Haire, who started a crisp double play.

“It hurt that we didn’t execute on the bunt,” said Wilson. “We get that down and Deal’s ball scores a run. Maybe two. You never know what position guys are going to be in if they’re trying to hold on runners.”

Shortly after the twin killing, play was stopped for a final time when lightning reappeared and the rains returned.

No one’s sure whom the delay favors. Predictably, Wilson said it helps Mooresville, while Meadows was just as sure it aids South.

“Our pitching’s thin,” said the 30-year Legion veteran. “I know old Seth would like to take the ball again, but I honest, I don’t what we’ll do.”

n

CONCORD — Brian York pitched a six-hitter and struck out 10 as sixth-seeded Concord evened its Legion playoff series with third-seeded Kannapolis at 1-1 on Monday night.

The teams play tonight at A.l. Brown High.

n

ALBEMARLE — Game 3 was washed out in the Mocksville-Stanly County series with Mocksville up 2-0. But Stanly’s field is underwater and the remainder of the series may be moved to Mocksville, beginning with Game 4 tonight.

n

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