South Rowan tops East 8-7 in baseball

LANDIS— Linn Williams thought he’d have a pretty good baseball team when the season began at South Rowan.

Now he knows it.

The Raiders made the clutch plays Friday afternoon and defeated East Rowan 8-7 in nonconference action.

East Rowan received most of the preseason attention and deserved it. Going into Friday, they hadn’t disappointed, either, coming into Friday’s game with a 3-0 record.

But the Mustangs just ran into too much Keith Clark and William Van Wieren.

Those two teamed up in the bottom of the sixth to score the winning run.

With the score knotted at 7, Clark drew a leadoff walk and hustled all the way around to score when Van Wieren slugged a double.

Andrew Morgan, who went all the way on the mound, got out of the seventh and South was 2-2.

East actually led 3-0 but South exploded for six runs in the second. Van Wieren had two RBIs and Clark one in the frame. Van Wieren finished with three hits and three RBIs while Clark was 2-for-3 with two runs.

Justin Pinyan knocked in two runs, including one in the fourth.

East tied the game in the top of the sixth on Spencer Steedley’s two-run double. He had three hits and three RBIs.

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NOTES: South plays three away games next week, starting Monday at Salisbury. The Raiders have a rematch with East in Granite Quarry on Friday. ... East hurt itself in South’s six-run second with three walks. ... Morgan struck out nine. ... The Mustangs are at North Rowan Tuesday.