MOCKSVILLE — Davie County fullback Doug Smith plowed for 23 yards when the War Eagles beat West Rowan in football last fall.

Smith, also the War Eagles’ catcher, would love to have saved just one of those hard-earned gridiron yards for Monday afternoon’s baseball game.

Smith’s potential game-tying wallop needed just another couple of feet to clear the left-field wall at Mando Field in the bottom of the seventh. Instead, his drive nestled harmlessly in West Rowan youngster Patrick Adams’ glove and ended a roller-coaster contest with the Falcons on top 7-5.

“I wasn’t sure I had enough room,” said Adams. “It was close.”

Ironically, Adams, a super sophomore, had little difficulty clearing that same left-field barrier. He did it twice.

Adams pounded a two-run homer in the fourth off Davie starter Lonnie “Hammer”Barnes. Adams connected again in the sixth off lefty Josh Golding for a huge insurance run.

“I just waited for good pitches and the ball looked like a watermelon,” said Adams.

West coach Chris Cauble described the battle of unbeatens as “bizarre,” which was accurate.

It was amazing that West
(5-0), which left the world on base, didn’t blow it open early.

It was equally amazing that the War Eagles (3-1), who committed seven errors and had several other shaky plays, were still in the hunt down to their final swing.

Also strange was a fourth-inning sun delay, which affected West starter Paul Link, who had looked sharp. There was no choice but to suspend play after West batted in the top of the fourth. West catcher Ryan Wilson could no longer see the ball with the sun glaring directly in at homeplate over the Rich Park treeline.

“I’ve been in a lot of delays in my life,” declared Adams. “But this was my first sun delay.”

The key play came in the top of the fourth with the score tied 3-all.

With Matt Morgan at first and Justin Graham at third with one away, Barnes struck out West slugger Ben Hampton as Morgan lit out for second.

When Smith’s throw went through to second, Graham broke for the plate. The return throw home arrived ahead of Graham, but Smith didn’t catch the ball cleanly. Smith, did however, use his sizeable left leg to block Graham’s path to the dish. Then Smith scooped up the ball lying at his cleats and tagged Graham.

West got the call, though, when the plate ump ruled that Smith had illegally blocked the plate without possession of the ball. At least that’s the explanation Davie coach Mike Herndon got.

“I discussed it with the umpire for several innings and still don’t understand it,” said Herndon.

That controversial play was magnified a few seconds later when Adams’ two-run bomb gave West a 6-3 lead.

Despite that huge swing, Herndon wasn’t interested in using one play as a crutch. West clearly played a sounder ballgame, and he gave credit where it was due.

“West deserved to win,” he said. “They pitched better, they hit better and they fielded a whole heckuva lot better. The routines we always make we just didn’t make. We’re a lot better than this.”

Davie, which got an early solo homer from Smith and a two-run single from Dave Poplin, tried to rally in the last of the fourth.

The War Eagles closed within 6-5 when Link walked Golding and Andrew Daywalt with the bases loaded. But Link fanned No. 3 hitter McKenzie Willoughby and third baseman Seth Waller gloved a sharp grounder to end the inning.

“Paul showed some real courage out there,” said Cauble.

Daniel Cauble relieved Link and shut Davie down over the last three frames for the save. It was a solid comeback for Cauble, who was knocked around by South Rowan recently.

“Today I felt better and had more confidence,” said the right-hander. “I think I found my curve for the first time.”

The young hurler was helped by solid defense in the seventh. After Barnes singled to bring up the tying run, right fielder Brandon Hiatt ran down a pop fly in heavy traffic. Then Bryan Graham scooped a hot grounder up the middle.

Finally, Adams went back, back, back and back some more to haul in Smith’s long belt.

“The difference was definitely our defense,” said Coach Cauble. “We made the plays and they had some misplays.”

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