South Rowan baseball 10, North Rowan 0

South Rowan's Blake Houston (5) looks back to coach after an attempt to steal home during game with North Rowan. North Rowan's catcher is Wesley Barker. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

South Rowan's Maverick Miles (8) prepares to bat during game with North Rowan. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

South Rowan's Tyler Kowalczyk during game with North Rowan. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

South Rowan's Preston Penninger (25) hit a homerun during game with North Rowan. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

North Rowan's shortstop Dakota Brown (11) in game with South Rowan. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

By Mike London

mlondon@salisburypost.com

LANDIS — It's hard to get five at-bats in a six-inning high school game, much less five hits.

But South Rowan center fielder Blake Houston, who wears No. 5, went 5-for-5 as the Raiders beat North Rowan 10-0 in a steady drizzle and a sea of umbrellas.

"Before each at-bat, Dylan Walker was telling me he was having a vision that I'd get a base hit," Houston said with a laugh.

Walker was offering reasonably safe predictions. Houston had a bunt single and lined four solid hits up the middle or to the opposite field.

Preston Penninger drove in four runs, Maverick Miles knocked in three, and South hurlers Matt Miller and Tyler Corriher combined on a five-hit shutout.

South (4-1) is off to a strong start. It got a boost from Miller, a sophomore who splits time between varsity and jayvees. He tossed the first four innings and allowed the Raiders to build a big lead.

"Those sandwich games you play between conference games can be real tough on a pitching staff," South coach Thad Chrismon said. "North is a very improved team, so we wanted to bring the best we could today. Miller is a work in progress, but he did everything I could ask. One walk. Pretty solid."

North (3-1) lost for the first time after racking up three 1A YVC wins. The Cavaliers were also in a sandwich game, and coach Rob Linder sent Dusty Agner, Josh Price and Mason Jennings to the mound. They combined for nine strikeouts, but they allowed 14 hits.

"I don't think our pitchers did bad, but Miles and Houston are gonna get their hits off anybody," Linder said.

North, which entered the game batting .386 as a team, had produced 14 doubles and two triples in its last two contests. But there were no extra-base hits by the Cavs on Wednesday.

"I'd like to have had a little better showing against a county opponent," Linder said. "Our bats have been hot, but they calmed down today. Miller's only a sophomore, but he's a really good sophomore."

Miles, a senior who has signed with High Point, drilled a run-scoring double in the first inning — his 200th hit as a member of South's varsity and American Legion teams.

Walker, Houston and Miles doubled in South's three-run second, with Miles whistling his second straight shot down the left-field line.

In the third, Penninger stroked a three-run homer to left for a 7-0 lead after Steve Erwin and Eric Tyler got on base in front of him. The homer didn't sound all that good when it left the bat, but they tend to keep travelingwhen Penninger hits them.

Penninger got to bat with the bases loaded in the fourth and promptly launched a drive to center. He missed a grand slam — and a seven-RBI day — by inches. He settled for a very long single.

"I've shortened my swing some, and it would've been nice to hit two homers in a game for the first time in high school," Penninger said. "I can't see how that second one didn't get out. I hit the single a lot better than the homer."

North loaded the bases in the fifth, but Wesley Barker grounded out sharply to Miles at shortstop to end the inning.

North put two on with one out in the sixth, but Corriher worked out of that jam as well.

South got the final runs necessary for the 10-run rule in the sixth. Jacob Dietz had a sac fly, and Miles blistered a run-scoring single to end it.

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NOTES: North second baseman Jake Smith made the defensive play of the day with a running catch in the fourth. ... South right fielder Tyler Kowalczyk made two nice catches. ... Fans contributed $200 to a fund for North pitcher Patrick Snider, who is battling cancer. ... Chrismon's grandfather passed away, and the coach will miss an NPC game with North Iredell on Friday. Assistant Greg Yanz will be in charge. ... Penninger will be on the mound if weather cooperates.