Prep softball: East Rowan 3, South Stanly 2

The 2009 All County Softball team. Front row Ñ Player of the Year Chelsea White (East). Second row Ñ Alex Mills (West); Sabrina Stephens (West); Taylor Lookabill (South); Kayla Kirk (East); Lindsay Smith (East). Third row Ñ Alexis Mendillo (Carson); Sarah Perrine (West); Samantha Jacobs (North); Lauren Bost (Carson); Chloe Monroe (Carson); Desirae Overcash (South) Fourth row Ñ Kristin Holshouser (North); Haley Barrier (East); Kimber Fink (Salisbury); Kayla Morrow (South); Ericka Nesbitt (East). Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

The 2009 All County Softball team. Front row Ñ Player of the Year Chelsea White (East). Second row Ñ Alex Mills (West); Sabrina Stephens (West); Taylor Lookabill (South); Kayla Kirk (East); Lindsay Smith (East). Third row Ñ Alexis Mendillo (Carson); Sarah Perrine (West); Samantha Jacobs (North); Lauren Bost (Carson); Chloe Monroe (Carson); Desirae Overcash (South) Fourth row Ñ Kristin Holshouser (North); Haley Barrier (East); Kimber Fink (Salisbury); Kayla Morrow (South); Ericka Nesbitt (East). Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

By Mike London

mlondon@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — You can learn from a loss, but learning from a win is better.

East Rowan's softball team gained valuable lessons in a 3-2, eight-inning victory at home against South Stanly on Thursday.

East learned it's not a very good idea to leave the whole world on base, but the Mustangs (3-0) also learned they're good enough to rally when things look bleak.

"We've got a very strong team with a lot of good hitters," East junior pitcher Chelsea White said. "When we got down, I was worried a little, but I knew we'd come back."

East tied the game in the bottom of the sixth and prevailed in the eighth when freshman Sydney Poole lined her fourth single of the game.

East outhit the Rowdy Rebel Bulls 13-2 but still flirted with a loss.

White was perfect through four innings and carried a no-hitter into the sixth, but the Mustangs suddenly found themselves behind 2-1 when South Stanly's first hit of the day cleared the center-field fence for a two-run homer. Emily Poplin made the sweet swing.

"It was a curveball, and she just went with the pitch," White said.

South Stanly (4-1) is an exceptional 1A team that had outscored opponents 37-0 in four YVC outings, and the Rebel Bulls had plenty of momentum after the homer.

The Bulls probably win if Ericka Nesbitt's liner to left is caught for the third out of the sixth. The sun was tough in left, the ball was dropped and Nesbitt has speed.

"I was rounding first, saw the bobble and didn't stop," the shortstop said. "I couldn't tell if the coaches wanted me to stay or go, but I knew if I could beat the throw, it might lead to a run."

Nesbitt didn't beat a strong throw to second, but she slithered around the tag.

She stole third. Then it was up to lefty slapper Kayla Kirk.

Kirk bunted in front of the circle, and Nesbitt was breaking down the line in a hurry.

"Kayla bunting in that situation is a high-percentage play for us," East coach Mike Waddell said. "Ericka was going to score — it was just a matter of whether Kayla could beat the throw to first or not. Earlier in the game, she was called out on a close one. This time she made it."

Kirk's RBI made it 2-2, and 100 or so East fans breathed a collective sigh of relief.

White, who struck out nine batters, bounced back after the homer. She pitched around defensive struggles in the seventh and worked a strong 1-2-3 eighth that included getting Poplin on a groundball to second.

Meagan Kluttz was 0-for-3 against South Stanly pitcher Nikki Whitley when she stepped in to start the bottom of the eighth, but she singled cleanly to left.

Steffi Sides reached on an error, and Nesbitt lashed a one-out single through the left side to fill the bases.

Kirk bounced back to Whitley, who threw home for a forceout, but that brought up Poole, the No. 3 hitter.

Poole, who hit the ball squarely all five of her trips to the plate, promptly smashed a walkoff single into left to score Sides.

"I was really nervous," Poole said. "But today I was hitting the ball better than I have in a long time."

East assistant Lonnie Barrier would argue with her. He said Poole's been hitting nothing but line drives for weeks.

East pounded the ball against a quality pitcher. Ten of the Mustangs' 11 singles were stung, and Jessica Rummage and Kayla Potts drilled doubles.

Rummage (the No. 9 hitter) smoked a two-out double to left-center in the second inning to score Sides for a 1-0 lead, but East left two runners on base in the first, second, third and fourth when it could have built a safe lead.

"We had real nice chances all day, but we left too many in scoring position," Waddell said. "I do like our lineup. Our freshmen (Poole, Rummage and Sides started) are making a big impact."

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NOTES: Sides' shoestring catch in left field in the fourth was the defensive highlight. ... Nesbitt, a junior, has verbally committed to Campbell. ... White is being recruited by Elon and UNC Wilmington, among others, and has an offer from the Seahawks.