From staff reports
Rowan County’s American Legion baseball team scored five runs in the sixth inning and four more in the eighth on its way to an 11-1 rout of Wilkes on Saturday night at Wilkes Central High School.
With Rowan trailing 1-0, Billy Veal got Rowan (6-1, 5-0) going in the sixth with an RBI single. Austin Shull’s walk forced in a run and Zach Smith scored another on a sacrifice fly. Two more runs crossed on wild pitches.
Shull knocked in Veal to start the eighth. Smith’s RBI single scored a run, and Jon Crucitti blasted a two-run double.
In the top of the ninth, Preston Troutman’s double and Ethan Fisher’s sacrifice fly scored the final Rowan runs.
Nick Smith threw six solid innings, giving up just four hits while striking out four. He improved to 3-0.
Veal was sharp after replacing Smith, working the seventh and eighth innings. Four of the six outs Veal recorded were by strikeout.
Cody Laws pitched the ninth. He was helped by his East Rowan teammates Fisher and Troutman, who combined to start a double play that ended the contest.
The win, coupled with South Rowan’s loss to Kannapolis, put Rowan in first place by two games in the loss column.
– In other Southern Division action, Concord defeated Stanly 9-1 and Lexington held off Mocksville 9-5. In the Northern Division, it was Randolph 6, Surry 3; Winston-Salem 6, Burlington 5; Eastern Randolph 7, High Point 6; Kernersville 10, Montgomery 9; and Western Forsyth 5, Thomasville 4 in 10 innings.
Randolph visits Rowan tonight.
n Moore coming to Catawba
Former West Rowan standout Wade Moore is transferring to Catawba for his final baseball season.
Moore has played the last three seasons at N.C. State.
The speedy, left-handed hitting outfielder is playing for the Forest City Owls of the wood bat Coastal Plain League this summer.
A story on Moore’s move is upcoming.
n Junior Legion
Rowan beat Western Forsyth 16-6 in a non-conference game at Newman Park on Saturday. Rowan’s nine-run second inning broke the game open. Rowan had seven hits in the inning.
Will Sapp and Andy Austin finished with three hits each. Luke Thomas had two hits and four RBIs. Chandler Jones had two hits, including a solo homer in the fourth. Jamey Blalock also had two hits.
Matt Miller was the winning pitcher. He got relief help from Wesley LeRoy and Bradley Robbins.
Rowan takes on the Salisbury Cavornets today at Newman Park at 4 p.m.
n The Salisbury Cavornets, made up of Salisbury High and North Rowan players, beat Carson 7-3 on Saturday.
Carson led 3-0 before the Cavornets scored four in the fourth. Matt Laurens and Patrick Snider had two-run singles.
Salisbury added a run in the fifth with the help of two errors. Jordan Fuller knocked in Dakota Brown and Laurens with a single in the sixth.
Brown pitched a three-hitter for the Cavornets.
n Intimidators split
The Kannapolis Intimidators split Saturday’s doubleheader with the West Virginia Power, losing 4-3 in extra innings before romping 14-5 in the nightcap.
Kannapolis (28-27) sent 17 men to the plate and scored 12 runs in the sixth inning of the second game to turn a 5-2 deficit into a 14-5 lead.
Tyler Kuhn had four hits in Game 2. He was 7-for-9 in the doubleheader.
The teams will play another makeup doubleheader today at FCS, starting at 3 p.m.
n 4-Ball golf tournament
The finals of the 45th annual Grady B. 4-Ball Championship at McCanless Golf Club will be played today, starting at 1 p.m.In the championship flight, Cole Buckwell and Gene Mothershead will square off against Drue and Don Davis.
First Flight
Derek Lipe and Daryl Lipe will go against Brandt Corl and Chris Ledbetter.
Second Flight
Cory Sides and Travis Spencer meet Todd Shuping and Mark Hoesman.
Third Flight
Clyde Geelen and Ron Blythe play Andre Metcalf and Tommy Gatton.
Fourth Flight
James Lohr and Jared Hough are pitted against Harry DeVlieger and Todd DeVlieger.
Fifth Flight
David Sifford and Mike Vestel meet Alex Safrit and Gino Green.
n SAC honors
Wingate basketball player Anna Atkinson and Tusculum football player Jarrell NeSmith received the SAC’s Presidents Awards for all-round excellence in athletics and academics.
n Prep baseball
West Iredell catcher Josh Clark will join the new program at Catawba Valley Community College. WI third baseman Michael Gatton will play at Guilford. Outfielder Derek Rose will play at Bluefield State.
n College baseball
App. State relief pitcher Zach Quate was named a third team All-American by Ping!