From staff reports
Rowan County opens the best-of-three Area III championship series tonight at Newman Park against Mooresville.
Both teams have qualified for the state tournament that begins Saturday in Greenville at East Carolina’s Clark-LeClair Stadium.
In addition to bragging rights, the Area III championship series determines seeds for the state tournament. The winner plays a No. 2 seed in the first round, and the loser plays a No. 1.
Rowan (25-6) hasn’t won the Area III title since its state championship season in 2002.
Rowan has a great record against the Moors, including a sweep of a second-round series in 2008 that included wild 21-18 (11 innings) and 23-4 contests.
Rowan has won 25 of its last 27 playoff games against Mooresville, and the Moors haven’t prevailed in a playoff game on their home field against Rowan since 1994.
Game 2 in the series will be played in Mooresville. Game 3, if necessary, would be at Newman Park on Wednesday.
Rowan swept the Moors in the second round of the playoffs in 2008.
Rowan coach Jim Gantt indicated Billy Veal (4-0) will likely start Game 1 on the mound.
n East-West games
The East-West All-Star basketball games are tonight at Greensboro Coliseum.
The girls game is set for 6:30 p.m., with the boys game to follow.
West Rowan’s K.J. Sherrill and Davie’s Drew Absher are members of the West squad. Greg McKenzie, who coached East Rowan the past five seasons, is the West boys assistant coach.
The soccer all-star game is Tuesday. The football game is set for Wednesday at Greensboro’s Jamieson Stadium. West Rowan safety Austin Greenwood and Davie running back James Mayfield will play.
n Intimidators fall
David Phelps proved why he is one of the top pitchers in the South Atlantic League on Sunday, as the Charleston RiverDogs cruised to a 5-0 win over the Intimidators at Riley Park.
Phelps (10-3) earned his league-high 10th win with seven shutout innings. The former Notre Dame standout allowed just four hits, while striking out eight and walking two.
Kannapolis starter J.R. Ballinger (0-3) gave up four runs in the bottom of the first.
n Minor leagues
Fort Myers left-hander Spencer Steedley (East Rowan) pitched 21/3 innings, allowing three hits and one run in a 6-2 loss against Dunedin on Sunday. Steedley’s ERA rose to 1.88.
n Clinton’s Kyle Seager (NW Cabarrus, UNC) had two hits, including a run-scoring single, in a 6-5 loss against Peoria on Sunday. Seager, 4-for-8 in his first two Midwest League games, batted second and played second base. He started two double plays.
n Jerry Sands (Catawba) hit two solo homers, his seventh and eighth of the season, to lead Ogden to a 5-4 victory against Billings.
n Daniel Wagner (South Rowan) was 1-for-5 in Bristol’s 4-3 win against Danville. He stole his seventh base. His batting average dropped to .299.
n Wood bat leagues
Forest City’s Wade Moore (West Rowan, Catawba) and Asheboro’s Craige Lyerly (East Rowan, Catawba) were named to play in the Coastal Plain League All-Star Game in Wilmington.
Lyerly will participate in the Home Run Derby at Buck Hardee Field. Lyerly is batting .331 in 41 games. He has three homers, 23 RBIs and 35 runs scored. He is 33-for-36 on steals.
Moore is batting .333 in 36 games. He has three homers, 20 RBIs and 35 runs scored. Moore is 26-for-31 on steal attempts.