Staff report
Rowan County won 15-5 in seven innings against Duplin-Sampson in the first round of the American Legion state tournament in Greenville on Saturday.
Rowan (28-6) will play Sunday at 7 p.m. against the winner of Saturday’s nightcap between Cherryville and Pitt County. The game will be at ECU’s Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Rowan’s opening game started at about 2 p.m. on Saturday, and it took a 5-0 lead in the fourth on a grand slam by Trey Holmes.
Duplin-Sampson scored four times in the top of the fifth off Rowan starter Corbin Shive, who was replaced by Parker Gobbel with two away in the inning after allowing his ninth hit.
A three-run homer by Holmes on a 3-0 pitch pushed Rowan ahead 10-4 in the bottom of the fifth. Holmes’ second homer of the game put him at 3-for-3 for the day with a walk and seven RBIs.
In the seventh inning, Preston Troutman walked in front of Holmes with one out. Holmes then walked on four pitches, and Russell Michalec followed with a three-run homer for a 13-5 advantage. Pinch-hitter Casey Little ended the game with a two-run homer.
In the first game of the day, Wilmington beat Shelby 11-7.