By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
GRANITE QUARRY ó ěIf I pitch Will Johnson for four innings again, please, just shoot me,î declared East Rowan coach Brian Hightower. ěBut I had to hang with him.î
Johnson, Eastís untouchable relief monster, worked 32/3 innings in a 4-3, nine-inning, non-conference win against Salisbury on Friday. The alternative to riding Johnson so long and hard was losing to the Hornets, and Hightower isnít a fan of losing.
Wesley LeRoyís bases-loaded single with one out in the ninth gave the Mustangs (6-1) a hard-earned win, but they left Staton Field with increased respect for Salisbury and West Point-bound SHS southpaw Philip Tonseth, who went the distance and fought like he was already in a foxhole.
ěI just asked the guys to compete and give themselves a chance and they did that,î Salisbury coach Scott Maddox said. ěWeíre capable, but we hadnít played like that this season.î
It was a pitching duel. Junior Jared Mathis gave the Mustangs five strong innings, while Tonseth mystified Eastís lethal lineup, which included two .600 hitters, with his curveball.
ěI was feeling it today, and I wasnít coming out,î Tonseth said. ěThe whole team played up. I threw probably 75 percent curveballs, and the defense behind me was real solid.î
Nathan Fulbright, one of those .600 hitters, drilled a Tonseth mistake over the fence in left for a 1-0 East lead in the second.
Salisbury (2-2) tied it in the fourth on singles by John Knox and Nolan Meyerhoeffer, Kyle Wolfeís sacrifice bunt and Tonsethís sacrifice fly.
Justin Morrisí double and Luke Thomasí RBI single ó he smoked it past the first-base bag ó made it 2-1 Mustangs in the bottom of the fourth.
Salisburyís two-run sixth for a 3-2 lead included a solid RBI single to left by Wolfe against reliever Avery Rogers. Spencer Carmichael can tell his grandchildren he got a big hit off Johnson ó a solid, first-pitch RBI-rip to right.
East was in real danger when it batted in the sixth, but lefty swinger Ashton Fleming, who got into a quick 0-2 hole against Tonseth, managed to hit a sac fly to left field for a 3-3 tie.
ěHe was throwing so many curveballs, and we were having a hard time staying back,î said Fleming, who turned in two defensive gems at second base. ěI knew Iíd have to hit a curveball, and I got enough of it.î
Johnson fanned the side in the seventh and got the Hornets 1-2-3 in the eighth. A sensational diving catch by Salisbury center fielder Brian Bauk helped out Tonseth in the East eighth.
Scott Van der Poel mashed a double deep to the left-field bank with one out in the Salisbury ninth, but Johnson didnít blink. He kept his ERA at 0.00 with two quick outs, and it was time for the Mustangs to hit again.
ěPhilip had thrown about 120 pitches, but he was determined to win it or lose it,î Maddox said. ěHeíd waited four years to pitch against East.î
The bottom of the ninth was wild. Fleming blooped a one-out single. Tonseth promptly picked him off, but Fleming escaped a rundown.
ěActually, I swiped his back, but thatís a tough call for the umpire,î Tonseth said. ěIt happens.î
When a wild pitch sent Fleming to second, Rogers was intentionally walked. After Fleming and Rogers turned a failed hit-and-run into a successful double steal, Gavin Wike was intentionally walked to load the bases for No. 9 hitter LeRoy, who stepped to the plate 0-for-3, including a strikeout and a double-play grounder.
ěCoach said he was giving me one swing, and then I was going to have to get a squeeze down,î LeRoy said. ěI appreciate him giving me a swing.î
Tonsethís first pitch to LeRoy was a curveball, but in on his hands, rather than away where LeRoy expected it.
LeRoy was jammed, but he was strong enough to muscle the ball over the infield to score the winning run.
ěI got lucky,î LeRoy said. ěTonseth is a great pitcher. Props to him.î
Hightower wasnít happy with his team at all, but his praise for the Hornets was genuine.
ěWe had a bunch of terrible at-bats, but credit Tonseth for baffling us and keeping us off-stride,î he said. ěHe was awesome, and his teammates played their tails off behind him.î