By Ryan Bisesi
rbisesi@salisburypost.com
STATESVILLE ó Let the record show that although West Rowan endured a season where wins werenít as abundant as it would have liked, the Falconsí sense of urgency made them dangerous when facing elimination.
The Falcons stood with host West Iredell, the No. 2 seed in the North Piedmont Conference, and Steven Wetmore matched Warrior starter Sam Laws, but Jordan Gambleís second home run of the year in the sixth gave his team a 3-2 win to advance to the NPC Tournament championship game Friday against East Rowan.
The Falcons (5-20) hoped to get a second wind after upsetting Carson Monday, and they almost did.
ěThis was probably the best two-game stretch we played all year,î West coach Chad Parker said. ěItís honestly been very fun to watch. Itís upsetting that this is the way it ended.î
Wetmore was shutting out the Warriors (12-8) on their home field through 42/3 innings before giving up two unearned runs with two outs. After Wetmore forced a strikeout and ground ball to start the sixth, Sam Marshall walked and stole second base. Sean Grant lifted a pop fly to left field, which dropped and allowed Marshall to tie the game. Laws then singled home Grant to give the Warriors the lead.
ěItís been like that all season,î said Wetmore, a senior who pitched his last game. ěItís tough, but thereís not much you can do about it.î
The resilient Falcons came back with another run in the sixth when Patrick Hampton knocked in Madison Osborne to tie it at 2.
After Lance Clanton struck out to start the bottom of the sixth, Gamble worked a 1-1 count on Wetmore and shot his second homer of the year over the left field fence to complete the scoring.
ěI left a few pitches up on him,î Wetmore said. ěHe took advantage.î
Sean Grant came in for the save and threw a 1-2-3 seventh, striking out Matt Miller to end the game.
Wetmore churned in a complete game, sprinkling seven hits around six innings of work. The senior needed just 82 pitches to go the distance. Although the sixth-inning error was costly, he also enjoyed an 8-3 double play to end the third and a Taylor Garcynzski throw home from second that got pinch runner Brett Pope out at the plate in the second.
ěI could gush all night about his effort,î Parker said. ěHe made the pitches when he had to and we made some good plays behind him. He put the game on his shoulders and basically carried us. It was the performance you would expect from a senior.î
Osborneís 3-for-3 night included three singles to put his batting average above .450 for the year. He gave the Falcons the early lead on an RBI single in his first trip up in the first that scored Hunter Teeter, who walked to start the game. Laws then settled in as he retired the next nine West hitters.
ěHe worked his slider and curveball,î said West Iredell coach Randy Martin of Laws. ěHe had good bite on those tonight and solid command of his pitches.î
Most teams donít get a chance for a big inning against Laws, a Mars Hill signee, but the Falcons were primed for one in the fourth with the bases loaded and no one out. A Justin Evans strikeout and a Chase Laing 5-2-3 double play later, the opportunity had vanished with the Falcons still up 1-0.
ěI thought that was the turning point for us,î Martin said. ěThe momentum changed after that.î
ěIf we can score 3, 4 in that inning, then no oneís talking about the sixth inning,î Parker said.