By Ryan Bisesi
rbisesi@salisburypost.com
ALBEMARLE — South Rowan played up to its competition in its fourth game of the season Wednesday night.
Normally that would be a good thing facing Stanly County and N.C. State signee Demetrius Ingram on the mound.
However, Stanly came out on top in a chaotic three hour and 25 minute slugfest that featured five errors by each team in a 10-8 win at Montgomery Park.
South, still looking for its first win at 0-4, couldn’t overcome a third inning where it committed three errors and gave up five unearned runs, turning a 3-2 lead into a 7-3 deficit.
“We had a bad inning right there,” South coach Michael Lowman said. “I’m not saying they’re easy plays, but if they’re made, it may be a different ball game.”
South had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth and Gunnar Hogan coaxed a walk on a nine-pitch at-bat with two down to pull within two. Kyle Bridges followed to line out to left field to end the game.
Stanly won just its second game after taking a week off and shaking some rust.
“It wasn’t pretty by no means,” said Stanly coach Derek Barringer, an assistant on the South Stanly High team that will play for the state 1A championship Saturday. “These guys play all year long so I expect them to be a lot better than what we showed tonight.”
Despite the errors, South had several chances to add runs but couldn’t capitalize as it left 12 on base in the game. Stanly had problems pulling away, stranding 11 runners.
Ingram got the win as he threw six innings and struck out 12. He took a shot in a collison from Joseph Basinger on a play at the plate to end the top of the third. Basinger broke home on a wild pitch, but the short backstop and friendly bounce to catcher Drew Talbert equaled Ingram putting the tag on in time to retire the side.
After taking a 3-2 lead on Basinger’s 2 RBI double in the top of the third, Stanly’s Josh Cochran and Colton Burris reached on miscues with two outs in the third. Jake Lowder, Drew Talbert and Drew Cole all drove in runs in a five-run inning for Stanly.
Miller, who was roughed up in the season-opening loss to High Point, allowed two earned runs in 42/3 innings.
“It was frustrating, but we’ve got to have a short memory,” said the rising senior at South Rowan. “I think once we get a better feel for each other, we’ll be a heck of a team.”
Dylan Goodman singled to right on a full count in the sixth to score Basinger and Cory Deason to cut the lead to 8-5. Ingram got his last out on the next batter when Hogan flied out to deep center to end the threat with runners at second and third.
“Ingram’s got that good low fastball that can touch the low 90’s,” Barringer said. “He didn’t have his best stuff tonight, but came back and threw a pretty good game.”
A sacrifice fly from Lowder pushed Stanly’s edge to 9-5 in the bottom of the sixth, but South answered with a threat of its own in the seventh when Bridges and Maverick Miles walked to leadoff. After Basinger was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Weston Smith hit a sac fly to center and Jacob Dietz had an RBI single to make it 9-7.
“I think we’re getting better,” Lowman said. “I think if we can get a W and get over the hump, I think we’ll be OK.”