By Jordan Honeycutt
sports@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY ó Rowan County always seems to find some way to make a game interesting, and luckily, it usually comes out with the upper hand.
Such occurred Wednesday versus Concord as Rowan erased an early deficit to escape Newman Park with a 10-7 victory.
ěSometimes Iím not too sure what we are trying to do out there,î Rowan coach Jim Gantt said.
ěI mean if this was a 7 inning game, we lose, but thankfully we did enough tonight to win.î
Rowan actually trailed 5-4 going into the seventh, but plated four in the bottom half to gain an 8-5 lead that it woudnít relinquish.
An interesting play also happened in the seventh when Rowan left fielder Matt Mauldin lined a double over the head of Concord center fielder A.J. James.
Taylor Garczynski was flying around from first, attempting to score and barely slid under a high tag from Connor Lippencot for the score.
Immediately following the home umpreís safe call, Concord coach Jamey Russ charged out to the plate and argued the call vehemently.
Russ was tossed from the game, adding to his frustration.
Mauldin came up huge for Rowan with a 3-for-5 night, scoring a run and driving in three.
ěIíve been trying to take the ball up the middle more and their pitcher had a pretty good curveball, so I was sitting on a fastball and just kept waiting til I got it,î Mauldin said.
Patience and persistence definitely paid off for Rowan as batters were waiting on ětheirî pitch most of the night and laced line drives all over the outfield.
While Mauldin was the main star, right fielder Taylor Garczynski was 2-for-5, scoring twice and delivering an RBI.
Bradley Robbins came on in relief of Thomas Allen to toss a pair of no-hit innings, to set up the final stanza for Zack Simpson.
Gantt was happy to see his offense be more selective at the plate after struggling with that dilemma in the early part of the season.
ěI thought our guys were patient all night and we were able to get good pitches to hit and Mattís at-bat where he got the big double is a great example of that,î Gantt said.
ěHe was up there with a 3-1 count and took a strike on a curve, only to get a fastball the next pitch and do something with it, and thatís what our guys have to keep doing.î
Rowan committed two late errors in the ninth inning, but fortunately for them, Concord committed four on the evening.
ěI think we have been the best 7-inning team in the league this year,î Concord coach Jamey Russ said.
ěUnfortunately, though it isnít high school ball and we play nine innings. We knew coming in here that Rowan was going to have their big inning, they always do.î
Rowan improves to 15-6 overall and 11-4 in league play.