Area Sports Briefs: Shelby wins Area IV; Mocksville Jr. Legion plays for state title today
Published 12:29 am Tuesday, July 24, 2018
From staff reports
Dalton Putnam did a lot for Shelby Post 82 on Monday, pitching five innings and driving in five runs.
Shelby beat Caldwell County Post 29, 10-5, for the Area IV championship.
Perennial power Shelby won the Area IV title for the 10th time. Both teams already had clinched state tournament berths, but this win gave Shelby (29-2) a No.1 seed and finalized the first-round pairings.
•••
The state tournament that begins on Thursday is usuing pool play for the first time. It’s the format that is used in the Legion World Series, and it’s also been used some in regional play.
The format since the single-site state tournament was introduced in 2000 has been double-elimination.
An advantage of pool play is that, for the first three days, at least, teams know who they’ll play and when and where they’ll play. Fans can plan accordingly.
Rowan County’s four-team pool, known as the Stripes Pool, also includes Area I champion Pitt County (24-7), Area II runner-up Whiteville (19-9) and Caldwell County (21-12).
The Stars Pool includes Shelby, host High Point (18-9), Area II champion Wilmington (17-5) and Area I runner-up Garner (27-3).
After three pool games, the top two from each pool will advance to the semifinals.
Three sites are being used for the state tournament this year, which is also something different.
Rowan’s first game on Thursday is against Caldwell County and will be played at 7 p.m. at High Point University.
Rowan will play at 7 p.m. at Finch Field on Friday, taking on Pitt County.
Rowan’s Saturday game will be at 4 p.m. at UNC Greensboro against Whiteville.
Sunday’s semifinals will be at Finch Field at 4 and 7. The championship game will take place at Finch Field on Monday at 4 p.m.
The state winner advances to the Southeast Regional, that will once again by hosted by Randolph County Post 45.
Wilmington will be making its record 12th appearance in the state tournament.
Rowan County owns 26 wins since the single-site state format was instituted in 2000. Rowan was there for the first one in Caldwell County under the late Jim DeHart’s leadership and is making its 11th appearance overall and 10th under coach Jim Gantt.
Rowan’s 26 wins in the state event rank second behind Cherryville’s 28.
The Gaston Gazette’s Richard Walker has crunched the numbers on the field. There are no darkhorses or longshots. All eight teams have made it to the state tournament at least seven times.
Wilmington is in it for the 12th time, the most of any program.
Intimidators
The Kannapolis Intimidators were rained out on Monday and will play two today, starting at 5:05 p.m.
Legion softball
Rowan County was rained out at Concord on Monday. They’ll try to play that first-round playoff game again tonight at Central Cabarrus High’s field at 7 p.m.
Junior Legion
Rain plagued the state tournament on Monday. The two unbeaten teams, Mocksville and Windsor, will play for the championship today at 1 p.m. at Pitt Community College.