From staff reports

SALISBURY — Jake Blevins pitched six brisk, walk-less innings as the Rowan County American Legion baseball team won easily against Concord 8-0 on Sunday at Newman Park.

Concord put two runners on base in the first and second innings in the divisional game, but couldn’t break through against Blevins, a Pfeiffer recruit with a wide assortment of pitches.

Blevins (3-1) sailed through the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. He struck out the side in the sixth to finish with five strikeouts. He allowed five hits.

Alex Hagler wrapped things up with a scoreless seventh.

Rowan played solid defense, with second baseman Luke Graham making several nice plays.

Rowan (15-6, 3-0) generated all the offense it needed in the second inning when it strung together five hits and scored five runs. Graham, Cole Johnson and Aiden Schenck produced run-scoring singles. Matthew Connolly hit a sacrifice fly. Zander Burton raced home as part of a double steal.

Rowan added three runs in the sixth, with all three crossing the plate on wild pitches.

Rowan’s first two shutouts of the season have come in back-to-back games.

Rowan got this one done in under two hours.

Rowan plays at Randolph County on Monday night.

 

Concord     000  000 0  — 0

Rowan       050   003  0 —  8

HR — None.

W — Blevins (3-1).

 

Late Saturday

OAKBORO — Casey Gouge struck out 11 in five innings, while allowing four walks and two hits, as Rowan County crushed Stanly County 19-0 in American Legion baseball on Saturday night at West Stanly High.

Gouge, a lefty Catawba recruit, is 5-0.

Alex Hagler pitched the sixth.  Nate Green pitched the seventh.

Rowan out-hit the home team 11-2.

It was a reasonably competitive game — 6-0 — before Rowan County scored six times in the sixth and put up seven more in the seventh  to make it a romp.

Rowan (14-6, 2-0)  took advantage of eight Stanly errors and seven walks.

Jackson Deal had three hits and three RBIs. Zach McNeely drove in three runs with two hits. McCall Henderson had two doubles. Cole Johnson scored three runs.

 

Rowan   002  316  7  — 19

Stanly    000  000 0   — 0

HR — None.

W — Gouge (5-0).