Staff report

SALISBURY — Playing at Newman Park in front of a big crowd and with ace Hayden Simmerson on the mound, Rowan County really needed to win Game 1 of a life-and-death playoff series with Randolph County.

It took two days and two venues, but Rowan was able to finish off an 8-2 victory for a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five Area III semifinal series. The winner of the series qualifies for the state tournament.

Rowan built a 6-1 lead through five innings on Thursday before weather — lightning and hard rain — led to a stoppage of play.

After a delay, the game was suspended. It was completed at Randolph County on Friday evening prior to the start of Game 2.

Had it been a regular-season game, the result would have been declared official on Thursday, but this is the American Legion playoffs, and this is the key round of those playoffs, so the scheduled seven innings were played.

Simmerson was strong again on Thursday. He threw 73 pitches and held Randolph to one run and three hits, while striking out eight batters.

The biggest pitches the undefeated right-hander threw were in the third inning when he got a three-pitch strikeout to strand Randolph runners at second and third when the game was still 1-all.

Simmerson handled Randolph’s lineup more easily than he normally would have. That was due to the absence of Randolph’s dynamic lead-off hitter Tanner Marsh, who reported for summer school at Liberty University.  Marsh may be available for Randolph as the series progresses.

Luke Graham, who allowed one run in the sixth, and Alex Hagler who put up a zero in the seventh, finished off the Rowan victory.

Rowan (34-3) scored first, getting a run in the second inning when Morgan Padgett walked, moved to third 0n a knock by Simmerson and scored on Cole Johnson’s sacrifice fly.

After Randolph (21-4) tied the game in the top of the third, Rowan took a 3-1 lead in the bottom half. Cam Burleyson drew a walk and was on base when Blake Hill smacked an 0-and-2 delivery over the center-field wall for this third homer of the summer. Hill’s tiebreaking homer was the key swing of the game.

JT Taylor walked and Luke Graham reached on an error to set up a three-run fifth. Padgett singled to make it 4-1. Simmerson came through with a two-out, two-run double to bump the lead to 6-1.

Matthew Connolly walked, Taylor had an infield hit and Hill walked to load the bases for Rowan in the sixth. Graham’s sacrifice fly got a run home, and Padgett put a ball in play to score Taylor.

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High Point won 3-1 at Kannapolis on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in that best-of-five series.

It was a big road win for High Point, which got to play the next two games at home at Finch Field.

The Rowan-Randolph winner and the High-Point-Kannapolis winner will be the state tournament qualifiers from Area III.