Fourth in a series of reports on high school baseball …

By Mike London

mike.london@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan’s baseball team has been conference co-champion the last three seasons.

The last time the Mustangs didn’t win something was the 2020 season when COVID beat everyone. East was off to a 5-1 start in 2020 under new head coach Brett Hatley, who is now a seasoned veteran. Hatley’s 66 wins in four seasons at the helm is impressive, considering that the aborted 2020 season was followed by a half-season in 2021.

In Hatley’s two full seasons, East is 48-11. East reached the third round of the 3A playoffs in 2022 and the fourth round in 2023.

“We lost in the playoffs to the eventual state champion (South Rowan, then West Henderson) both of those seasons,” Hatley said. “We’ve had really good teams, and we’ve still got some talent.”

There’s no disputing that.

During Hatley’s tenure the Mustangs always have had a Division I pitcher. Jake Hunter (East Carolina) was followed by Cameron Padgett (UNC), who was followed by Chance Mako, who made his debut for N.C. State on Wednesday.

“We haven’t had many pitching worries,” Hatley said. “The biggest problem was trying to find innings for some good pitchers.”

East didn’t graduate a large group, but most of the losses were hurlers. Mako and Morgan Padgett, who logged most of the innings as the 1 and 2 starters, were a combined 15-1 in 2023. Dylan Valley was a significant contributor, pitching in 14 games and winning three. East also graduated some serious punch as Mako, Padgett and Blake Hill combined for 87 RBIs.

So the priority for East will be figuring out the pitching. The guys who are being counted on have no shortage of talent and arm strength, but most of them will be in much larger roles than they’ve been in before.

The No. 1 pitcher is expected to be Catawba signee Logan Dyer, who is coming off summer shoulder surgery but is ready to go. Dyer was 3-3 last season and pitched in tough games.

“He’s got good stuff, but his biggest asset is his competitiveness,” Hatley said. “He has a very tough mentality.”

Sophomore left-hander Harrison Ailshie projects as the No. 2 pitcher. He made one mound start as a freshman. Nate Hayworth, who pitched in six games, and Joe Burleyson, who was on the mound four times, will get a lot of innings. Fans also will get to see shortstop Cobb Hightower take the mound as a reliever.

All five of those hurlers also are starters at positions in the field, but if  the staff can stay healthy and can throw strikes, East will again be a contender not just in the South Piedmont Conference, but in the state.

Defensively, East should be outstanding at a lot of places. There’s terrific speed in the outfield and Hightower and Dyer are about as good as gets around second base. Burleyson, another Catawba recruit, is a strong catcher.

East has seven key lineup fixtures back from last season. They all can hit, and Hightower, the Mark Norris Memorial Award winner as Rowan County Player of the Year, swings the bat about as well as anyone ever has. The UNC recruit batted .515 with 44 RBIs in a 29-game season. He scored 44 runs and had 14 extra-base hits. He made only one out in East’s first two games. He’ll get pitched around some, but he’ll have speed in front of him and good sticks behind him, so he should have another huge season.

Dyer, the second baseman when he’s not pitching, batted .327 with 33 runs scored and 18 RBIs, and will be the lead-off man. Hayworth, a Tusculum recruit who scored 25 runs in 2023, will play center field and bat second. They’re the table-setters for Hightower.

Ailshie, the left fielder, batted .321 with 20 runs scored as a freshman, and has started the season as the cleanup man. McCall Henderson, a first baseman/DH, hit .395 with three homers and 33 RBIs. Right fielder Braden Shive runs like the wind and hit .355 with 31 runs and 19 RBIs. Burleyson, the catcher, socked a three-run homer in Thursday’s romp against Lake Norman Charter.

East scored 34 runs in its first two games, both 10-run rule SPC games, so offense is unlikely to be an issue.

Freshman Sam Blackwelder has been mostly a shortstop, but won’t play there this season unless Hightower is pitching. He started at third base on opening night and had three hits.

“Our opening game against Central Cabarrus, we didn’t get a hit the first two innings, and then Blackwelder leads off the third with a double,” Hatley said. “He plays fearless.”

Krys Hernandez will play a key role. He’s the backup catcher, which means he’ll be called on when Burleyson pitches. Hernandez also is the fourth outfielder, which means he’ll be needed to step in when Ailshie or Hayworth is pitching. Hatley said Hernandez made a remarkable catch in the Central Cabarrus game.

Hunter Goodman will get opportunities at first base. Infielders Nolan Kirkpatrick and Keaton Walker could be factors when Dyer is on the mound.

East hopes to get junior Mason Phelps, a pitcher/third baseman, back from a knee injury, but his return date is uncertain.

East is carrying 21 players on the varsity roster. They all could play a part in what looks like another banner season.

 

East Rowan at a glance

Coach: Brett Hatley (5th year, 66-15)

Key returners: Shortstop Cobb Hightower, second baseman Logan Dyer, outfielders Nate Hayworth, Braden Shive and Harrison Ailshie, catcher Joe Burleyson, slugger McCall Henderson

Key losses: Chance Mako, Morgan Padgett, Blake Hill, Dylan Valley

2023 record: 23-6, 12-2 SPC (tied for first)

2024 record: 2-0

Conference regular-season championships (23): 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1982, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2021, 2022, 2023