From staff reports

Friday games …

GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan beat Robinson 7-2 at Staton Field and finished tied for first in the South Piedmont Conference.

While East Rowan and West Rowan both had 13-3 league records, East not only has the bragging rights from two victories against the Falcons, East will derive some tangible benefits from that sweep, including the top seed for the South Piedmont Conference Tournament.

When the teams are seeded for the 3A West bracket for the state playoffs, East, currently No. 2 in the RPI rankings, will be seeded near the top, while the Falcons must be dropped below all the conference champions, including the top 3A team from those 2A/3A and 3A/4A split leagues. As good as the Falcons, who have won 20 games, obviously are, they likely will be seeded somewhere around 10th for the playoffs.

Robinson (10-13, 6-10) scored a run early against the Mustangs, but East (20-4) scored multiple runs in the second, fourth and fifth to take control.

East had nine hits and was aided by seven walks.

Hunter Goodman had three hits and scored three runs.

Harrison Ailshie drove in three runs. His two-run double in the fourth was a key hit.

Krys Hernandez had two RBIs. Zeke Stewart had two hits.

On the mound, East got the job done with four innings from Mason Phelps (4-1) and three from Brady Ailshie, who qualified for a save. They combined for eight strikeouts while allowing seven hits.

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CONCORD — Carson only got three hits on Friday at Northwest Cabarrus, but the Cougars found a way to win again.

Carson (14-8, 11-5) prevailed 5-2 over the Trojans, with Jayven Parks, Jayden Goff, Maverick Walters and Bryson Shoemaker credited with RBIs.

Walters pitched into the fifth. Corbin Hales relieved Walters in that inning and was stellar the rest of the way. Carson broke a 2-all tie in the sixth with the two runs that made Hales (1-2) the winning pitcher.

Cooper Greene had two RBIs for NWC.

Carson went 4-4 on its first tour of the SPC, but was 7-1 the second time around, losing only to West Rowan. Carson has jumped to No. 11 in the 3A West RPI rankings.

“When things weren’t going great our guys continued to fight to the last out in every game and that’s why we were able to turn things around,” Carson head coach JC Alexander said. “We’re definitely playing our best baseball at the right time.”

Carson will be the 3 seed for the South Piedmont Conference Tournament and will be hosting the event.

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LANDIS — South Rowan won a critical non-conference game with A.L. Brown on Wednesday by a 7-6 score and got a 7-6 South Piedmont Conference win against Lake Norman Charter on Friday to close the regular season.

Both dramatic wins were walk-offs.

Marshal Faw walked with the bases loaded to bring home the winning run against Lake Norman Charter.

Down 6-1 early, South climbed back in the game with a four-run third inning.

Corbin Cross had three hits for South. Conner Coy had two. Davis Kemp scored two runs. Macon Fuller knocked in two.

Faw pitched into the fifth inning, allowing six runs, but only three earned. He struck out six and walked six.

Colton Helms had a super relief outing after taking over for Faw in the fifth. He shut out the Knights the rest of the way and earned the win.

South (13-10,9-7) was close to the bubble and probably would have lost its grip on a playoff berth if had lost the last two games, but the Raiders have moved back up to No. 27 in the 3A West RPI rankings and can breathe a little easier now.

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SALISBURY — Hank Webb shut down North Rowan’s offense, and the Hornets rolled 12-0 in five innings on Friday’s Senior Night.

Salisbury (7-16, 5-7) scored 10 runs in the third inning and got some payback for a Wednesday loss at North.

Salisbury only had four hits but took advantage of 10 walks and six errors.

Ethan Prange had the only hit for North (5-12, 4-8).

Evan Koontz, Jackson Sparger and Landon Tucker led the offense for the Hornets.