Rowan center fielder Brice Knox. Photo Credit: Sean Meyers

Staff report

SALISBURY — Taking a pitch off the top of the shoulder isn’t the most glamorous way to win an American Legion baseball game, but Rowan County’s Marshal Faw will take it.

Faw’s HBP on Monday at Newman Park came with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth and forced home the decisive run in Rowan’s back-and-forth 5-4 win against Randolph County.

Rowan (6-2) hadn’t been required to play seven innings in a while after three straight one-sided victories over the weekend, including two against winless teams.

Randolph (5-3) was very ready for this game after being demolished 10-1 by Rowan early in the season at McCrary Park and was able to forge a couple of one-run leads, but Rowan staged the last rally.

Batting leadoff, Brice Knox had two hits and scored three runs for Rowan. Carter Durant had a two-out, two-run single for early runs. Luke Ponczka had two hits. Drew Pegram drew three walks, including one with the bases loaded that tied the game at 4-all in front of Faw’s HBP.

Eli Graham started on the mound for Rowan and lasted four innings. It was a 3-all game when he exited. An error on a potential double play ball cost him two of those runs.

Randolph inched ahead 4-3 when Rowan reliever Chase Fisher had a streak of wildness and walked three straight batters in the fifth.

Corbin Hales, who got the last out of the fifth with the bases full, pitched the sixth with the help of a pickoff. Hales earned the win.

Luke Ponczka, pitching for the first time this summer, earned the save with an exciting seventh. Randolph had three base runners, but had one gunned down by Rowan catcher Gaige Scruggs.

When Rowan failed to score with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fifth, it didn’t look good for the home team, but Rowan filled the bases again in the sixth with one out on hits by Knox and Brant Graham and Durant’s walk. This time Rowan was able to get runs home on Pegram’s walk and Faw’s HBP.

Rowan left 11 on base.

Rowan is home against High Point on Tuesday.