Eli Graham. Photo Credit: Sean Meyers

From staff reports

Sunday’s game

SALISBURY — Eli Graham pitched no-hit ball for five innings, and Rowan County beat Mooresville 6-0 at Newman Park to avenge an earlier road loss to Post 66.

Both teams are 3-1 in the division.

Graham was in trouble in the second inning when his only two walks were followed by a sacrifice bunt. Graham got out of that jam unscathed and Rowan (9-4, 3-1) took control of the game.

Connor Park pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, retiring two of his Mooresville High teammates. Cole Blevins pitched the seventh and allowed Mooresville’s first hit on a ball that nearly was caught by diving center fielder Marshal Faw.

Blevins started the bottom of the first with a hit and scored on a groundout by Durant for a 1-0 Rowan lead.

Gaige Scruggs had a two-out single in the second inning to score Brice Knox, who had singled and swiped second.

Rowan made it 3-0 in the third on Faw’s double and Durant’s single.

Rowan’s fourth and sixth runs scored on wild pitches. Ben  Koontz had a run-scoring single in the fifth.

Rowan is home against Concord (6-2, 1-0) on Monday night.

 

Saturday’s game

CONCORD — Kendal Sifford bounced back from a disappointing start at Mooresville and led Rowan County to a 5-1 divisional win against Kannapolis at Northwest Cabarrus High.

Sifford pitched six innings, allowed three hits and one walk and struck out six.

Drew Pegram pitched a 1-2-3 seventh.

Durant’s sac fly scored Blevins for a 1-0 Rowan lead in the top of the first, but Conner Coy singled home Brooks Hubbard for Kannapolis in the bottom half.

Rowan’s four-run third inning broke the 1-all deadlock and proved decisive. Durant had a run-scoring double, Knox singled in two runs, and Eli Graham plated Rowan’s final run when he bounced into a fielder’s choice.

Sifford (3-1)  breezed after Rowan had its big inning.

 

Friday’s game

SALISBURY — For fans of quick baseball games, Friday’s Rowan County American Legion game was ideal, clocking in at just 1 hour, 35 minutes.

Rowan won the division game against Kannapolis, 2-0, behind the stout pitching of Brant Graham (2-0) and Durant, who earned his first save.

Graham struck out a season-high six. He was efficient, especially in the fourth inning when he got three outs on five pitches.

Kannapolis (4-6, 0-4) was held to two hits.

Most of the drama developed in the top of the sixth when Kannapolis got two baserunners against Graham on a hit batsman and his only walk of the night.

Durant relieved at that point and made things really interesting with a wild pitch that moved the potential tying runs to second and third. But Durant calmly got the next two hitters out on a fly ball to right fielder Blevins and a ground ball to first baseman Luke Ponczka.

Rowan (7-4, 1-1) scored its runs against Will Hollmeyer (West Cabarrus) in the second inning. Hits by Cole Hales, Cam Williamson and Eli Graham filled the bases. Blevins singled home a run, and Faw got the second run home when he rapped into a fielder’s choice.

Zach Barham and Jackson Lancaster had hits for Kannapolis. Barham got the first hit for Kannapolis with one out in the third inning.

Eli Graham had two hits for Rowan. Blevins, Faw, Durant, Ponczka, Hales and Williamson managed one each, but Hollmeyer was tough and had 1-2-3 innings in the third and sixth.