Carter Durant. Photo Credit: Sean Meyers

Staff report

SALISBURY — Rowan County scored 12 runs while making 12 outs, a ratio that tells you all you need to know about Monday’s one-sided American Legion baseball game with Concord at Newman Park.

After a rain delay of 82 minutes, Rowan won the division game 12-1 for its fourth straight victory.

Rowan had seven hits, six of them singles, but most of Concord’s wounds were self-inflicted. Concord donated four errors, nine walks, three HBPs, a balk and an occasional wild pitch or passed ball, so Rowan (10-4, 4-1) enjoyed a non-stop merry-go-round on the bases.

Concord (6-3, 1-1) had won its first division game against Kannapolis in extra innings, so Post 51 is capable of playing much better.

The key moments came early, as Rowan starting pitcher Marshal Faw allowed four hits and two walks on his first tour of the Concord lineup, but Concord still couldn’t score a run.

Concord had runners thrown out at home, third and second in the first three innings. That proved too much to overcome.

The out at home came in the first inning. That one wasn’t a base-running mistake, just a good throw from center fielder Brice Knox and a good tag by Gaige Scruggs to cut down a capable runner trying to score from second on a one-out base hit.

Rowan didn’t have any empty offensive innings, scoring two in the first, four in the second, two in the third and fourth more in the fourth. The game ended after the top of the fifth due to the 10-run rule.

Corbin Hales (2-0), who followed Faw to the mound, was credited with the win. He entered the game after Faw walked the first batter in the top of the third. That runner scored. Hales was solid for two innings. Chase Fisher whiffed the side in the fifth.

Scruggs had no official at-bats but scored three runs for Rowan. Carter Durant had a two-run single and a sac fly for three RBIs. Eli Graham had two hits, drove in two and scored two.  Cole Blevins went 1-for-1, walked three times and scored three runs.

Concord will look to bounce back on Tuesday night on its home field at A.L. Brown High in Kannapolis where Rowan has been involved in some epic games.