From staff reports
The South team lost 8-7 to the North squad in the Area III All-Star game in Asheboro on Wednesday.
The South led 7-6 going to the bottom of the ninth, and Rowan County pitcher Corbin Shive took the loss after allowing two unearned runs. He gave up one hit and hit one batter.
Nick Lomascolo started on the mound for the South, which scored five runs in the sixth inning to claim a 7-2 lead. Billy Nantz (Mooresville) hit a grand slam and Hernan Bautista (Mocksville) hit a solo homer in the inning.
Here’s how some area players fared: n Rowan’s Noah Holmes started at third base and hit a solo homer in the second inning.
* Rowan’s Trey Holmes started at first base and went 1-for-2 with a single.
* Rowan’s Russell Michalec reached on an error and scored.
* Rowan’s Philip Miclat went 0-for-1.
* Rowan’s Preston Troutman went 2-for-2 with a double.
* Rowan’s Billy Veal pitched the seventh inning and allowed two runs (one earned). He gave up one hit, struck out two and walked two.
* South Rowan’s Maverick Miles started at second base and went 1-for-2 with a triple. He scored a run.
* South’s Caleb Shore started in left field and went 0-for-1 with a walk.
* South’s Ryan Bostian was 0-for-2 with a walk, and he scored one run.
* South’s Brett Huffman went 0-for-1 and was hit by a pitch.
* South’s Will Misenheimer pitched the fourth inning and allowed one unearned run on two hits.
* Mocksville’s Jake Koontz pitched the sixth and allowed one run on two hits. He had one strikeout and hit one batter. Bautista finished 1-for-2, and Zach Russell-Myers scored a run.
* Kannapolis’ John J. Tuttle pitched the second inning and didn’t allow a run. He gave up two hits and struck out one. Hunter Pate had one hit.
– American Legion playoffs
Rowan County opens the first round of the playoffs against Mocksville at Newman Park at 7 p.m. on Friday. Wilkes is at South Rowan, Concord is at Mooresville and Lexington is at Stanly.
– Junior Legion
The Rowan County Junior Legion team claimed the league title with a doubleheader sweep of Stanly County.
Rowan (21-5, 13-3) won the opener 13-4 and then prevailed 17-3.
Bradley Robins struck out eight during a complete-game effort in Game 1. Justin Morris led Rowan with three hits. Andy Austin and Avery Rogers had two apiece.
Matt Miller picked up the win in Game 2, and Jamey Blalock hit a grand slam in the fourth inning. Blalock, Rogers, Will Sapp and Chandler Jones had two hits each.
* The Salisbury Cavornets defeated Mooresville 3-0 on Wednesday as Patrick Snider pitched a one-hitter.
Matt Laurens, Matt Mauldin and John Knox paced the offense. The Cavornets scored one run in the first and two in the fifth. Salisbury (10-10, 8-8) finished its season.
“We didn’t start off very well, but as the season went on guys started believing in themselves,” Salisbury coach Scott Maddox said. “We started winning the close games we lost early on. Hopefully, that success will carry over.”
– Minor Leagues
Wednesday’s game between the Kannapolis Intimidators and Hagerstown Suns was rained out. A pair of seven-inning games are scheduled for today, starting at 5:35 p.m.
It will be the seventh doubleheader of the season for Kannapolis, which is 9-3 in those games this season.
* John Henry Moss, founder of the South Atlantic League and its president for 60 years, died Wednesday morning in his hometown of Kings Mountain. Moss, who played pro ball and served in World War II, retired from the SAL in 2007. He was 90.
* San Diego Padres draft pick Chris Ahearn (Catawba) is sidelined with hip flexor and quadriceps injuries. Ahearn is in the Arizona League for rookies.
* The New York Mets moved pitcher Tim Smith (Catawba) up to Savannah Sand Gnats in the South Atlantic League. He was promoted from Kingsport.
* Jerry Sands (Catawba) hit his fourth homer of the season during Odgen’s game against Orem on Wednesday night.
* David Thomas (Catawba) went 1-for-4 and scored a run in Kane County’s 3-2 win over Peoria on Wednesday.
* Daniel Wagner (South Rowan) went 1-for-3 in Bristol’s 8-3 loss to Elizabethton on Wednesday.
– North boosters
The North Rowan booster club will meet Monday at 7 p.m. in the school’s media center.
Discussion will be about fall sports, football program ads and planning for various projects.
Contact Mark Jennings at (704) 213-2491 for information.
– West cross country
Anyone interested in running cross country at West Rowan should contact Mike Kluttz at 704-239-0145.
– Lions golf tourney
The team of Susan Morris, Wayne Kennerly, Wayne Bostian and Garrett Gardner shot 55 and won the Salisbury Lions Golf Tournament held at Corbin Hills.
Second flight winners with a 62 were Ralph Ketner, Walt Wagoner, J.C. Ritchie and John Henderlite.
The team of Brad Farrah, Alan Rouzer, Dean Endress and Sandy Goodman shot 67 and won the third flight in a scorecard playoff against Mike McCowan, Mike McCowan Jr., Craig McCowan and Mario Cuellar.
Steve Thomas was closest to the pin. Morris had the longest drive for the ladies. Gene Seaford had the longest drive among the men.