From staff reports

Thursday games …

MOUNT ULLA — Luke Graham starred at the plate and on the mound as West Rowan beat Northwest Cabarrus 6-3 in South Piedmont Conference action.

The Falcons (4-2, 2-0) finished a big sweep of the Trojans (4-3, 0-2).

West grabbed control of the game with a three-run bottom of the first. Graham walked and Zach McNeely and Matthew Connolly had hits in front of a three-run double by Drew Burton.

Northwest got back to 3-1, but McNeely had a run-scoring double for a 4-1 lead in the third.

The Falcons went ahead 6-1 in the fourth on RBI singles by Graham and Andrew Helmbold.

Northwest scored twice in the fifth to make it a 6-3 game, but the Falcons held on.

Graham pitched five innings for the win. Maddox Moore was strong in the sixth and seventh and earned a save.

Graham went 3-for-3. McNeely and Burton had two hits each.

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LANDIS – South Rowan’s baseball team bounced back from a discouraging loss with an encouraging victory.

Logan Ballard pitched a one-hitter to lead the Raiders to a 10-0 South Piedmont Conference win over Central Cabarrus in five innings.

Ballard, a lefty, struck out eight and walked three for his first victory of the season.

South dominated for six innings at Central on Tuesday only to watch the ballgame slip away in the bottom of the seventh.

But South (2-5, 1-1) didn’t let it get to the seventh this time.

Central (2-1, 1-1) sent highly regarded Christian Tucker to the mound, but South took charge early. The Raiders scored two runs in the second with Cole Thomas and Coleman Overcash driving in runs.

Conner Coy’s two-run single highlighted a three-run third that made it 5-0.

South ended the game  via the 10-run rule with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Six straight Raiders got on base, and South scored a parade of runs with the help of passed balls and wild pitches.

Aaron Jones and Brett Morris had doubles for South. Coy had two hits and two RBIs. Thomas has two RBIs. Overcash had two hits, scored two and drove in three.

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CHINA GROVE — Carson posted its second shutout of the week against Concord.

The Cougars rolled 10-0 on Thursday at home after routing the Spiders 12-0 on the road.

Carson (4-3, 2-0) scored five runs in the third in the South Piedmont Conference game to make it easy for starting pitcher Mikey Beasley, who threw a two-hitter in the five-inning game.

Beasley struck out three Spiders (2-5, 0-2) and walked two.

Catawba signee Cameron Burleyson went 3-for-3 with a double and scored three runs. Jacob Efird went 3-for-3, scored three and drove in two.

Cody Russell had a double and knocked in two runs.

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GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan’s home game against Lake Norman Charter was not moved up to Thursday, but the Mustangs will play early on Friday to try to beat the rain.

First pitch is at 2:15 p.m. If weather permits, the teams will play the jayvee game, following the varsity contest.