Staff report

CONCORD — Seven runs in the third.

Four in the fourth.

Eight in the fifth.

East Rowan’s offense was in midseason form in Monday’s baseball opener, and coach Brett Hatley’s Mustangs crushed Central Cabarrus 19-2 in five innings for a South Piedmont Conference victory.

East pounded out 15 hits in a five-inning game.

UNC recruit Cobb Hightower homered for the Mustangs. He had three hits, scored four runs and drove in four.

Freshman Sam Blackwelder had two of East’s four doubles and drove in three runs. Harrison Ailshie and McCall Henderson also had doubles.

Catawba recruit Logan Dyer had three hits and three RBIs. Ailshie, Krys Hernandez and Braden Shive drove in two runs each.

Dyer started on the mound and got relief help from Nate Hayworth and Hightower.

East hosts Lake Norman Charter on Friday. LNC  knocked off West Rowan 4-2 on Monday.