From staff reports
Rowan County starts play in the American Legion state tournament today against Wilmington.
The first pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. It’s the third of four games today.
Rowan is 28-11, while Wilmington is 20-2.
Wilmington gets players from the four high schools in the city — New Hanover, Laney, Ashley and Hoggard.
Wilmington has great speed, good pitching and is an older team than Rowan, with a number of players who have played a year of college ball. Most played for small schools or junior college programs.
Rowan hasn’t played Wilmington in the state tournament since losing to Wilmington, 5-4, in 10 innings in Morehead City in 2011.
John Owen (4-1), coming off a brilliant performance against High Point in the Area III championship series, is the probable pitcher for Rowan today.

Local golf
Nick Lyerly lost in the Round of 16 in the U.S. Junior Amateur on Thursday afternoon, losing 3 and 2 to No. 8 seed Noah Goodwin of Corinth, Texas.
Lyerly, who was seeded 25th, fell behind by three holes early in the match at Ooltewah, Tenn.
Lyerly won the No. 6 and No. 8 holes with birdies but lost No. 7 and No. 9 and was still three holes down at the turn.
Lyerly won 10 and 15 on the back, but Goodwin won 12 and 13 with back-to-back birdies. Goodwin matched Lyerly’s par on No. 16 to close out the match.
Lyerly had an impressive win in the Round of 32 on Thursday morning. He won 4 and 3 against Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, who is ninth in the World Amateur Golf rankings.
Lyerly birdied three of the first four holes to move in front. Lyerly was still in front by three holes at the turn and went 5-up after winning No. 9 with a birdie and No. 10 with a par.
Niemann won No. 11 with a birdie, but Lyerly parred 12, 13 and 14 to maintain his big lead.
Lyerly matched Niemann’s par on No. 15 to close out the match.
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Lyerly is the No. 1 seed and defending champion for the Rowan Amateur.
Match play starts this afternoon at Corbin Hills.
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Play starts in the Cardinal Amateur at Sedgefield today.
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The fourth “Junior Mac” 9-hole tournament was held Thursday at McCanless.
Brodie Perry shot 37 for first place. Cade Cranfield shot 38 for second.
The next event will be Thursday, Aug. 4, at 1 p.m.

Youth softball
Rowan Little League’s 11-12 softball team defended its state championship with a win on Thursday night. Rowan took a 6-0 victory against Wilkes in the title game in Charlotte.

Youth baseball
East Rowan’s 10-year-old all-stars split two games in pool play on Thursday in Nashville, Tenn.
East won 12-8 vs. Okeeheelee, Fla., but lost 12-7 to Glen Allen, Va.
East is 2-1 in its pool and plays a Georgia squad today.

Intimidators
LAKEWOOD, N.J. (AP) — Josh Tobias had two hits and scored two runs, and Jose Taveras struck out 10 hitters over eight innings as the Lakewood BlueClaws topped the Kannapolis Intimidators 4-2 on Thursday.