By Mike London
Salisbury Post
GRANITE QUARRY ó It lasted long enough for Micah Jarrett to extend a 10-game hitting streak on Wednesday.
Jarrett cleared the bases with a solid double in the fifth inning and abruptly ended East Rowan’s 10-0 NPC victory over Statesville at Staton Field. Jarrett’s shot to the gap allowed undefeated pitcher Cody Laws (7-0) to call it an early night.
“Trey Holmes was behind me cheering for Zach Smith to hit a walkoff grand slam, so I wouldn’t get a chance to bat again,” Jarrett said with a grin.
The Mustangs (16-2, 12-0) are joking around a lot, and with good reason. They’ve won 12 straight games while opening a commanding lead in the NPC race.
Jarrett’s batting average dropped to .492, but he leads the county with 28 RBIs. He’s having as much fun as anyone because after months of uncertainty he’s recently received scholarship offers from Wake Forest and Boston College. He’ll make up his mind between the ACC schools this week.
“I’m hitting in a great spot in the lineup, and that’s why I’ve got those RBIs,” Jarrett said. “Justin (Roland) leads off and steals his way around. Zach’s behind him doing his job, and then all I have to do is put it in play somewhere besides the third baseman.”
It was a busy day for Jarrett and left fielder Ben DeCelle, as they ran the 100 meters for the track team in the county meet. Jarrett was fastest in his heat, but he just missed scoring a point when he placed seventh overall.”After 60, I’m looking out the corner of my eye, and there’s no one there but me and Ben,” Jarrett said. “But 100 is a long, long way.”
DeCelle, who had two more infield hits last night, finished eighth.
Statesville lefty Brent Daino kept his team in the game as long as he could, but by the fifth, he looked like he’d just run the 100 with Jarrett and DeCelle.
“The lefty was hiding the ball well because our guys just weren’t seeing it until he ran out of gas,” East coach Brian Hightower said.
Statesville had two on in the top of the fifth, when it still trailed only 4-0, but Laws got the big third out on a bouncer to Roland at shortstop.
Then the Mustangs went to work with the bats.
“They were one hit from getting back into it,” Hightower said. “We slept-walked some today. We used up so much energy getting up for the Mooresville game on Tuesday.”
Laws has had flawless control all spring, but he walked three. He still earned his third shutout and had a no-hitter until Tanner Stroud lined a fourth-inning single.
“My back was cramping up on and off, and I wasn’t hitting my spots as well as I usually do, but the defense made plays like it always does,” Laws said. “I didn’t think about a no-hitter until they got one, and I realized it was the first one.”
East’s lefties actually hit Daino harder than the team’s right-handed sticks. The lefty-swinging Holmes brothers, Trey and Noah, stayed back and ripped two hits each. Trey’s RBI single in the first made it 1-0. Noah’s double keyed a two-run third.
Corbin Shive stayed hot, going 2-for-2 and scoring three times.

NOTES: East plays again tonight at home against Lake Norman because its prom is Friday. … East’s jayvees beat the Greyhounds 31-0.

Contact Mike London at 704-797-4259 or mlondon@salisburypost.com.