By Mike London
Salisbury PostKANNAPOLIS ó The bottom put Kannapolis on top at Veterans Field on Saturday night.
Ryan Overcash, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning in the No. 7 spot in the lineup, No. 8 hitter Daniel Welch and No. 9 batter Jason Brown had all 10 Kannapolis RBIs in a 12-6 victory over neighbor and rival South Rowan.
The trio combined for five extra-base hits to make new coach Matt Stack’s debut at home a success.
Overcash’s first appearance wasn’t the only thing that was delayed. The umpiring crew was completed shortly before 8 p.m., and the game stretched to 11.
It was the first league game for South (2-4). South led 2-0 early and 6-4 late, but its pitching staff had its hands full containing Overcash and Welch.
Caleb Shore’s single, Maverick Miles’ triple through the right side on a hit-and-run and Ivan Corriher’s sac fly staked South right-hander Walker Snow to a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
Snow had good stuff and struck out nine, but he was knocked out in the fifth by Overcash. Overcash, who has signed as a pitcher with Davidson, pinch hit with two out and one on in a 2-2 game and crushed one of Snow’s offerings over the left-field fence.
South recovered from that blow and took a 6-4 lead with a three-run seventh that finally knocked out Kannapolis starter Jacob Wright.
Wright, always worth the admission price, had his usual adventurous night. He whipped fastballs that were clocked at 91 mph and broke off nice curveballs. He fanned 10. He also walked three, hit four and committed two balks.
One of the four Wright hit, Randy Shepherd, had to leave the game after a pitch struck him in the thumb, then caromed off the bat into his face.
Kannapolis’ five-run seventh finally decided it. Overcash’s RBI single trimmed South’s lead to 6-5, and Welch’s booming double off C.J. Neal gave the Wojans a 7-6 lead. Kannapolis fans were still cheering Welch’s two-bagger, when Brown mashed a pitch over the left-field fence for two more runs.
Overcash still wasn’t done. After an intentional pass to Andrew Lawing filled the bases in the eighth, he put the game away with a ringing double that gave him five RBIs.
Kannapolis (2-1, 1-1) plays at South Monday in a game that won’t count in the league. South plays a non-league game tonight at home against Mooresville, one of the favorites in the division.