Staff report

GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan scored 20 runs in a Monday doubleheader at Staton Field, but had to settle for a split with two 4A squads.

The games were part of the Davis Group Easter Tournament that had to be trimmed from three days to one by the rainy weather on Friday and Saturday.

The Mustangs (13-3) battered Lake Norman 11-1 in six innings, but lost 10-9 in eight innings to Mooresville.

Several Mustangs had monster days. Cobb Hightower hit for the cycle during the doubleheader. He went 7-for-9. He homered in the first game and had a double and a triple in the nightcap.

Chance Mako pitched a gem to beat Lake Norman and belted a homer in both contests.

East got on top 2-0 against Lake Norman (8-9) in the second inning. Blake Hill hit a sacrifice fly before Mako doubled home a run.

Hightower homered leading off the third for a 3-0 lead. Mako’s two-run homer int he fifth made it 8-1.

Logan Dyer went 2-for-3 with a double. Hill had a double and drove in two runs. Braden Shive scored three times. McCall Henderson had a double and knocked in two runs. Nate Hayworth went 2-for-3.

Mako (6-0) struck out seven while allowing one run, one hit and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. Dylan Valley got the last two outs.

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Mooresville (8-8) swung the bats with authority and was able to outscore the Mustangs. The loss ended East’s winning streak at 11 in a row.

East used four pitchers. The most effective was Hayworth, who threw four innings. Joe Burleyson took the loss in the see-saw game.

Mooresville led 5-2 in the early going, but East caught up and grabbed a 7-5 lead in the fifth.

Mooresville got three in the top of the seventh to lead 8-7. East scored in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.

Mooresville scored two in the top of the eighth, and East could only get one run back in the bottom half.

Mako socked his fourth homer of the season.  Hightower had four hits and scored four runs. Dyer had three hits, including a double. Morgan Padgett had two hits and drove in a run. Henderson had a double.

Aaron Burchett had three of Mooresville’s 13 hits.

East’s SPC games this week are with Concord (home Tuesday, road Friday). East is undefeated in the SPC, while Concord hasn’t won yet in the league.

East stood ninth in the MaxPreps state rankings for all classifications before Monday’s games.

East was ranked No. 1 in 3A West by MaxPreps prior to Monday’s games. Ledford (14-1) is ranked second, with Hickory (12-1) third.