From staff reports
It took a heroic effort by coaches and volunteers to get the drowned Salisbury and North Rowan fields ready for play late Saturday, but the annual Cliff Peeler Baseball Classic is now back on schedule after some literal midnight madness.
Rain wiped out Fridayís first day, but eight teams got in two games apiece on Saturday ó and early Sunday morning.
Leather-lunged Davie fan and former Davie pitcher Lonnie Barnes yelled ěHappy Easter!î to everyone at the North field as the last game was being concluded, and anyone with a watch realized he was correct. It really was Sunday before that game ended. Fans almost had an opportunity to go from baseball straight to the sunrise service of their choice.
At any rate, things are back to normal today, with four games, all at Salisbury Highís Robertson Stadium.
n Salisbury (9-8), which lost a heartbreaker to McMichael in the first round, takes on Central Cabarrus (9-12),which watched a nice lead slip away against North Rowan, today at 11 a.m. for seventh place.
The Hornets can use a win to get back on track before heading back to the CCC. Theyíve lost four in a row.
n 3A West Iredell battles 2A West Stokes for fifth place at 1:30 p.m. Both have winning records.
Sean Grant was the winning pitcher as West Iredell beat Central Cabarrus 9-5 in a consolation-bracket game on Saturday night.
Grant and Sean Marshall had two hits each, and Jordan Gamble homered.
n North Rowan was shellacked by Davie late Saturday, but the Cavaliers (15-5) had a nice comeback win against Central Cabarrus in the opening round.
1A North has two big YVC games this week, so itís uncertain who will take the mound for the Cavaliers as they battle 4A Lake Norman, an upset loser to McMichael, in a game for third place.
North still hasnít won an Easter tourney since 1995 ó that was before the event was known as the Peeler Classic.
However, North Rowan can still share the YVC championship if it win its two league games this week. South Stanly is finished with league games at 14-2, while North Moore is 13-2, and the Cavaliers are 12-2.
North Rowanís last regular-season game is at North Moore. Wins in both games this week would give the Cavaliers the top seed for the league tournament.
n 4A Davie plays 2A McMichael for the Peeler championship at 7 p.m.
Davie (18-2) has looked unbelievable in shelling West Iredell 12-1 and North Rowan 12-0.
Catawba football and baseball signee Joe Watson is a potential draft pick and launched a Peeler-record three homers against West Iredell.
Coach Mike Herndonís War Eagles also have two Liberty signees (shortstop Carson Herndon and catcher Jacob Barber), while center fielder Alex Newman is headed to Gardner-Webb.
Herndonís team last won the Peeler event in 2007 and also won it in 2001. Davie lost in the final to Carson in 2010.
n West Rowan, East Rowan, South Rowan and Carson are preparing to tangle with four Cabarrus teams, including A.L. Brown and Northwest Cabarrus, in the F&M Bank Classic at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Schedule is in Scoreboard.
n Prep softball
East Rowanís Chelsea White pitched a three-hitter, and the Mustangs beat North Davidson 4-0 on Saturday in a tournament played at Alexander Central.
East, ranked second in 3A, finally broke through against the Black Knights, who had won 49 games in a row and are ranked No. 2 in 4A.
Both teams are 16-1.
n College baseball
Appalachian Stateís Trey Holmes (East Rowan) hit his fifth homer and stole his ninth base, and Preston Troutman (East) had two hits and scored twice in a 7-0 win against Davidson on Saturday.
n Softball team needed
Any church team interested in playing in the Enon Church semi-fast pitch softball league this spring should contact James Taylor at 704-437-1090.
n Local golf
The McCanless Couples played nine holes on Sunday with a two-man Captainís Choice format.
Juan Garcia and his son (also Juan Garcia) took first place with a 31.
Ty and Beverly Cobb shot 33 for second place.
Brett and Robin Leslie shot 34 and won a scorecard playoff with Sharon Miller and Allen Drew for third.
Monica Green won longest putt, while Drew won closest to the pin.