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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

Before the heavy rain at Rowan County, Shawn Sealey of the Mocksville Senior Legion baseball team could not have been pitching any better.

He lost his rhythm in the rain, which was understandable, and Rowan gained new life.

After a long rain delay, Sealey escaped a bases-loaded jam and finished off an outstanding performance, leading Mocksville to 6-4 victory on June 9.

This was Mocksville’s fifth win in six games, but this one was the most important of the season – the Southern Division opener.

“I told the boys how important this game was, and they took it to heart,” coach Tristan Wyatt said.

Post 174 broke out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. After fouling off two pitches, Myles Crocker got things started with a single. After Bryson Morrison got a hit, Caden Irvin provided a run-scoring double. Cooper Bliss lifted a sac fly to plate Morrison. Then Riley Campbell made it 3-0 with Mocksville’s fourth hit of the inning.

Mocksville doubled the margin to 6-0 in the fourth, and Rowan, with no hits through three innings, was on life support.

But then the rain wreaked havoc on Sealey. After Rowan got a one-out hit for its first base knock of the night, Sealey walked four straight batters. Finally, play was stopped with the bases loaded, the score 6-2 and one out.

“Shawn was slipping on the mound and couldn’t grip the ball,” Wyatt said. “He was cruising in the first 3 innings. He was at a total of 56 pitches when the rain came, and 21 of those pitches came in the fourth inning when it was raining.”

After an hour-plus delay, Sealey went back to the mound. With the bases full, Rowan had a golden opportunity. But Sealey struck out back-to-back batters to preserve the 6-2 lead.

“(After the delay,) it was smooth sailing,” Wyatt said.

After Rowan got a run in the fifth, Sealey finished his night by putting up a zero in the sixth. Wyatt gave the ball to Campbell for the seventh. There was some anxiety as a walk and a double brought the tying run to the plate. On Campbell’s 23rd pitch, Rowan hit one sharply, but it fell harmlessly into a Mocksville infielder’s glove. Ballgame.

Mocksville was back to .500 overall (5-5) and had its second triumph over Rowan, which lost the first meeting 7-6 in eight innings.

“The boys came ready to play,” Wyatt said.

Sealey shoved a two-hitter. He walked six, but only two when it wasn’t pouring rain. Campbell was a little shaky in relief, but he was a big part of the win by going 2 for 3 with a couple run-scoring hits.

“Offensively, Riley was the man,” Wyatt said.

Mocksville was quite worthy of the outcome as it outhit Rowan 8-3 and played flawless defense. It got one hit from Jay Brookshire (1-4), Aaron Hutchens (1-4), Crocker (1-4), Morrison (1-2, two runs), Irvin (1-2, two runs, walk, double) and Cooper Whitley (1-3, RBI).

And left fielder Cooper Bliss’ absurd catch did not go unnoticed.

“Cooper made a heck of a play in foul territory,” Wyatt said. “He had to book it; he ran a good distance. He went all the way to the steps of the opponent’s bullpen. It was a sliding catch. It was an amazing catch.”