A Rain‑Soaked Start Turns Into a Dominant Display
Rowan County posted a 9‑4 win over Shelby in an American Legion baseball game on Sunday morning, extending its streak of winning at least one contest in every state tournament appearance.
Morning showers pushed back the first pitch at Sims Legion Park, but the delay did little to slow the Rowan offense.
From the outset the team refused to fall behind, a factor that ultimately helped eliminate Shelby from the tournament.
Kendal Sifford delivered a complete‑game outing, surrendering only two runs in the seventh inning while recording his third strikeout of the night.
Cole Blevins was the offensive catalyst, launching a homer that drove in five runs and adding a three‑run blast in the fifth that stretched the lead to 6‑0 before the rally continued.
Rowan County struck early, scoring twice in the second inning with the aid of two sacrifice bunts that set the stage for a steady build‑up.
The fourth inning saw a burst of six runs, highlighted by a timely hit that knocked out Shelby starter Nick DiRisi and put the game out of reach.
Shelby answered in the top of the fifth with two runs, narrowing the gap to 6‑2, but the Rowan bats responded with Blevins’ three‑run homer later that inning.
The final strikeout by Sifford capped a performance that left the crowd at Sims Legion Park cheering, as the team secured its place in the next round.