American Legion Baseball: Rowan’s Connolly, Graham shine in victory – Salisbury Post

Staff report

SALISBURY – Not many American Legion baseball teams have an All-American in the lineup.

Rowan County does.

Matthew Connolly, a 2023 West Rowan graduate who had a stellar freshman season at Surry Community College, was the Division III Region 10 Player of the Year and a first-team All-America catcher.

Connolly has been very good since joining the team and greatness could be just around the corner. Rowan (11-10) may need him to be great if he wants to make the playoffs.

Connolly hit three doubles and had four hits to lead Rowan’s 10-3 win against Morgantown (WV) Sunday afternoon at Newman Park.

Rowan went 3-1 in the three-day match against teams from Maryland and West Virginia.

Rowan showed some pitching depth during the event. Brant Graham (2-2) was impressive on Sunday, throwing six efficient innings. The visitors scored some runs in the first and fifth against Graham. They added another run in the seventh as Connolly took the mound for the first time this summer. Connolly threw the first two batters he faced.

Connolly doubled and scored in the first inning when Luke Graham hit a force out but defeated the relay on a double play attempt.

Rowan’s second of six points was decisive. Eli Graham’s bunt-single helped get things started. Connolly’s two-run double was the key hit in the big inning.

Connolly’s third double plated a run in the fifth. Rowan hit two more in the sixth.

Logan Dyer had another strong game as Rowan’s lead-off hitter. He had three hits and scored twice.

Elijah Palmer also had three hits, including a runscoring single in that huge second inning.

Nate Hayworth had two hits. Luke Graham drove in two runs. Drew Burton and Joe Burleyson had run-scoring hits.

Rowan has a big home game against Mocksville on Tuesday.

•••

Rowan is 3-2 in the division with two games remaining with Mocksville and one each with Concord and Kannapolis. Only two Southern Division teams qualify for the playoffs. Mocksville is 4-2 in the standings, but that could change to 5-1 as Mocksville has protested Friday’s loss to Concord. Mocksville’s protest is based on the claim that Concord used an ineligible player. A ruling on the protest is expected on Monday or Tuesday.

•••

Kannapolis is 4-3 in the division after outlasting Concord 3-2 in an eight-inning game on Saturday. Blake Gaffney struck out eight to give Kannapolis a chance to win. Brett Morris was the winning pitcher in relief.

Daxton Savage had the walk-off hit in the eighth.

Conner Coy had two hits for Kannapolis. Jack Petersen and Brooks Hubbard had RBIs.

Kannapolis still has division games to play with Concord and Rowan County.