Sun Valley- 5  East Rowan- 4 (11 inn)

The East Rowan Mustangs hosted the Sun Valley Spartans in the second round of the 3A playoffs in front of a packed house. It turned out to be an exciting game with both teams competing until the end.

Sun Valley struck first in the top of the 1st with Brandon Buttersworth and Greg Bello reaching on singles and advancing to 2nd and 3rd on wild pitches. Buttersworth would score on a Jack Wooten sac fly. East Rowan would get one of its own when Cobb Hightower scored on a bases loaded HBP. East Rowan would add 1 run in each of the 2nd and 3rd innings for a 3-1 lead. Sun Valley would answer back with 2 runs of its own in the 4th on a single by Bello and back to back doubles by Jimmy Kerley and Jacob Budzik to even it up at 3. 

The Spartans would take the lead in the 5th when Buttersworth led off with a double, moved to third on a Garrett Sanner single. Buttersworth would score on an infield single to third by Jack Wooten. With Sun Valley leading 4-3 and 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th Chance Mako evened the score hitting a laser over the left field wall to tie it up. 

Both teams would threaten to score multiple times over the next four innings but neither could seem to get a big hit to put their team ahead. With the score still tied at 4  Buzik led off the 11th with a line drive double to left field. He would be bunted to third, the next hitter would punch out for the second out of the inning. With 2 strikes and 2 outs a fastball sailed above the catcher to the backstop allowing Budzik to score the go ahead run. East Rowan would get a baserunner in the bottom half of the 11th but could not advance him past first base and Sun Valley would hold on for the 5-4 win. Sun Valley will travel to St. Stephens for a 3rd round game on Saturday night. 

Sun Valley Stats

Bradon Buttersworth- 3-5, 2B, 2R

Garrett Sanner- 2-5

Greg Bello- 2-5, R

Jack Wooten- 1-3, 2RBI

Jacob Budzik- 2-5, 2 2B, RBI, R

Jacob Bowman- 1-4

Jimmy Kerley- 1-5, 2B, RBI, R

Ian Hawk- 7.2IP, 6H, ER, 5K, 2BB

East Rowan Stats

Cobb Hightower- 4-5, RBI, R

Aiden Schenck- 1-4, BB

Griffin Warden- 1-3, R

Morgan Padgett- 1-3, RBI

Austin Fulk- 2-5, R

Chance Mako- 2-5, HR, RBI, R, 3IP, 2H, ER, 4K, 2BB

Jake Hunter- 8IP, 10H, 4ER, 10K, 0BB