By Brian Pitts
Davie Enterprise Record
The Mocksville Legion baseball team was pushed to the limit - and beyond - by the visiting Mooresville Legends on June 23. But Mocksville managed to escape, winning 3-2 in 11 innings.
The offensive heroes in the end were Corey Randall, who singled in the bottom of the 11th before stealing two bases, and Ryan Foster, who delivered a walk-off hit. The other offensive star was Kirklin Bowles, who gave Mocksville an early 2-0 lead.
And the pitching was strong once again. Randall, Foster and Josh Faircloth teamed up on the mound, with Faircloth getting the win. It’s difficult to overstate how solid Mocksville’s pitching has been. It has allowed eight runs in the last four games. That’s borderline ridiculous.
The beat went on as Mocksville improved to 15-6 and 12-2 in the Southern Division. Kannapolis is second at 11-4, with the Legends and Mooresville Post 66 tied at 9-5.
The numbers keep getting better. Mocksville has won six straight. It’s seven-game run in the division is the longest in five years (it won nine straight in 2007). It equaled the best SD start in 18 years (it was 12-2 at this point in 1994).
Mocksville has waited a long time for a chance to call itself champion, and it’s close to locking up the first SD title since 1993. It has been an expert on finishing second, settling for runner-up in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2011.
“You hate to be on the losing end of one like that,” coach Charles Kurfees said. “This is the Dead Bat Era ...