West Rowan baseball team defeats North Stanly in marquee matchup

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In a non-conference high school baseball game, the West Rowan Falcons defeated the North Stanly Comets 7-3. West Rowan's Luke Ponczka hit a sixth-inning grand slam to break open a close game. West Rowan pitcher Brant Graham struck out eight batters over six innings to earn the win.

Why it matters

This was a matchup between two of the top high school baseball teams in the region, with both squads featuring Division I college recruits on their rosters. The win extends West Rowan's winning streak to six games after an opening night loss, while North Stanly suffered just its second defeat of the season.

The details

West Rowan trailed 2-0 going into the fifth inning, but Carter Durant and Carter Lefebvre hit solo home runs to tie the game. In the sixth inning, Brody Pope's RBI single gave West Rowan a 3-2 lead, and after an intentional walk, Luke Ponczka hit a grand slam to make it 7-2. North Stanly sent their ace, Old Dominion recruit Charlie Shaver, to the mound, but he was unable to hold off the West Rowan offense.

• On March 14, 2026, West Rowan defeated North Stanly 7-3.
• West Rowan has now won six games in a row since losing on opening night.