Bobby Fleming delivers the first pitch in team history.
There is only one chance to win the first game in team history and the Shallotte Shallywags didn’t let the opportunity slip away on Wednesday night.
Sidearmer Chapel Conway shut down visiting Hope Mills in the top of the ninth for a 9-8 Old North State League baseball win at West Brunswick’s Mike Alderson Field.
Conway, a right-hander from Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, was summoned after the Rockfish had scored seven runs in the eighth to trim a 9-1 deficit to 9-8.
Conway hit the first batter he faced but stranded the potential tying run as Aiden Payne made a diving catch in left for the first out, Conway settled under a pop up and a fly to right provided a happy ending.
Conway got a much-appreciated first save in team history.
Catcher Mike Royston had a first-hand view on Conway’s breaking stuff.
“It was big,” Royston said. “It was a tough eighth inning but he came in. That first runner got on but he flipped the switch and locked in.”
Royston was also a significant part of first night history as he had the Shallywags’ initial hit, a home run in the third. The switch-hitter drove a blast left-handed over the right field fence to tie the score at 1.
Royston had not hit a homer at St. Andrews.
“I tried to keep my cool and act like I’ve done it before,” he said.
Royston said he got the pitch he was looking for.
“Just a fast ball,” he said. “He missed up the first pitch. Trey (Pierce) told me it was a flat fast ball, so I was going in there hunting.”
The Wags added two more runs in the third and maintained the lead the rest of the way.
Former West Brunswick pitchers Landon Eberhart and lefty Zach Steagall made relief appearances for Shallotte.
Ryan Yaroshuk (Lurleen B. Wallace Community College) had a 3-run double for a 9-1 lead.
“Throughout the whole game, we had our chances to kind of put that game away,” said Shallotte coach James Rice. “It didn’t happen, but it’s the first game. I expect some mistakes to be made. That’s something we talked about with the guys who came in. I mean, they had a 7-run inning and what we talked about was winning the freebie war. They had less hits than they did runs, and we did too, which was why we were up early in that game as much as we were.
“So just talking with our relievers, they have to come in and be ready and stay aggressive. Being a reliever is hard, sitting for a majority of the game, then having to get loose and get going. So we’re going to keep working on that. We played pretty clean baseball. We’re looking to just keep growing.
“First game, I’m happy we pulled out a victory. It showed a lot of toughness at the end of the game for some of these guys that did come in. Chappel Conway came in in the ninth up one run and shut the door down, which that’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
Rice saw some good things as the Wags adjust to wood bats.
“Offensively I was pretty pleased,” he said. “We got our opportunities and we took advantage of them for the most part. I’m an aggressive guy. I like to do a lot of stealing, keep the ball moving as much as possible.”
And ultimately, Conway led the way to victory.
“He’s definitely a sidearm sub guy,” Rice said. “He threw a really good outing in our inner-squad game. That was the first time I got to see him compete on the mound, and I instantly knew I was going to use him towards the back end of the game in high leverage situations.
“We were actually not going to use him when we were up 9-1, but the situation called for it. We got him in there and he did his job. So I was really pleased with that.”
A good crowd came out for the Shallywags’ first game.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt)
Shallotte mayor Walter Eccard throws the ceremonial first pitch.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt)
The West Brunswick marching band played the national anthem.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt)
