With runners at first and second and one out in the bottom of the fifth, senior shortstop Mark King delivered a win for the Southern Alamance High School baseball team in royal fashion. The Patriots entered the inning with an 8-0 lead over Chatham Central. Down 0-2 in the count, King smashed a double into left field, scoring both runners, including senior Adam Couturier and securing the walk-off 10-0 run-rule win March 27. 

“I just kept it simplified,” King said. “Saw the ball as long as I could, got the barrel to it.”

As King rounded first base, he said he was unsure if his hit would clear the bases, but he was happy nonetheless when his teammates poured out of the dugout to celebrate the victory.

“I saw Coach Smith put his hands up and Adam just kept on running,” King said. “I was pretty excited. I was like, ‘I’m hungry. Time to go.’”

The double capped off a perfect night for King, who went 3-for-3 with a walk.

“I actually wasn't seeing the ball as good as I have in the past, so I cut my stride out and just went from a no stride and got the barrel there as quick as possible,” King said.

Shifting his stride wasn’t the only thing different about this game for King. He typically bats cleanup but was penciled in the leadoff spot for the first time this season. Southern Alamance head coach Jason Smith said he liked the change and thought King settled in well at the top of the order when compared to their previous leadoff hitter, Noah Madren

“He swung at good pitches,” Smith said. “He was more comfortable in that role than Noah. Noah was there, and Noah just didn't feel as comfortable there. We put Noah back in his cleanup spot, and they both seem to like their spots better.”

King accounted for three of the team’s seven total hits. Chatham Central head coach Brett Walden said King and the rest of the lineup was able to capitalize on mistakes made by his pitching staff.

“We were behind most of the night,” Walden said. “If you're trying to pitch behind, it's very difficult to get guys out.”

Southern Alamance improved to a 10-2 record and will look to build upon the non-conference victory before its next conference match at home against Person High School at 7 p.m April 1. For King and the rest of the Patriots, the mindset remains the same.

“We competed,” King said. “We competed very well in the batter's box. We saw a lot of pitches, made a lot of competitive at-bats every time, and we just passed it down.”