HOLLY SPRINGS - It's been said by many opposing coaches over the years about Holly Springs pitcher Carlos Rodon. Middle Creek's Jeremy Thompson was just piling on.

"He's pretty daggone special," Thompson said.

The praise came after the Golden Hawks pitcher struck out 10 of the 19 batters he faced in five and two-thirds innings Tuesday night in a season-opening 4-0 Holly Springs win. Middle Creek managed just one hit — a single by catcher Ben Brown in the third.

Using an almost effortless throwing motion, the left-hander used his fastball in the low 90s to overpower Mustangs hitters. And just when a hitter thought he might catch up to the heater, the N.C. State recruit threw a breaking ball to get the batter out swinging.

"I only had to go to the breaking ball when I saw the hitters sitting fastball, just ready for the fastball the whole time," Rodon said. "I'd just throw a curveball or something off-speed and they'd be way out in front."

With some Major League Baseball scouts watching, Rodon was pulled from the game as his pitch count closed in on 90. Rodon wanted to stay in the game, just four outs away from a complete game. But his coach knew that it would be better for the senior's left arm if the work load was lesser at the beginning of the year.

Reluctantly, Rodon walked to the dugout to the cheers of the home crowd.

"It was probably a little more than I wanted, but early in the year, he's been throwing a lot but still wanted to kind of control that," Holly Springs coach Rod Whitesell said. "He wanted to stay on the mound. He wasn't too happy, but we had to do what was right for him."

As prolific as Holly Springs was defending behind Rodon, committing zero errors, the Hawks managed only four hits in support of their pitcher. Middle Creek junior pitcher Jimmy Boyd, who also went five and two-thirds innings, struck out three, gave up three hits and walked four.

But the difference was in the field, where the Mustangs committed three errors and had three passed balls that advanced Hawks baserunners.

Holly Springs took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after a leadoff double by Rodon was followed up two batters later with an RBI single by junior catcher Joey Roach.

"The first run was big," Whitesell said. "It ended up 1-0 and they made a couple of mistakes and we were able to take advantage of them."

In the second inning, the Hawks again got their leadoff man in for a score -- this time in an unusual way.

Designated hitter Kevin Fortier struck out swinging, but the ball got past Brown and rolled to the backstop, allowing Fortier to advance to first on a dropped third strike. Two more passed balls allowed Fortier to move to third. Boyd walked the Hawks' Kendall Thorpe to put runners on the corners when shortstop A.J. Sconzo grounded into a 4-3 putout that scored Fortier from third.

With zero hits in the inning, the Hawks increased their lead to 2-0 after the third. Middle Creek's defensive gaffes led to two more runs in the fourth.

An error by left fielder Keenan Herring put Rodon on second to lead off the inning. A double by Wes Conover brought in pinch runner David Hudspeth, and a throwing error by Boyd trying to get Hudspeth out at home allowed Conover to move to third.

Another passed ball brought in Conover from third.

"The bottom line is, [the Hawks] made every play they were supposed to make," Thompson said. "They did a good job with the bats several times when they needed to, and we didn't help much by making mistakes when we didn't need to."

The four-run cushion was more than enough for Whitesell's team to hold on.

"With Carlos on the mound we have a chance to win every time," Whitesell said.

The two programs have accounted for at least of share of the previous two Tri-Nine Conference championships. For the second year in a row, it was one of the harder season-openers the other could ask for.

"Without a doubt, this is one of the best opening games you can have. It'd be nice if it wasn't in conference, but it's kind of tough when it is in conference," Thompson said. "Especially when you're facing a guy throwing 90 miles an hour who knows what he's doing up there. He threw a whole lot of strikes, didn't walk many guys."

The two teams open up the season in different ways: Holly Springs is off the rest of the week while Middle Creek will play three more games -- part of a seven-game, 10-day stretch.

"At the end of two weeks, we'll know what we got," Thompson said. "We'll definitely be better. They're a good team, there's no shame in losing to those guys."

Rodon said he felt loose on the mound for the Hawks, which is what they'll need if they want to reach their team of goal of advancing deeper than last year's third-round exit in last year's playoffs.

"They want to put it all together," Whitesell said. "We feel like we've got a chance if we keep working to get better."