Gryphons Back On Track

When you are the defending state champion, you can expect to see the other teams' No. 1 starter.

That was the case again Thursday as Roanoke Rapids sent UNC-Wilmington signee Tyler Deloatch to the hill in Roanoke Rapids against the Gryphons.

Deloatch is the fourth straight D-I recruit that the Gryphons have faced in their four games (South Granville's Josh Darroach - unsigned; Wesleyan Christian's Logan Self - Campbell; J.H. Rose's Tanner Merritt - ECU).

After pitching his ace on Tuesday, RM head coach Pat Smith chose to pitch his No. 3 starter in shortstop Dillon Cockrell and he rewarded Smith with four innings of one-hit baseball. Sophomore Benton Moss pitched the last three innings in relief allowing only one hit as Rocky Mount edged the Yellow Jackets 3-2.

All three Gryphon runs scored with the bases loaded, two on walks and one scored on a hit batter.

Deloatch struck out 14 of the 18 Gryphons he got out, but in between, Brian Goodwin had a double, Gabe Brown, Carter Varnell, Ben Fish and Thomas Berry all had singles mixed in with the walks and errors supplied by the Yellow Jackets.

The duo of Cockrell and Moss combined to strike out seven and allowed just two hits as the Gryphons have now started out winning three out of their first four.

Weather permitting, Rocky Mount travels to Durham Riverside Saturday to take on the No. 4-ranked 4-A team in the state.

In all three Gryphon victories this year, the starting pitching has thrown at least four inning and in each game allowed only one hit through four innings.

The Gryphons' top three starters have all won one game apiece with Hobbs Johnson, Benton Moss joining Cockrell with victories. Johnson and Moss each have a save to go along with a save provided by Nick Hahula in the season-opening win.

As reported a couple of days ago, Xavier Macklin and his N.C. A&T teammates played in Raleigh Wednesday against N.C. State in baseball. Macklin, the Nash Central grad, knocked in a run in the first inning, but it wasn't enough as the Wolfpack pounded A&T 16-3.

One day last week I predicted State and Davidson would be a first-round NIT matchup in basketball. After tonight, the Wolfpack awaits an NIT bid as any thoughts of winning the ACC Tournament are dashed by Maryland in first-round play The Wolfpack has played well in a lot of games - just well enough to lose.