Saturday, July 25, 2009

Midgets and Legion Lose

Today was a tough day for baseball in Nash-Rocky Mount area as both the Rocky Mount Midgets (9/10) year old all stars lose 9-7 in Erwin. In Greenville, Post 58 met maybe the best pitcher in the Legion tournament in Nick Lomascolo from the NCHSAA 3-A State Champs Lake Norman and lost 5-4.

The Little leaguers lead at one point 7-5 but were beaten in the winners bracket game 9-7. They will play again at 2.00pm Sunday against Hickory.

There are three teams left in Erwin and Lee County the team that beat Rocky Mount today will wait for the winner of the Rocky Mount- Hickory game. Who ever wins that game meets Lee County in the second game Sunday afternoon. Lee County wins it's all over or if the Rocky Mount/Hickory winner beats Lee County they will come back and play the championship game Monday.

In Greenville Alex Pearce got the start for Post 58 and Pearce walked a couple of batters and a critical error and one timely hit gave Mooresville a 2-zip lead in the first. The further Pearce pitched the better he got and he made it all the way to the first batter in the eighth inning.

Xavier Macklin lead off the bottom of the third slapping a line shot down the left field line for a double. Ben Fish hit a fly ball to left that was deep enough to get Macklin to third base. LoMascolo unleashed a wild pitch and Post 58 was on the board.

Up again in the bottom of the fifth Xavier Macklin hit a home run into the ECU Jungle minus the ECU students but regardless of how many were there the game was tied after five innings.

The opening batter of the eighth inning walked on four straight pitches and Matt Bryan took Alex out of the ball game. Bill Clark came in and the first batter greeted him with a swinging bunt that never traveled more than fifteen feet but was beat our for a hit. A sacrifice and a single and Mooresville lead 4-2. Another post 58 error allowed one more run to score to give Mooresville a 5-2 lead that held until the bottom of the ninth.

Xavier Macklin lead off with a single and Ben Fish follow that with the second home run of the game for Post 58 to cut the lead to 5-4. Two easy outs brought us to the last batter.

Dillon Cockrell had no balls and two strikes and somehow wriggled into a walk. Mike Smith got konked between the shoulders. Mooresville then made a pitching change. Mike Williams struck out on three pitches. There was magic in the ninth but not enough.

Lomascolo struck out fourteen Batters in pitching eight and two thirds innings. He allowed six hits and walked two and hit a batter.

Alex Pearce took the loss giving up just four hits and struck out four in seven innings, but he did walk six batters. Only two of Mooresville five runs were earned.

Post 58 plays at three pm at Guy Smith Stadium in the losers bracket against Shelby who lost 11-7 to Wimington.

Just before the start of the fourth game tonight there was an opening ceremony with all the teams on the field and there was to be a first pitch delivered. But during the ceremony one of the umpires who was line up like the players passed out on the field. Rescue came on the field and while they were working on the UMP a Player for Cherryville passed out. The fourth game was delayed more than a hour before the final game of the day got started between Cherryville and Greenville Post 39.

Even worse news to report as while the rescue was on the field a fight broke on in the stands and between1-3 fans were removed from the game depending on who's story you believe. All three fans regardless of how many were from Cherryville.

Last word that neither the ump or player was taken to the hospital.