Opportunity Knocks

Wally Pipp was hit in the head while batting way back in the 1920's. The next day while he still had double vision a rookie named Lou Gehrig got his chance and never came out of the lineup until near death.

If you go on the Dallas Cowboy website they will tell you that the deepest position that they have is wide receiver. There is talk of keeping six wide receivers when the season starts. Terrell Hudgins is not one of the six names being mentioned.

Friday during training camp at Dallas Dez Bryant the guy who will not carry the veterans bags sprained his ankle an is expected to miss all of the preseason. Opportunity knocks for Terrell Hudgins. The high price that Dallas paid for Dez Bryant Terrell is not trying to take his job. His goal is to beat out the #five or six receiver to make the team.

I am sure we will get to see Terrell often whenever Dallas is on a network preseason game. Once the first quarter is over the rookies get their chance to shine. He needs to catch every pass that comes his way. Once it is caught he will need to break tackles and run for extra yardage.

I have talked about Jimmy Hunter many times and even spoke of him yesterday. His rookie season was 1965. He spent 1964 rehabbing his foot which he nearly shot off during Christmas of 1963. Once he signed his contract on the top of the dugout at Memorial Stadium in Greensboro after his high school team had lost the 1964 state championship game, Charles Finley sent him to the Mayo Clinic and they removed all the buckshot they could from his foot. The remainder of 1964 he stayed in Charles Finley's home in Chicago.

The spring training of 1965 Kansas City was going to assign him to their minor league team when two days before camp broke Lew Krause who was a starting pitcher got hurt and had to be put on the disabled list. Hunter took his spot and never went to the minors.

Sports you hear all the time about players who take advantage of a break. Most of the time those breaks are injuries to other players. Terrell Hudgins has four preseason games in which to impress and turn heads of Jerry Jones and the Dallas coaches.

Joyner Makes Summer league All Star Team

Former Northern Nash Pitcher and now ECU Freshman Tyler Joyner recently made the New England College Baseball Summer League all star team playing for Laconia Muskrats.

Only pitching just over an inning for ECU in the spring Joyner needed work this summer and he has gotten it. He leads the Muskrats in innings pitched 45. He has struck out 53 in those innings. He has a 2-2 record and a great 1.97 era.

How silly is it for any news media put out a preseason all conference team. I was looking at the list the media voted on for the ACC preseason all conference team and there are two players on the list that might not even play.

There is the Carolina player whose eligibility is in question by the NCAA whether he has been receiving gifts and money from an agent. State has a player on the preseason picks that has a pending trial.

Seems to me there are a lot of people who don’t have anything to do but make stuff up. A preseason anything team is one of those made up deals.

I would like to pass only my congrats to Benton Moss and Hobbs Johnson who were named to the all state baseball team last week.

I’m stills scratching my head after Matthew Berry failing to make all conference in baseball this past high school season. He hit right at 450 on the season. Just to prove it wasn’t a fluke Matthew hit around 425 for Post 58 legion team. He’s a hitting machine.

Monday is August first and high school sports are officially practicing. The first games of the fall are around August 15th depending on what sport it is.

The oil well is finally capped in the Gulf and hopefully we can finally say the worse is over. It may still happen but it seems that what we all envisioned as oil washing ashore in North Carolina will not happen.

There are reports that BP and the Coast Guard are saying that their skimming operation has taken all the oil on top of the water and it is gone. We know some of it has come ashore along the Gulf Coast. Just how much has sunk to the bottom and we might not know about for fifty years is a big question to me.

Will there ever be fishing again in the Gulf? Just five years ago New Orleans was flooded and people were moving from the area in droves. We deal with life every day. The next problem is just around the corner.

TOO Many Agents

Heard on ESPN a couple of days ago that there are 3,000 agents which are approved by the NFL to negotiate on behalf of any NFL players or perspective players. That to me is the problem with agents.

The are 32 teams who have approximately 60 players on each roster which comes out to 1920 players in the NFL. 3,000 agents, 1,920 players, seems that the ratio is backwards. There should be 1920 agents and 3,000 players. There are just plain too many agents who don’t have a client out there drumming up business by trying to be the first to contact a player.

We have all heard the old saying "Too many chiefs and not enough Indians". This case is clearly "too many agents and not enough players".

I had a close up experience in my life way back in the day when an agent made contact with a player. Back then there was no such thing as an agent. I was in a car heading to an American Legion game and riding in that car with me was Jimmy Hunter the top high school pitcher in North Carolina back in 1962 and 1963.

The driver of the car was Carlton Cherry who was a tobacco chewing country lawyer from Ahoskie who was a Legion member driving the car heading to a game. Since I was the batboy I was in the front seat and Jimmy Hunter sat beside me as we traveled down the highway.

Like any time you get in a car with a group of people there had been many conversations during our trip. There was one about all the scouts that were flocking to Hertford to watch Jimmy pitch and at that time he was only a junior in high school. Cherry said to Hunter that at some point in time you will be in need of someone to look after your affairs and I want you to know I will help you if you would like me too.

Twelve years later that country lawyer who had a spit cup in his car for his tobacco chewing made Jimmy Hunter the first millionaire baseball player in major league history.

There was never any money passed only a conversation of interest by one party to another. Those were the simply days.

Last night Kernersville won the State American Legion State championship in Asheboro beating Whiteville. Earlier Cherryville had knocked Kernersville from the unbeaten ranks but then lost to Whiteville to play in last night’s final game. Kernersville will now advance to the Legion Southeast Regional in Columbia Tennessee.

Sunday Post 58 was knocked from the tournament by Kernersville by ten runs. It is never easy to lose but it is comforting to know when you get waxed by somebody that they are the best. The Southeast regional begins August 5th and Kernersville will be representing us as well as all of the State of North carolina .

"Baseball" Heads To College Coaching

Former Rocky Mount High school football and baseball player Britt Johnson has accepted a position of assistant baseball coach at Division II Lander College in Greenwood South Carolina.

Since his graduation from East Carolina where he was a walk-on football player Johnson has served as an assistant coach in football and baseball at Nash Central. He has just completed his first summer as assistant coach of the Post 58 American Legion team who for the second year in a row made it all the way to the State Tournament.

I think that those of us who have known Britt over the years have seen that he has a great future in coaching. His Senior season playing Gryphon baseball was my first experience with Britt. His lack of playing time did not slow his passion for the game. Since then he has been involved with Babe Ruth coaching and has been part of teams that have made it to the World Series.

Lander College has about three thousand students and is located about forty miles south of Greenville SC. The Bobcats play in the Peach Belt Conference which is the same conference as UNC Pembroke.

Johnson who just turned 26 earlier this month has the opportunity to now explore to see if college baseball is where his life was intended. College offers don't come everyday to high school coaches and Britt is young enough that it is easier to return to high school coaching later than it is to get into college coaching later in life.

Good Luck "Baseball"

News from the NFL: J J Arrington is trying to find a home with the Denver Broncos. Having had Knee Microfracture Surgery in 2009 the former Northern Nash Knight will be wearing number 26 for the Broncos.

Southern Nash product Julius Peppers is in a new home this summer having signed in the off season with the Chicago Bears. I think the former all pro will be in the starting lineup for the Bears and he also is wearing his old number 90.

Terrell Hudgins is still in his first week of summer football camp of the Dallas Cowboys. When ever Dallas plays during the preseason on TV Terrell will be wearing number 14.

I just found this out tonight by going on the Buffalo Bills web site but Stephan Virgil was cut by the Bills at the end of one of those off season weekend workouts. Stephan is looking now for a new team to try out for.

I haven't given you and update lately on Lauren Doughtie who has now played in 13 events on the Futures Tour. She sits 104th on the money earnings and if she finishes at 90th or better she will be exempt next year on the Futures Tour. She has shot a 67 as her best score of the year but she has had a couple of rounds in the low 80's. Her average per round right now sits at 74.34 which has improved over the last few tournaments. She needs to get to where she shoots 70,71 and the bad round of the weekend is 74. Here lately she has done that better and has been in the money five times on the year. She has four tournaments left this season to make that top 90.

The Lull

Summer baseball has come to an end and we have a period of about three weeks before schools crank up and we are back into the sports business.

Wes and I are trying to sell Gryphon football. This year we are hoping to be on 1490 ESPN Radio. Wes has a new job which has taken him to an area of "there is more to life than sports" and right now my work is humming. We are having a hard time getting to see the people to sell ads for football. If you have been on in the past contact either of us if we have not already made a call on you. If you would like to be a part of Gryphon football for the first time this is a good year to advertise. There are seven road games and only four home games during the regular season.

NFL football camps have started and news already out of Dallas about Dez Bryant the rookie who would not carry the shoulder pads of some of the veteran players. It seems silly such a small item but if you ever played sports there is a bonding process that either rookies or freshman or whoever is the new guy in town. There has to be a respect for the game and Bryant doesn't have it . My guess he is the new T. O. of the NFL.

Terrell Hudgins is in camp at Dallas. Dallas is a good place to be since they throw the football a lot. An obstacle that Terrell has making the team is with all the money they paid Bryant that is a spot being taken by a rookie that Terrell could have gotten. Our hope is Terrell shines so brightly that Dallas keeps two rookie wide receivers.

All this talk about sports agents and contact with players is easy. There should be no contact until a players eligibility is up. PERIOD.

Monday is the official start date to football practice and any other fall sports in high school. Now a days with all of the training that goes on year round there really is no longer an official first practice day.

Sport Complex Was The Big Winner

Yesterday before the Senior Little League began their Championship games, the Breakfast Optimist Club of Rocky Mount Presented their award for the top performers in Rocky Mount Senior Little league as well as off the field in the class room and church. It is called the Melvin Newell Award, given for long time little league coach and recreation supporter.

There were four nominees and each was presented a trophy by the Breakfast Optimist and the nominees were Christian Tafoya, Kyle Holland,Tyler Barrett and Forrest Bell. There was a tie for first place and the two winners received a plaque for their efforts and the two winners were Tyler Barrett and Forrest Bell.

There were four division winners yesterday in the Tar Heel Little League State Championships held at the Sports Complex. One of those winners was the American League team from Rocky Mount in the Midget (9/10). The real winner of the weekend was the facilities. Despite the oppressive heat the Complex handled the crowds and 60 games with ease.

Talking with some of the Tar Heel officials Rocky Mount very well might be offered to be the permanent home of the Tar Heel State Championships. That is truly an honor considering this is the first time ever that all four divisions played at the same site and there were very few hiccups.

Omaha Nebraska is the home for College baseball's World Series. That is an outstanding place to have it due to the fact very few teams from Nebraska ever make it to the World Series.

Shelby North Carolina has made an offer to become the permnanent home of the American Legion World Series. They just held it there in 2008 and it was one of the best attended ever. Shelby will host again in 2011 and have offered to keep it every year through 2015. Then in 2015 decide whether it should stay in Shelby.

Hosting the Little League is different because the host city gets and automatic team in the tournament. Will other Tar Heel towns go for one of the best cities for Little league Baseball get an automatic bid every year?

If the tournament was here every year our players would lose that experience of going to Hickory or Valdese. Those are special memories going for four days to the mountains trying to win a State championship.

There is no doubt that the Tar Heel Little league incorporated would be better off with every thing at one site. Unless someone who was here this weekend looks at what we have and says we want that too, there is no other complex in the state that can put on a tournament with 32 teams and get it done in four days as we did.

The City officials who gave the go to build the complex to those who run the recreation department from Lynn Driver on down to the man picking up the trash. Rocky Mount came out the big winner this weekend.

The sad thing about all this as great achievement as this was for our city. There was not one mention about it in the paper, no radio coverage from the area and even local TV which I was a part off didn't even tape the championship game with Rocky Mount in it.

It is a sad state of affairs when something as great as what happened here this weekend went unnotticed by those who could have told others. If there had of been a murder on the property we would have made national news.

Whether it is the radio or newspapers they scratch their heads when they wonder why revenues are down. Our local news media has forgotten a basic principle of their business. The local folks want to know whats happening here not Greenville or Raleigh. They missed a big Public service to the community this weekend.

Midgets Win Title.

The American League Midget (9/10) little league all stars have won the Tar Heel State Tournament which was played at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex this weekend.

The Rocky Mount Recreation Department sent five teams to play in three different tournaments and the American League Midgets were probably the least likely team of the four that played in the Senior and Midget tournament to win.

Several weeks ago when the city had a shootout between the American and National Midgets all stars to see who would be the host team in this weeks tournament, the National won the two out of three which sent the American League to the District tournament. They lost the championship game there but our district was sending two teams this year from the district tournament.

Jeremy Stewart's team took advantage of getting invited despite not winning the shootout or district and go undefeated in this tournament to win the Tar Little League Midget division. Their four games they won Thursday 13-3, Friday 15-13, Saturday 13-2 and today beat Zebulon 15-6 to win the title. This is the third State title for the Rocky Mount Midget division.

While Jeremy huddle up with his team before the awards ceremony I went into their huddle an invited them to appear with me next Sunday Night on the Stretchlon Sports Show.

Today did not go as smoothly for the Senior Little league American league team coached by Joe Bell. The only team undefeated all they had to do is win one out of two games today and it did not happen as the Senior American League lost a double header 11-10 and 6-5. The winning run was scored by Clayton in the bottom of the sixth inning to win the state crown.

This is the the forth straight year that a team has come out of the losers bracket to win the Senior title.

The news is not good at all from Asheboro in the State American Legion Tournament. Today Post 58 gets nine hits but could produce but three runs while Kernersville score four in the first enough to win this day but they added nine more before the game ended in the eighth inning.

Parker Helms had three hits,Matthew Berry had a couple along with Spencer Bell. Kyle Norville and Mike Smith closed out their Legion Careers with a hit. Not enough pitching and timely hitting and Post 58 comes home in two straight games for the second year in a row.

Even though Post 58 picked the last two games of the season to play their two worse games you have to remember they are still one of the top eight North Carolina Legion teams for the second year in a row.

Rocky Mount goes for Double State Titles

There have been whispers ever since the announcement was made that Rocky Mount was hosting all four divisions in the Tar Heel Little League State championship that Rocky Mount just might win a title in front of the home crowd.

I don't think in any one's wildest dreams they thought that two titles was possible. Tonight, it is possible as two team in two different divisions stand undefeated and must lose twice in two games not to win a title.

The Midgets winner's bracket game saw Jeremy Stewart's 9/10 year-old team remain undefeated as it won in four innings 13-2. At 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, the American League Midgets go for the crown. If they win the 2 p.m. game, they are then State Champs. A loss and they play Zebulon again and their is no room for error in that one as it is for all the marbles. The American League team consists of: Silas Dorsey, Cody Fuller, David Harrison, Dylan King, Andrew Meade, Jacob Medlin, Zachery Patterson, Joshua Pittman, Tanner Rhodes, Tyler Sherrod and Will Stewart. Beside Jeremy Stewart, the Midgets are also coached by Matthew Dorsey and Bruce Rhodes.

If you thought getting two in the championship games was unbelievable, there was almost a third. Sam Toler's National Senior League team won twice in the losers' bracket to get to Saturday's two games. In the 1 p.m. loser's bracket game, the National League won setting up a battle with Clayton to get to the Championship game on Sunday. The Nationals had a 6-2 lead, but Clayton scored nine in one inning to knock the the Nationals to third in the state winning 13-7.

Beating the National League, this set up the state championship Sunday as Clayton must beat Joe Bell's American League squad who at 1 p.m. Saturday beat Clayton in the winner's bracket game 16-5, but it took six inning to get that score. The Senior Little League American League will join the Midget American League team in the finals and unfortunately, they both play at the same time - 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Senior Little League unit consists of Forrest Bell, Whit Casper, Wes Drake, Cody Goff, Will Hedgepeth, Blake Helms, Justin Hicks, Kaelan-James Jones, Zack Keeter, John Michael Kelly, Chad Nelms, Logan Pearce and Dawson Sikes. Joe Bell is joined by by veteran Little League coach Norman Chambliss and Jim Keeter.

Forrest Bell and Blake Helms have brothers playing on Post 58 American Legion team playing in Asheboro in the state legion tournament. Talk about putting pressure on the family as to who go follow. Joe Bell is, of course, Spencer and Forrest Bell's dad and he will be leading the American League team at the Sports Complex Sunday afternoon. Parker Helms is Blake's brother.

Speaking of Legioin, it plays in the loser's bracket game at 9.30 Sunday morning having lost today 10-8 to Rutherford County.

It's suppose to be hotter tomorrow than today, but come to the Sports complex and watch two Little League teams from Rocky Mount try to win state titles.

I would like to close with a praise of the Lord tonight. The 15 youth and seven adults of Sunset Avenue Baptist Church returned from their trip to North Pole, Alaska. This was a World Changer event and some worked on houses, others worked a week long yard sale raising money while others spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They traveled over 9,000 miles and made five jet flights and travel in vans more 700 miles.

They had fun while there going to a dog sled training facility, took a boat cruise and stuck their feet in the cold Pacific Ocean. Morgan's highlight of the trip was meeting the real Santa Claus who was home at the time they stopped by.

Praise God they all got home safe.

Coleman Pitt Post 58 opened play in the State championships in Asheboro this morning and there is just not enough cliches to use for this game so I won't use any. Rocky Mount collected only five hits and had opportunity to score twenty runs but it didn't happen.

I don't know whether it was a state Tournament record or not but it should be, Rutherford County pitchers hit eight batters and at one time three in a row. If that's not enough RC pitchers walked nine Rocky Mount batters. The RC defense helped all it could by making three errors. All that help from RC, Rocky Mount inning after inning couldn't get the big hit to blow the game open. Post 58 left 17 runners on base.

Rutherford County used the long ball, three homers two by Steven Crowe to drive in five runs. Dillon Pipp had a two run shot and a double scored two more. RC added a big run in the bottom of the eighth to head into the bottom of the ninth ahead 10-8.

Robert Johnson got Post 58 out in the ninth and Coleman Pitt Post 58 loses it's third straight game in the State Tournament in the last two years 10-8. Tyler Clark drove in three runs for Post 58 but 58 just didn't get the big hit to win the game.

Parker Helms failing to get out of the third inning takes the lost for Post 58. Trellis Ashley and Jeremy Trevathan finished the game for Rocky Mount on the hill.

The temperature was 93 degrees at games end but the field at Asheboro is artificial so the temperature on the field was estimated at 109.

Post 58 hits the losers bracket at 9.30 Sunday morning as they wait for the loser of Whiteville-Kernersville which will play at 4.30 .

Tar Heel Tournament Continues

Parts of Nash County got heavy rains around two pm Friday but at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex Mother Nature gave all the infields just enough water to settle the dust.

The Senior 11/12 Little league winners bracket game saw Rocky Mount American League all stars survive a pitchers duel and out score Hickory 2-0. This puts Joe Bell's Squad in the winner bracket Saturday game. The winner of that game will be sitting pretty as they are headed to the championship game Sunday while the loser will play again Saturday trying to make it to Sunday's finals.

Losing on Thursday night the Senior Little league National League team played a losers bracket game at 3.00pm. Sam Toler's bunch beat Hickory 13-2. This put them right back on the field against Ahoskie at 5.00pm and the National dispose of Ahoskie in four innings 11-1. Those two ten run wins saved Toler's pitching numbers as they will try to win twice again on Saturday.

Both of the Senior little league teams from Rocky Mount hit the diamond Saturday at 1.00pm. If the American wins their third game in three days they will wait for who ever comes out of the losers bracket. The Nationals must win at 1.00pm and turn around an play again. It is possible that if the American league loses their one pm game and the Nationals win their one pm game they will square off against each other with the winner going to the championship series and the loser finishing third in the state.

The Midget division 9/10 year old Jeremy Stewart's American league team won their winners bracket game today 15-13 to move to a one pm game Saturday. Tim Killebrew's National league squad who lost their opening game Thursday knocked off North Johnston 7-6 in their three pm game but fell in their second game to Hickory 7-5 knocking them out of the tournament.

The Rocky Mount Coach Pitch (7/8) team headed by Chad Fluno and Brad Bazemore played their opening game tonight and ran into a really good West Raleigh team that played excellent defense and scored enough runs to top the Nationals 7-0. This throws the Rocky Mount National Coach Pitch team into a loser bracket game at 3.00pm. Should they survive that they play again at 4.30 and if they win that another game at 6.00pm. Now you see why winning is so important that the winners bracket only has to win their one game each day while the losers bracket teams get worn out.

Post 58 Legion squad from Rocky Mount is in Asheboro waiting for a 9.30am Saturday morning start to their State Championship tournament. If they win it will throw them to 4.30pm Sunday. A lost and they are back on the diamond at 9.30 Sunday Morning playing to stay alive in the double elimination tournament.

There are two web site in which you can go to to hear the Legion game.The first one is http://www.wkxr.com/2010.html or htt://www.wkxr.com/live.html

Tar Heel Tournament Off And Running

The State Championships for Tar Heel Little League Baseball got underway tonight at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex and there were two common themes. It was hot and all the parking spaces were gone. Before we ever talk about who won the ball games, the big winner of the day was the Complex.

Lynn Driver, Athletic Director for the Complex, welcomed everyone at the opening ceremonies on the Rotary Field while 24 teams stood behind their teams signs in the outfield. Rocky Mount Mayor David Combs welcomed everyone to the city. The Tar Heel Little League Board of Directors was introduced as well as the umpires calling the games. Each team was announced to roars of approval from those who traveled far and wide to be in Rocky Mount this night.

Those youngsters who played on the National Senior Little League State Championship team last season saw the plaque on which their names are inscribed. It hangs on the fence as you enter the Little League end of the Complex. Driver reminded every team that losing the first game does not mean you can't win the tournament. Last year's National League winner lost its first game, then won six straight games in three days to win the title.

As the host of the tournament this year, Rocky Mount had an automatic qualifier in each age group. The Senior Little League National League, along with the Midgets Little League Nationals, had beaten the American League All-Stars last month and both got a free pass to the state tournament. They both lost tonight.

The senior 11/12-year old National League team who drew a tough draw in round 1 lost to North Raleigh 4-3. The National Midget team lost 8-3 to Williamston. Since neither of these teams had to go through the district tournament and both had played in many prep tournaments, being the host was no advantage tonight.

On the other hand, the American League Senior teams and Midget teams both won and advanced to the winner's bracket in the second round. Joe Bell's Seniors beat Hickory 11-7 and Jeremy Stewart's 9/10 year-old squad won 13-3 in four innings over Angier.

The winner's bracket plays again at 1 p.m. Friday afternoon, so the American Senior League plays on field No. 4, while the American Midgets play on field No. 5 also at 1 p.m. Their reward? They play in the heat of the day.

There is no reward yet for the National Senior League team coached by Sam Toler. It hits the loser's bracket at 3 p.m. and if it wins, it will play again at 5 p.m.

The same situation goes for Tim Killebrew's National League Midgets. They play a loser's bracket game at 3 p.m. and if they win, they play again at 5 p.m. - both games on field No. 6.

Let's throw the Coach Pitch 7/8 year old players into action. They start their tournament at 5.30 p.m on field No. 1.

Richard Sarmiento did two games tonight for WHIG-TV's Stretchlon Sports Show as he covered the Senior Rocky Mount teams and I covered the Midgets. I'll be behind the mic at the Rocky Mount Coach Pitch game Friday.

It's loads of fun and costs only $4. The Rocky Mount teams start play at 1 p.m.

Legion Heads To Asheboro Area One Champs

Coleman-Pitt Post 58 from Rocky Mount has won its second straight Area I championship tonight in Cary beating Post 67 by an 8-2 count. Tonight's win will put Post 58 on the diamond in the very first game of the state championships Saturday morning.

They will be playing either Area IV second place finisher Rutherford or Cherryville. Those two were playing their third and deciding game for the area four title tonight in Cherryville. Cherryville, if it should win the area title, it would be its fourth in a row and 15th in its history. Remember, Post 58 plays the loser of that game. Note: Cherryville did win that series and Post 58 plays Rutherford Saturday morning.

Post 58 will be heading to Asheboro Friday to take part in the opening ceremonies which includes a picnic for all the teams involved in the tournament and they will stay over to play early Saturday morning.

Post 58 was led by Tyler Clark who collected two hits and a home run. He was joined by Thomas Berry and Kyle Norville with two hits each. Cameron Ramsey also hit a homer for 58.

Hobbs Johnson got the start for Post 58 in three innings of work gave up the two-run homer. Coach Hank Jones then gave the pitching staff some work without wearing anyone out. Jeremy Sloop tossed a couple of innings. He was followed by Parker Helms who pitched two. Jeremy Trevathan and Bill Clark got an inning a piece. In six innings of shutout relief tonight, Post 58's relieving corps allowed only one run to Cary in over 15 innings of work in this series.

Cary only scored two runs which came on one swing of the bat for a two-run homer by Drew Woodall. Post 58 pitching held Post 67 to eight hits. Post 58 pounded out 12.

Regardless of the outcome in Asheboro, for the second year in a row, Post 58 is one of the top eight teams in the state. This is a double elimination tournament.

The Rocky Mount Recreation Department starts tomorrow what no one else in the state has ever tried - hosting all four age groups in the Tar Heel Little League State Tournament.

Why has no one else ever done it?

There is no other recreation department facility in the state that can handle four different tournaments all at one time. There is one catch to that. Yes, others can host all of them, but it would take a week to do it. The sheer number of fields available at the Sports Complex makes the difference, and barring rain, the tournaments will end Sunday.

Thursday night at 5 p.m. on field No. 7, there will be an opening ceremony. Both the 9/10 and 11/12 and 13/14 year-olds kick off their tournaments starting at 6 p.m.

Four of Rocky Mount's five teams in the tournament will begin play first at 6 p.m. and both the 9/10 and 11/12 National all stars hit the field in their first round games. The very next games on the same field the 9/10 and 11/12 American League All-Stars play in their first games. The National League Senior Little League team, coached by Sam Toler, is the defending state champions which the National League won last year in Valdese, N.C.

The last Rocky Mount team the Coach Pitch 7/8 year-old All-Stars hit the diamond for the first time Friday night at 5.30. By that time, all four of the teams that played on Thursday will have already played Friday afternoon games in their second round.

Show your support for all our teams. Admission is $4. The tournament starts out with 32 teams and if you figure with players and family each team has 50 people there to support them, there will be over 1,500 in attendance at the start Thursday night.

I will be there recording the Rocky Mount teams for The Stretchlon Sports Show Thursday. I don't know yet which games I will be on, but it doesn't matter as they are all representing us from Rocky Mount.

Good luck all Rocky Mount teams!

A Trip Back To Cary

There will be a game three in the two out of three series between Rocky Mount and Cary playing for the Senior Legion Area one championship.

Cary scored scored four times in the third off Post 58 starter Spencer Bell and took a 5-2 Lead . Dillion Rudio had a double scoring two runs to break a 2-2 tied.

Post 58 opened the night scoring a run in the first on an rbi single by Thomas Berry. Cary responded to tie the game in the bottom of the first. Tyler Clark lead off the top of the third with solo homer to right field to give Post 58 a 2-1 but Cary responded with the four runs in the bottom of the third. Bell would give up another run in the fourth before coach Hank Jones pulled Bell for Trellis Ashley. Ashley would once again do the job asked of him and finish the game for Post 58 not allowing another run in the game.

Cary Post 67 has knocked Post 58 starting pitching in the first two games of this series for 11 runs in only seven and two thirds innings but has been only able to score one run off the relieving staff in nine and one third.

The story of this game is Post 58 went nine up and nine down when reliever Daniel Sontag came on in the fourth, Sontag was relieved in the seventh by Caleb Clark and he preceded to get four more outs before Thomas Berry hit a solo homer to trim the lead to 6-3 which would be the final

score in the game.

Post 58 could only muster six hits, two by Thomas Berry, two by Collins Cuthrell, Tyler Clark, and Jeremy Sloop

Post 67 got 13 hits in the game but ten came off Bell in his three plus innings. Trellis Ashley in five and one third innings of relief allowed three hits walked only one.

Post 58 11 game winning streak is broken which is the second 11 game winning streak this year. should Post 58 go on another 11 games streak they would be near winning the Southeast regional by then. Trying to be optimistic

There will be a game three Wednesday night back in Cary. you can listen to the game on the Internet by going to Northcarolina.ihigh.com and clicking on live broadcast and there will be a choice of available games. Of course look for Cary-Rocky Mount.

Post 58 Up One game In Area Final

You know along the way this season I have made comments comparing this year's Legion team to last years which was the first time in a long time that Post 58 had made it to the finals in Legion Ball. When I go in the dugout to get the lineups the last few games coach Hank Jones will say something to me like "What do you mean last year is better than this year's team".

I think after tonight I have to admit this year's Post 58 team is better than last year. Last year was 20-6 so far this year is 23-5. This years team won eleven in a row at one point and since one lost are undefeated in the playoffs at 8-0 and were 3-0 after the lost of end the regular season.. That's is a 22-1 record over the last 23 games. Last years team hit in the short fences at Northern Nash. Gryphon Stadium is a longer poke to hit a homer. This year's team is averaging just about the same in run production. Only a few pitchers were reliable last year but this year's team I don't think there is one pitcher on the staff that Hank won't use at any time.

There is one other thing that I really like about this team. When you put a little pressure on them they respond. Case in Point, Last week when Collins Cuthrell was tossed from a game it was 2-2 at the time in the sixth inning, final score 6-3 Post 58. Even the next night without Cuthrell, Parker Helms filled in and played a big part in the victory.

Case in point: Tonight 58 jumps out to a 5-1 lead in the first on a bases loaded double by Matthew Berry clearing the bases. Spencer Bell and Mike Smith also had an rbi.

Cary had scratched a run across the plate in the first on Brandon Denton but going into the fifth inning Denton had yield five runs but not all was his fault. He was charged with three earned runs in four inning. Trellis Ashley pitch two good inning but the lead off batter for Cary in the top of the seventh hit a solo homer and Cary had tied the game 6-6.

Before that Post 58 had run themselves out of a couple of runs trying the first and third double steal of home which was out at home and being picked off third with the bases loaded. Matthew Berry belted his second double in the fourth to give 58 six runs.

Post 58 missed a chance in the seventh to score but would not be denied in the bottom of the eighth. Matthew Berry got his sixth rbi of the game with a two run homer to give 58 the lead 8-6. Just for good measure Spencer Bell got a hit ,stole second and Mike Smith collecting his fifth hit of the night drove in Bell.

Jeremy Trevathan held Cary Post 67 scoreless in the seventh and eighth and Bill Clark did the same in the ninth to give Post 58 a 9-6 victory of Cary . Game two of this series is in Cary Tuesday night at 7.00pm at Cary High school. If Post 58 wins Tuesday they are the Area one champions for the second year in a row. If it takes game three that will also be played in Cary at 7.00pm Wednesday.

Post 58 had 13 hits with Mike Smith having the night of his life going 5 for 5 and two rbi's. Matthew Berry was 3-5 with two doubles and a home run and six rbi's. Spencer Bell had two knocks with an rbi. Tyler Clark, Collins Cuthrell and Thomas Berry had a hit a piece.

Jeremy Trevathan gets the win but Trellis Ashley, Trevathan and Bill Clark pitched five innings of relief and only gave up one run.

Regardless of who wins this series both Cary and Rocky Mount are headed to the State American Legion Baseball Tournament in Asheboro Friday for the opening ceremonies. There will be a skills competition after the opening festivities.

Saturday Morning at 9.30 either Rocky Mount or Cary the winner of this week's battle will play in the first game of the tournament at 9.30. The loser of this week's action plays at 12.30 Saturday afternoon.

Post 58 sends the home folks home happy in their last appearance at home this season. All that is left is to finish this series in Cary and then Saturday the double elimination tournament in Asheboro. If they win the State the Southeast regional is in Columbia Tennessee.

A Hugh week Ahead

This week there will be six teams from Rocky Mount playing in baseball tournaments trying to win state championships. Five of those six will be playing right here in Rocky Mount as The Rocky Mount Recreation Department host the Tar Heel Little league State championship.

Thursday both the 9/10 year olds and the 11/12 will be on the field in back to back double headers. 5.30 Thursday night you can find these age 9/10 on one field and across the way the 11/12's crank up. As soon as they finish the second set of Rocky Mount teams play at 8.00pm.

The coach Pitch which is the 7/8 year olds don't begin until 5.30 Friday night. Sometime Friday we don't know at this time when the Coleman Pitt Post 58 American Legion team will play their first game. The time has not been set due to the fact their time to play will be determined by how they are seeded and that will not be known until after the up coming battle with Cary for the East Championship which starts Monday night in Rocky Mount. The winner will be seeded as the #1 team from the east and the loser as #2.

The midgets and Senior little league will play Friday afternoon in their second games in the double elimination tournament. Their times Friday will be determined by winning or losing on Thursday night.

Check out the Stretchlon Sports Show tonight at 8.00pm. We will be live and talk with a room full of folks taking part in the tournament being held here in Rocky Mount.

This week is state clinic week in Greensboro where all coaches head to Greensboro for meetings. Part of the entertainment each night is the East West all Star games and Rocky Mount will be front and center when the boys basketball game takes center stage. Head Gryphon basketball coach Mike Gainey will lead the East Boys and Tashawn Mabry will play in his last high school game before heading to Rhode Island for college basketball.

Post 58 will be home for the last time Monday night as they will host game one of the two out of three east playoff finals. Their last two home games there have been great crowds so for a good seat need to be there early. Game two and if necessary game three will be in Cary Tuesday and Wednesday

Our Modern World

Cary beat Clayton last night in legion ball and has advanced to play Post 58 in the East finals of the American Legion playoffs. Their victory plus Post 58's victory puts both teams in the state tournament starting Friday in Asheboro.

Cary and Rocky Mount will begin their two out of three for the #1 seed in the east Monday night at Gryphon Stadium. Cary is the higher seeded team but Cary High School is unavailable Monday night so game one will be played in Rocky Mount. Game two and if necessary game three will be played in Cary Tuesday and Wednesday. All this series is for is to claim the trophy as East champs so this series is big. East champs will be seeded higher in the state tournament.

Sunday night on the Stretchlon Sports Show we will be doing a live little league show to promote the upcoming Tar Heel Little league State tournament which starts Thursday at the sport complex. There will be four tournaments going on at once 7/8, 9/10,11/12 and 13/14 year old tournaments. Rocky Mount is well represented as they will field five teams in the weekend extravaganza.

Now to why my title tonight. This morning Pat and I took Morgan to RDU airport where she and 16 other youths and six adults left for North Pole Alaska. Sunset Avenue Baptist Church is heading to North Pole to work with World Changers next week repairing houses and spreading the gospel. I am proud of her and her commitment to Christ.

We did not come right back home but arrived around 8.00pm. We went on the Continental Airlines website and pulled up her flight and are tracking it as they zoom toward the top of the world. Right this minute as I write this they are passing the State of Washington heading up the Canadian border heading to Anchorage Alaska.

You know as I was growing up I never had air conditioning until I was 13. Color TV about the same time. When cable TV came along it was out of this world. Now I can sit in front of this contraption called a computer and watch a jet with our daughter and friends aboard and know where she is when I know she doesn't even know.

This surly is a modern world.

Post 58 Qualifies For State Tournament

Coleman-Pitt Post 58 will be heading to Asheboro next weekend but it will not be to visit the State Zoo. They beat Kinston again tonight 9-5 and swept the series and in doing so qualify to return to the state tournament for the second year in a row.

Weekend warrior Hobbs Johnson home for the weekend after this week at summer school at Carolina went the first five innings and left the game leading 6-3. He allowed six hits,walked three batters and struck out six. He picks up the win . Trellis Ashley pitched two scoreless innings and Bill Clark pitched two but he gave up two runs in the ninth.

All Nine starters collect at least one hit with Thomas Berry leading the way with three hits and four rbi's. Spencer Bell, Matthew Berry and Mike Smith had two each. T J Taylor had a hit with an rbi, Kyle Norville a double with two rbi's. Cameron Ramsey, Parker Helms and Tyler Clark reached base at least once with a hit.

Post 58 out hit Post 43 14-12. Post 58 put up three in the first. Scored once in the second and twice in the third to lead six nothing. Post 43 scratched one across in the fourth and two in the fifth to finish the night for Johnson.

Rocky Mount push another run across in the six and scored twice in the eighth to stretch the lead to 9-3 until Kinston scored twice in the ninth.

Rocky Mount even though they have qualified for the state tournament they still have the East title left starting Monday at either Cary or home against Clayton. What it amounts two they are playing for the #1 seed in the East which would throw them against a#2 seed from one of the other areas next weekend in their first game so the series next week is big for seedings in the state tournament.

This marks the second straight year Post 58 has made it to the double elimination State Tournament. Tonights win is number 22 on the season and they have yet to lose in the playoffs which is now at seven games.

Rocky Mount pitching in this series walked only seven batters in three games. Before tonight Kinston had walked 22 in two games and did not walk a batter tonight. Lead off batter Spencer Bell got hit in the bottom of the first was the only free pass tonight.

AsheBoro here we come Rocky Mount 9- Kinston 5

How Good Could They Be?

You hear this all the time from coaches. We need to keep the best players home. The college ranks hate to lose a top player from any North Carolina high school to Georgia or Florida State.

This is also true in local sports. This is the second summer in a row that Post 58 American Legion team from Rocky Mount is putting on a big push to make its second straight trip to the state baseball tournament.

Last season the trip to Greenville was a short one losing two straight one runs games in the double elimination tournament. If Post 58 can win tonight’s game before Kinston wins three they will return to this years tournament in Asheboro.

If you ask yourself the question, is this area a baseball area ? There is no doubt the answer is yes. Little league state titles,Babe Ruth titles and high school titles this area has had it share this last decade.

Whether legion can add a state title is to be seen. Legion has a rule that no player can play for two teams while playing legion. It is ok during the regular season but when the playoffs start you not eligible for legion playoffs.

Looking back at last year and comparing the two legion teams I think last years club was a better hitting team. This years is slightly better pitching. Both years we didn’t have all the best players in the area playing legion. Could we have won the state title last year if we did? Probably! Can we win it all with the team we have this year? Maybe! If we had all the area’s best players could we win it this year? Probably!

It is amazing with all the distraction players have these days that any of them want to spend their summers playing ball. Since sometime around May 25th Post 58 has played 26 games. That is about every other day. An away game puts you on the road by 3.00pm and in some cases midnight before returning home. Theses guys have to love it to want to do it this way during the summer. This doesn’t count practice time on days off.

I wish every player who is good enough to play legion would. Our high schools have talented players. When we put them all on the same team Nash County Legion is as good as it gets. We need them all to play for us not down the road.

Tonight Coleman Pitt Post 58 can punch it’s second straight ticket to the State Tournament. Yes there is one more series to go before the state tournament but both teams are in. Going into tonight Cary the team we beat last year leads Clayton two games to one. That series could end tonight also.

There was a nice crowd on hand Tuesday night. When you win and the games are important more people show up because you are winning and they are curious to see just how good you really are. If Post 58 wins tonight you will only have a chance to see this team once more in Rocky Mount. Who ever they play from the Raleigh area, that is a two out of three to be played in two days. Next weekend is the big show and that is in Asheboro.

Legion Goes For Sweep Friday Night at Home

Yes this year's Legion team has hit the ball and there has been some questions about how far our pitchers could carry the team the farther the playoffs continue. Tonight Parker Helms feeding off the Jeremy Sloop performance Tuesday night goes seven innings and holds Kinston to two runs and only one earned. When he left the game Post 58 lead 3-2.

Spencer Bell had given 58 the lead after three singled loaded the bases in the seventh and Bell's sac fly gave them the lead that they would not surrender.

A couple of walks and a Thomas Berry double gave Post 58 breathing room and brother Matthew drove in Thomas in the top eighth inning to stake Post 58 to a four run lead. Jeremy Trevathan pitched a scoreless eighth inning for Rocky Mount.

The game was tied 1-1 after one as after RM opened with a walk, a double by Collins Cuthrell, Thomas Berry sent a fly ball to left and T J Taylor scored. Kinston scored on a Tyler Potter single.

Mike Smith hit a solo homer for post 58 to give them a short lived 2-1 lead. Kinston came right back in the second on a Brad Hunter Double. The next five innings Parker Helms held Post 43 in check and gets credit for the win.

Rocky Mount can claim their second straight trip to the state tournament if they win game three Friday night at Gryphon Stadium.

Rocky Mount will play Friday's game without Collins Cuthrell who struck out in the sixth and as he was walking back to the dugout home plate umpire Ricky Crumpler rung him up. Michael Whitehead finished the game at shortstop. I would suspect that Parker Helms would play short Friday night.

Rocky Mount one game away from a return to state tournament, Friday night at Gryphon stadium.

Once again thanks to "DJ" Don Johnson for his inning by inning text. Tonight I was at the softball field where we did a double header for the Stretchlon Sports Show. SouthSide Baptist Beat Arlington Baptist two games to win both the regular season and tournament. Lee Gold the third baseman for Southside had 10 rbi's in both games to lead the way for SouthSide.

See at Gryphon Stadium Friday night.

Weather Cools Off Post 58

Game two of the the three out of five third round series game with Kinston has been rained out tonight in Kinston. This will now push game two to Thursday night in Kinston and the series will not return to Rocky Mount until Friday Night. If needed game four would be back in Kinston on Saturday and the deciding game would be Sunday in Rocky Mount. Post 58 only needs two more wins to clinch the series and advance to the state tournament in two weeks.

Sure do hope that the series is over by Sunday night as we are planning a big show Sunday on the Stretchlon Sports show. We will have a live show featuring Lynn Driver of the Rocky Mount Recreation Department and all six coaches to talk about their team that will be participating in the TarHeel Little league State Tournament.

Lynn will talk about Rocky Mount getting the State Tournament and the goings on at the Sports Complex. Both coaches from senior little league from the American and National League. Both of our Midget teams are in and one of the coach pitch teams have made the State. They will discuss their teams up coming chances of winning a state title in their division in front of the home folks in Rocky Mount.

The National league has won an All Star game. In Anaheim Tuesday night the Nationals beat the American league 3-1. It was the National's first win in 14 years.

Robbie Caldwell who has passed through both Carolina and N C State in his college football coaching career was hired today as the new coach at Vanderbilt. Bob Johnson resigned today and rumors are for health reason. Will pray for coach Johnson but am thankful for Robbie getting his shot as a head coach.

Finally there is probably not more known an owner of any sports team than George Steinbrenner of the New York Yankees. His death Tuesday at the age of 80 was not of a real surprise. He had been in failing health for some time. Steinbrenner would over pay for players just to keep some one else from getting them. I am sure if the truth be known many a team has put out the rumor that they were going to go after a player just to make George pay more for that player. Baseball will never be the same without him.

Post 58 Sloops Kinston

Let's get the bad new out of the way first. Jeremy Sloop walked the first batter of the game on four pitches. The second got a hit to left center where the throw coming to third the batter advanced to second. It would be 11 batters before Kinston got another runner on base. The first of the 11 straight outs was a fielders choice that scored the runner who walked. Then a sac fly score the only hit in the first inning. In the bottom of the first Post 58 left the bases loaded without scoring. That's it for the bad news.

Post 58 hitters got the leadoff Runner on in the first six innings. By the seventh the game was well in hand and Post 58 wins game one of the best three of five series with Kinston 10-2. Game two of this series is Wednesday night at Kinston High School at 7.00pm.

Jeremy Sloop pitched the best game of the season pitched by a Post 58 pitcher going eight innings allowing four hits , walked only that lead off batter and struck out five. Sloop probably could have pitched the ninth but there was no need and Hank Jones brought on Bill Clark who retired Kinston in order in the ninth. Taking Sloop out after eight did allow the crowd to show their appreciation for his effort when I announced his line score at the top of the ninth once Clark came in the game.

I said that Sloop retired 11 batters in a row after the first two got on base by that time Post 58 batters had retaken the lead in the bottom of the second. Spencer Bell lead off the second with a single, Mike Smith Walked and Cameron Ramsey knocked a double to drive in two. Ramsey would score on a sac fly by Collins Cuthrell.

Post 43 pitching helped Post 58 out by walking 12 batters and uncorked seven wild pitches. Thomas Berry opened the fifth with a double and scored on a single by Spencer Bell who was the only Post 58 hitter to get two hits in the game.

Post 58 blew the game open in the fifth after Tyler Clark drove in two runs with a single and Collins Cuthrell with an rbi single. Two other Runs crossed home on pitches that traveled until they hit the backstop. 58 closed out their scoring in the sixth after Kyle Norville lead off with a double and scored on a sac fly by Spencer Bell.

Tyler Clark, Collins Cuthrell, Spencer Bell and Cameron Ramsey had two rbi's a piece. Post 58 had only nine hits but 12 others reached by by free passes. Jeremy Sloop only had to pitch out of the stretch for six batters reached base, but after the first Sloop was in complete control for Hank Jones's Post 58.

Post 58 had an 11 game winning streak during the regular season. Since that streak was broken they have reeled off eight wins in a row including 5-0 in the playoffs. It is their 20th win on the season with just five losses.

This win put Post 58 two wins from returning the the State American Legion State Tournament this year being played in Asheboro. The winner of this series still plays one more series before the state tournament but both teams will be already qualified for the State Tournament.

Midget's Still Alive In District Play

The American league Midgets league all stars coached Jeremy Stewart from Rocky Mount are still alive to win the district tournament and play tonight in Wendell. The American league is hoping to join the National league coached by Tim Killebrew which won a playoff series two weeks ago with the American league to play in the state tournament being hosted by Rocky Mount July 22nd through 25th.

There will only be one coach pitch team from Rocky Mount in the state tournament as the Ivey Powell and Johnny Ramsey's American league team lost twice this weekend in Rolesville to be knock out of the state. Chad Fluno and Brad Bazemore team the National league will represent Rocky Mount in the tournament next week.

The senior little league has both teams in the state tournament as the American league coached by Joe Bell swept through their tournament in Knightdale undefeated. They Join the National league coach by Sam Toler and will be in the state tournament next week in Rocky Mount.

Kinston beat Wilson last night in Legion baseball and that puts Kinston in Rocky Mount Tuesday night to play Post 58 in the third round of the American Legion playoffs. Tuesday and Thursday are in Rocky Mount and Wednesday in Kinston. Game four if needed would be Friday in Kinston and the final game of the three of five series would be Saturday night in Rocky Mount. The winner of this series qualifies for the state tournament. State tournament start July 25th in Asheboro.

Finally it is over this over rated World Cup. The final game just like all the others produce one score after 115 minutes of action. What I see in world cup is too much one on one in the attack zone instead of passing to someone who should be open. In order for American to go bonkers over soccer they have to figure out how to make the score 4-3 every game. I like soccer but the World Cup was more hype that quality offense.

He's No Longer "King James"

We all in life do what we feel is best for our families and those of us who work by the hour would move to a new job for fifty cents an hour more in a heart beat. Business owners would sell out in a minute if someone came along and offered you double the value of your company.

I have no problem when pro athletes signing with another team because someone else offered more money. They did the same thing we would do. I like everyone else was sucked in to watching LeBron's "Big Decision" on Thursday night.

His first seven years in the NBA James is on the path be have some of the greatest numbers in the history of the game. "King James" wilted before our eyes and told the world that he is not the player that we thought he was.

Michael, Kobe,Shack,Magic, Bird, Kareem, Russell, we can argue all day who is the best ever . All of those players have something that LeBron doesn't have. The most obvious is they all won multiple titles. Kobe has it. He thinks he the best and there is no way you are going to beat him.

LeBron Thursday night told the world he didn't have that.

I can't win a title by myself. I need help to do it. Michael said put me on a team with a group of good players an I will win you titles and he did. He made Scottie Pippen into a top 50 all time player who couldn't win squat without Michael. Those players like Magic or Bird made those around them better. Name one player on Cleveland that LeBron has helped make better.

LeBron is Allen Iverson of this generation great stats no titles. Iverson never played with any body that he made a better player, thats why he hasn't won.

Why in the world if LeBron is all world like he wants us to believe that he could not find somebody to come to Cleveland and help him win titles.

Instead, LeBron is going to go play for D Wade's team not the other way around. You see D Wade thinks like Kobe. I can win titles if you give me good players. You didn't see Wade run to Cleveland to play for LeBron.

That reason right there you can no longer call him "King James" He is now "Prince" James. Second fiddle not the first. He's this generations Scottie Pippen.

Next year during the playoffs wouldn't it be something if Cleveland somehow made the playoffs with out the"Prince". If Miami doesn't win it all they will be called the biggest losers and they got the "Prince".

Post 58 Advances to Third Round

After the devastating lost Post 40 took in Rocky Mount Friday night, if I were a betting man I would have laid my money of Coleman Pitt Post 58 in today's second game of the Area one Semi finals baseball playoffs. Their fans mostly parents of the players were crushed just like the team after Post 58 snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Riding the crest of momentum Rocky Mount Legion Post 58 rips Edenton Post 40 to sweep the second round of the Legion playoffs 17-3.

Post 40 scored once in the first of a ground out fielders choice by Thomas Berry. Brandon Denton who took to the mound for Post 58 gave up two base on balls, a fielding error and a double and Post 40 lead 2-1 after two. That would be the last time Edenton saw the upper side of the score board.

Cameron Ramsey singled and Tyler Clark has a double to drive in Ramsey. Collins Cuthrell hit a two run homer. Spencer Bell had an RBI single. Edenton got a solo homer from last night's losing pitcher Daniel Oliver to make it 5-3 after three.

Tyler Clark had a two run single in the fourth, Collins Cuthrell hit his second two run homer and Spencer Bell a sac fly to get the score to ten three after four.

One thing that playoffs bring on is your pitchers need work, but you don't want to over work any body so after four innings Hank Jones brought on Trellis Ashley to pitch. Brandon Denton in four innings gave up three hits but walked seven batters but only allowed the three runs to pick up the win.

In the back of Post 58's mind is the fact that they lead Edenton 11-1 during the regular season and Post 40 tied the game so if there was any thought of letting up it didn't happen today. Certainly it was fresh on their minds what they did to Edenton last night scoring six in the bottom of the ninth to win.

Post 58 added three runs in the fifth, a Kyle Norville two run Double and a run scored on a wild pitch. 13-3 after five.

Tyler Clark singled home a run in the sixth, Fuller Weatherly scored on a wild pitch, Collins Cuthrell had a fielders choice RBI and Thomas Berry hit Post 58's third homer to up the lead to 17-3 after six. Jeremy Trevathan pitched th sixth for 58.

Putting the final touches on Post 40 Bill Clark pitch the seventh. It started with an error but was wiped out on a 1-5-3 double play and a foul out to end game.

Post 58 had twelve hits against only five for Post 40. The five games against Edenton this season Post 58 has at least ten runs in four games and in the one they didn't score ten scored six in the ninth to win that one too.

Coleman Pitt will now waits for the winner of the Wilson-Kinston series' Kinston Won game one Friday and Wilson won 7-6 Saturday night. Game three of that series is Sunday night in Kinston. We believe the series regardless of who it is against starts Tuesday night in Rocky Mount.

The next series is a three out of five and the winner of the next series automatically qualifies for the state tournament regardless of the outcome of round four.

Many thanks once again to DJ( Don Johnson) for his texting updates after every inning.

Miracle On Howell Street

For eight innings tonight, Edenton Post 40's Chad Whitehead, who during the high school season pitched for NCISAA !-A state champion Lawrence Academy in Merry Hill, sat Post 58 batters down with all types of off-speed pitches.

He struck out only five, but through eight innings, he had Rocky Mount hitters popping up and hitting simple ground balls. He yielded only three hits.

Whitehead joined teammate Daniel Oliver, who hit a three-run homer, with a two-run shot and Post 58 was dead in the water heading to the bottom of the ninth.

Hobbs Johnson started for Post 58, but allowed five runs on five hits in just three and one-third innings.

Despite what happen in the ninth, the real hero for Rocky Mount was Parker Helms as he came in to pitch in the fourth inning and was still around at the end - shutting out Post 40 rest of the way. His five and two-thirds of three-hit pitching kept Post 58 from completely being out of this game.

Now back to the bottom of the ninth.

T.J. Taylor opened with a single - the second time all night Post 58 had a runner on without an out. Collins Cuthrell singled with one out. Thomas Berry doubled driving in Taylor and Cuthrell. The play promped Post 40's coach to send Whitehead to play first base and bring Oliver to the mound.

Matthew Berry hit a hot shot to the third baseman who made a terrific stop, but like I use to tell my Little Leaguers back in my coaching days, the play is not over until you make a good throw. The throw was a one-hopper to the new first baseman Whitehead who could not dig it out. The error got Berry to second. A groundout to second sent Post 58 to its last out.

Spencer Bell laced a single to score number four as he represented the tying run. Mike Smith (Peace) hit a seeing-eye single past the first and second basemen putting the winning run on base.
Cameron Ramsey coaxed a walk out of Oliver to load the bases and up steps Taylor, who already had a single in the ninth, delivers a single to right and Bell scores the tying run and Smith steps on home plate before the throw can get anywhere near home plate.

A team held to three hits through eight innings got six in the ninth to win game one of the area one semifinals 6-5 over Edenton.

There will be a quick turn-a-round as game two had been scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday in Manteo but has now been moved to noon at Hicks Field in Edenton. The reason the game is not being played at 7 is that the CPL's Edenton Steamers have a home game there Saturday night.

Parker Helms' great pitching gets the win for Post 58 and Oliver was the loser.

From the Senior Little League District Tournament in Zebulon, the American League All-Stars from Rocky Mount beat Zebulon in the nightcap of a doubleheader 11-1 to win the district tournament. Rocky Mount, which was unbeaten going into tonight's game, watched Zebulon beat Wendell in an earlier game and then Zebulon had to beat Rocky Mount twice in order to win the district.

The American League All-Stars join the National League from Rocky Mount in the state Tar Heel tournament which will be held in Rocky Mount July 22 -25. Rocky Mount has a good shot of defending the title it won last year as it will have two chances to win it again.

Both the Midgets (9/10) year-olds and the coach pitch (7/8) year-olds started their district tournament tonight also.

Rocky Mount Little League Flexing Muscles

The Rocky Mount Recreation all stars are playing this weekend with hopes of making it to the State championships which will be held at the Sports Complex in Rocky Mount starting July 22nd through the 25th. Hosting the state tournament gives Rocky Mount at least one team in each age group.

Senior little league: The National league team coached by Sam Toler beat the American league coached by Joe Bell last week in a two out of three to win the spot guaranteed to host in Rocky Mount and is just relaxing by the pool waiting for the state tournament. Joe Bell’s squad is playing in the district tournament in Wendell as we speak and has already made it to the championship game on Saturday and is waiting for the loser’s bracket winner tonight to find out who they will play for the district title. The American League have won three games already 6-2,13-1, and last night won 9-6 to put them in the championship game Friday night at 8.00pm. Just by finishing second Joe’s team has already qualified for the state tournament so both our all star senior little league teams are in the state tournament and will play in front of the home folks starting July 22nd.

The Midget all stars 9/10 are in the same situation as the seniors. Last week Tim Killebrew’s National Leaguers beat Jeremy Stewart’s American League team and Tim’s team is practicing getting ready for the state tournament. Stewart’s team starts the district tournament in Zebulon tonight and if they can get to the finals they would also make it back to the state tournament in Rocky Mount July 22nd.

The coach pitch 7/8 year old National League team is in the state tournament coached by Chad Fluno and Brad Bazemore. Ivey Powell and Johnny Ramsey’s team the American leaguers have to finish second or better at the district to make it back to Rocky Mount. Their tournament starts tonight in Rolesville.

We know for sure that we have four teams in the state tournament. Whether we have six playing we might not know until Monday. Every weekend the sports complex is alive with tournament ball. There will be no bigger tournament all year than the Tar Heel Little league which actually there will be a 13/14 year old tournament here that weekend also but Rocky Mount does not have that age group. All four tournaments will be going on at the same time. The defending State champions in the senior little league will be back to defend their title. That’s Sam Toler’s National league team.

Don’t forget Rocky Mount Legion Post 58 begins round two of their playoffs tonight hosting Edenton. First pitch is scheduled for 7.00pm at Gryphon Stadium.

Edenton Beats Pitt County

Post 58’s sweep of New Bern sends them on to the second round of the playoffs just like last year. Is this team as good as or better than last year’s team that put Post 58 in the State tournament for the first time since Legion went to a state tournament format?

Just as last year this is a year of only what if all the quality pitching played legion? Last year Tyler Joyner went to summer school at ECU and Hobbs Johnson played travel league. This year the top pitcher Benton Moss elected to play travel league and Hobbs Johnson is a part time pitcher when not in summer school at Carolina.

When you compare this year’s pitching to last it is just about a wash. Bill Clark who finished last year as the closer has held that job again this season. This season Hank Jones has used nine pitchers who have more than twelve innings but not more than twentyinnings pitched . Bill Clark, Parker Helms, Jeremy Trevathan, Spencer Bell, Jeremy Sloop, Trellis Ashley, Brandon Denton, Kyle Norville and Hobbs Johnson.

This team might be a typical playoff game is the starter goes four innings, the first reliever gets three and Bill Clark gets two. Hobbs Johnson could be a wild card as he is the only proven starter who could go seven if needed but with his summer school you wonder about his throwing during the week whether he will be able to be effective if he pitches just on weekends. Remember this also, Legion plays nine inning games.

There is no doubt that this team can hit. A team batting average of 325 during the regular season. We can win a lot of games by just out scoring the other side but like last year in the state tournament you are going to face someone who is only going to let you score two or three runs and the pitching needs to win some big games. Last year in the state tournament the pitching was good only giving up four runs in one game and two in the other. We lost both of those games.

T J Taylor is a good leadoff hitter getting on base during half his at bats. Spencer Bell is a good #2 hitter when he plays third base. Jeremy Sloop has played third when Spencer pitches giving Post 58 a third base/pitcher combo.

Collins Cuthrell has become the best baseball player in the area with a solid high school season and he has not slacked up one bit in Legion. The Berry twins, Thomas hit 444 during the regular season and Matthew 458. What a combo hitting fourth and fifth in your lineup.

Kyle Norville just plain knows how to get on base. If he needs to poke one through the infield or slap a line drive down the line he to me has been my surprise of the summer. Michael Whitehead and Mike Smith have shared second base and between them have twelve rbi. Fuller Weatherly and Cameron Ramsey have shared right field and seem to get timely hits.

This year’s Xavier Macklin is Tyler Clark. Tyler was going to take the summer off but found out there is no better place to be than at the ball field and joined the team mid season. He has only hit 425 and gives us one of the best catchers in the league. If there is one thing he got from his dad Greg was to be kind of tall and a catcher, Tyler can run and since he has grown up to be a man with his speed by the time he is through at NC Wesleyan he just could be a top pro prospect.

The Northern Division once again this year has dominated the southern division in the opening round. Last night Edenton Post 40 beat Pitt County Post 39 3-2 to win that series which will put Edenton in Rocky Mount Friday night. that's how it was last year. Wilson will start round two at Kinston.

Due to the college team the Edenton Steamers having a home game in Edenton on Saturday the second game in this series will be played in Manteo at Manteo High School. If a third game is needed game three will be back in Rocky Mount Sunday Night.

The next three weeks could be full of baseball or a sudden exit might end it all. Whether this team is better than last year will soon be known. Friday night starts round two and the teams we face will get better and better.

Post 58 Throws Knockout Punch On New Bern

If there was any question whether Post 58 would go for the jugular vein tonight in New Bern in trying to sweep Post 24 two games to none to win the opening round series it didn't take long to find out.

Post 58 put four runs on the board in the first and five in the second. They rested during the third inning after all the running around the bases that they did in the first two and added three more in the fourth inning an seven in the fifth. Post 58 white washes New Bern 19-0 to advance to round two which starts Friday night.

A real oddity of the game tonight Rocky Mount had 13 hits in the game and 16 outs were made by striking out.

Last night Rocky Mount won the opener 14-4 in seven innings.

Parker Helms held New Bern to one hit in pitching the first three innings. Trying not to use any more pitching than needed to put New Bern away Bill Clark pitch the fourth and the fifth giving up just two hits. Kyle Norville pitched the sixth and seventh to shut out Post 24.

My thanks to "DJ" Don Johnson for his inning by inning texting to keep me a breast of the game.

Post 58 will meet the winner of the #2 seed Pitt County who lost Monday to Edenton Post 40 who is a #3 seed. That series will start in Rocky Mount and is also a two of three series. Last year during the playoffs Post 58 and 40 met up in the second round while 58 was on their ride to the state tournament. Pitt County had tied Kinston for the top spot but lost the Southern division top spot because Kinston beat Pitt two out of three during the regular season.

Wilson Post 13 will join Post 58 in the second round as they beat Wayne County 10-0 to sweep WC. Pitt Post 39 will send their series with Edenton to a third game as they beat Post 40 11-2 in Edenton. I have not heard a score but I imagine Kinston moved on to the second round against Ahoskie.

Every year we hear about a parent who loses control and plays the part of a fool and we have a story from not that far away. Recently a Garner team was playing in a tournament in Wilson and a parent who apparently was late getting to the game shows up and his son has already been taken out of the game by the time he arrives. After the game the parent assaults the coach because he did not leave him in the game long enough for the father to see him play after the long drive. Garner to Wilson, what thirty miles?

Now I have heard everything.....at least until the next crazy parent comes along.

View From The End Of The Bench

Regardless of what sport you play there is always someone that is considered to be the last player on the team. Hank Jones was faced with a dilemma a couple of weeks ago when it was time to turn in his official roster for Legion Post 58 playoff run. Jones had 19 players but only 18 can play after the official date to turn in the roster.

There are many reasons why you have too many early in the season with injuries topping the list. This year with Tyler Clark joining the team late in the regular season this presented Jones with the unenviable task of having to make a cut in his roster on June twenty third.

The hammer fell on Grant Stalling. If there is one thing in life that is hard to do is to fire people on their job and to tell a ball player his season is over. Once hearing from Jones, Stallings asked if he could continue to travel with the team and continue being the bull pen catcher which is what he had be relegated to during the season as his playing time dwindled.

The important double header in Edenton which Post 58 wrapped up first place with a sweep Stallings was right there in the bull pen with his teammates.

The following Monday night which was the last regular season game and with first place in hand Hank Jones decided to play Grant Stallings as a reward for his "being a team player". Wayne County beat Post 58 3-2 but even if Post 58 had of won they would have had to forfeit because Stallings was no longer on the roster. Stallings responded collecting two hits in his reward game from Hank Jones.

Whether they finished 16-4 or 15-5 is irrelevent to this story. Grant Stalling took his bad news and and made the most of it. What he got in return was respect from his coach.

Monday night during the opening line ups Grant Stalling was announce as Bull Pen coach. He received glad hands from all along the third base line his teammates and coaches.

Grant Stallings has proved to be the best teammate of all.

Playoffs Start With A Bang

Coaches worry about everything but when you have played seventeen games in about twenty five days and then the last twelves days you only played in two of those days, coaches worry about rust. Post 58 coach Hank Jones may have been worried about the lay off but his players responded from the rest and pound New Bern Post 24 in the opening round of the east area American legion playoffs 14-4 in seven innings.

This team has had a habit of scoring quickly and tonight was no different. T J Tayor lead off for Post 58 with a single. The third batter Collins Cuthrell sent a pitch over the left center wall and 58 had a 2-0 lead in the first.

New Bern got one back in the top of the second on three hits but 58 responded with a lead off double from Spencer Bell and the third batter Cameron Ramsey corked a line drive down the left field line which cleared the fence and 58 has a 4-1 lead.

Kyle Norville singled to start The fourth inning, Spencer Bell laid down a bunt to get him to second and Mike Smith slammed a double to score Norville. New Bern added a run in the fifth which sent starter Jeremy Sloop to the showers as Trellis Ashley put out the fire in the fifth. Ashley gave up two runs in the sixth which cut the Post 58 lead to 5-4.

Post 58 started the sixth with a triple by Kyle Norville, Mike Smith got his second RBI of the night with a hit and then 58 plated three more runs without a hit to take a 9-4 lead after six innings.

Jeremy Trevathan mowed New Bern Down by striking out the side in the seventh. Post 58 scored in five innings and all five innings started with a leadoff hit and the seventh once again Norville lead off with a single,Bell Doubled and Mike Smith was hit by a pitch. Cameron Ramsey hit a grounder to short with the bases loaded in which Mike Smith beat the throw to second with Norville scoring. TJ Taylor singled home two runs and with a ten run lead on the line Tyler Clark stroked a triple driving in the final two runs Post 58 needed to end this game in seven inning.

Colins Cuthrell had thre RBI, T J Taylor a couple along with Tyler Clark and Mike Smith with two each. Thomas Berry had a solo rbi on a fly ball to deep center field driving home a run.

Kyle Norville led the hit parade with three. T J Taylor,Collins Cuthrell,Spencer Bell, and Mike Smith all had two hits. Cameron Ramsey's homer was his only hit along with Thomas Berry who had a single.

Jeremy Sloop got the win giving up five hits and striking out four in four and one third inning. Game two of this opening round eastern area playoffs will be Tuesday night at New Bern High School at 7.00pm. If 58 wins Tuesday they win this two of three series 2- nil. If New Bern Wins Tuesday the deciding game will be Wednesday night at Gryphon Stadium.

If Post 58 finishes up Tuesday they open the second round Friday night at home against the Post 39 from Greenville/Post 40 from Edenton series winner. Post 58 was 4-0 against both of those teams during the regular season.

"Telegram" Announces Players Of Year For Spring

This week the Rocky Mount Telegram has been announcing their area players of the year in the various spring sports finishing it up in today's addition with baseball.

Rocky Mount who finished with a 22-3 record swept all three awards as Collins Cuthrell won the hitter of the year. The senior can be seen in action Monday night as Cuthrell and Post 58 American Legion team open the Legion playoffs at home against New Bern at 7.00pm at Gryphon Stadium.

Team mate Benton Moss won the pitcher of the year and there is no doubt then even Moss may have been the best pitcher in the state this season. Good news for the Gryphons Moss is only a junior and has one more season to play Gryphon Baseball and possible become the all time winningest pitcher in Gryphon history.

Kent Cox was named coach of the year. Sunset Avenue Baptist Church is where I go to church. I Usher at our 8.30 am service every Sunday Morning. Kent is a member of Sunset also and where did I find the coach of the year this morning on the day he was named coach of the year? He was in the nursery helping wife Emily take care of the babies and toddlers during church.

Maybe the best softball pitcher from this area in quite a while Ashley Bone of Nash Central was named pitcher of year in softball. Ashley will still play softball next year at Carolina. Team mate Tiffany Macklin was named softball hitter of the year. Macklin will join brother Xavier at North Carolina A&T but Tiffany will continue to play softball.

Michael Brackett of Northern Nash was named tennis player of the year. He made it all the way to the state tournament. He still has two years to get better in high school before college.

Nash Central's Nathan Johnson was named golfer of the year. Johnson play earn him a spot in the state tournament this spring.

Girls track was won by Zikeena Parker of Rocky Mount. Parker is only a junior so she has more time to grow and get faster for next year. Nash Central's Will Bass was boy's track player of the year. His specialty was the mile and Will figured out something that most of us never do. He understood that every time he ran he needed to beat his personal best record and not worry what position he was in a race. If you beat your best then you have achieved. will is only a junior.

Finally but not the least in the player of the year honors Rocky Mount's Sydney Browder won as a freshman in soccer. Sydney lead the charge by Rocky Mount to dethrone Fike as queen of soccer in our area. Sydney was able to ease in with her older team mates and became one of the leaders on the team.

The guys at the Rocky Mount Telegram did a good job in their selections.

NCAA Has It Backwards

Yesterday the NCAA announced that they were investigating the involvement of John Wall and his AAU movements and his coaches.

It seems that the NCAA like our Federal Government is a day late and a dollar short in every thing they touch. Why was Carolina, Duke and State all cool on the recruitment of of John Wall? They had a bird's eye view of Wall's every day life and the people he associated with. He was a recruiting violation waiting to happen and along comes John Calipari the coach who would recruit the devil if he could shoot.

There is nothing the NCAA can do now to John Wall if it is found that he was not an amateur, was receiving cash under the table while still in high school. There is something that can be done to the Calipari's of the world , ban them from coaching any where in the NCAA.

It is obvious to me Calipari can recruit players others find that can not get into their school. Put him in the NBA where there is no advantage to cheating and he is an average coach at best.

I think the NCAA has too many rules but there should be a few. Any coach caught cheating is banned coaching in the NCAA for a specified period and if occurs more than once ban for life. No high school coach or individual responsible for coaching a player outside of the NCAA should not be hired by any institution during the stay of that player at said college.

It is not by accident that every coaching stop Calipari has been to has been penalized after he left. Kentucky is next.

I want to give you and update on Lauren Doughtie and her trials trying to make it on the Futures golf tour. The last two tournament Lauren has been in the money, just barely. Two weeks ago the Futures tour had their players Championship and Lauren was fifth after the first round. Her last two rounds of 74 and 79 she finish 72nd which was last for those who cashed in for the week.

Last week she shot an opening 79 but followed with the best score in the tournament 67 to make the cut right on the line. She then shot a third round 79 to finish 68 out of 72 in the money.

Lauren is beginning to make cuts but in Futures tour life making the cut earns $259 a week then you have your expenses. In order to improve she has to get to the point a bad round is 74 not 79 or worse. In early August there is a tournament in Richmond. I hope to cheer her on that weekend.

Summer League Baseball

Way back in the day if you were a high school player and wanted to play in the summer it was Legion or nothing. The Cape Cod League was the only place if you were in college and wanted to continue with baseball.

Nash County has four players at last count playing in college summer leagues as well as a few who have returned for their last year of Legion ball.

It is good to see that Tyler Joyner who as a promising freshman at ECU got just a little over an inning pitched in Greenville before his season ended is pitching in the New England Baseball league for the Laconia Muskrats. Laconia is in New Hampshire. The NEBL is comprised of teams from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The furtherest travel is like driving from Rocky Mount to Wilmington.

Tyler has a 1-2 record but his numbers are better than his over all record. He has pitch in over 24 innings allowed seven earned runs but he has struck out 31 batters. Tyler's ERA is a very good 2.56. These are the kind of numbers that we expected from Tyler.

Brian Goodwin who plays for the Harwick Mariners in the Cape Cod league is hitting 319 which is seventh best in the league.

Ben Fish who plays in Wilmington for the Sharks is batting 206 with eight RBI so far this summer. Xavier Macklin is swinging a 184 bat for Asheboro's entry in the Coastal League.

Cameron Ramsey, Mike Smith and Tyler Clark are playing their last year of Legion ball for Post 58.

I ran into Jammie Mitchell yesterday and we were talking ball, of course. He told me after he and Travis Ward were in their motel room after the Babe Ruth World Series several years ago they realized that their group was very special and they both wrote down their opinions of what they thought where those guys on that Babe Ruth Team would be when they turned 21. They have filed those notes away like a time capsule. I would love to be there when they open it in a couple of years.

Post 58 Legion playoffs start Monday night at home against New Bern. This first round series is a two out of three not three of five like I have stated before. The district little league tournaments also crank up next week. Parents will be following their kids all over the map from New Bern to Wendell. I bet you will see a painted window or two on the back of cars.

Rocky Mount And The ACC

Watching South Carolina win the baseball national championship and practically every time that Whit Merrifield batted getting to see his dad Bill on camera rooting for his son got me to thinking.

Rocky Mount and the ACC go hand in hand. Several times in the last ten days of watching the College World Series they either talked about or had the graphic on screen of Bill Merrifield being the two time ACC baseball player of the year.

Danny Talbott back in the 60's won the ACC player of the year in both football and Baseball and Phil Ford is listed on the top 50 basketball players of all time in the ACC.

I sure would love to go the the ACC record books and see if any high school in the country has had the impact on the ACC like Rocky Mount High. I am sure there are plenty with RMHS ranking near the top.

Today starts the I want you to come play for me parade for LaBron James. I sure will be glad when all this hub-bub is over. If I were a betting man and I am Labron stays in Cleveland. I suspect Dwayne Wade stays in Miami. The only player of the big three to move will be Chris Bosh. He is in Toronto, this is his chance to leave. I wonder if he goes to Cleveland with James.

If LaBron stays where does this put the New York Knicks? Two years now they have openly said they wanted James. Looks as if they will land only after thought players.

My favorite player on the Carolina Hurricanes called it quits yesterday. Faced with moving to another team Rod Brind'Amour to finish out his career, Roddy chose to work in the office of the Hurricanes. I hate it when athletes hang on too long. I know it is hard for an athlete who has excelled for his whole life to realize that his playing days are over.

The Hurricanes when you compare them to the glitze franchises can't pay the salaries that others do. How many players once they leave and go some where else want to come back? I think the Hurricanes with Jim Rutherford as GM are one of the top franchises in all of sports.