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.