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 .