Gryphons Grab Second

It was a battle for second place.  Northern Nash and Rocky Mount not playing the last game of the season  as it is suppose to be, today Rocky Mount goes home with a  1-0 win and for the time being second place but with all of this two week Easter break and rain outs still must win one more game of their two remaining to secure second and a home game next week in the playoffs

The Gryphons send the Ace of all Gryphon aces Benton Moss to the hill and Northern countered with their best Jeremy Lucas.  Three innings pass before just one little bitty run touches home.  Benton Moss lead off the bottom of the fourth with a single followed by a Taylor Clontz one bagger.  Andy Morris laid down a perfect bunt which sent Moss and Clontz up to second and third with one out.  Freshman Sam Lilley in the lineup as the DH hit a two strike ground ball to second and the only play was to first with Benton Moss crossing for the Gryphons first and only run.

The Gryphons threatened in the second and the sixth but Lucas managed to get off the hook in both innings.  Northern got their lead off runner on in the fourth on with a single by Steve Williams.  Jeremy Lucas trying to help himself laid down a perfect bunt which third baseman Matt Berry  had to field and throw to first.  Williams now on second sees third uncovered and heads to third only to find a hustling Benton Moss beating him to third and Thomas Berry's throw to third gunned down Williams.

The Knights did all they could to tie the game in the sixth but Moss kept them scoreless.  Mckenzie Mayo the lead off batter got a baseball to the ribs to get on first.  Fuller Weatherly battled Moss for nine pitches until he sent a slow roller to second to beat out an infield single.  This sends the top of the Knight lineup to the plate with no outs .  Moss struck out Luke Joyner, A pass ball got by catcher Collins Watson to advance the base runners to second and third but Moss struck out Steve Williams.  Jeremy Lucas became the third strikeout victim of the inning but the ball was once again on the ground and Watson had to throw out Lucas with the tying run barrelling home  should Lucas make it to first base.

Thomas Berry lead the bottom of the sixth off for the Gryphons with a double but Lucas keep him 90 feet short of home.  Moss struck out two of the three outs in the seventh  inning to record his 30th career victory as a Gryphon pitcher. Jeremy Lucas was the hard luck loser.

Rocky Mount collected only  four hits the Thomas Berry Double and singles by Benton Moss, Taylor Clontz and Andy Morris.  Steve Williams got the only Knight hit to clear the infield and Fuller Weatherly had two singles.

Moss struck out 14 Knights while Lucas had five K's.  Moss hit a batter and walked one.  Jeremy Lucas walked only one batter but his teammates committed two errors but neither error was involved in the one run.

Rocky Mount is 6-2 and Northern Falls to 5-4.  Rocky Mount plays Hunt Saturday at 3.00pm at Hunt and then home Monday against Fike.  If they win one of the two they clinch second.  Northern must beat Nash Central Monday to clinch third depending on the outcome  of Nash Central's game tonight with Southern Nash and their Friday game with Fike.  If Nash Central wins all three of their remaining conference games they will finish third.