Make Or Break Week For Baseball

The Rocky Mount Gryphons open their conference schedule this week and they play three games. All three will be at home. This could be an advantage playing home if they win all three but if they lose say two of three they would be in a major hole to dig out of the rest of the season.

Nash Central has been pointing to this game since the end of last season as they have their top two pitchers returning and most of the offense back from last year. The short history of the Bulldogs they have only beaten the Rocky Mount varsity once and they feel this is their best opportunity ever.

The Bulldogs had better expect to see Benton Moss Tuesday and I can't see any reason why not pitch your ace against a team that totally expects to beat you. This game to me is almost like when Rocky Mount and SouthWest played the opening conference game in football when they were in the conference with us. The loser has to play catch up all season and can't afford to lose again.

My thinking on pitching Moss on Tuesday is what if it rains Thursday-Friday and Saturday and you don't play another game this week. I want my ace to get me off to a 1-0 conference record and we will go from there.

I suspect Jeremy Johnson will get the call Thursday against Hunt. Yes Hunt is the favorite but who does Hunt wait and pitch on Thursday. They start with Northern Nash and that is a easy game to lose if you hold back your best and save them for Rocky Mount.

Friday Kent Cox can go with his entire staff if he is able to get by with Moss and Johnson going almost all the way on Tuesday and Thursday. Fike will be just like Rocky Mount by Friday and will struggle to find quality pitching. A ace in the hole for Rocky Mount is if it comes down to the seventh inning and they are trying to hold on to a lead. Benton Moss is schedule for bullpen work Friday and if needed could pitch the seventh inning for a save if that was to come about.

I believe the Big East is only guaranteed three spots this year in the playoffs and losing twice this week will almost put anybody in the can't lose any more this year mode. Like football and Basketball it doesn't look like anybody will go undefeated but if you want to insure a playoff spot you had better not lose more than twice in conference.