Gryphons Move On

All year long coach Kent Cox has done every thing in his power to make sure that Benton Moss was not over used and his career ruined because he rode his horse more than what he should have.  Moss pitched seven innings last Thursday in the opening round win over  Hertford County and Moss had four full days of rest heading into tonight's  second round game against the Eastern Carolina #1 seed C B Aycock at Aycock.

Cox agonized over whether to throw his star pitcher or hope we could survive to play  later this week but in the end Cox did the only thing he could do.  Hand the Ball to Moss.  Personally I have no problem with Benton coming back with four full days of rest.

The Gryphons score twice in the first as Jeremy Johnson opened with a walk and scored on a Matt Berry Double.  Benton Moss hit a sac fly to the outfield with gave the Gryphons a 2-0 first inning lead which was shorted lived.  Aycock score two in the second  on three straight hits and a walk and the Gryphons threw a runner out at home then to hold it to 2-2 after 2.

The fifth inning Damiem Smith walked  and Jeremy Johnson walked and Matt Berry now hobbled by a leg injury hit a single to drive in two runs.Aycock score one in the bottom of the fifth on a base on balls and score without benefit of a hit.

Taylor Clontz singled, Andy Morris reach on Aycock's fourth error of the game and Collin Watson made them pay as he hit a three run homer  to give the Gryphons a 7-3 lead.  A solo home run in the seventh cut the Gryphon lead to 7-4 which is the final.

The Gryphons got six hits the homer by Watson,   three hits from a hobbled Matt Berry and three rbi. Taylor Clontz and Thomas Berry also singled and he pulled up lame trying to stretch his single into a double.

C B Aycock got five hits and Moss walked two batters.

The next round game is up in the air right now as it will either be Thursday or Saturday.  Friday night is Prom night at Rocky Mount so that night is not even being considered.

Good news is tempered to some degree as both Matthew Berry and Thomas Berry have legs injuries and both will be limited regardless of when the next game is played.  Sam Lilley being  out that is three Gryphons  nursing injuries  heading into the third round.

Hunt was by far the best offensive team in the Big East all year but tonight at Hunt Eastern Wayne has no hit the Warriors and knocked them out of the playoffs  with EW winning 6-0.  The news is not much better at Nash Central as the Bulldogs have fallen to #4 seed North Lenoir from the Eastern Carolina by a 5-2 score.

This will put the Gryphons up against North Lenoir whenever the game is played later this week.