Wins Are Not The Only Rewards

The Rocky Mount High School baseball team over achieved this season. They had one pitcher and  three other seniors.  It seemed the rest of the team was fresh out of Junior High which a couple were as freshman on this year's team.  Despite their extreme youth they managed 18 wins  which was two of every three they won.

Kent Cox seemed to be more relaxed as coach this season in his second season as the head Gryphon. Not a bad start to a coaching career to be 40- and 12 in your career. Cox got everything out of this year's team that they had and more.  Monday when the Gryphons clean out their lockers and turn in their uniforms there should be smiles on their faces for a job well done.

The playoffs have that suddenness to it that is shock when you lose and there is no practice on Monday or a game on Tuesday.  I bet when Thomas Berry and Benton Moss  are old and gray they will remember this team as much as the 2008 team in which they were freshman on the State Championship team.

There is truth to the saying "It is not whether you win or lose but how you play the game".  This team with not enough veterans but a whole lot of youngsters built a foundation for next year.  Next year will be the team that will play in the old stadium for the last time.  The foundation is there for next year.

Mount Olive College beat UNC-Pembroke in the winners bracket game Saturday and only has to win one game today to advance to the NCAA Division II World Series in Cary.  Mt Olive is the official host school for the event.  UNC-Pembroke lost Saturday night to Francis Marion 5-4 in the  bottom of the ninth.  FM now must beat the host school Mt Olive twice Sunday to move on to the World Series themselves.

The ACC baseball tournament starts next week at The Durham Bulls Athletic Park.  Virginia,Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Florida State, Miami, Clemson, North Carolina State and Wake Forest are the eight teams taking part.  Durham is a perfect place for the ACC baseball much like Greensboro is perfect for basketball.  Last year without Carolina in the tournament  it was one of the most attended tournaments of all time.  Now that Carolina is one of the best this year the tournament could be sold out.