The Rivalry Is Back

The last two nights the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University  have played baseball in front of the third largest crowd and the largest ever to watch a baseball game in Raleigh. The game Friday night was the second until last night when the crowd beat Friday.

North Carolina with a coach who has a background in Rocky Mount and State a coach from Nash County. Mike Fox won a national title for NCW while here in Rocky Mount has had Carolina on the cusp of winning the national title in Chapel Hill.  I see no reason why right now Carolina can't win it this year.  Elliot Avent (Northern Nash) has had a solid program in Raleigh but since Debbie Yow has been the Athletic Director baseball has stepped up the pace.

Tonight at 7pm the rubber game in the match between two bitter rivals will turn to Rocky Mount once again. Carolina a 7-1 winner Friday.  State a 7-3 winner last night so who wins the series will fall for Carolina in the hands of junior left hander Hobbs Johnson.  Three years removed from Rocky Mount High. Even though record crowds have been at the Doak more have been watching on ESPN3.  Tonight's game will be on ESPNU.

Saturday night's match up between maybe the best pitcher in college baseball Carlos Rodon and one of Carolina's top Rocky Mount's Benton Moss came down to a simple fact of umpiring behind the plate.  I found myself in a pickle rooting for Benton to pitch well and for the Wolfpack to win.  My hope was that after seven innings the score would be 0-0 and Carolina change pitchers and State win by games end.

Both Rodon and Moss have curve balls that break five feet and the umpire behind the plate sets up between the batter and inside the catcher.  He never called one pitch all night from the middle of the plate to outside corner a strike.  The reason he never called it from where he sets up he can't see the outside part of the plate.  The next time you notice on any level and umpire that works behind the plate like that they never call and outside corner pitch because they can't see it.

Moss wasn't hit that hard all night but the ump made him keep throwing more pitches.  Rodon got the same treatment more pitches when batters were taking pitches over the outer corners of the plate.  Benton loses his first game of the year and falls to 7-1.  So far in his less than two year career at Carolina  he is 13-3.  There is no doubt that Carlos Rodon if he stays healthy through the end of next season will be the #1 draft pick in 2014.

Tonight I am faced with another dilemma.  I want the Wolfpack to win but I want Hobbs to pitch well for Carolina.  Once again I will hope for a 0-0 game through seven and a pitching change for Carolina will lead to a Wolfpack Victory.

If tonight's game is as good as the first two we got another dandy coming.