Gryphon Trivia

Since this is Good Friday it would be a good time to talk about Gryphon Heaven.  If there has ever been a player in the history of Rocky Mount sports that has done anything Charles Alston could tell you when he did it.  Tonight up in Gryphon Heaven Charles Alston added the name of Trevor Hayworth to the Gryphon Honor roll as Hayworth hit the first home run ever recorded at the new Gryphon Stadium and that one run would hold up to be the winning run as Spenser Ramsey pitches a three hit shutout as the Gryphons beat Hunt 3-0.

Ramsey is considered the Gryphon #3 pitcher but it is not that he is not as good as any Gryphon pitcher but he is too valuable at shortstop so when you consider that factor  he is 3rd on the pitching chart.  He has had a sore arm most of the spring and with all this cold weather Kent Cox has limited his pitch count.  There was nothing wrong with his arm tonight as he goes the distance gives up three hits strikes out ten walks three batters and only once was he in any trouble.  When you add that Will Edwards who is considered the Gryphons #2 pitcher played left field coming off a cracked/broken foot and hopefully when conference play starts again in ten days the Gryphon pitching is set for the run in conference action.

Hayworth's home run came as the leadoff batter in the top of the second of Hunt starter Jacob Williamson who pitched well for four inning but did so with out help from his teammate batters who could scratch only three on the night.   The third inning Jeremy Johnson doubled and came home on an rbi single by Micah Varnell.  The third run scored when Jarrell Hunter walked was replaced by Ben Yates who scored on a two out hit by Sam Lilley.

Rocky Mount had seven  hits on the night with three coming from Jeremy Johnson.  The three rbi came from the Hayworth homer, singles by Micah Varnell and Sam Lilley.  Spenser Ramsey capped his night off adding a double.  The three hits for the Warriors two came from Jacob Williamson and the other Coltan Griffin single.

Rocky Mount is now tied with Fike at 2-1 in conference play while Hunt, Nash Central and Northern are 1-1.  Southern Nash is 0-2.  When conference play restarts after next week Easter break it is wide open as to who is the favorite to take the Big East regular season championship and the top seed in the playoffs.  The way it has started a team that wins five conference games may not make the playoffs if the rest of the conference season is like the first week.

Just about ten minutes before game time WHIG-TV was in the house to do TV coverage which by the way this game can be seen Sunday night at 8pm on the ALL NEW SPORTS  SHOW.  Wes Bradshaw who was going to do play by play for TV got called away and I did both PA and TV play by play.   It took a couple of innings to figure out which mic I was suppose to be talking in and at times had to have both going at once but I think everyone in the ball park survived.

They Are Better

Thursday night Rocky Mount High school softball team played their second conference game of the season.  They are improved greatly this year but you would never know it after a 21-0 drubbing Tuesday night against rival Nash Central.  One question to ask when was the last time that Rocky Mount softball was at 500 at any point in their conference season.  It doesn't matter how long it has been they are there now after beating Hunt 5-3 Thursday.  Now they are on a hot streak but  they will not play again until April 8th.

Spring training sites are on the verge of shutting down as major league teams will begin play next week.  Looks as if Former Gryphon Brian Goodwin will begin where he left off last year in Harrisburg Pa. in AA.  If you were to go to the Washington Nationals website you will see that they have Brian listed as the second best prospect in their organization.  The Nationals blogger states that Brian has been tagged to be the starting center fielder for the Nationals opening day in 2015.  Why so long you might ask?  The Nationals starting center fielder is under contract at a rather high salary until the end of 2014.

If it works out that Brian is on a 2015 path then you might expect him to be called to AAA before the end of the season and spend all of next year  at AAA.  As we all know everyone needs a plan B in life because plan A gets changed a lot. If Brian doesn't play well the next two years that could slow his progress up the ladder.  If there is an injury at the big club  and Brain is tearing it up who knows what might happen.  Just remember Mike Trout didn't start out on the varsity last year for the Angels but is considered now one of the best players in Major league baseball.

Xavier Macklin former Bulldog of Nash Central  is still recovering from his shoulder surgery last season and so far this spring in Arizona he has been used as a Designated hitter.   It will be interesting  to see if X Man will be sent to one of the A's minor league teams or stay in Zona  while he heals fully.

John Wooten the Eastern Wayne product and ECU baseball player who is the son of Former Gryphon Sonny Wooten has been assigned to start the season off in Beloit Wisconsin for the A's.  Wooten is playing first base now.  Pirate fans remember that Wooten just about played every where in the infield for the Pirates but the A's want him at first.

Don't look now but those Fighting  Camels of Campbell University are 21-3 so far this season.  Former Gryphon player "Baseball" Brett Johnson who is still an assistant coach at Lander College in South Carolina so far this season Lander is #2 in the nation with a 24-5 record and lead their league at 15-3.

Tonight at 7pm Rocky Mount baseball will play their third straight home conference  game of the season.  Hunt will be game three.  The Gryphons are 1-1 right now in conference play.