Pitching Dominates First Night

Would you expect when most of this baseball season when teams are having trouble getting on the practice field would hitting or pitching be ahead at this point? If the first night of Big East baseball conference is any indication pitching is way ahead of batting. All three conference games produced a total of 12 runs.

Nash Central has won only one game coming into tonight's game but Tony Guzzo sent sophomore Zach Patterson to the mound and Patterson shut the door on Rocky Mount for five innings but Gryphon starter Blake Helms went toe to toe with Patterson until the fifth.  Nash Central took a lead off hit by Tristan Bateman, went to second on a wild pitch was bunted to third by John Kelly and Bulldog catcher Zach Denton hit a fly ball to left which was Central's first run but it would prove to be the only one needed.

Just for good measure the Bulldogs  added a run in the seventh when relief pitcher Joshea Carter walked the first batter he pitched to.  The Bulldogs tried to sacrificed the runner to second which they did but the Gryphons couldn't get anybody out so both runners were safe. The Bulldogs sacrificed both runners to second and third and Noah Schrock hit a grounder and the only play the Gryphons had was to get the out a first scoring the second run.

Tyler Barrow pitched the last two innings.  The Gryphons had their chance in the sixth getting runners on 2nd and 3rd after two were out but got nothing.  Patterson held the Gryphons to two hits and Barrow gave up two more in the sixth. Blake Helms becomes the hard luck loser going six innings allowing one run on five hits.

Fike pitcher Brandon Winstead carried a no hitter into the 7th inning but Southern Nash managed to get a hit and score one run but one was not enough as Fike beats Southern Nash 2-1.

Northern Nash looked like the team everyone thought they would be this year when they beat Hunt 7-0.  The Knights got the hits and the pitching in throwing a shut out over the Warriors. Northern's seven runs were more than all five other conference teams scored combined five.

Northern, Fike and Nash Central take 1-0 records to game two in conference Friday night.  Rocky Mount, Southern and Hunt start off tie at the bottom heading for game two.