Holy Gryphons Batman

Three weeks ago last night Northern Nash made Rocky Mount High School baseball team embarrass themselves in a 7-0 loss to drop the Gryphons to 2-3 the first time around the conference standings.  Sometimes getting embarrassed like the teenage boy in Baltimore getting plastered by his mother's  chasing him out of the riot area  you learn something.  I never want that to happen again.

Today playing 50 hours before the schedule game to beat the incoming Rain Rocky Mount collected only five hits but two drove in runs and they beat Northern 2-1 in front of a very loud crowd pulling for their teams.  Rocky Mount having scored in a conference game held true to form winning in every conference game in which they scored. 

Northern had a big chance to take a big lead in the first scoring once in the first off a Tyler Barrett single driving in Nick Vester.  Gryphon Starter David Harrison wiggled off the hook retiring the Knights holding them to one run despite having the bases loaded when the inning finished.

Derrick Carter struggled with his location for much of the game but held a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third when Forest Bell singled, Josh Carter walked and David Harrison delivered a two out single  scoring Bell and  two batters later Battle Shannon delivered another single with  Carter scoring and the third out was made at third to end a possible bigger Gryphon rally.

Derrick Carter pitched six innings and is the hard luck loser. Any pitcher who only gives two runs and five hits deserves to win but not tonight.  Sophomore David Harrison went the distance scattering seven hits and the last two innings Northern batters made good contact but the Rocky Mount defense was not about to get embarrassed this night 

Rocky Mount clinches second at 6-4 and gets a bye in Monday night's first night of the Big East tournament.  Northern will draw third regardless of the outcome of the Fike-Hunt game on Friday night due to the fact Northern beat Hunt twice by 8-0 scores in both games.  Northern will play Southern Nash who lost in extra innings to Nash Central 3-2 tonight.  That leaves Nash Central in the four/five game Monday pending the outcome of the Friday Hunt-Fike game.  Both teams split during the regular season.

Nash Central having won two in a row is on a roll and who would get that home game Monday  could be Big.  Fike and Hunt have decide to wait out the rain Friday and that will now be the last conference game of the year.  Fike and Rocky Mount get byes Monday and Fike will play the Hunt/Nash Central winner Tuesday and Rocky Mount will wait on the Northern/Southern winner.  The championship will be played next Thursday with every game on the field of the higher seed.

Gryphons Score Equal Win

TAKING NO CHANCES:  Impending rain heading our way for Thursday and Friday morning Friday night's Northern Nash -Rocky Mount baseball and softball games have been moved to 4:30 today.  The soccer match will be at 5:00pm


 Rocky Mount held true to their Big East season tonight at Southern Nash.  Blake Helms drove in three runs and Josh Carter collect three hits as Rocky Mount beats Southern Nash 6-0.  He not only hit the ball but Blake Helms was a big man on the mount tonight as he has numbers pitching that you have to go back to Benton Moss days at Rocky Mount to see these type numbers.

Helms pitches a complete game shutout gives up only one hit walks only two batters but on this night struck out 15.  The Gryphon defense only had to make six outs as Helms took care of the rest as the Gryphons go to 5-4 while Southern Nash drops to 2-7.

The first game of great interest to Rocky Mount was at Nash Central where Hunt was tied with Rocky Mount for third and Nash Central was tied with Southern Nash for last at 2-6. Tonight Nash Central breaks a six game losing streak in the Big East knocking Hunt to fourth Place beating the Warriors 6-2.  Hunt falls to 4-5 while Nash Central ups their record to 3-6.

The final game of the night was at Fike where Fike with a victory would claim the Big East regular season championship and Fike held serve winning at home 5-3 over Northern Nash.  The victory gets Fike to 8-1 while Northern Nash falls to 5-4 setting a showdown game at Rocky Mount Friday for the number two seed and a bye in next week's Big East Tournament.

The lost Friday for either RM/NN could  fall into a tie with Hunt  who must beat Fike Friday to force a tie between RM/NN loser.  The Rocky Mount /Northern Nash winner will be guaranteed a playoff spot where the loser will get third and has to hope for nobody behind them in the standings win the tournament knocking out the third seed.

Fike                   8-1
Northern            5-4
Rocky Mount.    5-4
Hunt                   4-5
Nash Central.     3-6
Southern             2-7

Jaguar /Knight Becoming a Scarlett Knight

Former Northern Nash and Rocky Mount Prep basketball player Deshawn Freeman who for the past two years has played at Hutchinson Junior College and this past season led Hutchinson to the final eight in JUCO basketball has signed a letter of intent to play his junior and senior years of college  at Rutgers University in Piscataway NJ.

Freeman's good fortune comes after a Rutgers player transferred opening up a scholarship for Freeman.  This past season Hutchinson went 26-8 while Freeman averaged 19.2 points and 9.5 rebounds.  Freeman as a senior at Rocky Mount Prep led the Jags to the 1-A state championship game  in 2013.

The weather forecast is for warmer weather and sunny skies this week as Big East Baseball heads into the last week.  Only three teams are guaranteed spots in the state playoffs  and depending where you are in the standings what your objectives will be this week.  Next week there  will be a Big East tournament and like basketball that third spot is in jeopardy because as many one runs games in this league this year fifth place could win the tournament and knock third out of the playoffs.

Fike  7-1:  Both games this week are with a top four teams but all they need to do is win one to finish first in the regular season.  Two losses could drop them in a tie for first but regardless this week they get a bye in the first round of the conference tournament.  Tuesday they host Northern Nash 5-3.  This is for the conference championship.  A Fike win and Friday against Hunt 4-4 is meaningless to Fike other than it is their top rival.

Northern Nash:  5-3:  Tuesday game is a must if the Knights want to repeat as conference regular season champs and even then must beat Rocky Mount and get help from Hunt.  A loss and then their Friday game at Rocky Mount will be a battle to stay in top three.  So the Knights are the only team that can still finish first besides Fike but they must win both games this week and get help from Hunt.

Hunt 4-4:  Starts the week off at Nash Central on Tuesday and finish off the regular season hosting rival  Fike on Friday.  Like Rocky Mount two losses could still fall to 6th and two wins could climb to 2nd  and get a bye in next week's conference tournament.  Second through sixth still up in the air before this week starts.

Rocky Mount 4-4:  Tuesday a trip to Southern Nash a team the first time around went 12 innings with before winning.  Finishing top three is about as good as it will get for the Gryphons and beating Southern is a must if third is a possibility.  Good chance the Gryphons face Overman the Firebird's best pitcher and Derrick Carter Friday.  If a 4-4 record is true of Rocky Mount then they will get shutout once this week and win one.

Southern Nash 2-6:  Host Rocky Mount on Tuesday and travel to Nash Central on Friday.  They could finish last and if all the needs to happen happens they could jump into a 4 way tie or to some degree tie for third.  Whole lot has to fall Southern's way and most of it is out of their control except their two games.

Nash Central 2-6:  they have lost six straight games in conference and have been in all six right down to the end.  Host Hunt Tuesday and Host Southern Nash on Friday.  Like Southern still have a shot at third place if all the pieces to the puzzle fall their way by winning both games this week and getting help from others.

College Gryphons Having Historic Years

Benton Moss pitched eight innings on Sunday giving up two hits walked a couple and struck out six.  His six strike outs moves him in to rarified air at the University of North Carolina.  He becomes only the fourth pitcher in UNC history to strike out 300 batters in a career.  He trails only Andrew Miller, Alex White, Patrick Johnson then it's Benton Moss.

His eight innings of work was good enough to earn his sixth victory of the year 6-0 and  move him into 9th place on the all time wins list with 25.  Eight innings two hits, two walks and six K's and zero runs which lowers his ERA to 2.77 on the year.  He has struck out 51 batters in 48 innings of work this season.

The three game series with Boston College Carolina pitching  gave up just one run over the weekend and moved the Tar Heels into a really good position into making the ACC Tournament with a 13-10 record with two weekend series left on the season.

Collins Cuthrell failed to hit a home run this weekend which was the last game of the year and at this point he is the all time leading home run hitter in UNC Pembroke history for a season with 25 breaking the record that was 16.  He is one short of the Peach Belt Record of 26 but he will have next week's conference tournament to at least tie or maybe break the record.  He finishes the season hitting 441 which is top 20 in D II baseball.  Will have to wait to see if the 25 homeruns winds up finishing first as D II stats will be out Monday afternoon when all this past weekend series stats included.

Last week I questioned Hobbs Johmson's first two starts whether he was On a pitch count or not.  His first start lasted only 2.1 innings.  Come to find out there was a rain delay and after the delay he did not comeback to the mound.

If he continues to pitch the way he has started the season AAA here we come.  His last outing he got his first win of the season to go to 1-0 and I his three starts has pitched 11.1 innings and his ERA is .087.  Those are numbers that get you to the next level quick.  We all know how ever this early in the year one bad outing and the numbers fall apart.

Brian Goodwin still has not played this season for the Syracuse Chiefs.

A Tradition Ends

During Coleman-Pitt Post 58 baseball season last year I told Joe Bell Athletic Officer that at the end of last season I would not be back as PA announcer.  I have reached the point in life where still not yet retired a full day at work and several nights at the ball field per week during the summer there is not enough time to recover before the alarm goes off every morning at 5am.  Little did I know then that 2014 just might be the end of Rocky Mount American Legion Baseball.

The year was 2004 and just about all of the Legionnaires who help run Post 58 baseball were getting older and their desire to be at the ball park all summer brought about a decision to fold baseball.  Grady Griffin at the time 76 years old took it upon himself to not let Post 58 baseball die.  He financed out of his pocket and took up tickets and got any help he could to keep Legion Baseball in Rocky Mount.  One of those who Grady  found help from was Joe Bell who took over the operation several years back.

Shoecase baseball using the tactic that if you wanted to be seen by colleges and pro scouts travel league ball was the place to be.  It was a high cost for families who thought the athletic scholarships in college were possible but very little coaching occurs in travel ball.  It took many players who should be in Legion away.  Just in the last ten years alone Rocky Mount has qualified for the State tournament three times.  If every player who played travel had of been playing legion Rocky Mount could have won the state championships or two along the way and every college coach in American would have seen them play at a much lower cost to the families.

Today another source nips at the heels of Legion baseball. Scholastic summer leagues.  This is where high school coaches can keep their high school teams together and play against other high schools during the summer and not violate  out of season practice rules.  This seems to be the straw that is
breaking the camels back.

I will say in the past five years making a legion schedule has become increasingly difficult to do.  We have seen New Bern give up Legion. There was one season where New Bern couldn't get enough players to continue in the playoffs.  Recently Elizabeth City, Edenton, Windsor and Ahoskie if they were suppose to travel here tonight they didn't know until time to leave whether enough players would be available to even travel here for a game.

Now that it is time for Hank Jones  Post 58 coach to be making contact with potential players for  this years team Post 58 is finding that interest even to try out is not there.  The decision has been made no legion team in 2015.  Rocky Mount doesn't want to even try to have to go through what others tried.  Can we get enough to play today.

  It is a sad end to one of the great American institutions in America.  American Legion baseball started in 1925.  I am not even sure that those around can even remember what year Legion started in Rocky Mount.  Even our city can take some of the blame for the demise of baseball in Rocky Mount.  Like Wilson Rocky Mount's Memorial Stadium was a high class baseball park in it's hey day.  The mid 80's faced with remodeling a rusting stadium the city decided  to tear it down while Wilson remodeled

Today Fleming Stadium has hosted College baseball regionals.  Many National baseball championships and Fleming  is host to a college baseball team during the summer.  Today the city of Rocky Mount wants to ram a downtown community center down your throat with 5,000 seats and no parking.  Between your light bill paying for a nuclear plant that Rocky Mount has never received any power from  to tearing down a baseball treasure the City of Rocky Mount hardly ever makes  the right decision.  They have a wonderful little league complex which from now to October will be brimming with little leaguers every weekend.  Yet, not a high class ball field for anybody over 15 years of age.  So the city too has to take some blame for the demise of Legion baseball

There is no doubt that in order to have progress traditional things disappear.  Every family in the world use to hang the wash out on a clothes line until the clothes dryer was invented.  Now you can hardly find a clothes pin in any store.  Progress,  if there is not going to be a place to play ball in Rocky Mount for the older kids it won't be that long before the little league fields will have grass growing in the parking lots just like all the cotton mills that dot the Rocky Mount landscape.

Progress, I like most of it until it takes away those things I enjoy.

Consistent Gryphons

There is one thing for sure you can count on this base ball season and that is if the Gryphons of Rocky Mount score once in a conference game they will win the game.  When they don't they lose. Trailing Wilson Fike by two games in the standings tonight was a big opportunity to jump right near the top in the league with a chance to possibly take first next week.

Fike sent Brandon Winstead to the hill while Rocky Mount countered with David Harrison.  Both pitchers put on a show as in his six innings pitched Harrison struck out nine Golden Demons. Winstead who has thrown a no hitter and a one hitter during conference play can now add a two hit shutout to his resume' as Fike scores twice in the fifth and that is all they need winning 2-0.

Harrison opened the fifth walking the only batter he walked all night.  Jase Lamm singled and with two outs a routine fly ball to center was misplayed and D J Daniels get a two RBI double and  that's all Fike needed in winning their seventh of eight conference games.

Rocky Mount's first hit didn't come until one out in the fifth when Channing Green hit a grounder towards third and beat it out for and infield single and the throw sent Green to second.  The play of the game happened after Green stole third and Forest  Bell hit a hot shot deep along the third base bag and Golden Demon third baseman Jase Lamm backhanded the ball and made a strong throw to first to nip Bell and save the shutout.

David Harrison  couldn't pitch any better for Rocky Mount as Rocky Mount lose  their fourth game by being shutout in conference play.  They fall to 4-4 and fall to third after Nothern Nash beat Nash Central  to take over second place at 5-3.   Hunt beat Southern Nash 1-0 and by doing so tie Rocky Mount at 4-4.

Fike clinches at least a bye in the upcoming Big East Tournament as they can lose no more than three conference games while everyone except Northern has at least four losses.  Northern can still tied for first as they draw Fike Tuesday and finish with Rocky Mount while Fike finishes next week with Hunt.

ACC Baseball Crowded At The Bottom

The Louisville Cardinals 19-2 at this point are the  run a way leader in the race of ACC baseball.  The upcoming tournament will have the top six teams getting a bye on the Tuesday when the seeds seven through  ten play.  Miami 15-6 and Florida State 14-7 are very comfortable in finishing  in top six.  That is it for teams who are comfortable.

Clemson 11-9, Notre Dame11-10, Carolina 10-10, State, 9-11, Boston College 9-11, Wake Forest 9-12, Georgia Tech 9-12, Virginia 9-12 and Virginia Tech 8-12 all could finish as high  fourth or as low as 12th and if they finish 11th no ACC tourney.  Pitt 6-15 and the host team Duke 5-15 look like they are outside looking in already.

All most every weekend series  has make it or break it regarding making that top ten to extend their seasons.  Notre Dame visits Wake, Boston College at Carolina.  Virginia at State, Clemson at Georgia  Tech.  Every one of these series can bump the team that sweeps to head of fourth  place class and the team that Gets broomed out of the tournament at least for this week.

Two high profile Major League Baseball players Alex Rodriguez  of the Yankees has played so far for the Yanks has been as good of player as the Yankees have had this year.  Even with that the Yanks are still trying to get out of the contract they are paying A-Rod close to a zillion dollars.  I just don't understand why teams continue to give players over 30 years of Age long term contracts.

The baseball career from almost the first day he was drafted until present day Josh Hamilton has had the fight to stay sober whether alcohol or drugs.  Kicked out of baseball for a period of time rehabbing Hamilton had a relapse just past Christmas and with it divorce.  It is sad when such a talented player is dominated by objects that can ruin a life.

His team the California Angels have asked MLB to suspend him for his latest relapse for drugs.  They like the Yankees are looking to unload a high price players  salary.  There are not many cases when players have been suspended for wrong doing that any team that gambles on signing them ever  gets their money's worth from that player.

Can Anybody Explain The Big East Baseball

We head down the stretch with each team having three games to go and when compared to football and Basketball Fike is the runaway leader.  They have a two game lead with three to play.  Let us ponder how this season has come to this point and you will see baseball is just like football and basketball.  It ain't over yet.

NASH CENTRAL: 3-12  2-5.... Started out winning their first two games.  Since then lost five straight conference games and four of those were by one run.  Imagine if they had of won those four they are 6-1.

SOUTHERN NASH:  6-10 2-5....Southern Nash lost their first four games all by one run.  Southern won all three games during the Easter Tournament in Wilson and have been a bad matchup for everyone in the Big East since.

HUNT:  3-4  7-8....Have won two games by pitching shutouts and have lost two by not scoring.  Have lost three in a row after starting 3-1.

ROCKY MOUNT:  4-3  8-6...  Have been shutout in their three losses.  Averaging 6.5 runs in their wins.

NORTHERN NASH:  4-3 8-8...  Three conference wins have been by shutouts and in their three losses they have given up six runs a game.

FIKE:  11-5 6-1...  Four of their six wins have been by one run.  They scored 15 in one game which is the only time all conference season any team has scored double digits.

Fike travels to Rocky Mount Friday night.  You could almost say as far as Rocky Mount is concerned this is their  shot at the top spot.  Only three Big East teams are guaranteed to be in playoffs.  If they fall back in the group with four losses they might miss playoffs.  They win and first is not out of the question.

Nash Central is at Northern.  You know this could be like basketball that 5-5 might grab the third playoffs spot.  Neither team needs to lose this one.  Northern can still win crown out right.  They don't have any wiggle room.

Hunt at Southern Nash..  Hunt is as close to not making the playoff as they have been since they joined Big East.  Southern Nash can still get to 5-5.  Another can't afford to lose game for both.

There have been 21 conference games to date with five shutouts pitched.   Three the winning team scored only two runs.  There is no doubt this league is dominated by pitching.  Every game rest of the way will be won by the team on that night has the best pitcher on the mound.

Wednesday the Big East held the conference Track and Field championships and Rocky Mount boys and girls win.

Shocking Night In Big East

Last Tuesday night Rocky Mount baseball walked off the field at Northern Nash having lost 7-0.  Hitting was weak and the defense had the looked of little leaguers.  Many Gryphon fans walked off the ball field wondering if they would win another game all year.

They had plenty of help from Nash Central Friday to win on the road and tonight Rocky Mount playing Hunt who like Rocky Mount stood 3-3 in conference and neither can afford another loss chasing Fike and Northern Nash.  Rocky Mount explodes for five hits in the first and scores six runs and Blake Helms dodges Hunt threats all night as Rocky Mount who lost 6-0 to Hunt in Rocky Mount beats the Warriors 7-4.  Rocky Mount has risen all the way to be tied for second with Northern Nash.

I have told you that every team in the Big East has one good pitcher and if he is pitching against you they just might clip you on that night.  As unexpected as Rocky Mount going to Hunt winning Southern Nash has taken down Northern Nash 5-4.  This knocks Northern to 4-3 and tied with Rocky Mount.  Southern rises to 2-5 in league play.  In order to make a shocking night final all this league needs now is for Nash  Central to beat Fike.  It almosted happened as Nash Central took Fike to extra innings before losing.

This sets up a Friday night showdown between first place Fike 6-1 11-5 against Rocky Mount 4-3 8-6.  Rocky Mount with a victory could still win first as they have already beat Fike at Fike  8-4.  A loss and they have no chance to finish first as they would fall three back with three to play.

Tuesday Collins Cuthrell was named as a semi finalist for DII player of the year.  The DII award is called the Tino Matinez Award.  As relayed on the blog yesterday with the stats he has how can he not be the best in DII?

He's At It Again

This past weekend Lander took on UNC P in Pembroke and two former Gryphons collided with each other.  When the dust settle after a three game sweep by Pembroke  Collins Cuthrell continues to add to his magical year as he hit three more home runs and by doing that has upped his home run total this year to 25  leads all DII players in home runs and in fact when you add DI he has more than doubled the National DI home run leader.

Cuthrell's gaudy numbers now stand at a 455 batting average which is in the top 20 in the nation.  He leads the Peach Belt in average doubles 22, HRs 25, rbi 71 and runs scored 70.  There is no other player in the DII hitter that compares to his so the only player who might beat him out for National Player of the year is a pitcher who has  gaudy pitching  numbers like he has hitting numbers. 

So for the second week in a row Cuthrell was named the Peach Belt hitter of the week.  He also garnered the Southeast region player of the week last week.  His 25 home runs is one short of the all time Pembroke record of 26 and he has four more games to play as this weekend is the last week of the regular season in the Peach Belt.

The opposite side of the field was Thomas Berry a former Gryphon teammate and 1st baseman for Lander.   Berry has a great weekend himself  but his numbers  are minor when compared to his former teammate.  Berry is hitting 327 on the year and if you remember walked over 60 times last year which was number one in DII.  Berry has walked 40 times and been hit by a pitch seven more times so his numbers have risen as the season has continued.  His problem Lander this year after making it all the way to the DII world series Lander is not high enough this year to even make the conference tournament so this weekend will end his season and numbers for this year.

Adding more to this past weekend Alex Pearce the former Nash Central Bulldog and in graduate school at Pembroke coaches first base for the Braves.  Over at third base for Lander is former Gryphon baseball player Britt Johnson  so there was a lot of "Old home week during this series."

Tonight if weather allows Rocky Mount plays Hunt.  Nash Central plays Fike and Northern and Southern Nash face off.

If you were one of the sellout crowd expected to see Charlotte and Carlos Rodon play the Durham Bulls in Durham Wednesday the Chicago White Sox haved devalued your ticket.  Rodon was called up to the Big House Monday and will not pitch in Durham.  Rodon makes it to the Majors just 11 months after throwing his last pitch for N C State.

Hobbs Johnson the former Gryphon is in AA playing for Biloxi has now started two games and to this point must be on a pitch count.  His first outing he went only 2.1 innings then his second went four innings.  So far he has pitched over six innings and given up only one earned run.  That relates to a 1.42 ERA.  Brian Goodwin is still on the injured list and has yet to play this season.  The UNC baseball game Sunday against Virginia Tech was rained out so Benton Moss did not get a chance to win his sixth game of the season for Carolina.

The NFL Dilemna

The NFL draft is not that far away and just maybe the top pick in the upcoming draft might be in court being sued.  The NFL has pulled in the wagons in the last few years about player conduct from drugs to behavior and many players have paid the consequences.

Jameis Winstead might be the top draft pick and there is no doubt his history of conduct does not meet the new standards the NFL is making their players adhere too.  Stealing seafood to cursing on  eating tables in the student union Winstead has a track record that should scare IBM from wanting him as an employee so why is he so valued in the NFL.   He throws passes and wins games.  His record will be liability for him trying to interview for any job in America other than the NFL.

He has no record in the court system because that's what happens when you have people pull strings for you when you win football games.  His conduct has also lead him to a he said, she said deal and now Winstead is being sued in Civil court for rape.  This is different from criminal court now the young lady  seeks damages.

I don't think anyone should think that college life is a scene of proper conduct and attending church daily.  A lot goes on that both parties agree too.  If he is guilty he should be punished.  If authorities covered up in order he be able to play they should be punished too.  If this is another attempt like the Duke Lacrosse case for a money grab that should be punished too.

Can the NFL if Winstead is the number one pick and he loses the civil case  afford to let him play? I realize if might be 2017 before the case comes to trial but could he have to sit over something that happened before his NFL days?

The next NFL issue is Adrian Peterson.  He says he wants no part of the Minnesota Vikings.  They say he is under contract with them and he either plays for them or sit.  You know this sounds like the Lebron James Cleveland Cavs spat after James jumped to Miami.  It is wonderful when a check comes in the mail for a million dollars how all sides learn to agree.

The Vikings have all the leverage.  He's under contract.  If Peterson was to get out he will need to get his agent to talk with teams about dealing their #1 draft pick plus another high profile player to the Vikes and they just might listen.  I bet either the Vikes win the draft lottery and trade him during the draft or Peterson plays for the Vikes next year.  If he sits out  he is the only person losing.

The Big East Made Just right

There are many factors when conferences are formed what goes in to making a conference.  Schools which are equal in size.  Ever since the first year of the Big East all six schools have ranged between a hundred students being the same size.  Hard to give the edge to any school because they have more athletes to choose from.  It is also hard to keep those schools about the same size when different areas have growth spurts due to the economy.

Everyone one has found that one of the biggest factors when joining a conference is being as near to one another as possible.  Just ten years ago Havelock was in the same conference with Northern Nash.  Try going to a Tuesday night basketball game at Havelock and go to work or even school on Wednesday.  It almost seems that the Big East is a perfect conference where 30 minutes is the big trip of the year.

We have found especially this year that with the location factor and size factor it has brought with it an equality to competition.  No team has just dominated any sport.  Football went to the wire before we knew who was going to be the champion and for that matter who was finishing fourth because going into the last game everybody was still alive.  Add basketball with the same outline.

It is plain to see baseball is on the same track.  Heading into Tuesday night's baseball games there are four more games to play and the regular season will be over. Fike is leading the way at 5-1 and 9-5 after beating Nash Central 2-1. Compared to football and basketball this is a runaway lead.  Northern Nash has since the Easter break showed off their pitching and are 4-2 - 8-7.  Hunt 3-3 -7-7 and Rocky Mount 3-3 - 7-6 are tied for third.  Nash Central started with a 2-0 record in conference but have lost four in a row stand 2-4 - 3-11.  Southern Nash rounds out the field at 1-5 -5-10.

Fike and Nash Central made up their rainout game from earlier this season Saturday and they will in turn play each other again Tuesday at Fike.  The two tied for third Hunt host Rocky Mount Tuesday and this truly is a make or break for both.  Finally Tuesday Northern Nash host Southern Nash in a must win for Northern to keep pace with Fike.

You might be interested to know who the conference leaders are?  Batting average:Jacob Williamson Hunt 478.  Home runs  Tie Kendall Parker Southern Nash and Cameron Vick Southern Nash 2.  Slugging % Bryson Worrell Hunt  717.  RBI Hunt  Bryson Worrell 13.  Runs scored  Andrew Brinson Hunt 13. Stolen Bases Kendall Parker  Southern Nash 13.  ERA Tyler Barrett Northern Nash .058.  Strikeouts Tyler Barrett Northern Nash 38.  Wins Tyler Barrett Northern Nash  Barrett 4.

The seeding for the state playoffs will be released on May 9th and who ever makes the playoffs begin first round May 13th.

Rocky Mount -Northern Get Big Wins

Thursday night there was a moment when the Gryphons looked like a little league team and were shut out by Nothern Nash 7-0.  Tonight Rocky Mount took advantage of one Nash Central moment a bases loaded single in the top of the fourth would clear the bases as two Bulldog errors helped out.  Rocky Mount added another run in the fifth and Nash Central finally scored in the bottom half of the inning .

David Harrison would get the Gryphon win on the mound  and by doing so evened the Gryphons record to 3-3 while Nash Central dropped to 2-3.  Nash  Central will try to get their record back to 3-3 Saturday afternoon hosting Fike at 1pm.  Rocky Mount goes to 7-6 on the year while Nash Central falls to3-10.

Northern Nash with the best overall pitching staff in the conference had no trouble playing two nights in a row as they beat Hunt 7-2..  This makes Northern 4-2 and all alone in second.  Hunt falls to 3-3 and tied with Rocky Mount.

Fike last time against Southern Nash was only able to win 2-1 but not tonight as Fike remains in first soundly beating Southern Nash 16-2.  Fike is now 4-1 but will try to win their fifth conference game Saturday afternoon when they travel to Nash Central.  That game is big for both as Nash Central could get right back in the battle for first if they even their conference record at the expense of Fike.
A Fike victory would just about knock the Bulldogs out of any expectations of first place.

This season has been so disrupted with weather not being able to have any preseason practice.  Then once the season started the weather was terrible even on game days.  Maybe the weather will be warm enough the last two weeks where every team can play the game the way we all want to see it.

Northern Just Out Of First

They were the preseason favorites to win the Big East baseball race hands down but for Northern Nash this season has not come to pass the way they wanted it.  They have had their moments in non-conference looking like a powerhouse and the next game looking feeble.  Heading into Thursday's game with Rocky Mount conference play had been the same.

The Big East baseball race has all the looks that three losses just might finish in first so any team making the first round in conference play really doesn't at the point want more than two losses heading to the second time around.  Rocky Mount and Northern squared off each at 2-2 tied with Nash Central too.  Three losses by the end of the first go round drops anybody  almost to last.

The first four innings proved to be what everyone thought 0-0.  One day this week I made mention that I thought this would be a 2-1 game unless defense on one side or the other fell apart.  The bottom of the fourth Northern scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth.  Tyler Barrett pitches a three hitter and gets the shutout.  Northern steals home twice and by games end wins 7-0.

Northern now at 3-2 is only a half game behind Fike in first place at 3-1.  They are tied with Hunt 3-2.  Nash Central 2-2 is fourth and Rocky Mount after losing their third conference games all shutouts 2-0 Nash Central, 6-0 to Hunt and now 7-0 drops to fifth at 2-3 and Southern 1-4.

Nash Central and Fike have a rainout yet to make up that occurred before the Easter break.  It will be made up Saturday at Nash Central at 1pm.  If all games go off as scheduled between now and Saturday everyone in the Big East will have played six games with two weeks to go.

Friday's schedule has Rocky Mount at Nash Central.  Northern at Hunt and Fike at Southern.  Every team in this league has one top pitcher and if they save that pitcher for your team not many runs will be scored.  Two no hitters have been pitched so far in conference play.  Is it an indictment on Big East hitting or is this league loaded with great pitching?

Bail Out Time

It is official all three of the Duke freshman are declaring for the NBA draft.  I don't like the college world where players come for one year until the NBA allows them to come play for them.  I do  under stand however in the case of Tyrus Jones he is projected as the 23rd pick in the NBA draft which if that happens that will be a multiyear contract.  He of the three Duke players is the lowest selection so all three will over the four year rookie contract make at least 6 million dollars.  If Okafor goes #1 he might make 24 million over four years.  The 30th pick in 2014 draft the last player guaranteed a contract signed to make 5.5 million in four years which works out to chump change just about 1.4 million a year.  Wouldn't you go too?

The problem is that already more than 60 players have stated they were turning  pro.  Only 30 will be getting a guaranteed contract.  If you are drafted in the second round all the NBA is doing is inviting you to come to our camp and if you make the team we will sign you but if you don't try playing in Turkey not here.

Last week Carolina's PJ Tokoto declared for the draft.   Every Mock draft that I have seen his name is no where to be seen in the first round.  Is Tokoto so disgusted  with his situation at Carolina he is just getting out of dodge just because another player is first choice shooting the ball instead of you? If that is the case transfer.  Don't sit waiting on the draft that may never come to you.  If you fail to make a team the next choice is any where in the world that needs you so you go play in a country where you can't speak the language and if it is a place like Iran.  The hotel you stay in is under arm guards at all times.

Yesterday N C State got rocked first with the news that Trevor Lacy is putting his name in the draft.  What in the world is he thinking.  I can't find one mock draft at all that has him even in the second round.  Hear later last night that he is not getting an agent.  That might be good news.

The other news from Raleigh was not that unexpected.  Kyle Washington who in mid season saw his court time dry up except in desperate situations is transferring.  The Pack played better once Washington's time went to other big men.  However Washington in late season always gave you one or two minutes that with out him big MO went the other way.

I think a major problem on campus these days in the entourage  that comes along with players.  Those people that are always telling that player he is better than the coach is giving him playing time.  Most of them are only there hoping to pick up the crumbs which fall from a million dollar athlete.  There are no crumbs if they don't get their kid to turn pro so they are always pumping up the head of players
to get them to sign for some money and by the way I helped you along the way and give me.

Didn't realize that Nash Central and Southern Nash got in their game before the rains Tuesday night.
Fike leads the Big East baseball at 3-1 followed by Hunt 3-2 then Rocky Mount , Northern Nash and Nash Central all 2-2.  Southern is now 1-4. Rocky Mount and Northern washed out again last night will try again this afternoon at 4:30.   How about this Big East sports conference.  Football  and basketball went right down to the wire and you could win and finish first or lose and finish fourth.  Looks like baseball is heading in the same direction.

Rain out

Just a little after 6pm the bottom fell out of the sky and over the next several hours plenty of rain hit the area.  The Rocky Mount-Northern Nash game was postponed until Wednesday night again at 7pm.  The forecast is much the same for Wednesday as last night so we will see.

Nash Central and Fike right now are still a game behind everyone else and have a game to make up in order to get caught up with everyone.  Last night every team should have played five conference games but only Hunt at 3-2 have played five.  Nash Central has only three games played so just to catch up they need to make up Tuesday's game with Southern Nash and a Fike game.  If RM/NN get their game in tonight they are on schedule.

CIAA news former Gryphon Cody Smith pitched a no hitter for the Hawks of Chowan on Saturday.  Twelve innings of work last week Smith did not give up a hit struck out 12 and walked but three batters.  That effort was good enough to be named the CIAA pitcher of the week.  So far this season Smith is 3-1 for the Hawks with an era of 4.97.  He pitched 29 plus innings on the season.

Former Gryphon teammate Will Edwards has pitched nine plus innings with a 1-1 record.  Joining Smith and Edwards at Chowan is for Bulldog Garrison Vick so far this season he has been to bat four times without a hit.

Speaking of Players of the week..  Collins Cuthrell  was named POW for his actions last week in the Peach Belt Conference.  He went 9-18 batting five hundred.  He hit four home runs and in doing so moved back on top as the DII home run leader with 22.  He scored seven runs, walked three times and was perfect in the field at third base for the Braves fielding all ten balls hit his way.  Tuesday UNC P beat Barton in Pembroke 13-8 with Cuthrell going 1-3 with a double and two walks. His batting average on the season still remains in the 455 range.

Is it any doubt who the player of the year will be in the Peach Belt Conference.  What a year it has been for Collins.  The end of last season looked as if his baseball playing days were over and nobody in pro baseball knew who he was.  June he might not be a high pick but somebody will draft him. 

Return To Conference Baseball Forecast Rain

What did you expect between basketball and snow and early season baseball rain why would you think that last week's Easter break where not one game was delayed by rain would hold up once conference baseball returned.  Hunt and Fike seeing the weather forecast moved their  Tuesday game to last night at Fike and in essence they played for first place in the conference standings.

Hunt 3-2 7-6 was at Fike 3-1 8-5 trying to beat the Tuesday rain. Junior right hander Brandon Winstead for Fike pitched a no hitter as Fike takes over first place in the Big East dropping Hunt to 3-2 after the first round of conference play while Fike edges ahead of Nash Central 2-1  who maybe plays tonight

Tonight weather willing Rocky Mount 2-2 and 7-6 will travel to Northern Nash 2-2 and 6-7.  I suspect Helms  and Carter  will toe the rubber for each team and since both teams have shown most of the spring so far I bet this will be a 2-1 game unless defense makes the gap wider.

Nash Central 2-1 and 3-8 visits Southern Nash 0-4 and  4-9.  Both the Bulldogs and the Firebirds have one stopper on the pitching staff so I see no reason why not put your best out there against a rival.

They begin the second trip with each team playing each other for the second time starting Friday.  Friday night May 1st which is 17 days away will be the last regular season game of the season.  Didn't they just play their first games of the season last week?

The ACC baseball has a month to go before the tournament in Durham.  If the ACC tournament started today Louisville would be first 16-2, Miami 14-4, Florida State. 11-7, the next five teams would be Carolina, Clemson, Wake Forest and Notre Dame  and Georgia Tech at 9-9.

State at 8-9 is not in neither is Virginia who finished second at College World Series  is 7-12.  Not one North Carolina team can say they will make it right now and could you imagine the ACC tournament in Durham  and not one NC school in it.  It could happen.  Can you see 500 showing up for the championship game featuring Louisville and Miami?

Golf's New Era

Jordan Spieth has played eight rounds of golf at Augusta National.  As he walked off the green after each round he was in no worse position than fifth.  That occurred after the final round last year playing in the final group with Bubba Watson last year shot and even parr 72.  Today he walks off as a winner of a major golf tournament and all the world lies in front of him.

Every step he took today he either matched or broke Tiger's records. He could be the next dominating player in  golf.  Who knows he may be a Johnny Miller.  The greatest golfer in the world for five years and wakes up one morning and can't putt any more.  Many things can happen to Spieth in his future but boy wouldn't you love his start in pro golf.

UNC Pembroke has ten games to go in their regular season and Collins Cuthrell is four home runs from the all time Brave's record.  He hit another one Sunday giving him 22 on the season.  I know many players would love to have the day he had Sunday going 4-5 a homer and four RBI.  By the way he is hitting 459 on the season.  I know Pembroke is not an easy drive to see him play but Barton will be hosting UNCP Wednesday. The working man will have a hard time getting to Wilson for two 3pm games.

Hobbs Johnson got his first start of the season pitching only 2.3innings.  He gave up an earned run but his rub was he walked four batters and didn't last long.  His team this season is the Biloxi Shockers.  They think they will have to play their first 54 games the road as Biloxi is a new team in AA baseball and their new home is not ready and may not be until June before they can play in the new stadium.  They will play so called home games in Mobile and Huntsville until their stadium is ready.

State managed to get one win in Chapel Hill as Benton Moss could not throw a strike and Mike Fox pulled him in the third trailing 1-0. The one run he gave up happened in the third after Moss loaded the bases on three walks.  If you watch the game on line on WATCH ESPN the umpire for most of the game was a coin flipper behind the plate.  He flipped a coin after every pitch and decided whether it was a ball or strike.  Benton didn't help much as he was about as wild as I  have ever witnessed.

Spring Has Sprung

It is now official, Spring is here.  It is so because the Masters has been going on three days and the birds are chirping and the yellow pollen has my white car looking green.  Having been to Augusta last year and seeing what a mountainous course Augusta National really is  HD TV is the only way to watch this tournament.

State and Carolina have played two games this weekend in baseball with the Tar Heels winning 2-1 and 3-2.  Quite frankly I don't believe you could take the best players off each  team and really be that good.   Neither team can hit the ball.  Don't believe either is headed to Omaha this year.

College football teams put the wraps on spring football Saturday.  Duke has just won the college basketball national championship  and with Carolina baseball not being as good as the past this thought has run through my mind.

Football was so so last season, many Carolina basketball fans want to run Roy out of town and baseball is average at best.  All of this talk about building a new basketball arena or remodeling the Dean Dome I read in the News and Observer where Bubba Cunningham  says that all talk of a basketball arena is on the back burner right now.

We are now pushing four years all this academic fraud mess has been going on in Chapel Hill.  Many Tar Heel fans are disgusted with the way things are going right now.  Might remember the new end zone seats in Kenan had some bait and switch  antics during their sale.  The Carolina  faithful who were part of the 28 million cash paid to build the Dean Dome are in no mood to now fork over 50 million to renovate the Dome.

So the money people are not as willing to donate when a cloud hangs over athletics while the NCAA looms and now after Syracuse Heel fans are really nervous.  On top of all that have athletes as well said no to the Tar Heels?  All of you Carolina fans keep telling me Roy is not getting the big name players any more.  Is it Roy or is it the Carolina  reputation has been damaged not only with the people who support the Heels or even prospective athletes shying away from Chapel Hill because of storm clouds  which need to dissipate soon.

If you love the Heels you had better hope the NCAA rules as soon as possible and get rid of the storm cloud hanging around so the University can get back to being the University of the people because it is not now.

Golden Spikes Nominee

Former Rocky Mount Gryphon, Barton college and now Senior redshirt third baseman for UNC Pembroke Collins Cuthrell has made the top 60 cut for the Golden Spikes Award as the best Amateur baseball player in America.

58 nominees are from division 1 baseball as Cuthrell is the only DII player on the list.  There is also one JUCO player in the top 60.  May 27 will but the first round of cuts from the top 60 and the winner will be announced June 23rd.

So far this year the Braves third baseman has hit 458 collecting 19 home runs driven in 55 rbi and added 17 doubles to his resume'.  He has struck out a only  21 times in over 165 plate appearances.  Just last summer Collins help with Post 58 Legion team here in Rocky Mount and as a graduate of Barton had one year of eligibility left so he is in Grad school at UNCP.

Thursday night started the minor league baseball season and I could not find Brian Goodwin on any roster.  One big issue for minor league players the teams are not required to let everyone know when a player is on the disabled list like in the majors.  Rumors all spring were that Brian is still hurting from his surgery last summer and is on the disabled  list even though there isn't one in the minors.

Hobbs Johnson has been promoted to AA Biloxi in the Southern league.  The former Gryphon just two summers ago pitched for Carolina in the College World Series is right now ranked as the 23rd prospect for the Milwaukee Brewers organization.  Should get his first start of the year this weekend.

Two former Gryphons who have sons in minor league baseball began their season Thursday.  Bill Merfifield  who's son Whit was a member of the national Champions South Carolina has risen to triple AAA Omaha for the Kansas City Royals went 2-5 and drive in a run in his opening game playing left field.  Sonny Wooten's off spring John Wooten who played for Eastern Wayne if you remember they played Northern Nash in the East Regional.  He also played at ECU and will start out the year as first baseman for Potomac. He went 1-4 with a double and RBI.

Another Legend Gone

The older I get in life it almost seemed to be a daily occurrence that someone in the sports world leaves this good earth that I had many days of pleasure being around.  Jim Garrison who coached football at Chowan College for 43 years and won 182 games in Junior College which at the time of his retirement was third all time in JUCO football and was Athletic Director passed this past week at the age of 82.

Garrison coached 19 players who would play NFL football.  I am sure if you looked at the list of players many  you would know and you would say I didn't know they went to Chowan. Twice Chowan played in the East Bowl which was called the Little Rose Bowl of Junior College.  Playing in the East Bowl amounted to be the best Junior College team east of the Mississippi River. They won it once.

Garrison is a member of five Halls of Fame including the North Carolina Sports Hall.  He leaves his wife of 57 years Joyce and three surviving children.  His funeral will be this Saturday on the football stadium that bares his name.

The news media is bonkers over Tiger Woods playing in the Masters.  Woods who shot and opening round  73 which I think is a very respectable round for a player who has been out of action for three months because of injury.

There is one thing that gets under my craw however.  The audacity of a player injured to think he can stay out of action injured and show up for a major and think he's in shape to play championship golf.  Wouldn't he been better served to have played last weekend just to get the feel of tournament golf again?

One of the reasons wins are few and far between for Tiger now is his putting.   He thinks he can show up at one of the hardest golf courses to putt and shoot a score than will keep him in the tournament for the weekend.  I can see this as Tigers' future.  Every now and then he will have a hot putter and shoot a 66 and the media will declare Tiger back as good as ever. It might happen today who knows but then if it does happen shoot two more 73's over the weekend.  When you have lost the putting touch you may find it every now and then but on those hot days you will not know how you did it other than the ball kept going in the hole.

You know for every Arnold Palmer there comes a Jack Nicklaus.  Every Jack there is a Tom Watson to replace him.  For Tiger there is a Jordan Spieth.  Move over Tiger the new Palmer has arrived.

Is There Truth in Auriemma's Words

The head basketball coach of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team Geno Auriemma says that college basketball the way it is played today is unwatchable.  I agree with him.  He says that in men's basketball there only  a few teams who can really win the title every year.  He also tells that women's basketball isn't any better either.  I do think that the reason women's basketball is unwatchable is completely different than the men's game.

You know I have told you numerous times that UVA  style of basketball was not going to win anything during the playoffs and it didn't.  Men's basketball has been taken over by players who have grown up in AAU basketball where they play three or four games on their team every weekend and the object is to win by outscoring the other team.  So the only true basketball skills being displayed in AAU is putting the ball in the hole and most of the time that is the team with the tallest player or  three point shooters.

No one teaches in AAU.  So college basketball players arrive knowing nothing about a bounce pass all they know is the lop pass for a dunk.  College basketball players have grown up in the era of the three point shots so you either shoot threes or dunk.  Then you throw in a coach who thinks that holding the ball until the 35 second clock runs out helps keep the ball away from the other team and is satisfied with a 48-45 score.

Today's college basketball players dribble too much because they can't pass to another player because they think he is covered because they don't know how. Why do you think free throw shooting is so bad these days.  It is only  thirteen  feet nine inches from the foul line to the front of the rim and it only counts one point.  Three point shots make ESPN  highlights. 

If you look at the state of women's basketball it is where the men's game was in the 1960's.  UCLA won year after year because they were the only team west of the Mississippi who was any good.  All the teams in the east had to beat each other up  just to  get  a chance to play UCLA.

The women's playoffs  the first two rounds are played on the home court of the top seeds.  Now how is Sisters of the Poor going to beat Tennessee on their home court?  Can you imagine Duke getting two home playoff games against Lehigh and then the regional being in Greensboro.  That's what is happening in the women's game.  The Connecticut's of the world are winning by 50 in the playoffs and that is unwatchable.

We all know why the women's game is played on the home courts of the top teams.  It is to sell tickets to get people to sit in the stands and watch the game.  The women's game to this point can not draw a crowd if Notre Dame plays Texas in Greensboro in a regional.  They have to have local teams there to draw a crowd.  Doesn't the men's game do the same?  You bet they do!  Just not severe as the women's game has to do.

There is no doubt basketball is not as good as it could be and one reason is TV.  In order to get you to watch they only show the thrilling plays.  They don't show the basic play that helped win the game because doing your job every day is boring.  TV needs Ratings and highlights.  Football highlights are the 85 yard run for the touchdown.  When ESPN shows the highlights do they show the blocker who opened the big hole?

Geno is right but he should add the NBA to unwatchable too. San Antonio is about the only team that plays the game the way it should be played and if I recall they are the defending champions.  Playing the game the way it should be played wins, it's just doesn't make the ESPN highlights.

Duke won the title by pressing on defense most of the time making Wisconsin work to just get the ball up the court.  When they got  a rebound they were off to the races trying to run Wisconsin in the ground.  It worked as the last four minutes Wisconsin shooting fell of the map.  Give me a game where everyone is moving all the time  over I'll go stand in the corner throw it to me for a three when the clock is about to run out.

People love stats and get confused sometimes what they mean.  But in winning six games Duke gave up 57 points a game.  Those are stats Virginia would love to have.  Yet, Duke averaged 74 points per game holding the other teams to 57 in fast paced games.   Kentucky score 64 in their game to Wisconsin but lost.  Michigan State score 61 against Duke and lost by 20.   Wisconsin score 63 in the national championship game and lost.

There was not a team in the final eight who held their foes to 50 as their goal.  Their goal was to outscore the other side and nobody made the elite eight holding the ball on offense.  All four in the Final four averaged 70 points per game to make it to the final four.  The way you win in basketball is score when we have it and try to keep them from scoring when they have it.  Too many coaches have that idea mixed up.

The Hotbed Of College Basketball

There is no doubt the state of North Carolina leads the way when it comes to great college basketball programs.  Duke won the 76th NCAA national championship.  39 times a team from North Carolina has made it to the final four.  Twice two got there the same year.  Charlotte and Carolina did it once and Duke and Carolina went the same year.  Carolina has been 18 times while Duke jumps to 16 trips. State three, Wake Forest once and Charlotte once have all been to the Big Dance. THE ACC has sent Virginia, Maryland and Georgia Tech each have gone twice giving the ACC 44 trips from the conference in 76 years.  Make that 43 trips cause State went in 1946 as a member of the Southern Conference.

 I thought the  game was officiated better than the Wisconsin/Kentucky  game and yes after Duke got the lead they did miss an out of bounds on Winstead under the Duke basket.  Look one of Okafors four fouls one time he had all ball so with Duke having two players in foul trouble I can't see coach Ryan complaining about the calls.  I think he should ask himself why didn't he perch Kaminski in the low post once Okafor was out of the game.  Instead he stayed outside the three point line and Duke could control him a lot better there than under the basket.

All of this talk about Kentucky being the school of one and done it is the Duke Blue Devils who had the best freshman class.  I suspect all three of the starters will go pro but look, Kaminski dominated Okafor almost all night. Kaminski if he was a pro this year  would be the worse starting center in the NBA.  I know a NBA team will take Okafor on prospect of the future but he is not ready.  He needs one more year.  Justise Winstead and Tyus Jones both had a great last six weeks but six weeks will not prove you are NBA ready.  I hope Winstead and Jones don't go pro to never to be heard from again.

More than 28 million watched the telecast which was the highest rated championship game since 1997.  Can you imagine how many might have watched if Kentucky and Duke had of been the game.  You know Duke has become the Dallas Cowboys of college basketball.  People watch just to see them lose and the other half watch to admire their great program.  In Dallas case they watch to see how many times Jerry Jones will be on TV.

I guess it has something to do with getting used to winning titles as I would like to thank the Duke students for not trying to burn down the city of Durham.  I have heard of no arrest made but I know several wood benches that dot the Duke campus are missing today.  I don't know how something close by didn't catch on fire as big as that Bonfire was.

Tuesday completed the Easter baseball action in Wilson and the Rocky Mount Gryphons get out of town with a win.  They beat Southern Wayne 11-0 behind the complete game pitching by Blake Helms.  Boy has he been good this year or what?  Ragsdale beat Nash Central 12-2 and the Bulldogs  lose three times in the event.  Northern Nash lost for the first time to Ragsdale 4-1 to finish 2-1 over the break.

Carter Pitches NO HITTER

Northern Nash senior pitcher Derek Carter pitching in Wilson during one of the many baseball games being played during the Easter school break shutout Eastern Wayne 1-0 and to boot did not allow a hit in going all the way for the Knights as the Knights win their second game in Wilson after having pounded Southern Wayne on Saturday 15-2.  So the Knights pitching has been the star of the show for them.

Southern Nash pick up a victory with a 9-6 win over Oakwood.  Nash Central fell to Parrott Academy 4-1 and Rocky Mount was shutout by Person 4-0.

Our weekly Collins Cuthrell update as reported midweek last week Cuthrell play the DH spot  this weekend instead of third base protecting a slight hamstring issue.  He was 1/8 with no home runs and his batting averaged dipped to 453 which is still top 10 in the country in DII baseball.  I wish I could have hit 453 in little league.

Another former Gryphon is having a great year at Lander in first baseman Thomas Berry.  Berry's problem is nobody else for Lander is having the years they had last season getting them all the way to the DII World Series in Cary.  Lander in is doubt whether they will make their conference tournament which by the way  is  the Peach Belt the same conference as Pembroke.  Berry is hitting 317 on the season which is really good at any level.

The national championship may have been without Kentucky which started the weekend trying to have and undefeated season but what the world got were the two best team in this year's tournament.  Saturday the seventy some thousand mostly wore Kentucky blue but we're replaced by Wisconsin red as the whole stadium on those long end zone shots gave.

You would hope with a university that has 43,000 students and  not that far from campus to Indy they would be whole hog crazy about  their first national championship game in 74 years.  Duke of course the rich kids university with less than 15,000 students.  Are they rich at Duke?  Wisconsin has endowments of 2.2 billion while Duke a slight sum of 7 billion.

You couldn't ask for a better first half as both sides exchanged the lead 15 times with Duke sitting Okafer and Winslow the last few minutes to protect fouls.  The tie score 31-31 was exactly how the half had played out dead even.

The Badgers charged out to a nine point lead and Duke continued to pound the ball inside with their guards.  I thought they would do that once the Badgers had to guard the three point shot but Duke didn't try any and still drove with their guards.

Boy did this game come down to great plays on both sides.  Just five years ago Duke beat Butler in a low sixties scoring game this one was much more exciting than that one.  In the in Duke had K.

Climbing Up The Ladder

The UNC baseball team is finding it hard to win ACC games this year.  They stand 7-8 after five weekends of conference play but they have  come to count on a conference win  when Benton Moss takes the hill.  Sunday at Clemson Moss found himself down 4-0 early in the game but he was still in the game into the seventh inning and by that time the Tar Heels had piled up eight runs and survive to win one game at Clemson 8-7.  Benton Moss is now 5-0 on the season and 24-7 lifetime for the Tar Heels and 24 wins makes him the 10th winningest pitcher  in North Carolina history. 

Heard Saturday night that Hunt beat Nash Central 4-3 Thursday night to take the lead in the Big East Baseball with a 3-1 record.  Nash Central 2-1 and Fike 2-1 are Next.  Northern Nash and Rocky Mount are 2-2 and Southern Nash is 0-4.

Saturday tournament baseball saw Rocky Mount pitch the end of the bench and they lost to SW Guilford 14-9. this was their fourth game of the week and simply didn't have anyone to throw. The highlight of the games was a grand slam home run by Josh Carter which is the first home run of the year for the Gryphons.    Nash Central lost 8-7 to Roxboro Community and Northern Routed Southern Wayne 15-2.  There will be more tournament action today.

I have a very hard time for any instate school playing in any sport with the chance to win it all not pulling for them when they represent all of us.  Duke University is a North Carolina based school and that is enough for me to pull for them Monday night to win their fifth College basketball National championship.

They are a member of the ACC which is also the school I pull for conference.  I find it hard to believe anybody pulls against neighbors just because they hate that neighbor.  I pull hard Saturday night for the Devils and I will again Monday night as they represent me playing for the title.

I know about 75% of all tournament brackets were busted big time with Kentucky losing.  I think Duke will be hard to beat if they come out from the get go and play the defense they played the last 16 minutes of the first half after Michigan State made their first four threes and led 14-6.

Wisconsin has some good shooters on the outside that are tall which I think that is why Duke has the edge.  Duke will cover them better than Kentucky did on the outside and when Duke stands outside the three point line and the big Badgers come to cover them Duke will charge to the basket like they did against the Spartans and those big men are not quick enough to cover them from 20 feet back to the goal.

GO DUKE!!!!

A Special Day

There are two days of religious holidays every year that Christians celebrate.  Christmas Day the day Christ Jesus was born and then Easter Sunday the day Jesus rose from the grave. 

When Adam ate from the tree life from the urging from Eve, God condemned man with sin.  Those of you that know me and say he is a sinner just like I am that is true.  We have inherited sin in our life an it doesn't matter how perfect I try to be there is no way I can be.  The one thing that saves me is that I have confessed  to Jesus to be my Lord and savior and through his grace when I ask for forgiveness of the sins I have committed he will forgive me.

Why do we celebrate Christmas?  The reason is Jesus was born to a virgin and because of that virgin birth he did not inherit the sin given to all people going all the way back to Adam and Eve.  Jesus lived a sinless life and those people who believed in him while he lived thought he was going to become the king of the nation.  They never realized that he was king of eternity.

Once Jesus was sent to the cross to die those who thought he was going to be king of a nation were disappointed when their dreams were dashed.  That Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb and found an empty grave that marked that Jesus had risen from the grave which made him like no other man that had ever lived and died.  Jesus had lived on earth, died on earth and with his resurrection took control of this earth and all eternity.

So why then with so much power is there so much sin all over this world?  He has the power to make us all sin free.  He also has the power to only listen to those who believe in him.  Jesus wants us to hold nothing in this world higher than him.  He wants us to tell him how much we love him and when we do he will forgive our sins when we ask him too.

Our world is a dangerous place to live in and I guess it is no different than it has ever been throughout time.  I trust that Jesus will take me some day to be with him in heaven.  Those of you who think this world we live in is great and nothing could be better than this.  I have to ask where will you be in a hundred years.  You still have a chance to be in heaven  but only if you confess.

Today is the day we mark as the day Jesus took control of eternity.  How much eternity do you have left?

Gryphons Back In The Hunt

A  disappointing 0-2  start and both games at home is not the ideal way to begin in conference season.  Top that off and you did not score a run in either loss.  That is not very good at all but the Gryphons hit the road Tuesday and with plenty of help from the Fike defense they were able to plate eight runs in beating Fike 8-4 while getting only two hits.  Thursday at home the Gryphons collected seven hits but it took 12 innings to get those in winning a thrilling 6-5 twelve inning affair with Southern Nash.

Plain and simple this Gryphon team has more sophomores in the lineup than seniors and to this point are not very good hitting the ball.  To say the least the defense does not rank very high either but that third segment to this team pitching has been much better than expected. Senior  Blake Helms has been effective in all of his conference starts.  Sophomore David Harrison has provided at second quality arm.  Thursday night the Gryphons found that Liki Whitaker pitched better in his four plus innings than the score shows because of the defense behind him.  Who would have thought that Junior Shortstop Forest Bell who is expected to throw only in desperation could give Kent Cox eight innings of relief and kept the Gryphons in the game until  the big hit in the 12th.

Easter break finds almost everyone playing in Wilson as baseball is every where there over the next few days.  Rocky Mount back in the Big East race is tied with preseason favorite Northern Nash at 2-2 which is a tie for third.

Rocky Mount plays three times weather permitting Saturday-Monday -Tuesday.  They begin this afternoon at Hunt playing SW Guilford at 5pm.  Monday once again at Hunt but this time it's Person County in game two.  They will playing at Fleming Stadium Tuesday at 12:30 against Southern Wayne.

Northern Nash starts at Noon today playing Southern Wayne at Barton College.  Monday at 3:pm they get their turn at Fleming Stadium as they meet up with Eastern Wayne.  They finish up their Easter tournament season Tuesday at 9:30 at Fike High.

Southern Nash has three meetings due on Saturday is Arendell Parrott Academy at noon.  Monday they take to the field against Oakwood from Greenville  at 12:30 and finish Tuesday against Person County.

Nash Central has only two games scheduled playing Roxboro Community at 3:00pm today and Tuesday C B Aycock at Noon.

Everyone gets rest of the Easter holiday break off before returning to Big East play on the 14th.  That game will end the first time again with Rocky Mount and Northern Nash meeting.  Nash Central and Southern Nash and Fike and Hunt square off.  Then the second cycle starts and it is two weeks before the end of the season.

Got Their Monies Worth

Tonight Southern Nash paid a visit to Rocky Mount sporting and 0-3 record and would face a 1-2 Gryphon team.  Both playing their third conference game of the week and since each has one really good pitcher and they have already pitched this week we might be in for a 16-15 type game but what we got was much more than anyone expected.

First of all let me tell you about the starting pitcher for Southern.  Leroy Edwards while warming up I thought he was a left handed but noticed he threw the ball right handed.  Leroy has a handicap  of only having a partial left hand.  He holds his glove with his left hand throws the ball right handed and quickly switches his glove to the right hand and if he catches a ball on a play then must switch back to his other hand to throw to ball.  He does it so smoothly I doubt many people even noticed. Later when taken out of the game played a splendid first base.  It is a pleasure to see a player who has a handicap play with great heart and passion.

The Gryphons started Liki Whitaker who last season was the number two pitcher on JVs and has tossed very little so far this season.  His teammates did him no favors in the first creating three errors while Southern could get only one hit and one run.  Rocky Mount got three runs on three hits and Southern contributed an error to give  Rocky Mount a 3-1 first inning lead.

Firebird Kendall Parker's double in the third tie the game at three.  The top of the fifth Southern took a five three lead when Kent Cox brought in Short stop Forest Bell and Bell proceeded to give up only three hits and strike out 12 over the next eight innings.  The Gryphons tied the game in the bottom of the sixth at five and had chances to take the lead.  Todd Brewer countered with two outs in the sixth with his ace Lucas Overman who pitched the rest of the way for Southern.  The rest of the way would
be with two outs in the bottom of the 12th.

There was a point when complete control was lost by the umpiring crew.  Rocky Mount had a runner on first with one out and Josh Carter batting and everyone hollering foul ball when Gryphon base runner Battle Shannon was called out stealing.  Southern ran off the field thinking three outs and Kent Cox arguing about a foul ball.  The umpires had no idea how many outs there were  and had to consult a score book to see that the third batter of the inning was at bat.

Rocky Mount started the bottom of the 12th with two easy outs but Blake Helms managed a walk after he had two strikes and the final batter of the game Channing a Green stepped to the plate and the left handed batter lashed a double deep in the left field corner and there was never any doubt that Blake Helms rounding second was heading home with the winning run.  6-5 Rocky Mount with two outs in the bottom of the 12th.

Rocky Mount jumps to 2-2 and Southern drops to 0-4.  There is nobody in this league that will want to play the much improved Firebirds and Rocky Mount found out they have more pitching than they thought.

Baseball Not Acting Like Football And Basketball

Football season and basketball season in the Big East was every week there was a new leader and some weeks every body was either leading or tied for last.  Baseball with all the calamity of the weather that has occurred so far this spring is not sending the same signals as the others sports have.






Nash Central finds themselves 2-0 and in first place.  The way their first week has played out they have used the same pitcher winning against Rocky Mount and Northern Nash but what have they got when they have to play three in a week and that is coming?






Hunt after dropping their opener to Northern Nash has responded with two shut out wins over Southern Nash and Rocky Mount and stand at 2-1 in the league.




Fike is 2-1 with wins over Southern Nash and Northern Nash and a home loss to Rocky Mount.






Northern Nash whitewashed Hunt and beat Southern but fell to Nash Central and Fike  to stand at 2-2 in the standings. Northern's three straight games this week are concerning to Northern coach Leonard Allen as his team has looked tired all week.









Rocky Mount finally crossed home plate in a conference game against Fike  but were shutout twice  to Hunt and Nash Central stand at 1-2.






Southern Nash is 0-3 losing to Fike , Northern and Hunt.




So far this season there is no bottom of the standings is as good as the top.  I think what we are seeing is all this weather this spring has teams playing games instead of practicing and practice is where you get into playing shape.  Next week is Easter break and by the time everyone  returns to conference play on April 14 we hope the weather is more in the 60's every day and teams will have had time to practice.  The final six conference games will go by quickly as the regular season ends May 1.