Oh so Close

Carolina being  denied entry into this year's NCAA tournament has brought and end to the college baseball career of Benton Moss the former Gryphon finishes his career in the top ten all time in four pitching categories.

Wins  26 the all time Carolina record is 31.  Winning percentage  26-6  81 percent. His junior  year was his worst year at 4-2.  He has 318 strikes out which is second all time in Tar Heel history.  325 is the Carolina record.  His career ERA is 3.23.  Played in 65 games and was the starting pitcher 60 times.  His 332 innings is also top ten all time in Carolina history.

We might seem to forget that during the the state championship season of 2008 for the Rocky Mount Gryphons Moss the freshman was the winning pitcher in both the Regional and deciding win in the state championship game.

His future just might be professional baseball as now the draft is next month.  We all who know him know that if baseball only last for a few years he is prepared for life after baseball.  I have no stats to prove this but  Benton must be the most successful athlete in the history of the Cain-Morehead scholarship.  He has taken the highest academic scholarship at Carolina and been All ACC Academic team all four years at Carolina.

Even though he could have been a pro baseball player last year drafted in the 15th round of the draft Moss chose to return and graduate.  He lived up to his commitment.  You know that is just the way he is.  November he plans on marrying a Rocky Mount girl.

Tom and Ashley you can be very proud of the training that you have given your number one son. All of us fans of Benton can be very proud to say That he is a home boy from Enfield and Rocky Mount. He has never done anything to embarrass Carolina, his family or his home.  These days that's hard to say about anybody.

No one knows the future but the future is bright for Benton Moss whether it is on the baseball field or in the world of business.  Who knows one day he may be governor.