Tuesday, April 21, 2015

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.