Rainout Favors Post 58

Now instead of playing four games in five days Coleman Pitt Post 58 will try to finish it's regular season with three games in two days on Thursday and Friday.  I have not talked with Joe Bell Athletic Officer for Post 58 but this is my take on what went down to create Post 58 getting two home games instead one this week and will not play at Garner but instead two games against Garner here Thursday.

First possibility is that the rain on Tuesday and between Garner and Rocky Mount's final week schedule no other day could matched up to play by the end of the regular season.  I think we have detailed before the plight of Legion teams in the Triangle area and not having a home field to play their games and when ever they do find an available field they must rent that field for $750 to 1000 per game or even rent them by the hour.

If you recall in 2014 Garner played on Legion Field in Rocky Mount during the playoffs because rent or finding an available field in the Garner area was much easier for them just come play here than pay big bucks rent to stay close to Garner.  They also know the playing surface of the field is about as good as any anywhere.  The only negative about the field is the neighborhood in which it lies.

So Coleman Pitt now gets to play Garner twice on it's own field instead of one at  home and one somewhere in Wake or Johnston County.  The only way this can be an advantage is win both games. Playing two seven inning games and playing Cary Friday night at Cary nine innings  reduces by four innings worth pitch count on the pitching staff. That applies for Garner too.

Once Joe Bell told me before the season started that we were shifting to the western division I never in my wildest dream had any conception of winning five games this season.  I did think we would play 20 games so 5-15 was my guess.  The combination of having most of the best players in the area commit to Post 58 for the season and getting more home games than road games because we have a field to play on where others don't Post 58 is on the door step from possibly winning the western division outright or tie for the top spot.  Who in their right mind unsure if we would field a team again this season could anybody think we might be the top dog.

Thursday night the place to be will be at Legion Field as Garner 3-2 takes on Post 58 4-1.   Both teams can still finish first.  The entire season rides on Thursday night's outcome.

Post 58 has it's second college baseball commitment as Rocky Mount Academy pitcher Reid Johnston has announced he will join Legion teammate David Harrison and play baseball at NC State starting in the fall of 2017.