Monday, June 27, 2016

Much Needed

NO GAME TONIGHT WILL PLAY GARNER A DOUBLEHEADER THURSDAY NIGHT IN ROCKY MOUNT PROBABLE START TIME 6:00PM  Two seven inning games

Tonight Coleman Pitt Post 58 began their final week of the regular season with the first of four games in five nights.  Just the way the standings were heading into tonight these four could could lead to the regular season top seed in the tournament or as low as fourth.  I am being told now that the fourth place team will play the fifth place team with the winner Earning the fourth spot and will play the top seed in the next round.

Tonight Coleman Pitt sent Trey Wells to the mound after Coleman Pitt scored one run in the top of the first using old fashion baseball sacrificing a runner over and waiting for a defensive mistake to lead 1-0.  Run two for CP 58 was another runner advance by good baseball and and RBI created run number three.

Wells gave way to Tyler Sherrod in the third and Sherrod held Durham at bay through eight innings.  Three  runs were all that were needed as Coleman Pitt wins at Durham Post 7 3-2 after Noah Shrock pitched the ninth to earn the save.   Sherrod got the win for Post 58 pitching almost five innings.  A big difference tonight after Friday night at Apex didn't matter who was on the mound for Post 58 nobody could stop Apex.

This makes Post 58 4-1 in league play and 7-4 overall with three more games left this week. What the victory insures is Post 58 will not be involved in the 4/5 play in game so the worse they can be now is third.  Tuesday night CP 58 host Garner who was 3-2 in conference play and since we have them at Garner Thursday these next two games for the most part will be at least the battle for second depending on what Apex 5-2 does by the end of the week

Still first is available by finishing 7-1 or 6-2 might tie Apex and since we split with them your guess is as good as mine About the tie breaker. We cannot forget Garner because they too could finish 6-2 if they win all their games this week including the two against P 58.  The importance of finishing first or second is host three of the five games to be played in the next round.  Third place will travel three of the five games against the two seed.

The final home game of the regular season is Tuesday night hosting Garner.  It is down they stretch they come and for the most part Apex, Rocky Mount and Garner all can still win first, second or third.  Garner however is not yet home free of still finishing fourth and having to play in the 4/5 play in game so to say the least This game Tuesday is monumental for both teams.  Come watch these kids who made a commitment this season to play Legion ball and bring back to Rocky Mount the fun of must win baseball.  We didn't have it here last year and it was missed by all.

Coaching Movements in the Big  East and this one is somewhat a surprise that Stevie Hinnant has resigned as Athletic Director and football coach at Hunt High School.  The surprise is that Hinnant is stepping down to go in private business with 28 years of coaching at Hunt.

Final Week Stretch Run

Friday night is the last night of Legion regular season baseball.  There are only five teams in the western division so there will be a three out of five series between 1/4 and 2/3 starting Tuesday July 5th at the highest seed for the first game and alternate there after.

Coleman Pitt Post 58 stands at 3-1 in the division.  Apex is 5-2 and percentage wise is in a dead heat with Post 58 for first.  Their advantage is they have two more wins than we have and we must earn those victories this week.  Garner  is 3-2 and Post 58 meets them twice this week.  Durham stands 2-4 and Cary 1-5.

This afternoon at 5 pm post 58 travels to Durham and it is a must win for Post 58 in order to stay  ahead of them.  Tuesday Coleman Pitt host Garner and these two games with Garner will determine who gets second assuming Apex gets the top spot.  Friday night P 58 finishes up the regular season at Cary and that is another need to win to stay in front of Cary.

The winner of the 1/4-2/3 clash would then compete in the battle for the western division title and that winner would face the eastern division for seeding purposes for the state tournament.  This is the year the east has two teams iin the state tournament so the only reason to play would be to say East number one.  There have been in the past a coin flip by the teams so they would not waste pitchers for the state tournament.  If only one team got a bid then there would be a three out of five.

This week will be a four game week in five days which will be the busiest stretch all year.  It will surely test the depth of Post 58 pitching.  Should P 58 win all four they will at least tie for first and be either 1st or 2nd when the playoff starts and get three home games in a three out of five playoff.

If they go 2-2 depending on who the two losses are they could drop to third and only two home games in a three out of five series.  It would be a nice start to this final week if they can win tonight in Durham.  The game is at Trinity High at 5pm.

Every player of every sport performs better when they have people supporting them in the stands.  Tuesday night as Coleman Pitt heads down the stretch of another season their positioning for the playoffs they need bunches of people supporting them.  Why don't you be one of them.