Some Times All The Parts Fit

I totally agree with Patrick  Mason on his article  in the Sunday Rocky Mount Telegram about pitch counts and that it's intent is correct but the  juggling the rule to fit  the playoff schedule is off base. I think maybe the last ten years or so the NCHSAA has gone to the two out of three format in the regionals play.  Where the NCHSAA or even the NCISAA is wrong is playing a fourth round on Monday or Tuesday and starting a two out of three by the weekend.

I can only see the regionals which are still played on the team's campus's  involved played on a Monday-Wednesday and Friday.  That gives a rain date for all three games.  The NCHSAA playoff format requires eight wins to be a state champion.  Is that necessary?  Talk about adding to pitch counts.  Teams have played all year by a certain rule but in order to meet the schedule set up by the state that rule is amended to meet their schedule.  Why not start the playoffs a week earlier.  Take away conference end of the season tournaments.  If in order  for teams to fill out the required number of games have a conference tournament the first week of the season?

Baseball season really last only 10 weeks  and if you play two games a week that 20 games.  Having to win eight baseball games should add five  more weeks not four. We all know why this is MONEY.  I think anyone who attended the Rocky Mount girls soccer game in the third round or the first game there is certainly was a difference in the crowd.  That game against Jacksonville maybe had a thousand people.  Was there 150 at their first round game?  The expenses were the same including travel expense of the visiting team.  You know making money does not mean how much you took in but how much do we have after expenses.  I am sure after expenses the state got nothing in that first round loss while Rocky Mount paid the expenses.

I have always been an advocate of one less round in all sports.  No 3-8 football team should be in a playoff game going up against a top team losing by 40 or more with the clock running.  Is that truly a playoff game.  Get rid of one round in every sport but maybe Tennis.  I think they have it right  there mixing the Duel early in the week and singles and doubles towards the end of the week.
 Now let's talk about this pitch count deal and how Faith Christian had enough parts to make it work for them.

Anybody remember I think it was 2007 when Northern Nash had to win a fourth round game on a Monday and Used their best pitcher Tyler Joyner to win it.  There was no pitch count back then but when the two out of three that started I think on a Wednesday with CB Aycock The coaching staff did not pitch Joyner because they thought about his safety and future over winning. that was the right call but the Knights just didn't have enough pitching without him.

Faith was faced with the same problem pitching their best Landon Roupp early in the week to make it to the championship series.  The difference they had enough quality arms to win the state championship anyway.

The Patriots played 25 games altogether throwing 2,424 pitches on the season or 96.96 every game.  Where the timing was right Roupp pitch 11 times throwing 915 pitches or 37% of all their pitches.  Next was Jacob Pridgen  pitched 12 times and 619 pitches or 25.55% of all pitches thrown.  Third most was Alex Crosby 8 games 439 pitches or 18.11%.  Fourth was Justin Powell 258 pitches 10.64.  Roupp, Pridgen and Powell are seniors and threw 73.92% of all pitches thrown all year by Faith.  That left the other four pitchers to throw 3.97 % of the pitches and none  of those players are seniors.

Faith won because they were good batting, Pitching and fielding.  Don't care how good a team is a coach has to direct the stars to give their best performances and Faith has that in Greg Clifton.  Something else fell into place and that was the injury bug stayed away from this team and when ever  somebody ached somebody filled in  and the results a state championship.

All the parts fit.