Tar Heels Join Pack In O-M-A-H-A

Game three of the Chapel Hill Super Regional the last of the eight Super Regional tournaments to be decided goes to North Carolina as both teams did they best to give the game away but in the end South Carolina did a better job of playing give-a-way and the Tar Heels down the Gamecocks 5-4 to set up a Sunday date with N C State.

North Carolina dropped  a lazy fly ball which would have been out #3 which led to 2 South Carolina Runs but SC gave the runs back and the Tar Heels made them pay scoring three runs in the seventh inning which gave the Tar Heels the lead they would never give back.

This sets up a Sunday at 3pm second day of the College World Series North Carolina playing in their sixth World Series in eight years against N C State playing in only their second ever World Series in the last 45 years.  The last time these two teams played three weeks ago it was in front of the largest crowd to ever watch a College baseball game.  Sunday about 40,000 will watch as theses two old rivals go head to head.

Tonight in Wilson Coleman Pitt Post 58 got off to a good start in conference play as they take down Wilson Post 13 4-1.  Northern Nash's Derrick Carter pitched six solid innings  giving up 3 hits striking out seven walked 2 and hit three others.  The only run he gave up got on base on a very controversial call of a fair ball hit by P13's Zac Layne which was ruled a double when it looked foul by a couple of feet.

Hank Jones brought in Pascal Ammons to pitch the 7th and 8th inning and Cody Smith wrapped up the ninth  inning giving P58 their first official win of the year.  Most inportantly their first conference win of the year.  Leadoff man Jeremy Johnson went four for five in the game including two doubles.Post 58 other three hits from Chase Roupp who's single drove in the first run in the first inning. Adam Baylees hit one off the wall that was about two inches from being a home run and a hustle hit from Spenser Ramsey as he beat out an infield single.

Andy Morris had the only other rbi with a sac fly and the other two runs came home on sloppy defense by Post 13.  Rocky Mount played a smooth game on defense not committing a error all night.  This is the first time all year that Hank Jones has had his whole team for either a practice or game and if tonight is any indication this team will be all right as the season unfurls.

Tonight's game was taped by the All New Sports Show and will be played back Sunday night on WHIG-TV.   The next action for P58 is Wednesday night when they travel to Greenville to play P39.  That game will be played at Mark Leclair Stadium at ECU.  P58 next home game is Friday at 7pm.

Weather Does In P58 And Carolina

If I were Hank Jones  I would begin to think that this Legion season is haunted.  Two forfeits and now three straight rained out games after tonight's home game with Kinston has bitten the dust or should I say mud after a fourth straight day of showers and thunder showers.  Let's add a little to the misery as the next home game scheduled for Thursday and been moved to Friday.

Tuesday night Post 58 heads to Wilson as they will try to open up their conference play with a game at Post 13.  The All New Sports Show on  WHIG-TV is suppose to be in the house but the way this season is unfolding I wouldn't count on it yet.  I can see it now once we finally get some good weather having to play ten games in eight days type situation and that is not a good proposition for a team 0-4 and at this point does not have a game under their belt when the entire team has been there.

The winner take all third game of the Super Regional in Chapel Hill, Carolina against Carolina has been knocked back until noon Tuesday.  NCAA rules state that all Super Regional must be  decided by the end of the day Tuesday.  So if you are thinking why so early on a Tuesday to play this game the answer is they will take all day if needed to get this one in. Why? you might ask.  NCAA rules state that if there is no team that has won the required two games by the end of the day Tuesday then the NCAA Baseball Selection Committee will vote on who goes.

You would think that since North Carolina is the top over all seed they would get the vote but you have to remember that South Carolina has won two of the last three NCAA titles so it will become a game of politics if it is rained out again tomorrow.  My guess is if it takes 12 hours and four rain delays this one is completed Tuesday.

Former Gryphon Benton Moss will get the start but since Carolina's ace Kent Immanuel didn't finish three innings Saturday he will be in there quick if needed.  There is no Wednesday for the loser.  While all of this is going on N C State celebrates their second trip to the College World Series  and it snaps the second longest drought of 45 years between Omaha trips in NCAA history.

The 17 inning State- Rice game was the longest is Super Regional history.  It was the fourth longest game in innings in NCAA playoff history.  It was the longest game ever in NCAA playoff history as far as from the first pitch to the last  4:05 pm until the last 11:31 pm.  Seven hours and twenty six minutes to complete. It was a pretty long game without the 86 minute rain delay.

All of the excitement  concerning the Super Regional I have not had the space to tell everyone if you haven't heard all ready that Carolina  Pitcher and former Gryphon Hobbs Johnson was picked in the 14th round of the major league baseball draft by the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.  Johnson who as a junior can go pro if he signs a contract and as a left handed pitcher and left handed pitcher are a hot commodity it would not surprise me if after the Tar Heel season is over that Hobbs just might sign.  As a 14th rounder he will not get millions but I bet it will be interesting his offer since he is a left hander.

Pack Waiting On Carolina In O-M-A-H-A

If you thought the 18 inning State-Carolina game just 15 days ago was not enough N C State tried to out do that game as the bull pen throws eight scoreless innings seven in extra innings and the N C State Wolfpack will go to the College World Series for the first time since 1968 after they win a thrilling seven hour and twenty five minute marathon Super regional game over Rice 5-4.  It is the longest game in Super Regional History.

Down 4-1 in the top of the ninth the Pack got off the deck to score three runs to tie the game and as in the Carolina game two weeks ago for the next three innings both teams had chance after chance to win only the other side wiggled off the hook.  Then with one one in the bottom of the 12th inning  rain delay came and fans and player headed for cover for about 85 minutes.  When they came back both sides left their bats in the locker rooms. Pitching dominated the next   four and two thirds innings.  Then the magic Tarren Senay singled and came home on a Brett Williams singled with Senay running  on the pitch he scored when the Rice right fielder failed to pickup the ball cleanly and the Pack got out of a botttom of the 17th jam to win.

The Pack will be watch at 7pm tonight as the Tar Heels and Gamecocks play the third game of their Super Regional after South Carolina blasted Hobbs Johnson and every pitcher that Carolina put in the game winning 8-0. The winner will play State in the College World series as they are all in the same bracket.  The College World Series starts Saturday in Omaha Nebraska and at this point who plays what day is yet undetermined.  One bracket plays Saturday and then the other bracket plays Sunday.

If you have watched the ACC tournament two weeks  both Carolina and State played 18 innings and then in the Regional finals Carolina having to go 13 innings just to make it to the Super Regional and now tonight another 17 innings, if you don't like this then you never will like baseball.

Coleman Pitt Post 58 will begin a four day stretch as they play at home Monday night against Kinston.  Tuesday they travel to Fleming Stadium in Wilson to take on Post 13.  Wednesday is a road game to ECU to play Post 39 and then back home on Thursday to play Wayne County.

Magical Day Of Baseball

If you love to watch college baseball and you  are a fan of North Carolina or N C State then Saturday had to be your day because it can't get any better than yesterday can it?  Only if both win again today and both qualify for Omaha.

Any sporting event where two teams are very close to being equal there are moments in every game where you feel like we are going to lose and then there are those moments when you finally feel like you are going to win.  In both games yesterday the Tar Heels and Wolfpack won in their last at bat.

Carolina batting in the bottom of the ninth inning knew if they didn't score that extra innings was not all that bad since it seems Carolina thrives trying to give the fans their  monies worth.  The last fifteen days the Tar Heels have played 14, 18 and 13 inning games and won all three so you know they felt comfortable if it finally went extra innings.  Freshman Skye Bolt drove in the winning run and Carolina is one victory away from returning to Omaha a place they have visited five times this century.

The Tar Heels will send lefty Hobbs Johnson to the hill in what could be the Super Regional clincher for North Carolina.  If you recall Hobbs as a freshman was left in Chapel Hill to go to summer school in 2011 the last time the Tar Heels went to Omaha.  What an opportunity for the former Rocky Mount Gryphon as he will try to help the Heels clinch the Super Regional.

Raleigh, N C State scored twice in the first inning and with Carlos Rodon on the hill you figure that State scored all they needed but they would need two more in the bottom of the ninth to beat Rice.  Never in the history of N C State baseball since the Super Regional have been in play has the Pack had one game to win to go to Omaha with out also losing knocking them out. 

Rice knocked Rodon out with one out in the ninth and seemed on the verge of taking game one when State scored after a walk and then a safety squeeze tied the game and Jake Fincher single in the winning run.  This is State's fourth Super Regional appearance and it the first time they have ever lead 1-0 in the best two out of three.

UNC plays at 1pm on ESPN while State will follow at 4pm on the U.  Should both win Tomorrow they will meet in the first game of the College World Series in Omaha Nebraska

Water Water Every Where

Tropical Storm Andrea showed no mercy to college baseball fans waiting  for the chance to see two college  Super Regionals  played in the Triangle on Friday.  Carolina was the first to give up on the idea of playing Friday as their game with South Carolina  was moved to noon Saturday rather quickly Friday morning.  If weather permitting the battle of the Carolina's will be televised on ESPN.

As late as 4pm Friday State held out hope they just might be able to get their game in at 7pm Friday night with Rice but a 4pm gully washer ended  that hope  and that game has been reset to play Saturday at 4pm on ESPN2. We are down to the final sixteen in college baseball and I can tell you there is no weak sister in the bunch.  Both Rice and South Carolina have won at least one national championship in the last ten years.

Is there a better college for supporting their athletic teams than LSU?  One of the want too's of my life is to go to Baton Rouge and see a football game on a Saturday night. Last night LSU opened the Super Regional with 15,000 people Standing room only crowd to watch the Tiger beat Oklahoma.

It is amazing to me how unnoticed the San Antonia Spurs are.  I don't have the numbers but I doubt other than LA there is another team during the Tim Duncan era that has more wins than them.  They got a good start Thursday night trying to win their 5th title  with Tim Duncan in uniform.  The Spurs 92-88 win in Miami  puts them in a great position to win the NBA title.  The NBA has this funky schedule of two games in Miami, three in San Antone, and two back in Miami.

That shot that Tony Parker took with about five seconds to play only proves one thing.  If it takes eight replays to look at a close call and you still can't decide then you had better stick with the ref's call.  Finally one replay on super slo-mo showed that the ball had just left Parker's finger tips.  It was a killer shot giving the Spurs  a four point lead with five seconds left.  Honestly did any body give the Spurs a chance?

Legion Can't Catch A Break

The new format  being used this year by the American Legion where there is no north or south division just everyone in the same conference  there will be a premium to make the playoffs.  Thursday nights game at Windsor has been postponed again by rain for the second time this week.  Post 58 needs to get a couple of wins under their belt and both Windsor and Albemarle were good opportunities to get off to a good  start this week before next weeks meat of a schedule.

Post 58 takes time off for high school graduations this weekend but listen to this four days in a row starting Monday.  Kinston at Home, Tuesday at Wilson, Wednesday at Greenville and Thursday home to Wayne County.  These four teams are the teams that P58 will need to beat in order to be high enough in the standings to make the playoffs.  It sure would have been nice to get a couple of wins under their belt before Murderers Row next week.

Looks as if it might be Saturday before you will see any Super Regional baseball in the area and I would think Carolina will benefit the most from a rain out.  Since they used all three of their weekend starters Monday night to beat Florida Atlantic another day of rest will not hurt them.  By the way Colin Moran was the 6th pick in the baseball draft Thursday night going to Miami.

If both games are delayed to Saturday I think Carolina will play again at 1pm and State at 4.  ESPN will be carrying all eight of the Super Regional  games either of ESPNU or ESPN two so if you don't have a ticket you can still see both games.

The National Federation of High Schools honored NCHSAA Associate Commissioner Rick Strunk for his outstanding service to the National Federation.  If you are a broadcaster for many years when it was time to get a new Media  Pass Rick was the man you dealt with through the NCHSAA.  It you were also lucky enough be be part of any state championship that were  held in Chapel Hill Rick was always the man in charge whether it was football or basketball.  Rick has served us all well with the NCHSAA but the honor he has received from the NFHS is for his service with the National Organization.

SouthWest Edgecombe has added two new members to their Hall Of Fame.  Raymond Cobb who has spent the last ten years as the Cougars football coach and for 25 years of service to Edgecombe County.  His 25 years he won 253 football games and two state championships while at North Edgecombe.

Bruce Rhodes who is a graduate of SWE and has been coaching baseball for the Cougars since 1986 and head coach since 1992.   Under Rhodes the Cougars made the championship game in 2004 and  he won at least 240 games during his coaching career.

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This

Friday at 1PM North Carolina will host South Carolina in the so called Chapel Hill Super Regional.  The winner of two out of three games will qualify to go to the College World Series in Omaha Nebraska.  Friday at 4PM N C State will host Rice in the so called Raleigh Super Regional.  The winner of the two out of three games will go to the College World Series in Omaha Nebraska.  Should Carolina and State both win they would be in the same bracket and play each other in the first game of the World Series  next weekend.

It seems like a million years ago but the so called experts picked Carolina to be #1 this year and the Pack to finish first in the ACC which raised eyebrows as to how could Carolina be voted #1 in the nation and second in the ACC.  Even though they didn't completely get it right both at this late date in the college baseball season the experts just about had it pegged.

Carolina from day one started winning 16 in a row, lost and game and started another streak and their best record stood at 39-2 at one point. State lost at home the first game of the season and at their low point stood 15-8 and 2-4 in the ACC.  Injuries prevented the Pack from getting off to a great start but since they are all healthy they are 32-6.  Carolina has never quite been the same since Skye Bolt returned from his broken foot.

Never has college baseball in this area been at the fever pitch it is right now.  If you plan on going to either series this weekend I hope you already have your ticket's cause there ain't none.  You may have to join the students across the railroad track in Raleigh on top of the new parking deck and party with them like they did last weekend over looking the field from 100 yards away.

South Carolina and Rice are capable of winning two straight games and both State and Carolina's baseball season could end this weekend.  It will be a disappointment if both don't make it. It will be awful if one does and the other doesn't.   It will be fantastic if both make it.  Go Heels!  Let's go Pack!