There is one aspect of sports that I cherish. I love to watch children, kids or young people develope athletically as they get older and you can think back on what they use to be and what they are today.
Case in point today Isaiah Hicks of UNC basketball. All Gryphons fans remember him in the Eastern Regional final at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville in 2013.. He was that tall skinny guy from Webb High school who race through the Gryphons for 34 points in leading Webb in preventing the Gryphons from a possible back to back state titles in basketball.
He was six feet nine then but weighed about 190. He love the jump shot more than tangling inside with the smaller Gryphons Big Men. Off to Carolina where my thinking was he will never be a factor at Carolina.
Today Without Hicks Carolina would not be alive for the final four or for that matter having played in the national championship game last year.
His freshman year he saw the floor about what I thought his entire career would be. MOP up duty. By his sophomore season with his body showing signs of bulging muscles Hicks is up to ten minutes a game. Saw more duty as a junior until midseason when he was inserted as a starter. I think that made the difference in Carolina making the championship game.
This year he is part of the duo inside game at Carolina that as long as they keep getting the ball inside they are unbeatable. When Carolina forgets their inside people or foul trouble occurs that's the way they lose. Hicks has a ten foot shot he seldom misses and he runs the floor.
Now at six nine and 250 pounds Hicks is no longer recognizable as that kid that torched the Gryphons.
After missing out of the NCAA baseball playoffs last season Carolina is on the path to return. Through last night they are 17-5 fifth in the RPI.
NC State who along with Carolina was expected to be top ten this season is riding Carolina's path last season struggling to get going. They are currently 13-10 but last night knocked off Louisville and the best pitcher in the country and the number one team in the country 3-1.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Pitch Counts Have Already Made A Difference
Last Tuesday nights opening conference game between Rocky Mount and Nash Central has already shown everyone that this pitch count limit will be a make or break for every team this year. The Gryphons David Harrison wasn't on his pitching game and had several walks and by the middle of the sixth inning he is over a 100 pitches and by the New Rule cannot pitched the 7th inning.
Any pitch count over 75 must rest four days so Harrison can not pitch again before Saturday. That is a good rule. The problem for Rocky Mount was they played again on Wednesday and who ever relieved Harrison in the 6th could only throw 30 pitches or they could not pitch Wednesday. The game went 10 innings and the Gryphons used four other pitchers after Harrison.
Ben Seracki was brought in by Pat Smith with the hopes that he could get through the 7th and bring home a win. He wanted him to throw less than 30 so he could be used Wednesday but he wanted to finish out the game which didn't happen. Zack Keeter was brought in another possible Wednesday starter and because the game got tied he too pitched less than 30 tosses so he was available for Wednesday night.
Extra inning game and you have already used your best three pitchers and you need this game against Nash Central as you don't want to lose to a team that you know will be around the lead in the standings all year and you just can't afford to get behind the leaders. Enter Joernest Petway as he is now the fourth pitcher used by Pat Smith. You are now trying to win a very important game with a pitcher you had no idea would pitch in this game. He kept the Gryphons in the game and now Josh Pittman has to come in as this game keeps going like the Energizer Bunny into the 10th inning.
So You see Rocky Mount's problem and Nash Central in the other dugout has the same issues. Starter Zack Patterson threw a lot of pitches and he was pulled in the third inning. Trey Whitley replaced Patterson kept Nash Central with in striking distance. Whitley's pitch count was growing by the 7th inning and Willie Langley decided to go with Chris Godwin during the extra innings.
Each one of these teams has another conference game this week. Rocky Mount and Nash Central both played Wednesday night.,, The strategy for coaches now has to be how far can this pitcher go if I hold him to 30 pitches or 50 pitches in order to save a pitcher for another game this week.
Heavens knows if a game goes long distance or more. Look what ten innings has done to these teams that still has another game this week. You see this sometimes in college and Major League baseball. A team has to play six games in five days and in one of those games you are getting beat 15-0 so the coach brings in the right fielder and says please finish the game we have no more pitchers.
I can see that high school baseball could very well be that you see people on the mount especially if you play three games in a week someone who the coach has out there because the pitch count has depleted his pitchers. The scores of games are going to rise and every high school coach in America will increase their grey hairs just trying to get through this game.
Both Rocky Mount and Nash Central lost their Wednesday games. Both used lots of energy in a ten inning game the night before. Did such a long game effect either Wednesday Night? Probably.
Tonight Southern Nash is proving to beat a team to look out for beating Northern Nash 5-2. That ties Southern with Hunt at 2-0. Rocky Mount and Fike are 1-1. Both Northern Nash and Nash Central start the week going 0-2.
Any pitch count over 75 must rest four days so Harrison can not pitch again before Saturday. That is a good rule. The problem for Rocky Mount was they played again on Wednesday and who ever relieved Harrison in the 6th could only throw 30 pitches or they could not pitch Wednesday. The game went 10 innings and the Gryphons used four other pitchers after Harrison.
Ben Seracki was brought in by Pat Smith with the hopes that he could get through the 7th and bring home a win. He wanted him to throw less than 30 so he could be used Wednesday but he wanted to finish out the game which didn't happen. Zack Keeter was brought in another possible Wednesday starter and because the game got tied he too pitched less than 30 tosses so he was available for Wednesday night.
Extra inning game and you have already used your best three pitchers and you need this game against Nash Central as you don't want to lose to a team that you know will be around the lead in the standings all year and you just can't afford to get behind the leaders. Enter Joernest Petway as he is now the fourth pitcher used by Pat Smith. You are now trying to win a very important game with a pitcher you had no idea would pitch in this game. He kept the Gryphons in the game and now Josh Pittman has to come in as this game keeps going like the Energizer Bunny into the 10th inning.
So You see Rocky Mount's problem and Nash Central in the other dugout has the same issues. Starter Zack Patterson threw a lot of pitches and he was pulled in the third inning. Trey Whitley replaced Patterson kept Nash Central with in striking distance. Whitley's pitch count was growing by the 7th inning and Willie Langley decided to go with Chris Godwin during the extra innings.
Each one of these teams has another conference game this week. Rocky Mount and Nash Central both played Wednesday night.,, The strategy for coaches now has to be how far can this pitcher go if I hold him to 30 pitches or 50 pitches in order to save a pitcher for another game this week.
Heavens knows if a game goes long distance or more. Look what ten innings has done to these teams that still has another game this week. You see this sometimes in college and Major League baseball. A team has to play six games in five days and in one of those games you are getting beat 15-0 so the coach brings in the right fielder and says please finish the game we have no more pitchers.
I can see that high school baseball could very well be that you see people on the mount especially if you play three games in a week someone who the coach has out there because the pitch count has depleted his pitchers. The scores of games are going to rise and every high school coach in America will increase their grey hairs just trying to get through this game.
Both Rocky Mount and Nash Central lost their Wednesday games. Both used lots of energy in a ten inning game the night before. Did such a long game effect either Wednesday Night? Probably.
Tonight Southern Nash is proving to beat a team to look out for beating Northern Nash 5-2. That ties Southern with Hunt at 2-0. Rocky Mount and Fike are 1-1. Both Northern Nash and Nash Central start the week going 0-2.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Hunt Takes Over First
Last night in extra innings pitchers and pitch count dominated coaches minds as Pat Smith wondered if Tuesday's game would
ever end to save his pitchers. Tonight having used Freshman Ben Seracki just enough that he could pitch again tonight.
Seracki gave a good effort while Hunt countered with Bryson Worrell and at the end of three innings they were locked in a 0-0 game. Seracki yielded three hits while Rocky Mount had none with only one base runner.
There is nothing made better than errors to break up a pitchers duel. THE Gryphons made two in the fourth inning after a walk and error and while Hunt tried to sacrifice bunt and the Gryphons trying to get the runner at third threw the ball away to give Hunt a 1-0 lead.
Hunt became generous in the Gryphons fourth after Spencer Ramsey got the Gryphons first hit. A walk and a strike out should have ended the inning but the strike out had to be thrown out at first and the ball thrown by the catcher sailed to right field and the score was 1-1.
Rocky Mount generosity didn't end there, two more errors and four Warriors hits would lead to six runs in the fifth. That would be enough to thrust themselves into first place as Worrell got help from Parker Farris who helped hold Rocky Mount to two hits both by Spencer Ramsey.
Hunt had 8 hits but one key note on this one as all eight runs in this game were unearned. Hunt is now 2-0 and for the moment led the Big East while Rocky Mount drops to 1-1.
last night Nash Central traveled to Fike where they lost 8-7. That is two one run losses for the Bulldogs this week. Fike is 1-1 and Nash Central 0-2 in conference play. Tonight Southern Nash 1-0 host Northern Nash 0-1
ever end to save his pitchers. Tonight having used Freshman Ben Seracki just enough that he could pitch again tonight.
Seracki gave a good effort while Hunt countered with Bryson Worrell and at the end of three innings they were locked in a 0-0 game. Seracki yielded three hits while Rocky Mount had none with only one base runner.
There is nothing made better than errors to break up a pitchers duel. THE Gryphons made two in the fourth inning after a walk and error and while Hunt tried to sacrifice bunt and the Gryphons trying to get the runner at third threw the ball away to give Hunt a 1-0 lead.
Hunt became generous in the Gryphons fourth after Spencer Ramsey got the Gryphons first hit. A walk and a strike out should have ended the inning but the strike out had to be thrown out at first and the ball thrown by the catcher sailed to right field and the score was 1-1.
Rocky Mount generosity didn't end there, two more errors and four Warriors hits would lead to six runs in the fifth. That would be enough to thrust themselves into first place as Worrell got help from Parker Farris who helped hold Rocky Mount to two hits both by Spencer Ramsey.
Hunt had 8 hits but one key note on this one as all eight runs in this game were unearned. Hunt is now 2-0 and for the moment led the Big East while Rocky Mount drops to 1-1.
last night Nash Central traveled to Fike where they lost 8-7. That is two one run losses for the Bulldogs this week. Fike is 1-1 and Nash Central 0-2 in conference play. Tonight Southern Nash 1-0 host Northern Nash 0-1
One For The Books
There is an old saying if you go to enough games you will see something you have never seen before. Rocky Mount behind David Harrison led Nash Central in the sixth inning 4-1 and even though it was not his best outing had control of the game until he hit that pitch count number of 105 he had to come out of the game.
Freshman Ben Seracki came in and one run scored in the sixth which went under David Harrison's number so the Gryphons led 4-2 heading into the seventh. Nash Central would not die managed to score one to make it 4-3 and with two outs with the bases loads Cameron Taylor was hit by a pitch to score the tying run. Joyous of getting on base Taylor slung his bat well above the head of a couple of players near the on deck area and walked Then here is where the game gets weird. Pat Smith inquired about the bat being thrown and after a discussion the runner was called out and ejected from the game. If he is called out that ends the game 4-3 Rocky Mount no tie. Willie Lanley's turn to to talk to the umpires and after the discussion the teams meet at home plate games over.
I am now heading to my car and told come back the ruling has been changed to the player tossed out and another runner took his place on first back to a tie game. The Gryphons get the next man out. I have no idea whether the call was right wrong or indifferent. Both teams go quietly in the eighth. Nash Central scores twice in the in the ninth and seems as both sides are fighting to find a pitcher that can survive this game. Rocky Mount strikes back in the 9th to tie and on to the tenth. their first run was a homer by David Harrison to make it 6-5. The gryphons score one more but could have gotten that all important third run but came up short.
Nash Central had a chance to score in the tenth with two one but came up empty. Rocky Mount opens the tenth with a Logon Pearce single. He is wiped out on a fielders choice. David Harrison steals second. Ben Seracki is intentionally walked to make runners on first and second for a possible double play. Victor ward up from the JV's get an infield hit to load the bases. Zack Keeter lays down a suicide squeeze and David Harrison scores the winning run.
There is just so much to tell and no space to tell it. Rocky Mount started the first four inning getting their first two batters on base in all four. Twice they had the bases loaded. managed only four runs when it looked like it could have been 10. Zack Patterson started for the Bulldogs and lasted just two and a third innings. Trey Whitley followed pitching two and two thirds and then Chris Godwin pitched the last 4 plus innings.
Harrison pitched five and a third Ben Seracki, Joe Petway and Josh Pittman combined for the next 4 and two thirds with Pittman getting the win.
Josh Pittman had four hits, Spencer Ramsey two, Victor Ward two, Logan Pearce 2, David Harrison 2, Ben Seracki one, and I don't know if Zack Keeter gets credit since he was never thrown out on the squeeze.
Nash Central was paced by Chase Minchew with two singles and several had one hit. Payton Bass, Colby Carter, Tyler Sherrod, Cameron Taylor,Davidson Winders, Garrett Killebrew, and Hunter Robinson.
After a game like this and Rocky Mount has pitched to some degree every pitcher they have they have another conference game tonight against Hunt.
Southern Nash beat Fike 3-2 and Hunt shutout Northern Nash 6-0
Freshman Ben Seracki came in and one run scored in the sixth which went under David Harrison's number so the Gryphons led 4-2 heading into the seventh. Nash Central would not die managed to score one to make it 4-3 and with two outs with the bases loads Cameron Taylor was hit by a pitch to score the tying run. Joyous of getting on base Taylor slung his bat well above the head of a couple of players near the on deck area and walked Then here is where the game gets weird. Pat Smith inquired about the bat being thrown and after a discussion the runner was called out and ejected from the game. If he is called out that ends the game 4-3 Rocky Mount no tie. Willie Lanley's turn to to talk to the umpires and after the discussion the teams meet at home plate games over.
I am now heading to my car and told come back the ruling has been changed to the player tossed out and another runner took his place on first back to a tie game. The Gryphons get the next man out. I have no idea whether the call was right wrong or indifferent. Both teams go quietly in the eighth. Nash Central scores twice in the in the ninth and seems as both sides are fighting to find a pitcher that can survive this game. Rocky Mount strikes back in the 9th to tie and on to the tenth. their first run was a homer by David Harrison to make it 6-5. The gryphons score one more but could have gotten that all important third run but came up short.
Nash Central had a chance to score in the tenth with two one but came up empty. Rocky Mount opens the tenth with a Logon Pearce single. He is wiped out on a fielders choice. David Harrison steals second. Ben Seracki is intentionally walked to make runners on first and second for a possible double play. Victor ward up from the JV's get an infield hit to load the bases. Zack Keeter lays down a suicide squeeze and David Harrison scores the winning run.
There is just so much to tell and no space to tell it. Rocky Mount started the first four inning getting their first two batters on base in all four. Twice they had the bases loaded. managed only four runs when it looked like it could have been 10. Zack Patterson started for the Bulldogs and lasted just two and a third innings. Trey Whitley followed pitching two and two thirds and then Chris Godwin pitched the last 4 plus innings.
Harrison pitched five and a third Ben Seracki, Joe Petway and Josh Pittman combined for the next 4 and two thirds with Pittman getting the win.
Josh Pittman had four hits, Spencer Ramsey two, Victor Ward two, Logan Pearce 2, David Harrison 2, Ben Seracki one, and I don't know if Zack Keeter gets credit since he was never thrown out on the squeeze.
Nash Central was paced by Chase Minchew with two singles and several had one hit. Payton Bass, Colby Carter, Tyler Sherrod, Cameron Taylor,Davidson Winders, Garrett Killebrew, and Hunter Robinson.
After a game like this and Rocky Mount has pitched to some degree every pitcher they have they have another conference game tonight against Hunt.
Southern Nash beat Fike 3-2 and Hunt shutout Northern Nash 6-0
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
HB2 Claims victim
Yes, Greenville South Carolina was the host of the NCAA South regional first and second round games. They hosted because North Carolina was banded because of that some people say a law discriminates. Can you tell me one law ever created didn't discriminate against someone? Laws are made to protect the masses not individual.
So the regional is moved from Greensboro to South Carolina who has been banded for the last 15 years because the State of South Carolina flew the Confederate flag over the statehouse. I guess it is ok to fly the confederate flag over the basketball arena in which two North Carolina teams were flying.
The ACC had it's worse weekend in the NCAA tournament since both Duke and North Carolina lose a double header in the semi finals of the eastern regional in Reynold's Coliseum in Raleigh in 1979. The following Monday four other ACC teams playing in the NIT all lost. That was called Black Sunday,Blue Monday.
After starting out 6-3 the first round the ACC was only 1-5 in the second round making them an overall 7-8 so far with only Carolina to get the ACC above water. Certainly 7-8 is not time to jump out of buildings but by the standards of the history of the ACC this is like a depression is in progress.
How did the ACC go from 6-3 to 1-5 in forty eight hours. First of all there are more so called mid majors than ever before. It use to be there was ten teams that could win the tournament and there were five mid majors that wanted to win the tournament. This year there are probably 50 teams that could win it and only five with no chance at all.
Virginia,Louisville, Florida State, Notre Dame all lost to teams quicker than they were. Now how can anybody else be faster than the Noles All three were beat by teams that wanted it more than they did.
Duke lost because they played, a team on their home turf South Carolina. You say but Columbia is 100 miles from Greenville. Remember this game was suppose to be played in Greensboro and in all the years of State, Carolina and Duke have played any body in Greensboro the place was full of our state's team fans who ever it was. Duke lost trying to win on the other teams home court with the Confederate flag flying over the stadium. The NCAA gave the ACC the shaft over HB2.
My opinion is this was one of the worse officiated games I've ever seen. I have seen worse calls made but these guys called enough fouls that 70 fouls shots were attempted. Duke shot as many free throws as South Carolina so they got their share of bad calls going their way. Too many fathom calls were made because these refs called what they thought was going to happen not what actually happened.
Worse call of the weekend was in the NC State women's game in Austin Texas on the home floor of the University of Texas. State drove to the basket and scored with eight seconds to play to take a one point lead. The person trying to block the pathway of the state scorer fell back as if taking a charge. The problem was this six feet five inch person didn't fall back until State is turning to run up the court?. If you watched any of the women's highlight that was on every update with ESPN calling it the worse call of the tournament.
Now all you Carolina fans like Louisville, Notre Dame and Florida State and Virginia Arkansas out played the Heels and should have won. The Hogs out hustled and wanted it more. Good for Carolina down late Arkansas shot five at least 25 foot three point shots the the last few minutes just as fast as they could shoot instead of running the clock. Guess how many they made? Zero!
You know in little league the worse thing a player can do is hit a home run. The next time at bat they think they can hit a home run every time up and strike out. Arkansas shoot moon shots all night long. After a while you are going to strike out. Instead of running the clock they were looking to be the hero who made the shot that knocked off Carolina.
The ACC had been the most successful conference in the history of the NCAA tournament. The ACC is just like the Yankees. You are going to get every teams best shot. You can't just show up and expect to win. Most of the time when ACC teams play to their top ability they win. Not enough teams showed up ready to play.
So the regional is moved from Greensboro to South Carolina who has been banded for the last 15 years because the State of South Carolina flew the Confederate flag over the statehouse. I guess it is ok to fly the confederate flag over the basketball arena in which two North Carolina teams were flying.
The ACC had it's worse weekend in the NCAA tournament since both Duke and North Carolina lose a double header in the semi finals of the eastern regional in Reynold's Coliseum in Raleigh in 1979. The following Monday four other ACC teams playing in the NIT all lost. That was called Black Sunday,Blue Monday.
After starting out 6-3 the first round the ACC was only 1-5 in the second round making them an overall 7-8 so far with only Carolina to get the ACC above water. Certainly 7-8 is not time to jump out of buildings but by the standards of the history of the ACC this is like a depression is in progress.
How did the ACC go from 6-3 to 1-5 in forty eight hours. First of all there are more so called mid majors than ever before. It use to be there was ten teams that could win the tournament and there were five mid majors that wanted to win the tournament. This year there are probably 50 teams that could win it and only five with no chance at all.
Virginia,Louisville, Florida State, Notre Dame all lost to teams quicker than they were. Now how can anybody else be faster than the Noles All three were beat by teams that wanted it more than they did.
Duke lost because they played, a team on their home turf South Carolina. You say but Columbia is 100 miles from Greenville. Remember this game was suppose to be played in Greensboro and in all the years of State, Carolina and Duke have played any body in Greensboro the place was full of our state's team fans who ever it was. Duke lost trying to win on the other teams home court with the Confederate flag flying over the stadium. The NCAA gave the ACC the shaft over HB2.
My opinion is this was one of the worse officiated games I've ever seen. I have seen worse calls made but these guys called enough fouls that 70 fouls shots were attempted. Duke shot as many free throws as South Carolina so they got their share of bad calls going their way. Too many fathom calls were made because these refs called what they thought was going to happen not what actually happened.
Worse call of the weekend was in the NC State women's game in Austin Texas on the home floor of the University of Texas. State drove to the basket and scored with eight seconds to play to take a one point lead. The person trying to block the pathway of the state scorer fell back as if taking a charge. The problem was this six feet five inch person didn't fall back until State is turning to run up the court?. If you watched any of the women's highlight that was on every update with ESPN calling it the worse call of the tournament.
Now all you Carolina fans like Louisville, Notre Dame and Florida State and Virginia Arkansas out played the Heels and should have won. The Hogs out hustled and wanted it more. Good for Carolina down late Arkansas shot five at least 25 foot three point shots the the last few minutes just as fast as they could shoot instead of running the clock. Guess how many they made? Zero!
You know in little league the worse thing a player can do is hit a home run. The next time at bat they think they can hit a home run every time up and strike out. Arkansas shoot moon shots all night long. After a while you are going to strike out. Instead of running the clock they were looking to be the hero who made the shot that knocked off Carolina.
The ACC had been the most successful conference in the history of the NCAA tournament. The ACC is just like the Yankees. You are going to get every teams best shot. You can't just show up and expect to win. Most of the time when ACC teams play to their top ability they win. Not enough teams showed up ready to play.
Monday, March 20, 2017
The Chase Begins
This week Big East Baseball and Softball crank up conference play and everyone is heading for four straight weeks of conference play until the Easter Break after April 15th. Then there is one week back to play the last week of the regular season. This week however has a jumbled schedule as some teams play back to back conference games Tuesday and Wednesday.
Softball: Who in their right mind would think Rocky Mount has the best overall record at 4-2 and they host Nash Central 3-4 Tuesday night. Rocky Mount has given up 38 runs in their two losses while scoring 70 and giving up 70 overall. Nash Central has scored 58 while yielding 74.
Fike 4-3 @ Southern Nash 4-3: Here is what I will look for in this game. To date Fike has scored 84 runs while only allowing 25. They have pitching that is allowing only 2.43 earn runs per game. Southern's batting average is only 125. Looks like this will be a hard game for the Lady Birds to score.
Hunt 2-3 @ Northern Nash 3-4: Neither team to date look imposing. Hunt has scored but 28 runs while giving up 42. Northern pitching ERA is 4.34. So far they have played 7 games giving up 55 runs. Almost half the runs that score on Northern are unearned.
Baseball: Nash Central 5-3 @ Rocky Mount 4-2: Nash Central's team batting average is 300 and pitching ERA is 4.42. Everyone in North Carolina knows they will face David Harrison who is his four appearances has given up one earned run. Neither team will have time to recover as both are back on the diamond Wednesday. Nash Central is at Fike while Rocky Mount host Hunt. Important games for Rocky Mount as both games at home while Nash Central is on the road both times.
Fike 4-3 @ Southern Nash 7-2: Fike has relied on two main pitchers to carry the load so far Dwight Daniels and Jaelynn Melton. Fike's offense is scoring 6.5 runs while 5.5 giving up. Southern Nash team batting average is 313 and team ERA 1.35. Pitching could carry the Firebirds a long ways this year. Thursday Southern host Northern Nash while Fike host Nash Central Wednesday. The Firebirds get two home games so like Rocky Mount must protect the home turf.
Hunt 3-4 @ Northern Nash 3-4: To date Hunt has scored 21 runs and the reason why only hitting 215 as a team. Their pitching has team ERA of 2.83 and the defense giving up 35 runs. Northern after losing their first four have won three in a row. They have scored 42 times or 6 per game. 36 runs have scored against them just a tad over 5.1 runs. Hunt heads to Rocky Mount Wednesday and Northern to Southern Nash Thursday.
Both Northern Nash and Nash Central have two games on the road this week so if either or both come away with two wins they will be riding high with five home games in the last eight.
Softball: Who in their right mind would think Rocky Mount has the best overall record at 4-2 and they host Nash Central 3-4 Tuesday night. Rocky Mount has given up 38 runs in their two losses while scoring 70 and giving up 70 overall. Nash Central has scored 58 while yielding 74.
Fike 4-3 @ Southern Nash 4-3: Here is what I will look for in this game. To date Fike has scored 84 runs while only allowing 25. They have pitching that is allowing only 2.43 earn runs per game. Southern's batting average is only 125. Looks like this will be a hard game for the Lady Birds to score.
Hunt 2-3 @ Northern Nash 3-4: Neither team to date look imposing. Hunt has scored but 28 runs while giving up 42. Northern pitching ERA is 4.34. So far they have played 7 games giving up 55 runs. Almost half the runs that score on Northern are unearned.
Baseball: Nash Central 5-3 @ Rocky Mount 4-2: Nash Central's team batting average is 300 and pitching ERA is 4.42. Everyone in North Carolina knows they will face David Harrison who is his four appearances has given up one earned run. Neither team will have time to recover as both are back on the diamond Wednesday. Nash Central is at Fike while Rocky Mount host Hunt. Important games for Rocky Mount as both games at home while Nash Central is on the road both times.
Fike 4-3 @ Southern Nash 7-2: Fike has relied on two main pitchers to carry the load so far Dwight Daniels and Jaelynn Melton. Fike's offense is scoring 6.5 runs while 5.5 giving up. Southern Nash team batting average is 313 and team ERA 1.35. Pitching could carry the Firebirds a long ways this year. Thursday Southern host Northern Nash while Fike host Nash Central Wednesday. The Firebirds get two home games so like Rocky Mount must protect the home turf.
Hunt 3-4 @ Northern Nash 3-4: To date Hunt has scored 21 runs and the reason why only hitting 215 as a team. Their pitching has team ERA of 2.83 and the defense giving up 35 runs. Northern after losing their first four have won three in a row. They have scored 42 times or 6 per game. 36 runs have scored against them just a tad over 5.1 runs. Hunt heads to Rocky Mount Wednesday and Northern to Southern Nash Thursday.
Both Northern Nash and Nash Central have two games on the road this week so if either or both come away with two wins they will be riding high with five home games in the last eight.
Sunday, March 19, 2017
NCAA Mania
The first full weekend of the NCAA basketball tournament is in full swing and both North Carolina and Duke are still alive as they both head into their second round games today. The ACC has three chances to win and advance as Louisville starts the TV coverage with a 12:10 tip with their game against Michigan. Carolina heads to the court at 6:10 and Duke will be the last to play today playing Carolina(South Carolina )in Grenville SC. The North Carolina State women play their second round game at 2:30 at the University of Texas and they play Texas on their home court.
You know the NCAA tournament is about the only time of year college basketball is center stage throughout America. Some 70 years ago the tournament to be in was the NIT now it is the JV playoffs. The WNIT has some importance to Gryphon fans this year as J'Kyra Brown now a junior at Virginia beat St Joes Friday night in Philadelphia. Brown scored 14 points on 6-8 scooting. They play today at James Madison at 2pm. I'm sure that game will be on some tv somewhere.
You know with the Triangle being called Tobacco Roads because of the great college basketball played in the area and surely Duke, Carolina and NC State having won the tournament 12 times between them it just might be fun to look at some historical number involving basketball teams in the NCAA.
Most appearances in NCAA: #1 Kentucky 57 times #2 UCLA and North Carolina 48 #4 Kansas 46 #5 Louisville 42 #6 Duke 41.
Most NCAA Basketball Titles: #1 UCLA 11 #2 Kentucky 8 #3 North Carolina, Duke and Indiana 5
All Time Tournament wins: #1 Kentucky 123 #2 North Carolina 117 #3 Duke 107 #4 UCLA 104 Kansas 100
All Time Losses: #1 Kentucky 50 #2 North Carolina 45 #3 Kansas 44 #4 Louisville 42 #5 Notre Dame 39 #6 Duke 35. Note There use to be regional and Finals 3rd place games giving some teams two losses in one tournament.
Regional Notes: Greenville South Carolina is the host for the regional where both Duke and North Carolina are playing. They are there after the NCAA pulled the regional from Greensboro over the HB2 law. This is the first year in 15 years the State of South Carolina has been eligible to host and NCAA event because they were banned from hosting because of the Confederate flag on the State House which was taken down last year.
How did Greenville get the bid over Columbia. NCAA spects state that any host city must provide hotels that can offer 3 meeting rooms per hotel at least 1200 square feet. Eight regional teams there must be 24 such meeting rooms in your city. Columbia meets the criteria but since the NCAA pulled the event from Greensboro back in the fall the biggest two hotels in Columbia were booked so Columbia could not provide 24 meeting rooms
That's how Greenville and Furman University are the host of our regional.j
You know the NCAA tournament is about the only time of year college basketball is center stage throughout America. Some 70 years ago the tournament to be in was the NIT now it is the JV playoffs. The WNIT has some importance to Gryphon fans this year as J'Kyra Brown now a junior at Virginia beat St Joes Friday night in Philadelphia. Brown scored 14 points on 6-8 scooting. They play today at James Madison at 2pm. I'm sure that game will be on some tv somewhere.
You know with the Triangle being called Tobacco Roads because of the great college basketball played in the area and surely Duke, Carolina and NC State having won the tournament 12 times between them it just might be fun to look at some historical number involving basketball teams in the NCAA.
Most appearances in NCAA: #1 Kentucky 57 times #2 UCLA and North Carolina 48 #4 Kansas 46 #5 Louisville 42 #6 Duke 41.
Most NCAA Basketball Titles: #1 UCLA 11 #2 Kentucky 8 #3 North Carolina, Duke and Indiana 5
All Time Tournament wins: #1 Kentucky 123 #2 North Carolina 117 #3 Duke 107 #4 UCLA 104 Kansas 100
All Time Losses: #1 Kentucky 50 #2 North Carolina 45 #3 Kansas 44 #4 Louisville 42 #5 Notre Dame 39 #6 Duke 35. Note There use to be regional and Finals 3rd place games giving some teams two losses in one tournament.
Regional Notes: Greenville South Carolina is the host for the regional where both Duke and North Carolina are playing. They are there after the NCAA pulled the regional from Greensboro over the HB2 law. This is the first year in 15 years the State of South Carolina has been eligible to host and NCAA event because they were banned from hosting because of the Confederate flag on the State House which was taken down last year.
How did Greenville get the bid over Columbia. NCAA spects state that any host city must provide hotels that can offer 3 meeting rooms per hotel at least 1200 square feet. Eight regional teams there must be 24 such meeting rooms in your city. Columbia meets the criteria but since the NCAA pulled the event from Greensboro back in the fall the biggest two hotels in Columbia were booked so Columbia could not provide 24 meeting rooms
That's how Greenville and Furman University are the host of our regional.j
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