A Few Questions Still Unanswered

We are down to the last week of the high school baseball regular season.  We already know that Hunt will be the number one seed in next weeks Big East baseball tournament and will represent the conference as the Big East top team in state playoffs.  We also know that Northern Nash will finish last during the regular season because two wins this week still could not catch Nash Central or Fike tied for fourth with three wins.

  Second is secure for Rocky Mount  but they could still be tied by Southern Nash but the tie breaker goes to Rocky Mount.  Third through fifth could be any of Southern Nash, Fike or Nash Central.  The two games every one has on the schedule this week will give us those answers.

Hunt 14-6 8-0 in Big East play has nothing to settle this week.  They have the best offense and defense in the conference if you consider runs scored  and runs given up as the judging factor.  They have score 50 runs in eight conference games while giving up 23.  If there is hope for the rest of the conference they gave up 13 runs the last two conference games  while the first six only 10.  Pitching might be tiring.  Tuesday at Nash Central and finish up Thursday at home against Fike

Rocky Mount 12-6  6-2 can wrap up second out right Tuesday at Southern Nash or with a victory at home Thursday against Northern Nash.  Have picked up runs per game to 4 in conference  33 total while holding steady runs allowed 25 a tad over three.  4 to 3 is their average score in conference play which leaves no room for errors.  What it proves they are winning the close games.  The question is can they keep that up.

Southern Nash 12-8  4-4  They are squeezed in with Nash Central and Fike.  Two losses they could fall to fifth while two wins secure third.  Any thing in between  they could finish from third to fifth. Scored 42 runs in conference while yielding 39.  Kind of shows why they are 4-4. What they have secured is a winning season  something they haven't had many of over the past several years. Host Rocky Mount Tuesday  and travel to Central Thursday.

Nash Central 13-8   3-5 Have shown improvement in runs scored over last several weeks.  Conference wise  scored 46 giving up 42.  Pounded the ball at the Golden Leaf last week.  Could climb to third or fifth.  The lower they are the chances of making playoffs dim.  Host Hunt and Southern Nash this week.  Both those teams are ahead of them in the standings.

Fike  9-10 3-5  Their overall record has them in jeopardy of not making the playoffs.  Stuck in that triangle with Southern Nash and Nash Central fighting it out for 3rd-4th-5th.  Only scored 34 runs one more than Rocky Mount but three games behind them in the standing because they have allowed 44 to RM's 25. Host Northern Nash Tuesday and ride to Hunt Thursday

Northern Nash  5-14 0-8.  Have complete control of last in the Big East regular season.  There is still playoff hope if they can win the Big East baseball tournament and jump to second in playoff seedings.  This new pitch count rule will not be good for any team playing three games in any tournament while the top two only have to play twice.  Scored only 17 runs in conference play and 49 given up both Marks last in Big East.  At Fike Tuesday and Rocky Mount Thursday.

Monday's heavy rain what ever falls Tuesday just might get rained out Tuesday.  More than likely they would play Wednesday so every team would play back to back nights which brings the pitch count rule into play.   Any pitcher who throws 31 pitches Wednesday can not pitch Thursday.  Boythat rule had hurt several teams this year.

I have not seen any schedule for next weeks Big East tournament but in the past they have played  3-6 ands 2-5 on Mondays  Semi's Tuesday and Finals on Thursday just guessing.

Big East Boys Tennis Tournament Starts This Week

Sorry kids but the Easter vacation is over and it's back to the world of books.  There are those that have an afternoon outlet called sports.  This week boys tennis has their conference tournament.

Rocky Mount is the regular season champion 10-0 and 11-0 on the season.  Getting  second  is Fike 8-2 12-4. Southern Nash is third 6-4 11-4. Fourth is Northern Nash 3-7 7-7.  Fifth spot belongs to Nash Central 3-7 8-7. The rear is under the care of Hunt 0-10 2-14

The conference tournament starts Tuesday at Barton College.

Girls soccer is still a week from the end of the regular season.  Rocky Mount and Fike are tied for first at 7-1. Hunt is 5-3 holds down third.  Northern Nash has fourth with a 3-5 record.  Nash Central 2-6 and Southern Nash 0-8 are the bottom two teams.  The big question in soccer who will win out for the top spot.

Softball still has a week to go but Hunt has control at 8-0.  Fike trails in second at 6-2.  Southern Nash holds down third at 5-3.  The bottom tier in the league is Nash Central 3-5, Northern Nash 2-6 and Rocky Mount trails the field at 0-8.

We Will take more about baseball tomorrow.

This past week the Rocky Mount Telegram handed out their winter sports all area team and their player of the year in each winter sport..

Rocky Mount Academy's swimmer Kayla Miller is the female swimmer of the year.

SouthWest Edgecombe's Jack Coltrane is the male swimmer of the year.

Quadarrius Hopkins of Tarboro is the wrestler of the year

Rocky Mount has Keyanna Spivey  as girls basketball player.

Darius Spragley of Northern Nash is the boys basketball player of the year.

Congratulation to all.

Time To End Professional Teams White House Visits

I Can remember President Nixon way back in 1972 offering George Allen then the coach of the Washington Redskins a play to run in a game.  This past week the  England Patriots showed up at the White House and only about half the team showed up.  Why?  More than ever before it is because most of those who didn't were protesting the President.  Some where in our country we have loss respect for any and every thing.

I remember during the election of 1964 Lady Byrd Johnson took a train ride from Norfolk Virginia had a whistle stop in Ahoskie.  I was too young to know a democrat from a republican but what and event the President's wife is coming to our town.   The train came in to Rocky Mount.

In 1999 after Hurricane Flyod I was near enough to the Tar River to see Marine one fly over with  President Clinton aboard. The excitement that is the President in that chopper.

We have become a nation of everything is given to us not earned and especially athletes they are paid  outrageous sums of money and most can't read.

I goggled to see when the first athletic teams were invited to the White House and believe it or not 1865.  They were professional baseball champions.

No longer is there respect for the office.  It might be because many have disrespected the office themselves.  Nixon resigned,Clinton tried to explain the definition of It.  Many have left office leaving this country in worse shape than when they went in.

I would have No problem if White House visits were limited to amateurs.  With all the riots occurring on college campuses today just maybe it is time to find something better to get to meet our President.  One of the purposes of having championship teams visit to White House it gives the presidents a photo opp to be seen with winners.

I am more impressed watching a war hero who helped save his platoon or a private citizen who gives tirelessly to his community be honored than watch those whiney athletes  who don't understand what an honor it is to meet the president regardless of who it is.

Player Review

Spring time is baseball time and every sport the Nash county area sends plenty of players in most all sports on to college ball and some times more. Let's take a look at this spring's flock of players.

Brian Goodwin Syracuse Chiefs AAA International League part of Washington Nationals.  Failed to stick with Nationals out of spring training. Thus far in 37 at bats hitting 189.  Until a player hits 100 at bats an average can move up or down 30 points in one game.

Benton Moss Port Charlotte Stone Crabs Upper A of the Tampa Bay Rays. Listed on the 7 day disabled list back injury.  Team has already played more than 7 days. May be May before off injury list.  Injury has stopped his advancement to AA.

Cody Smith Rocky Mount Chowan College Junior.  a 3-1 record on the year.  1.64 ERA in 22 innings.  Appeared in just 5 games starting 4.

Will Edwards Rocky Mount Chowan College junior.  Pitched in 12 games starting 8 with 0-5 record.  7.78 ERA

Jarrett Mobley SouthWest Edgecombe Freshman UNC Pembroke.  Hitting 328.  Played in 39 games starting 32.  44 hits in 132 at bats with four home runs.  Has 33 RBI on year.

Alex Pearce Nash Central and Collins Cuthrell Rocky Mount both on coaching staff at UNC Pembroke and have helped the Braves to 31-11 record.

Jeremy Johnson Rocky Mount High Point senior. Had pitched 25.2 innings with a 2.20 ERA.  Has appeared in 10 games starting one.

Garrison Vick Nash Central NC Wesleyan freshman.. Played in 22 games for the Bishops. ,batting 286 scored one run drove in one.

Luke Mills Faith Christian freshman NC Wesleyan. Pitched 5.1 innings with three strikeouts.

Noah Schrock  Nash Central NC Wesleyan freshman.. pitched in 15 of Bishops 40 games. 1-0.  16.2 innings pitched. ERS 1.08

As always I know there are plenty not mentioned here today.. Help me out remind me of who they are and where they play.

Looks Like Tar Heels Primed For World Series Run

Last college baseball season the North Carolina Tar Heels had a below 500 conference record but their strength of schedule was 19.  When it came time to pick the 64 teams for the NCAA playoffs the Tar Heels stayed home.  Their 19th ranking was the lowest ever to not make the playoff field.

Mike Fox and his Tar Heels are putting together a season that there is no doubt the Heels will be in this years tournament unless they have a total collapse over the last month.  They stand 29-8 and third in the RPI.  Their strength of schedule is even better than last year at this point eighth.

That eighth is a magic number in baseball.  The top eight selections in the tournament get to host a regional and if you win the regional would be a super regional host.

NC State is playing the part that Carolina had last year.  They were rated in pre-season as high as sixth to 14th..They this year have not had the pitching that baseball America called the best Wolfpack pitching staff in history.  Early on their hitting was sparce but that lately has improved.   The pitching seems to be coming around but  a 20-17 record is far from assured an invite to the NCAA tournament.

Their RPI is good at 39 and their strength of schedule is 11.   Their remaining conference games are BC, Virginia Tech, Pitt and they finish with a toughie in Clemson.  If they are to put a push for the NCAA the next three conference series are winnable.

ECU record is very similar to the Pack's. 20-18 overall 81 in the RPI and SOS is 39.   They need to get going if they plan on having the type run in the NCAA's last year.

The ACC is loaded with power house teams with 5 in the top 25 in the polls.  Louisville who will be hosting the ACC tournament is 31-5, Clemson 31-7, Virginia 31-9, Wake Forest 28-11 and Florida State 24-15.

Carolina had their streak where they went to the College World Series five of six years.  They have missed the last two.   They have a real shot atm going back to Omaha.

Review Nash County Action In Bright Leaf

All four public high schools plus two of Rocky Mount's   private institutions took part in the Bright Leaf Baseball tournament in Wilson.  Since none of those game were conference games they are not vital in conference standing for the playoff but seedings in the state playoffs could be effected.  Let's review what we saw.

Nash Central. 3-0:: Just might have found what everyone expected they would be in pre-season. Scored 32 runs giving up just 7. They might be trouble for everyone the rest of season.  They stand 13-8

Faith Christian 3-0::  Showed they have the pitching to play in any league giving up only one run in three games. Scored19 in the tournament.  Will be a major disappointment if they don't place in state finals.   15-3

Southern Nash.  1-2::  Scored 18 runs in two games and gave up 19 in three. Hopefully experience will help them in the push for a playoff spot.  12-8

Northern Nash. 1-2:: Northern has had hard time scoring runs this season but crossed the plate 20 times while allowing 18.  Their game against Cardinal Gibbons was probably best game they have played all year.5-14

Rocky Mount Academy. 1-2:: Held their ground against CB Aycock a quality 3A school.  Had trouble scoring against the 3-A schools.   Might be good competition for stretch run. 10-7

Rocky Mount 1-2::  Disappointing final game.  Scored 21 in one game and three in their two losses.  Have two game lead in conference play for second place.  Need to win one of two next week to clinch second 12-6.


Last night WHIG TV recorded the first little league game of the season.The Pizza Inn Marlins coached by Glenn Perry beat the Wesley Men's Yankees coached by Sam Toler 13-7.

Clint Williams aka Duce. Will be on the camera most games while I'll be doing the talking.  We will tape every Wednesday and what ever game will be shown the following Sunday night at 8pm.  Next week's game will be the Breakfast Optimist Diamondbacks and Chambliss and Rabil Braves

Gryphons Stung At Bright Leaf

It is not often during spring time where a three day tournament doesn't run into some kind of difficulty with rain.  As far as all teams that played in the Bright Leaf Tournament in Wilson all six Nash County teams playing finished their games on time.

Rocky Mount's final game in the Bright Leaf was against North Johnston.  Ben Seracki took to the hill for Rocky Mount pitching 5 and two thirds innings giving up 7 runs eight hits.  Joernest Petway pitched the final one and  two thirds innings.  He stopped the bleeding in the sixth but in the 7th walked three, hit a batter and gave up two hits scoring four runs.

Rocky Mount collected six hits on the day and the only run scored when the leadoff batter Josh Pittman led off with a hit and eventually scored on a David Harrison fielders choice.

Zack Keeter had two hits, Logan Pearce a single, a pitch hit single by Victor Ward and a double by Spencer Ramsey.  Rocky Mount falls to 12-6 on the season.  North Johnston's pitcher Garrett Littleton pitched six innings giving up 5 hits. Two pitchers finished off the game. North Johnston goes to 15-3 on the season.

Rocky  Mount returns to action next Tuesday as they travel to Southern Nash in a key conference game in a battle for second place..

FOR ALL TEAMS A WEEK OFF !

Other Scores:
Nash Central 11 Southern Wayne 1
CB Aycock 5 Rocky Mount Academy 1
Eastern Wayne 9 Northern Nash 2
Faith Christian 3 Southern Nash 0