Gryphons Shutout Northern

Jeremy Johnson and Will Edwards combined for a three hit shutout as Rocky Mount downed Northern Nash 6-0 as both teams started the back cycle in Conference play.  Rocky Mount has won two conference games in a row and both were at the expense of Northern Nash.

Rocky Mount produce three runs in the second and again in the fifth to score all the runs they would need.  The second the three runs came on an hit by Ben Yates  who reached second on a sac bunt by Andy Morris and he scored on an error at second base.   A walk and then a harmless fly ball to right field right at dusk when no Northern Players could find the ball fell for a hit and two rbi for Spencer Ramsey.

The Gryphons scored three more in the fifth when a hit by Will Edwards and a walk Put two men on and the pitcher Jeremy Johnson help his own cause getting and hit and two rbi  and he later scored on a wild pitch.  Johnson pitch six innings of two hit ball striking out nine and  he walked two and hit two batters.  Edwards pitched the seventh to preserve the shutout for the Gryphons.

Freshman Derrick Carter pitched better for Northern that his results as Northern had three errors and a costly ball to hit the ground which should have been the third out of the second inning.  Carter struck out eight but was removed with no one out in the fifth.  Northern had 11 runners reach base but only two made it as far as third.  David Wiliams and Braxton Bowden had doubles for the Knights.  Derrick carter got the lone single on the night for the Knights.

Both Rocky Mount and Northern are 2-4 in conference play after tonight and there are two weeks to go in the regular season.  Rocky Mount will play home Tuesday against Nash Central while Northern Tangles with Hunt.  The Nash Central Rocky Mount game could be a biggie for the Gryphons .  If they beat Nash Central that would give the Bulldogs two losses and Rocky Mount would be threatening third place if they defend the home turf.

Back To Baseball

There is just two more full weeks left in the High school baseball season and it cranks back up Thursday night when the Gryphons travel to Northern Nash.  Yes the last conference games these two played it was against each other and yes the schedule is screwy this year but it is  Northern and Rocky Mount Thursday night at Northern.

Hunt is in the lead after the first go round in conference action and Nash Central has only one conference loss heading to their game with Southern Nash Thursday.  Northern and Southern are tied  for third with 2-3 mark and Fike and Rocky Mount bring up the rear at 1-4.  You would think third to last could change if any body in the bottom group gets hot here near the end of the season.  Rocky Mount with a 5-12 would be guaranteed a losing season if they lose at Northern Thursday.

Hobbs Johnson got the start tonight in Chapel Hill and gave up one run and one hit  and struck out six batters and pitch into the fourth inning before he was pulled from the game.  Under normal baseball rules the starting pitcher has to go five innings but apparently Mike Fox announce that he didn't plan on pitching Hobbs five innings and he was credited with the win.  It is allowed under NCAA rules to let a starter pitch less than five innings and be the winner as long as it is announced before the game of the coaches intentions.  If he keeps pitching this well he is going to get more and more appearances. Because he did not go five innings as the starting pitcher he can not get credit for the win.

Bomb shell in Raleigh as the Pack will lose one of their big men and at this point it is not C J Leslie.  Deshawn Painter the sixth man for the Pack is being given his release.  All of the Websites that deal with the Wolfpack are saying someone in his family has health issues and Painter wants to move back home to be near family.  If that is truly the reason you can't blame him for that.  I would suspect since State is granting him his release that is probably the reason.

Thursday Northern/ Rocky Mount game is being taped for the All New Sports show and will be replayed Sujday Night at 8.pm on WHIG.

Calling All Gryphon Past Baseball Players

This is the final season of baseball at what is now known as Gryphon Stadium or when it was the old ball park Municipal Stadium.  It has been the home field of Five State Championship teams.  It was also one of the Parks used for footage in the movie Bull Durham.  When the lights are cut off after the last high school game this season it will no longer be the home of the Gryphons.  Rocky Mount has a proud tradition in baseball and there is no better way than to have a fund raiser and bring back all of those  from the past that want to get one last swing at the old ball park.

Saturday night May 19th is the date.  Details are still being put together whether it will be the alumni against the Varsity or what.  Make plans to play if you can or come watch and support Gryphon Baseball.  They are setting up an e-mail address for players who wish to come to play or just walk out on the field one last time.  As soon as we can get that to you we will.  Should be a night of fun.

Heard through the Grapevine that Hobbs Johnson will be the starting pitcher on Tuesday night when Carolina host UNC-Asheville at  the Bosh.  This will be Hobbs first varsity start since arriving at Carolina last year.  He is 1-0 on the season in 11 relief appearances.  His ERA is  1.10.  and when you have those kind of numbers it's time to get a bigger chance.

Our life is wrapped up in twitter, e-mail, Face Book, You Tube you name it and the world can know about it in an instant.  Ozzie Guillen  the Manager of the Miami Marlins did an interview recently where he said he admired Fidel Castro.  We all have a right to say any thing as long as we don't cross the line and slander someone.

Guillen hasn't done any of that but being the manager of the Miami Marlins who they think 80% of the people who go to the games of the Marlins regularly are of Cuban decent.  If fact the new stadium in which the Marlins play is in the section of Miami is called Little Cuba.  Guillen has always even when he was the manager of the White Sox would say about anything that came to his lips came out his mouth. Miami is populated with those that fled Cuba when Castro took over the country in the 50's.

What he said really has not crossed the line but if those that support the team decide I'm not going to a game as long as he is the coach then his days are numbered as the Miami Coach.  Money talks and nobody walks and if the stands stand empty the next several weeks when Ozzie gets back from his five game team sanctioned  suspension then he will have to go.  We all get in trouble sometimes for speaking before thinking and Ozzie Guillen will survive if the stands stay full and the Marlins win.  If they start out slow this year that would be an easy canning job  of a coach that spoke too soon.

It's Hard To Win Without Runs

North Carolina pitcher Benton Moss was the losing pitcher in Sunday 4-0 shutout by Miami over the Tar Heels.  Benton's record is now 2-2 for Carolina and both of his losses have come when Carolina failed to him him any run support.  A couple of weeks ago they loss 1-0 to Maryland and now were beaten 4-0 yesterday.  Moss pitched into the seventh inning and when he left the Heels trailed 2-0.

If you look at the North Carolina stat sheet Benton recorded another nine k's yesterday and allowed only four hits.  His last three starts his ERA has gone down because most of the runs that Moss has given up have occurred after the third out should have been made and and error has caused most of his pain.  His ERA has dropped to 1.83  which is the best of the weekend starters.

Not to be forgotten is Hobbs Johnson who is finding himself putting together a fine season in the bullpen for the Tar Heels.  He came into yesterday's game behind Benton and that was his 11 appearance of the season.  He has pitched 16 innings which gives him over an inning every outing and some more on top of that.  His ERA has drooped to 1.10. 

Sophomore Hobbs Johnson and freshman Benton Moss are doing their part  pitching for the North Carolina Tar Heels.  Moss has struck out more batter than anyone else and Hobbs has the second lowest ERA on the team with anyone who has made more than one appearance.  Two Gryphons making an impact  in Chapel hill.

Seek and ye  shall find.  I asked about did any one know the where a bouts of  Xavier Macklin as I had not seen him on any Oakland A's roster. Thanks for those of you who helped me find the answer.  X is still in Arizona  working out and will be assigned back to the Vermont River Monsters when the short season begins in June. 

We Forget About Others

We live in a me society.  We get so wrapped up in me we forget sometimes there are other people who lives are more important than ours and what they do is important to them just like what I do is important to me.  We are proud any time someone important to us does something well.  For me listening to Morgan sing the National Anthem at a standing room only basketball game will bring a tear to my eye when she does well.

Just a couple of weeks ago after Rocky Mount had just won the State Basketball Championship I noticed Tabias Hilliard was crying like a baby waiting to go out on the court and receive his State Champions metal.  He had reached a goal that in his young life had been a dream of his and he was now at the mountain top.

Even without Tiger Woods today the Masters had another great event.  It doesn't matter what profession you are in if you get paid big money to do what you do well the money doesn't matter when that moment arrives that you are called the champion.  Bubba Watson has been close in the past but this afternoon he executed the shot of his life from out of the bushes that enabled him to win the Masters.  He cried like a baby as his caddie came to hug him.  His friends on tour were there to help him wipe away the tears.  His wife back home with their six week old child could only send a picture by Internet.

We all have goals in life and when ever we hit one of them if we have truly committed ourselves to that goal there is no reason not to shed a tear of joy when that moment arrives.  I have liked Bubba since he has been on tour but after watching his unashamed joy in victory today he has moved up on my like list.

I think this is a good example of commitment.  If we were as committed to what we do every day as much as Bubba was today our lives would be so much better.  We will never achieve what we want until we give it every thing we have.  Once we commit everything then the joy will come pouring out when we achieve our goal.

Baseball Front And Center

I understand that Luke Cockrell freshman baseball player for Faith Christian hit a grand slam home run Thursday night for the Patriots. That was only a small part of his night.  He went 5-5 and drove in 10 runs.  Now you have to understand Luke as a freshman you will probably never have another game in your life better than this one.  Luke is the younger brother of former Gryphon Dillion Cockrell who I think is a sophomore at Carolina and plays on the Club team but is out of action right now with broken ribs.  He got drilled by a Wolfpack pitcher  in a recent series with the Wolfpack club team.

Lander University came to Pembroke for three very important games in Division ll College baseball.  One of Landers coaches is former Gryphon "Baseball" Britt Johnson  who I think as some point in time coached Alex Pearce in Babe Ruth Baseball.  Pearce pitched the rubber game of the three game series Saturday as they played one on Friday and a double headed today.  Pearce continues to win games for UNC Pembroke and he has done it by having runners on base all the time today.  Pearce makes it into the eighth inning but gave up 13 hits but still won the game 7-4.  Alex has won four games in a row and his record is now 6-3 for the Braves.

Speaking of Babe Ruth Baseball.  The North Carolina Baseball Museum located down the 3rd baseline in Fleming Stadium in Wilson will soon be adding to it's baseball collections. Wilson County over the last ten years or so have hosted more Babe Ruth World Series than any other place.  The Museum will be adding Babe Ruth baseball section in honor of Wilson hosting over the years so many events with Babe Ruth Baseball.

Brian Goodwin has started off his pro baseball career as if he doesn't like being in Hagerstown Maryland.  You may have seen on the Gryphon Grapevine that he homered in his first game.  Friday night was not quite as good but from the lead off position he walked four  times in five trips to the plate.  He has been on base seven of his ten at bats as the lead off hitter for the Suns. Double A here he comes if he keeps this up.

All during the spring training I have not heard one word on Xavier Macklin.  Does anybody know what the deal with X man is?  Is he hurt, traded to another team or what?  He is not listed on any of the A's minor league rosters.