Seven Run Seventh Good Enough

Baseball is a funny game.  It can be played every day and since Sunday night's opener on the 2012 Legion season Coleman Pitt Post 58 has now played four times in five days.  It is still early in the season and coach Hank Jones has used several lineups giving everyone of the players an opportunity to prove that they can be one of those guys that plays every day. So far Post 58 is hitting an anemic 240 and most of that average has been singles.  After six innings tonight the average had dropped well below 240.

Post 102 throughout the history of Legion ball has been an automatic win for Post 58.  You have to go all the way back to 1962 and 1963 when Ahoskie took  the season series and every so often a 102 victory has occurred but not many.  After six innings tonight Ahoskie lead 3-0 and a sluggish Post 58 team seemed destined for their first lost of the season.

Ahoskie plated three runs in the fourth off 58 started Chase Johnson but two runs were unearned to give Ahoskie Post 102 a 3-0 lead.  The bottom of the fourth Rocky Mount's dugout finally made some noise but every good contact seemed to go straight to a Post 102 player.

Fnally the seventh arrived and Post 102 starter Billy Nixon had given coach David Ellis about all he had Rocky Mount tried to help keep the shutout going by getting thrown out on a steal of third with runners on first and second.  Jeremy Sloop finally got a run home and a Post 102 error opened the flood gates leading to another six runs to cross the plate before Post 58 finished the seventh.  The seventh, Post 58 had seven hits all singles.

Post 58 again gets great pitching as starter Chase Johnson pitched the first five innings.  Jeremy Trevathan held Post 102 in check for the next two to pick up the win and Cameron Webb closed the door in the eighth and ninth innings.  In four games this week Post 58 has allowed only 13 runs.  That will win you a lot of ball games even if you only get singles when batting.   Post 58 goes to 4-0 with a 7-3 victory over Post 102.

The NCAA baseball tournament starts Friday and Mike Fox has announced that Hobbs Johnson will get the call to pitch Friday for the North Carolina Tar Heels.   Whenever these four teams tournaments get going there is always a question of when do you pitch you ace and for North Carolina they have decided to pitch Kent Emanuel on Saturday which they hope is the winners bracket game and that leaves Benton Moss  to toss Sunday for the Heels.  Over in Raleigh the Pack is stating Vance Williams in their Friday opener holding Carlos Rodon till Saturday.   ECU Opens play at 11AM Friday Morning in the Chapel Hill Regional.  Kind of an odd time to play since there is only going to be two games played in Chapel Hill.

NCAA Baseball Playoffs

The Tar Heels of North Carolina the #6 seed in this years NCAA baseball run to Omaha open their quest to returned to the College World Series for the sixth time in the last eight years.  As the host school in the Chapel Hill Regional Carolina will play at 6pm Friday night and they will be playing Cornell of the Ivy League.

The Heels who have the third most wins of any team in the NCAA this year has a record of 43-16 while Cornell is 31-15.  The Pirates of ECU 35-22 will be playing Friday afternoon and take on St Johns of the Big East 37-22.  You have to know that ECU fans think there is a conspiracy of some sort as every year when they haven't hosted in the past few years they have played Carolina.  Either in Columbia and played South Carolina or in Chapel Hill and play North Carolina.  Pirates fans are questioning why they can't try someplace else sometimes.

Over in Raleigh the #9 seeded Wolfpack 39-17 play host in the Raleigh Regional and Play Sacred Heart Friday night at 7PM.  Sacred Heart sounds like a hospital but the Pioneers will be one of the few team in the NCAA tournament with a losing record 25-30.  They are the champs of the Northeast Conference for the second year in a row.  This is only the third time in school history to be in the NCAA tournament and they are 0-4 all time.

The 2pm game in Raleigh will feature the Seahawks of UNC Wilmington 38-21 going up against Vanderbilt 33-26 of the Southeastern Conference.  The two winners play Saturday night at 7pm

Believe it or not but Post 58  played a game tonight in Pittsboro against North Chatham. West of Raleigh did not have the rains from the Tropical Storm as we had this morning.  Post 58 won 5-1 for their third win in three tries.  They play their first conference game at home Thursday against Ahoskie.  First pitch is 7PM Thursday at Gryphon Stadium.

Legion Wins Again

Coleman Pitt Post 58 won it's home opener tonight as they played host to North Chatham  and came away with a 9-4 victory.  Chase Johnson of Tarboro and Khalil Macklin of Nash Central lead the  rbi parade as each had two for the night.  Johnson knocked in the first run of the game in the first when Johnson doubled after Matt Berry was put on base with two outs on a hit batter.  Johnson followed in the third with his second rbi on a single.
 
Macklin's second and third bat of the game produced rbi's  his second hit a double over the head of the left fielder.  Hank Jones started Tyler King of Nash Central who game him five good innings of no run ball.  Spencer Ramsey pitched the sixth and seventh and was charged with two runs but faulty defense allowed both runs to score.  Former Rocky Mount pitcher Jeremy Trevathan pitch the 8th and 9th innings for Post 58.

Wednesday night Post 58 goes  to Northwood High in Pittsboro where they will play North Chatham again.  They return home Thursday when they open their conference schedule when Ahoskie will be at Gryphon Stadium.

This weekend North Carolina who is seeded sixth in the NCAA baseball tournament will be hosting among others East Carolina.  I think you can count on every ticket to be sold in Chapel Hill this weekend with the possibility that ECU and Carolina could play at least two games against each other depending on how the first days games go. Should Carolina win this Regional they would host a Super Region in two weeks

Over in Raleigh State will be hosting as the #9 seed.  They play Sacred Heart on Friday while Vanderbilt Plays UNC Wilmington.  The ACC got five schools as host of Regionals and a total of seven team in the NCAA field.  Should State win this weekend they probably would have to travel to Gainesville Florida where they would most likely play Florida who got the #1 overall seed in the Tournament.

Returning Veterans Paying Off Already

Coleman Pitt Post 58 is off to a shaky start having a game rained out and another postponed.  Despite pitching two innings last Wednesday Hank Jones  sent Cameron Webb former Tarboro High pitcher right back to the mound Sunday night at Salisbury as Post 58 finally gets a complete game in and a big win.

 Webb pitched six innings and a 6 run sixth  inning blew open the game as Post 58 already lead 5-2 and ballooned to 11-2.  Another  player returning from last season lead the Post 58 attack in Jeremy Sloop of Nash Central.  Sloop had two singles and a home run and drove in three runs to lead the way with the bats.   Jones handed the ball over to several pitchers the final three innings as Post 58 post their first victory of the year an 11-5 win over Rowan County.  Post 58 will try Tuesday night to get a home game in as they host North Chatham.

It's official that North Carolina and North Carolina State will be hosting NCAA Regional baseball tournaments this weekend.  The NCAA released the 16 sites for the Regionals Sunday.  Today there will be a selection show placing the other teams that will be playing in the Regionals.   Don't be surprised if ECU or Campbell both don't wind up staying close to home either in Chapel Hill or Raleigh.  My  guess is one will be in Chapel Hill the other in Raleigh and if that happens both Regionals could be sellouts for the entire weekend.

I have seen quite a few baseball games in my time and I am not sure that there has ever been one any better than Saturday night's State -Carolina ACC Tournament game played in Greensboro.  N C State ace Carlos Rodon who just could be one of the top five pitchers in all of college baseball held Carolina in check for nine innings.

Former Gryphon Benton Moss who was on a pitch count knowing that they were not playing in the championship on Sunday Mike Fox needed to give the other Gryphon Hobbs Johnson some innings too. Moss was just as spectacular as Rodan if fact Benton got an ovation from the Carolina crowd as he was pulled in the sixth inning.

That game did not have a lot of action other that pitcher striking out batters but I guess that is the beauty of baseball. 

Post 58 Tries Again Tonight

Opening night was rained out in the third inning and a trip the next night never happened either so Coleman Pitt Post 58 will try to get their summer of 2012 started tonight with a trip to Salisbury and a game against Rowan County.

This being Hank Jones third year he has never shied away from taking on all comers in the non-conference portion of the schedule while he finds  out who he has on this years team and what they can do.  He has a multitude of returning players and this just be a very good year for Coleman Pitt.  Let's take a look at the roster who was there opening night before the rains came.

Kyle Pratt  Roanoke Rapids High, ECU:  Kyle started  in left  Wednesday and returns to Post 58 after a year of the college life at ECU.

Chase Johnson Tarboro High:  Utility player returns to Coleman Pitt.  Started at third on Wednesday.

Spiers Miller Tarboro High, Barton College: Speirs returns to Post 58 after a spring playing for Barton College.

Abel Hernandez Roanoke Rapids High:  Abel returns for his second season of Senior Legion and started behind the plate.

Matthew Berry Rocky Mount High,Barton College:  Matthew returns after spending the spring playing at Barton.  Started at first Wednesday.

Khalil Macklin Nash Central:  He returns for his second season of Legion and is still in high school.  Hit a homer before the rains came Wednesday and started in Center field where he created a double play.

Dillon Moore Nash Central:  Back for his second season was DH Wednesday but can play anywhere

Jeremy Sloop Nash Central  Wake Tech:  Back with Post 58.  Started at short but you will see him on the mound, behind the plate oe any where to keep his bat in lineup.

Colton Vaughn  Nash Central:  One of the few first year players.  Starter in right the first night.

Caneron Webb Tarboro High, Pitt C C:  Starter on the mound returning for his second season for Post 58 after playing for Pitt this spring.

Spencer Ramsey  Rocky Mount:  Can play every where in the infield  and probably will before season is done.  Another arm for those four games in days days which occur in Legion.

Ryan Barham Nash Central:   Another first year player but part of the Nash Central second place in Big East  team.

Tyler Wooten Tarboro:  Tyler is back to catch, pitch and play infield.

Tyler King Nash Central:  First year Legion player who will be a valuable pitcher on this staff.

Jeremy Lucas  Northern Nash Barton:  Another arm for the playoffs for Post 58 after playing in the spring at Barton.

Johnathan Aparicio East Wake, ECU, Louisburg College:  You may never heard of him since he is from East Wake but another arm when the playoffs arrive.

Hank Jones: returns to his third year as coach and will try to get back to State Tournament for second time.

"Baseball" Brett Johnson:  Returns to help Hank for his third year as first basebase coach

Pat Smith: Need to learn baseball just have a seat on the bench beside Mr Smith and let's talk.

Post 58 will try to get their first home game of the season in Tuesday night as they host  North Chatham.  First pitch is schedule for 7PM.

Worst Kept Secret

I got a call from a Rocky Mount Academy supported at least three weeks ago to let me know the the Academy had offered their football coaching job to B W Holt.  The rumor was that knowing of him when he coached six years at Rocky Mount High was all they needed and offer him the job without an interview.

If you have ever had any reason to be around Holt at all then you know when ever you become his friend  you are his friend for life.  If you are one of his ball players he is your coach for life. In his three years since is departure from Rocky Mount High School he has been in and out of Rocky Mount more than Greyhounds buses have.  He comes back to visit his friends and come to funerals.

If you were one of the 500 or so people who attended Rocky Mount's Sports Banquet Thursday night there was one person missing  and it was Dickie Schock.  He may have had a great excuse but for those who were there it was the ultimate insult to a program that he never embraced.  B W Holt has more feeling for those players there now and he  he only knew of the freshman in Holt's last year.

Rocky Mount Academy is getting a man who understands friendships and dedication to others.  He is dedicated to his friends and they return that dedication to him.  If you read my blog the day after Jason Battle was named the Rocky Mount High coach I told you then Holt would be coaching somewhere next football season because it was in his blood and his three years away from it has shown him he needs to be a coach for the rest of his healthy life.

Yes, this is eight man football but if you have ever watched Holt look at  film and break it down then you know it doesn't matter how many men you put on the field  it is all the same.  He has a job to put together a football program that was win less last season but still hurting from a tragic injury to one of their players two years ago.

I think the Rocky Mount Academy area will see that this is a win win for all.  Rocky Mount Academy football will be competitive with who ever goes out for football.  Those of you players at RMA who don't know B W he is a salesman.  He will get players to go out that have never even thought about it before.  Then he will make them football players. Then, if you desire to try football in college he will have a highlight film on you and he will get you into a college somewhere and then go watch you on Saturdays.

He is just that way.  If you dedicate to him on the football field he will dedicate the rest of his life to you.

Face-Off Has Lost It's Luster

State and Carolina won their opening games in the ACC baseball tournament and looked on a collision course  to just maybe playing the most important baseball ever between the two Saturday night.  Somewhere on the way to the championship game both stumbled and now one will be out by Saturday and the other will have to win in order to play in the ACC Championship game Sunday at noon.

I am not sure the ACC has ever had eight teams that when the final game of the regular season was in the books that there was no ACC team  in the RPI more than 31.  All eight teams that are in this weeks ACC Tournament have to be in the NCAA  Regional somewhere next week and at least four or five will be host schools.  Why then should we be surprised that the bracket that State, Carolina, Wake and Miami are in all are 1-1 heading into their third games.

If you pull for State you have to pull for Miami to beat Wake tonight in the 7PM ACC TV game.  If Wake wins then State can't make the Sunday Championship game since Wake holds the tie breaker beating State last night. State hold the tie breaker over Miami.  In Carolina's case they have to hope Wake wins since they beat the Deacs Wednesday and not Miami who beat the Tar Heels yesterday.

So Saturday night State has nothing to play for other than beating Carolina if Wake Beats Miami tonight..  Carolina has nothing to play for if Miami beats Wake.  If Wake wins tonight over Miami and State beats Carolina then they play in the championship game Sunday.  If Miami wins tonight then Carolina has nothing to play for Saturday other than beating State.

If Wake wins tonight then Carolina must beat State to get in the Sunday Championship.  If Miami wins tonight then State must beat Carolina to get in.   If I am Wake or Miami I would feel real good about my chances playing Sunday if State can beat Carolina to knock them out or vice versa.   It would all be much simpler to digest if it were a double elimination and play until you lose two.

If Miami wins tonight and Carolina has no chance to play Sunday you can expect both Benton Moss and Hobbs Johnson to share the pitching Saturday night because one would have to
go two weeks without pitching heading into the playoffs.  Mike Fox doesn't want that to happen.