There are many factors when conferences are formed what goes in to making a conference. Schools which are equal in size. Ever since the first year of the Big East all six schools have ranged between a hundred students being the same size. Hard to give the edge to any school because they have more athletes to choose from. It is also hard to keep those schools about the same size when different areas have growth spurts due to the economy.
Everyone one has found that one of the biggest factors when joining a conference is being as near to one another as possible. Just ten years ago Havelock was in the same conference with Northern Nash. Try going to a Tuesday night basketball game at Havelock and go to work or even school on Wednesday. It almost seems that the Big East is a perfect conference where 30 minutes is the big trip of the year.
We have found especially this year that with the location factor and size factor it has brought with it an equality to competition. No team has just dominated any sport. Football went to the wire before we knew who was going to be the champion and for that matter who was finishing fourth because going into the last game everybody was still alive. Add basketball with the same outline.
It is plain to see baseball is on the same track. Heading into Tuesday night's baseball games there are four more games to play and the regular season will be over. Fike is leading the way at 5-1 and 9-5 after beating Nash Central 2-1. Compared to football and basketball this is a runaway lead. Northern Nash has since the Easter break showed off their pitching and are 4-2 - 8-7. Hunt 3-3 -7-7 and Rocky Mount 3-3 - 7-6 are tied for third. Nash Central started with a 2-0 record in conference but have lost four in a row stand 2-4 - 3-11. Southern Nash rounds out the field at 1-5 -5-10.
Fike and Nash Central made up their rainout game from earlier this season Saturday and they will in turn play each other again Tuesday at Fike. The two tied for third Hunt host Rocky Mount Tuesday and this truly is a make or break for both. Finally Tuesday Northern Nash host Southern Nash in a must win for Northern to keep pace with Fike.
You might be interested to know who the conference leaders are? Batting average:Jacob Williamson Hunt 478. Home runs Tie Kendall Parker Southern Nash and Cameron Vick Southern Nash 2. Slugging % Bryson Worrell Hunt 717. RBI Hunt Bryson Worrell 13. Runs scored Andrew Brinson Hunt 13. Stolen Bases Kendall Parker Southern Nash 13. ERA Tyler Barrett Northern Nash .058. Strikeouts Tyler Barrett Northern Nash 38. Wins Tyler Barrett Northern Nash Barrett 4.
The seeding for the state playoffs will be released on May 9th and who ever makes the playoffs begin first round May 13th.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Friday, April 17, 2015
Rocky Mount -Northern Get Big Wins
Thursday night there was a moment when the Gryphons looked like a little league team and were shut out by Nothern Nash 7-0. Tonight Rocky Mount took advantage of one Nash Central moment a bases loaded single in the top of the fourth would clear the bases as two Bulldog errors helped out. Rocky Mount added another run in the fifth and Nash Central finally scored in the bottom half of the inning .
David Harrison would get the Gryphon win on the mound and by doing so evened the Gryphons record to 3-3 while Nash Central dropped to 2-3. Nash Central will try to get their record back to 3-3 Saturday afternoon hosting Fike at 1pm. Rocky Mount goes to 7-6 on the year while Nash Central falls to3-10.
Northern Nash with the best overall pitching staff in the conference had no trouble playing two nights in a row as they beat Hunt 7-2.. This makes Northern 4-2 and all alone in second. Hunt falls to 3-3 and tied with Rocky Mount.
Fike last time against Southern Nash was only able to win 2-1 but not tonight as Fike remains in first soundly beating Southern Nash 16-2. Fike is now 4-1 but will try to win their fifth conference game Saturday afternoon when they travel to Nash Central. That game is big for both as Nash Central could get right back in the battle for first if they even their conference record at the expense of Fike.
A Fike victory would just about knock the Bulldogs out of any expectations of first place.
This season has been so disrupted with weather not being able to have any preseason practice. Then once the season started the weather was terrible even on game days. Maybe the weather will be warm enough the last two weeks where every team can play the game the way we all want to see it.
David Harrison would get the Gryphon win on the mound and by doing so evened the Gryphons record to 3-3 while Nash Central dropped to 2-3. Nash Central will try to get their record back to 3-3 Saturday afternoon hosting Fike at 1pm. Rocky Mount goes to 7-6 on the year while Nash Central falls to3-10.
Northern Nash with the best overall pitching staff in the conference had no trouble playing two nights in a row as they beat Hunt 7-2.. This makes Northern 4-2 and all alone in second. Hunt falls to 3-3 and tied with Rocky Mount.
Fike last time against Southern Nash was only able to win 2-1 but not tonight as Fike remains in first soundly beating Southern Nash 16-2. Fike is now 4-1 but will try to win their fifth conference game Saturday afternoon when they travel to Nash Central. That game is big for both as Nash Central could get right back in the battle for first if they even their conference record at the expense of Fike.
A Fike victory would just about knock the Bulldogs out of any expectations of first place.
This season has been so disrupted with weather not being able to have any preseason practice. Then once the season started the weather was terrible even on game days. Maybe the weather will be warm enough the last two weeks where every team can play the game the way we all want to see it.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Northern Just Out Of First
They were the preseason favorites to win the Big East baseball race hands down but for Northern Nash this season has not come to pass the way they wanted it. They have had their moments in non-conference looking like a powerhouse and the next game looking feeble. Heading into Thursday's game with Rocky Mount conference play had been the same.
The Big East baseball race has all the looks that three losses just might finish in first so any team making the first round in conference play really doesn't at the point want more than two losses heading to the second time around. Rocky Mount and Northern squared off each at 2-2 tied with Nash Central too. Three losses by the end of the first go round drops anybody almost to last.
The first four innings proved to be what everyone thought 0-0. One day this week I made mention that I thought this would be a 2-1 game unless defense on one side or the other fell apart. The bottom of the fourth Northern scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth. Tyler Barrett pitches a three hitter and gets the shutout. Northern steals home twice and by games end wins 7-0.
Northern now at 3-2 is only a half game behind Fike in first place at 3-1. They are tied with Hunt 3-2. Nash Central 2-2 is fourth and Rocky Mount after losing their third conference games all shutouts 2-0 Nash Central, 6-0 to Hunt and now 7-0 drops to fifth at 2-3 and Southern 1-4.
Nash Central and Fike have a rainout yet to make up that occurred before the Easter break. It will be made up Saturday at Nash Central at 1pm. If all games go off as scheduled between now and Saturday everyone in the Big East will have played six games with two weeks to go.
Friday's schedule has Rocky Mount at Nash Central. Northern at Hunt and Fike at Southern. Every team in this league has one top pitcher and if they save that pitcher for your team not many runs will be scored. Two no hitters have been pitched so far in conference play. Is it an indictment on Big East hitting or is this league loaded with great pitching?
The Big East baseball race has all the looks that three losses just might finish in first so any team making the first round in conference play really doesn't at the point want more than two losses heading to the second time around. Rocky Mount and Northern squared off each at 2-2 tied with Nash Central too. Three losses by the end of the first go round drops anybody almost to last.
The first four innings proved to be what everyone thought 0-0. One day this week I made mention that I thought this would be a 2-1 game unless defense on one side or the other fell apart. The bottom of the fourth Northern scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth. Tyler Barrett pitches a three hitter and gets the shutout. Northern steals home twice and by games end wins 7-0.
Northern now at 3-2 is only a half game behind Fike in first place at 3-1. They are tied with Hunt 3-2. Nash Central 2-2 is fourth and Rocky Mount after losing their third conference games all shutouts 2-0 Nash Central, 6-0 to Hunt and now 7-0 drops to fifth at 2-3 and Southern 1-4.
Nash Central and Fike have a rainout yet to make up that occurred before the Easter break. It will be made up Saturday at Nash Central at 1pm. If all games go off as scheduled between now and Saturday everyone in the Big East will have played six games with two weeks to go.
Friday's schedule has Rocky Mount at Nash Central. Northern at Hunt and Fike at Southern. Every team in this league has one top pitcher and if they save that pitcher for your team not many runs will be scored. Two no hitters have been pitched so far in conference play. Is it an indictment on Big East hitting or is this league loaded with great pitching?
Bail Out Time
It is official all three of the Duke freshman are declaring for the NBA draft. I don't like the college world where players come for one year until the NBA allows them to come play for them. I do under stand however in the case of Tyrus Jones he is projected as the 23rd pick in the NBA draft which if that happens that will be a multiyear contract. He of the three Duke players is the lowest selection so all three will over the four year rookie contract make at least 6 million dollars. If Okafor goes #1 he might make 24 million over four years. The 30th pick in 2014 draft the last player guaranteed a contract signed to make 5.5 million in four years which works out to chump change just about 1.4 million a year. Wouldn't you go too?
The problem is that already more than 60 players have stated they were turning pro. Only 30 will be getting a guaranteed contract. If you are drafted in the second round all the NBA is doing is inviting you to come to our camp and if you make the team we will sign you but if you don't try playing in Turkey not here.
Last week Carolina's PJ Tokoto declared for the draft. Every Mock draft that I have seen his name is no where to be seen in the first round. Is Tokoto so disgusted with his situation at Carolina he is just getting out of dodge just because another player is first choice shooting the ball instead of you? If that is the case transfer. Don't sit waiting on the draft that may never come to you. If you fail to make a team the next choice is any where in the world that needs you so you go play in a country where you can't speak the language and if it is a place like Iran. The hotel you stay in is under arm guards at all times.
Yesterday N C State got rocked first with the news that Trevor Lacy is putting his name in the draft. What in the world is he thinking. I can't find one mock draft at all that has him even in the second round. Hear later last night that he is not getting an agent. That might be good news.
The other news from Raleigh was not that unexpected. Kyle Washington who in mid season saw his court time dry up except in desperate situations is transferring. The Pack played better once Washington's time went to other big men. However Washington in late season always gave you one or two minutes that with out him big MO went the other way.
I think a major problem on campus these days in the entourage that comes along with players. Those people that are always telling that player he is better than the coach is giving him playing time. Most of them are only there hoping to pick up the crumbs which fall from a million dollar athlete. There are no crumbs if they don't get their kid to turn pro so they are always pumping up the head of players
to get them to sign for some money and by the way I helped you along the way and give me.
Didn't realize that Nash Central and Southern Nash got in their game before the rains Tuesday night.
Fike leads the Big East baseball at 3-1 followed by Hunt 3-2 then Rocky Mount , Northern Nash and Nash Central all 2-2. Southern is now 1-4. Rocky Mount and Northern washed out again last night will try again this afternoon at 4:30. How about this Big East sports conference. Football and basketball went right down to the wire and you could win and finish first or lose and finish fourth. Looks like baseball is heading in the same direction.
The problem is that already more than 60 players have stated they were turning pro. Only 30 will be getting a guaranteed contract. If you are drafted in the second round all the NBA is doing is inviting you to come to our camp and if you make the team we will sign you but if you don't try playing in Turkey not here.
Last week Carolina's PJ Tokoto declared for the draft. Every Mock draft that I have seen his name is no where to be seen in the first round. Is Tokoto so disgusted with his situation at Carolina he is just getting out of dodge just because another player is first choice shooting the ball instead of you? If that is the case transfer. Don't sit waiting on the draft that may never come to you. If you fail to make a team the next choice is any where in the world that needs you so you go play in a country where you can't speak the language and if it is a place like Iran. The hotel you stay in is under arm guards at all times.
Yesterday N C State got rocked first with the news that Trevor Lacy is putting his name in the draft. What in the world is he thinking. I can't find one mock draft at all that has him even in the second round. Hear later last night that he is not getting an agent. That might be good news.
The other news from Raleigh was not that unexpected. Kyle Washington who in mid season saw his court time dry up except in desperate situations is transferring. The Pack played better once Washington's time went to other big men. However Washington in late season always gave you one or two minutes that with out him big MO went the other way.
I think a major problem on campus these days in the entourage that comes along with players. Those people that are always telling that player he is better than the coach is giving him playing time. Most of them are only there hoping to pick up the crumbs which fall from a million dollar athlete. There are no crumbs if they don't get their kid to turn pro so they are always pumping up the head of players
to get them to sign for some money and by the way I helped you along the way and give me.
Didn't realize that Nash Central and Southern Nash got in their game before the rains Tuesday night.
Fike leads the Big East baseball at 3-1 followed by Hunt 3-2 then Rocky Mount , Northern Nash and Nash Central all 2-2. Southern is now 1-4. Rocky Mount and Northern washed out again last night will try again this afternoon at 4:30. How about this Big East sports conference. Football and basketball went right down to the wire and you could win and finish first or lose and finish fourth. Looks like baseball is heading in the same direction.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Rain out
Just a little after 6pm the bottom fell out of the sky and over the next several hours plenty of rain hit the area. The Rocky Mount-Northern Nash game was postponed until Wednesday night again at 7pm. The forecast is much the same for Wednesday as last night so we will see.
Nash Central and Fike right now are still a game behind everyone else and have a game to make up in order to get caught up with everyone. Last night every team should have played five conference games but only Hunt at 3-2 have played five. Nash Central has only three games played so just to catch up they need to make up Tuesday's game with Southern Nash and a Fike game. If RM/NN get their game in tonight they are on schedule.
CIAA news former Gryphon Cody Smith pitched a no hitter for the Hawks of Chowan on Saturday. Twelve innings of work last week Smith did not give up a hit struck out 12 and walked but three batters. That effort was good enough to be named the CIAA pitcher of the week. So far this season Smith is 3-1 for the Hawks with an era of 4.97. He pitched 29 plus innings on the season.
Former Gryphon teammate Will Edwards has pitched nine plus innings with a 1-1 record. Joining Smith and Edwards at Chowan is for Bulldog Garrison Vick so far this season he has been to bat four times without a hit.
Speaking of Players of the week.. Collins Cuthrell was named POW for his actions last week in the Peach Belt Conference. He went 9-18 batting five hundred. He hit four home runs and in doing so moved back on top as the DII home run leader with 22. He scored seven runs, walked three times and was perfect in the field at third base for the Braves fielding all ten balls hit his way. Tuesday UNC P beat Barton in Pembroke 13-8 with Cuthrell going 1-3 with a double and two walks. His batting average on the season still remains in the 455 range.
Is it any doubt who the player of the year will be in the Peach Belt Conference. What a year it has been for Collins. The end of last season looked as if his baseball playing days were over and nobody in pro baseball knew who he was. June he might not be a high pick but somebody will draft him.
Nash Central and Fike right now are still a game behind everyone else and have a game to make up in order to get caught up with everyone. Last night every team should have played five conference games but only Hunt at 3-2 have played five. Nash Central has only three games played so just to catch up they need to make up Tuesday's game with Southern Nash and a Fike game. If RM/NN get their game in tonight they are on schedule.
CIAA news former Gryphon Cody Smith pitched a no hitter for the Hawks of Chowan on Saturday. Twelve innings of work last week Smith did not give up a hit struck out 12 and walked but three batters. That effort was good enough to be named the CIAA pitcher of the week. So far this season Smith is 3-1 for the Hawks with an era of 4.97. He pitched 29 plus innings on the season.
Former Gryphon teammate Will Edwards has pitched nine plus innings with a 1-1 record. Joining Smith and Edwards at Chowan is for Bulldog Garrison Vick so far this season he has been to bat four times without a hit.
Speaking of Players of the week.. Collins Cuthrell was named POW for his actions last week in the Peach Belt Conference. He went 9-18 batting five hundred. He hit four home runs and in doing so moved back on top as the DII home run leader with 22. He scored seven runs, walked three times and was perfect in the field at third base for the Braves fielding all ten balls hit his way. Tuesday UNC P beat Barton in Pembroke 13-8 with Cuthrell going 1-3 with a double and two walks. His batting average on the season still remains in the 455 range.
Is it any doubt who the player of the year will be in the Peach Belt Conference. What a year it has been for Collins. The end of last season looked as if his baseball playing days were over and nobody in pro baseball knew who he was. June he might not be a high pick but somebody will draft him.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Return To Conference Baseball Forecast Rain
What did you expect between basketball and snow and early season baseball rain why would you think that last week's Easter break where not one game was delayed by rain would hold up once conference baseball returned. Hunt and Fike seeing the weather forecast moved their Tuesday game to last night at Fike and in essence they played for first place in the conference standings.
Hunt 3-2 7-6 was at Fike 3-1 8-5 trying to beat the Tuesday rain. Junior right hander Brandon Winstead for Fike pitched a no hitter as Fike takes over first place in the Big East dropping Hunt to 3-2 after the first round of conference play while Fike edges ahead of Nash Central 2-1 who maybe plays tonight
Tonight weather willing Rocky Mount 2-2 and 7-6 will travel to Northern Nash 2-2 and 6-7. I suspect Helms and Carter will toe the rubber for each team and since both teams have shown most of the spring so far I bet this will be a 2-1 game unless defense makes the gap wider.
Nash Central 2-1 and 3-8 visits Southern Nash 0-4 and 4-9. Both the Bulldogs and the Firebirds have one stopper on the pitching staff so I see no reason why not put your best out there against a rival.
They begin the second trip with each team playing each other for the second time starting Friday. Friday night May 1st which is 17 days away will be the last regular season game of the season. Didn't they just play their first games of the season last week?
The ACC baseball has a month to go before the tournament in Durham. If the ACC tournament started today Louisville would be first 16-2, Miami 14-4, Florida State. 11-7, the next five teams would be Carolina, Clemson, Wake Forest and Notre Dame and Georgia Tech at 9-9.
State at 8-9 is not in neither is Virginia who finished second at College World Series is 7-12. Not one North Carolina team can say they will make it right now and could you imagine the ACC tournament in Durham and not one NC school in it. It could happen. Can you see 500 showing up for the championship game featuring Louisville and Miami?
Hunt 3-2 7-6 was at Fike 3-1 8-5 trying to beat the Tuesday rain. Junior right hander Brandon Winstead for Fike pitched a no hitter as Fike takes over first place in the Big East dropping Hunt to 3-2 after the first round of conference play while Fike edges ahead of Nash Central 2-1 who maybe plays tonight
Tonight weather willing Rocky Mount 2-2 and 7-6 will travel to Northern Nash 2-2 and 6-7. I suspect Helms and Carter will toe the rubber for each team and since both teams have shown most of the spring so far I bet this will be a 2-1 game unless defense makes the gap wider.
Nash Central 2-1 and 3-8 visits Southern Nash 0-4 and 4-9. Both the Bulldogs and the Firebirds have one stopper on the pitching staff so I see no reason why not put your best out there against a rival.
They begin the second trip with each team playing each other for the second time starting Friday. Friday night May 1st which is 17 days away will be the last regular season game of the season. Didn't they just play their first games of the season last week?
The ACC baseball has a month to go before the tournament in Durham. If the ACC tournament started today Louisville would be first 16-2, Miami 14-4, Florida State. 11-7, the next five teams would be Carolina, Clemson, Wake Forest and Notre Dame and Georgia Tech at 9-9.
State at 8-9 is not in neither is Virginia who finished second at College World Series is 7-12. Not one North Carolina team can say they will make it right now and could you imagine the ACC tournament in Durham and not one NC school in it. It could happen. Can you see 500 showing up for the championship game featuring Louisville and Miami?
Golf's New Era
Jordan Spieth has played eight rounds of golf at Augusta National. As he walked off the green after each round he was in no worse position than fifth. That occurred after the final round last year playing in the final group with Bubba Watson last year shot and even parr 72. Today he walks off as a winner of a major golf tournament and all the world lies in front of him.
Every step he took today he either matched or broke Tiger's records. He could be the next dominating player in golf. Who knows he may be a Johnny Miller. The greatest golfer in the world for five years and wakes up one morning and can't putt any more. Many things can happen to Spieth in his future but boy wouldn't you love his start in pro golf.
UNC Pembroke has ten games to go in their regular season and Collins Cuthrell is four home runs from the all time Brave's record. He hit another one Sunday giving him 22 on the season. I know many players would love to have the day he had Sunday going 4-5 a homer and four RBI. By the way he is hitting 459 on the season. I know Pembroke is not an easy drive to see him play but Barton will be hosting UNCP Wednesday. The working man will have a hard time getting to Wilson for two 3pm games.
Hobbs Johnson got his first start of the season pitching only 2.3innings. He gave up an earned run but his rub was he walked four batters and didn't last long. His team this season is the Biloxi Shockers. They think they will have to play their first 54 games the road as Biloxi is a new team in AA baseball and their new home is not ready and may not be until June before they can play in the new stadium. They will play so called home games in Mobile and Huntsville until their stadium is ready.
State managed to get one win in Chapel Hill as Benton Moss could not throw a strike and Mike Fox pulled him in the third trailing 1-0. The one run he gave up happened in the third after Moss loaded the bases on three walks. If you watch the game on line on WATCH ESPN the umpire for most of the game was a coin flipper behind the plate. He flipped a coin after every pitch and decided whether it was a ball or strike. Benton didn't help much as he was about as wild as I have ever witnessed.
Every step he took today he either matched or broke Tiger's records. He could be the next dominating player in golf. Who knows he may be a Johnny Miller. The greatest golfer in the world for five years and wakes up one morning and can't putt any more. Many things can happen to Spieth in his future but boy wouldn't you love his start in pro golf.
UNC Pembroke has ten games to go in their regular season and Collins Cuthrell is four home runs from the all time Brave's record. He hit another one Sunday giving him 22 on the season. I know many players would love to have the day he had Sunday going 4-5 a homer and four RBI. By the way he is hitting 459 on the season. I know Pembroke is not an easy drive to see him play but Barton will be hosting UNCP Wednesday. The working man will have a hard time getting to Wilson for two 3pm games.
Hobbs Johnson got his first start of the season pitching only 2.3innings. He gave up an earned run but his rub was he walked four batters and didn't last long. His team this season is the Biloxi Shockers. They think they will have to play their first 54 games the road as Biloxi is a new team in AA baseball and their new home is not ready and may not be until June before they can play in the new stadium. They will play so called home games in Mobile and Huntsville until their stadium is ready.
State managed to get one win in Chapel Hill as Benton Moss could not throw a strike and Mike Fox pulled him in the third trailing 1-0. The one run he gave up happened in the third after Moss loaded the bases on three walks. If you watch the game on line on WATCH ESPN the umpire for most of the game was a coin flipper behind the plate. He flipped a coin after every pitch and decided whether it was a ball or strike. Benton didn't help much as he was about as wild as I have ever witnessed.
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