From Last To Top Seed

After the first week of conference play the Rocky Mount Gryphons stood at 0-2 having blown a 4-2 lead at Nash Central and a 4-0 lead at Hunt.  Tonight behind the three hitting pitching of David Harrison the Gryphons take the number one seed in the Big East with 2-0 shutout of Northern Nash.

The Win Gives the Gryphons a 6-4 conference record with Northern Nash but the Gryphons swept the Knights in both games played.  Hunt also ties at 6-4 after they went to Fike and won 9-0.  Nash Central got back to 5-5 in conference play beating Southern Nash 7-2 and tie Fike 5-5. Next week's Big East tournament will start with 3rd seed Hunt Hosting Southern Nash and number four seed Nash Central hosting Fike.

Chad Nelms got the start for Northern Nash and he like every pitcher that has faced David Harrison pitched well enough but not good enough.  Helms gives up four hits walked only two batters and struck out 11 Gryphons. Two of the four Gryphons hits came in the third inning, Jamar  Ellis singled and with one out Josh Pittman single putting runners on first and third.

Wednesday of this week Marvin Coates passed away and his Grandson Logan Pearce hit a shot to left field that was caught on the warning track and Ellis easily scored from third giving Pearce what would turn out to be the game winning RBI.  The Gryphons scored their second run in the fourth after Forest Bell walked stole second and scored on a David Harrison base hit.

David Harrison probably wrapped up the player of the year in the Big East after his complete game shutout.  He allowed three hits, walk four which were three more than he had walked in all conference games.  He struck out nine but the last five Knights to get out struck out.  During Big East games Harrison pitched 34 and 2/3 and gave up three runs which is an ERA.083.

Northern's three hits came from Matt Rose who had a double and single and Josh Daniels.  The Gryphons had all singles from Josh Pittman, David Harrison, Will Hedgepeth and Jamar Ellis.  Both Rocky Mount and Northern have byes and both will host semi final games next week.

Up For Grabs

Tonight wraps up the Big East regular season and every game means something for everyone.  Northern 6-3 sits on top.  Fike-Hunt-Rocky Mount all stand at 5-4.  Nash Central 4-5 and Southern 2-7.  Big East baseball Tournament starts Monday night when who ever finishes 3rd host Southern Nash.  Nash Central knows they can't finish any better than 3rd but they could finish fifth so they have no idea where they play Monday right now.  Even the top two spots who would get a bye and not play until Wednesday is not known at this time.

Rocky Mount at Northern Nash.: Pat Smith had to use David Harrison for about 25 pitches Tuesday and the question is can he go seven innings if needed?  The answer is yes.  Tuesday night's two innings are being used as his bullpen session for this week.  Northern has as close to any team a pitching  staff.  Everyone else has a main line pitcher and throwers.  I understand Northern Pitched Dwight Daniels Tuesday so they still have Tyler Barrett, Chad Nelms or Side armer Whit Casper that they can throw.  Northern is home and looks to have more options than Rocky Mount.

Hunt at Fike:  The winner could be in a three way tie for first if Rocky Mount will help them out at beat Northern.  The loser could drop to fifth spot in the standings with their fifth loss and of course this is pending other results Friday night.

Nash Central At Southern Nash:  A Bulldog win they can still capture third and a loss they are guaranteed fifth.  Southern is stuck in last as their hitting has dried up as the season has progressed as they have as good of pitching as anyone else.

I think anyone who saw the Rocky Mount Gryphons play football this past season could tell there were some really good football players on the field for the Gryphons.  This will show you what winning playoff games and state championships do for good players.  It puts eyes on them  in playoff games that because the roster shows them as not being the right size college coaches don't even think about until they actually see them perform.

Saw in the Telegram yesterday about the story written about Sherrod Greene and B J Sanders.  If you watched at all over the last two season everyone in the Big East knew about B J Sanders.  His profile does not fit D1 schools to look at.  An 81 yard run on the first play of a state championship game has been seen by every college coach in the country.  Sanders has now been offered just because Rocky Mount played so many playoff games and he performed well and coaches have all the films of everybody by regional times.  If the Gryphons had of loss a first round game Sanders may not ever gotten a look from a D 1 or D11 School.  I can assure you we will talk more about Sherrod Greene in the future.

I want to close today honoring a non sports event.  A day this week in the Telegram was a story about
Adam Moore who recently was named the North Carolina most outstanding JROTC Cadet by the Sons of the American Revolution.  Adam as a rising Senior  at Nash Central. He wants to go  the United States Navel Academy.  I would love to shake his hand for the honor bestowed on him but also because he wants to serve his country. Thank You Adam and good luck winning the top Cadet in the nation.

It's Northern"s Title For The Taking

There are so many possible scenarios about  the baseball race in the Big East that there is not enough space to cover each one before the three games happen Friday night.  The only for sure spot secured in the conference race is last which is held by Southern Nash.  Even beating Nash Central Friday night they can't tie or pass anybody.  If they do beat the Bulldogs that brings on about another set of possibilities in the conference race. 

There is two possible occurrences that if they happen nothing else that happens Friday night to change the two possible.  First if Northern beats Rocky Mount they are the outright conference regular season champ and will have the number one seed  and a bye in next week's conference tournament.  They would be 7-3 and already everybody else is  hung with four losses.  It is their championship to win.  A victory would secure the number one seed in the state tournament starting May 11th.

The second event if it happens would be if Rocky Mount knocks off the Knights they would secure the number one seed through all sorts of tie breakers.  They would be in a three way tie for first but because they swept Northern and split both Fike and Hunt they have the advantage of all tie breakers in a three way tie.  In almost every scenario if they lose they would draw between 3rd through fifth depending what else happens in other games Friday.

They would not secure the number one seed for the state tournament that would fall back on the three teams tied for first who does the best in the conference tournament.  The way this season has gone this would be the year that a five seed could win the tournament and if that happened the only safe team seedings wise would be Northern Nash by winning the number one seed.  They can't lose that seeding for the state tournament regardless of how they fare next week.

If a three,four,five or sixth did win the conference tournament  then that team moves up as the two seed in state seeding and everyone but Northern falls back.  Due to everyone's over all record this season five teams may not make the state baseball tournament because when the seedings get to filling out the brackets with teams with the best overall record  most of the Big East has losing records.  Rocky Mount 11-8 has the best record in the conference even Northern has a losing record.  Their overall record would protect them if they are the conference champion.  I would not protect them if they finish fourth.

So when the state tournament starts getting pass the 3rd seeds in the selection process  there is no guarantee a four or five seed from the Big East will make it.  If there has ever been a night in any sport at any time this statement is true for these game Winning will take care of seedings.  Lose and you could be out of luck.

No Other Choice

The last time Rocky Mount and Southern Nash met the Gryphons put the Firebirds down in five innings 17-0.  Tonight Pat Smith went back to Zack Keeter who pitched three innings in the last game against Southern and Keeter did his job.  Keeter went five innings of  three hit ball and along the way walked three batters.  His problem was through five innings Southern's pitcher Trevor Mills out pitched Keeter.

Mills through five innings gave up two hits and walked a single batter. The walk was wiped out on a double play and the single wiped away on a caught stealing.  So through five innings the Gryphons did nothing against Mills while through the first four innings the Firebirds had six base runners.

Now this is not working as planned.The Gryphons were suppose base on the last game be banging out hits and scoring runs But Mills was not cooperating.  Top of the sixth Pat Smith said this game is to close to call and let's bring on David Harrison because we can not afford to allow a run to Southern this late in the game.  Harrison face six batters striking out four.

The bottom of the sixth with one out Isaiah Stewart walked.  He reached second on a Josh Pittman single and scored on a double by David Harrison.  A potential second run was thrown out by Southern right fielder Jason Montaque who made a perfect throw home.

The top four hitters in the Gryphon lineup got one hit a piece Josh Pittman, David Harrison double RBI, Logan Pearce and Jake Philbeck.  Southern was led by Trevor Mills who got two hits but didn't get enough help from his teammates and takes the loss.  Hunter Perry was the only other Firebird with a Hit.

Zack Keeter pitched well enough to win but like Mills got no help from his batting mates.  David Harrison got the mound win plus the game winning hit.

Now for the crazy Big East.  Tonight Northern Takes sole pocession of first place after they beat Fike 7-3.   That gives Northern first place with a 6-3 record while Fike drops to 5-4.  Hunt beat Nash Central 6-1 after last night beating Southern 7-3.  Hunt with two  wins this week jumps to 5-4  Rocky Mount's win over Southern makes them 5-4.

So Friday night Northern Nash can win First place outright with a win over Rocky Mount.  Rocky Mount with a win over Northern could tie for first.  Since both Fike and Hunt are 5-4 the winner of their game could be part of a three way tie if Rocky Mount beats Northern.  The bottom line is this.  It is Northern's to win and as they say control their own destiny.

ACC Baseball Dominating

Last week we talked about the seven teams from North Carolina that look as if they have great chances to make the NCAA baseball tournament.  If we expand out further to all the ACC  schools this is a most unusual season.  There are 14 teams that play baseball.   As of Monday night 13 of the ACC  teams are rated 64th or better.  You know only 64 teams make the tournament so it seems to me unfair that if all 13 ACC teams make the tournament then other teams will get left out.

The truth of the matter is this.  Only the eight teams that make the ACC tournament will make make the field.  Maybe one other might sneak in but all thirteen will not make it.  So who gets in and who doesn't.  For sure Virginia Tech who has a losing record will not make it.  Everyone else has a shot of moving up or not depending on how well they do over the next month.

64th in RPI is Duke, they are 23-18 overall.  They need to really sweep some series rest of the conference season.

Boston College: 52nd, 21-15:  A good  finish  just might get BC in something they hardly ever do is make the NCAA in baseball.

Notre Dame 23-14 43rd.  If the Irish make the top eight they could make the tournament.

Pittsburgh 21-14 34th.  Pitt is a team much like BC that needs a good finish and they just might get in.  Need to be in top eight at ACC tournament time.

Wake Forest 26-17. 30th Jump 13 slots after sweeping Carolina over the weekend.  They are borderline ACC tournament

Virginia 26-17 29th.  The defending national champion had a slow ACC start but have played better lately.

Georgia Tech 27-13 21st .  Right in the thick of the battle.  Could go either way making Durham.

North Carolina 26-15 16th.  One of the worse things to happen to the Tar Heels was making the World Series so many times in a row. Expected all the time now.   Swept by WF this weekend as Tar Heels at 9-12 in ACC in real jeopardy of not making tournament down the road in Durham.

Clemson. 26-14 11th in RPI.  How tough is ACC?   A team in top ten has a Losing conference record.

NC State 29-11 8th. Has fourth best conference record. Already has had their no conference games weekend plus has had two rainouts.  Have played five less conference games than most teams.

Miami 28-8 7th RPI:  since Miami joined ACC this is the best team that they have had.

Florida State 28-11 6th:  Always near the top and again top team record wise.

Louisville 31-9 2nd:  Between football basketball and baseball the Ville might be best program in ACC.

The ACC tournament starts the last weekend in May in Durham.

How Important Is Pitching?

We have reached the final week of the Big East Baseball season and the conference race is almost to close to call using political terms.  Every Team has a pitcher and when we say pitcher he is the one that can control of his fastball which is fast enough he can throw it by most hitters.  He has a a curve that he can get over the plate and if he is really good can slow a change up and make batters miss by a mile.

Then everyone has players that are used because in practice they are the best of the rest that can get the ball across the plate.  Some can't throw the ball hard enough to break glass which means the only outs they  get are the ones that hit the ball straight at players in the field.

Now let's compare a pitcher and the rest when we look at the 2016 Rocky Mount Gryphons.  Their ace David Harrison has pitched in four conference games.  He has won three of them and when he left the game after six in the other he was ahead 4-2 but the Gryphons lost the game.

Opening night in conference play Harrison on the road lead The Nash Central Bulldogs 4-2 after six innings but once out of the game the other pitchers gave up two runs. In the seventh and lost three innings later 5-4.

The next week against Hunt he pitched a shutout beating the Warriors 1-0.  The following week beat Northern Nash 8-3 and Fike pitched another shutout 1-0.  So far the four games that Harrison did not pitch the  Gryphons Lost 5-4, won 17-0, lost 16-7 and lost 9-1.

The four conference games when Harrison pitched the Gryphons have scored  14 runs that is about 3.5 runs per game.  Yet the Gryphon won three and the one they lost he was already out of the game. Those games Harrison pitch the Gryphons gave up five runs in the innings Harrison has been on the mound.  He has faced every time out the best pitcher the other team had and against the other conference members best the Gryphons won three and had the fourth won while Harrison was on the mound.  Harrison has proven to be the best pitcher in the Big East.

The four games when Harrison played the field and another pitcher pitched, The Gryphons scored in those four games 28 runs and yet won only one of the four because without Harrison on the mound  the Gryphons have allowed 30 losing three of the four.

If I had to make any predictions the upcoming conference tournament and the state playoffs the Gryphons have a good chance to win one game and a crap shoot in the other.  Here is one bad thing how ever in the first game of the playoffs.  Whoever the Gryphons draw they will be facing the best that team has so the first round game will not be a gimme and it will not be a gimme for any team in our league.

Weather Will Be A Factor

There is one week left in the regular season of Big East Baseball.  Fike and Northern Nash as we head down the stretch to the finish line are neck and neck at 5-3 in the standings.  One length behind are Nash Central and Rocky Mount at 4-4.   Due to their game getting rained out on Friday Hunt trails by a length and a half 3-4 and Southern Nash trails the field at 2-5.  Southern no longer can win or tie for first place because the two leaders Fike and Northern play each other Tuesday so one must win and at worse will finish the season with four losses.

Hunt however is still in the mix and if they win the make up game with Southern Nash Monday 7pm they would be 4-4 and win both of their scheduled games this week they are not dead yet from tying for first but it is a long shot concidering no team in this league has three pitchers to walk out on the mound  and expect to win every time out.  So winning three times this week is a long shot.

Southern travels to Hunt Monday.  Go to Rocky Mount Tuesday and host Nash Central Friday.  All three that they will play can still win or tie for first which is only good for the seedings in the Big East baseball Tournament starting May 2nd. The Firebirds can spoil any of those teams hopes as they fight for first.  A five game conference losing streak  would make you believe any of the three teams playing for first the Southern game is the easy game of the week.  It had better be if either Hunt, Rocky Mount or Nash Central have intentions on a regular season title.

Hunt host Nash Central Tuesday and if Hunt knocks off Southern Monday this will give one or the other five losses and one will be out of any possible first place talk come Friday.  Hunt finishes Friday at Fike.

Should Nash Central beat Hunt Tuesday they may have a shot at tying for first Friday as they travel to Southern Nash who will be having senior night.  Should Southern win all three of their games this week they will pass somebody and get out of the cellar.

Rocky Mount has a real quandary.  They need to hope Northern beats Fike and on Friday they  beat Northern which would give every team with at least  four losses and Rocky Mount being one of them.            
Who do you pitch Tuesday against Southern?  Pat Smith has been pitching David Harrison on Tuesday's and the last time they played Southern Zack Keeter started against The Firebirds and since
Keeter didn't pitch Friday against Fike I'd bet money they save David Harrison for Friday.

Both Fike and Northern Nash control their own destiny.  The winner of that game can win the regular season Friday.  If Fike wins over Northern then a victory of Hunt  secures the top spot.  If Northern wins and then a victory over Rocky Mount grants them the title.

It is a jumble  mess isn't it?

•