Sorry For The Delay

Spent the weekend in Rocky Hock NC on the Beautiful Chowan River without Any wi fi.  Rocky Hock Baptist Church had a Easter play Sunday morning.   Here is the local results from the Bright Leif Tournament on Saturday.

Rocky Mount 21- Eastern Wayne 3
Nash Central 13 Oakwood 2
Northern Nash 12 Rocky Mount Academy 2
Southern Nash 9 North Johnston 6
Faith Christian 7 Arendell Parrott Academy 0

Former Gryphon pitcher Jeremy Johnson now a senior pitcher for the Panthers of High Point has been used mostly out of the pen during his college career.  He has been a left handed specialty pitcher pitching to one left handed batter in key moments of games.

He has been hampered by elbow problems and has missed  playing time while injured.  Earlier this year he went 5 and 1/3 innings of relief against Army which has been the longest outing of his career.

Thursday night's game against UNC Asheville expected starter for the Panthers could not go and Johnson was called on in an emergency.  Johnson pitched a complete game four hitter the first complete game by a Panther pitcher in two years.  He struck out five and walked two in the Panther's 5-2 win.  WAY TO GO JEREMY!!!

Sunday is maybe the most important anniversary in the history of the world.   It is a day in which any person who professes Jesus as our Savior celebrates his rising after dying on the cross.

He died on the cross to accept all the sins of those that believe.  Every person sins every day but unless you ask for forgiveness through Jesus he will not hear.  Jesus said the only way to heaven is through him.  Have you asked him for forgiveness?

Have Joyous and safe Easter.

Easter Baseball Starts Today

Every Big East team is playing baseball this week in Wilson in the Bright Leaf Easter Tournament.  Today everyone is playing.  Let's check everyone's week.

Rocky Mount 11-4:  12 noon today at Fike High school versus Eastern Wayne 1-14::::Monday 12:30 Fleming Stadium versus CB Aycock 12-4:::Tuesday 5:30 Fleming Stadium North Johnston 11-1.

Nash Central 10-8: 12 noon Today at Hunt High versus Oakwood 6-5::Monday 10am Fleming Stadium Eastern Wayne 1-14::::Tuesday Southern Wayne 11am 8-8

Northern Nash 4-12:  2:30 pm today Fike High Rocky Mount Academy 9-5::::: Monday 1pm Fike High Cardinal Gibbons 11-1::::Tuesday 1:30 Hunt High Eastern Wayne 1-14

Southern Nash 11-6:  3pm today Fleming  Stadium North Johnston 11-1::::Monday 3pm Fleming Stadium Rosewood 12-2::::Tuesday 1:30 Hunt High Eastern Wayne 1-14

Hunt 12-5:  8pm tonight Fleming Stadium non conference game Fike 7-9....Monday 7pm Fleming Stadium  North Johnston 11-1::::Tuesday 7pm Fleming Stadium Wilson Christian Academy 3-8

Fike 7-9:  8pm tonight Fleming Stadium non conference game Hunt 12-5:::::Monday 5:30 Oakwood 6-5::::Tuesday 2pm Fleming Stadium Cardinal Gibbons11-1

You can see the next four days will be extremely busy as every team in the Big East will play three games in four days.  Assuming  no weather delays after Tuesday every team will get a week off before the final two conference games that will end the regular season on the 27th

Gryphons Duo's Basketball Future

Ever since my move to Rocky Mount in 1995 and especially in 1999 when I  got into the sports scene two people that I have been around quite a bit more than other coaches is Mike Gainey and Pam Gainey.  I spent four or five years doing Gryphons football both basketballs and baseball before we went to game of the week showing everybody in the area.

I am so happy to see Michelle got a full ride to Fayetteville State.  They are two coaches that have  help send other players on to college basketball and am glad that their flesh and blood is headed there too.

The MVP of the Gryphons girl basketball team Keyanna Spivey is headed to Belmont Abbey.  Keyanna has been a force in the middle for Rocky Mount for 4 years at 5feet nine inches tall.  She has had the uncanny ability to get rebounds even when up against taller players.

You know both of the Gaineys have had successful coaching careers.  Mike has a couple of State titles but both have sent many players to all levels of college basketball careers.  We are lucky to have both at Rocky Mount.

Big East Baseball Scores

Hunt 7 Southern Nash 6. 9 innings a home run in the ninth proves to be difference.  Hunt 8-0 clinched regular season Big East title.  Southern Nash 4-4

Nash Central 11 Northern Nash 4. Northern led 4-3 after six innings and the Bulldogs rally  for eight runs in the 7th to win.  Nash Central 3-5 Northern 0-8

The Big East have announced the All Big East 2017 All Conferenceteam golf team.

Golfer of the year:  Bryson Boyette Fike
Zack Ward Northern Nash
Joseph Cook Nash Central
Chandler Matthews Fike
Christian Crawford Northern Nash
Matthew Morgan   Southern Nash
Christopher Clark Hunt
Joey Przelomski Rocky Mount
Cody Cooke Nash Central
Warren Matthews Fike
Andrew Lohr Fike
Noah Shealy Southern Nash
Coach of the year Glenn Jones Fike
Honorable Mentions
Adam Remer Hunt, Jubie Moss Southern Nash, Brittan Joyner Nash Central, Cameron Beal Nash Central, Lee Casper Northern Nash and Jonathan Hendricks Fike

Gryphons Respond

You wonder why when teams trail in games 40-0 in football why do they tried so hard to score even though they can't win the game?  They are trying to get momentum for the next game.  It just might carry over to the next.

Last night the Gryphons trailed at Hunt 5-0 and in the 7th inning surged to only lose 5-3.  Tonight that rally carried over and even giving up two runs in the first the Gryphons scored five times in the first and from there sailed to an 11-2 victory over Fike.

Freshman Ben Seracki who has pitched the second conference game most weeks started and was greeted by the first  two batters getting singles.  A double play and two walks loaded the bases and what should gave been a ground out to second to end the ending scored two runs.

Didn't bother the Gryphons. Josh Pittman stroked a triple that rolled all the way to the left center wall.  Two walks and one out and a wild pitch plated the first run. A David Harrison single reloaded the bases and pitcher Ben Seracki strikes a sinking line drive toward center that fell in front of the centerfielder by inches to drive home run the second run..  The ball almost caught gets by the center field and rolls all the way to the wall for a three base error.  Seracki circled the bases for a little league homer and the Gryphons led 5-2.

Seracki would yield three hits the rest of the way and the Gryphons pecked away. The fourth inning that triple man Josh Pittman slashed a triple that rolled all the way to the right center wall scoring Jake Philbeck who had walked.  Spencer Ramsey followed with a single driving in Pittman..  The Gryphons put runs on the board in the 5th and sixth inning growing the run total to 11.

David Harrison went 3-3, Josh Pittman 2-4 two triples, Jake Philbeck 2-3, Ramsey a single, Logan Pearce single, Seracki a single and Jamar Ellis a hit.  On the night the Gryphons scored 11 runs on 11 hits.

Seracki gets a complete game 2 unearned runs, five  hits, two walks and four strikeouts.  The Gryphons jump to 6-2 in conference play and 11-4 on the year.  Next week during then Easter break they will be Participating in a tournament in Wilson County.

Must pass on congratulation to the Gryphons Tennis team who won the Big East regular season tennis title.

Hunt Takes Control

The battle for the Big East lead in baseball was won by the  team that already had the lead but with this victory has a two game lead with three conference games to play.  Hunt 5 Rocky Mount 3

David Harrison took the hill for the Gryphons and the first two batters will give you an indication of how his night went. He hit the first batter and walked the second. A wild pitch with one out sent base runners moving and a wild throw to third scored the first run.  A sharp grounder to first just maybe was hit hard enough to get the runner coming but instead the Gryphons got the man out at first and a 2-0 Hunt lead after one.

The first time these two met all 7 runs scored by Hunt were unearned and the first two tonight were the same.  Hunt pitcher Bryson Worrell kept the Gryphons under control until the sixth inning with No hits.  David Harrison kept the game close through the fourth but the fifth two hit batters and a walk led to a good piece of luck for the Warriors.

Runners on first and second and bunting so the Gryphons thought.  The Gryphons ran the wheel play with 1st and third charging toward the bunt, short covering third and second going to cover first the Hunt batter bounced  A hit over Harrison's head and without any one covering second rolled harmless for a hit.  Three runs crossed the plate before Joe Petway relieved Harrison and stopped the bleeding.

The top of the sixth with two outs Jamar Ellis had a solid single to get the Gryphons their first hit.  David Harrison led off the top of the 7th with a double.  Ben Seracki singled to right but Harrison stopped on third but a wild throw from right scored Harrison and moved Seracki to second.  Chase Miller walked and the Hunt  faithful are now getting jittery.  Lane Butler singled to load the bases.  The tying run is coming to the plate.

Isaiah Stewart is hit by a pitch and it is 5-2 with one out.  Spencer Ramsey grounds out to second scoring a run making it 5-3 which will be the final.

Hunt had four hits three off Harrison and one off Petway.  The Gryphons finished with four hits all came off Harrell.  Harrison loses for the first time all year.  He allowed three earn runs and now his total for the year is five earned run.

Hunt jumps to 7-0 while the Gryphons fall to 5-2.   They will not have much time to recover as they have a home game Wednesday night against Fike.  Game time 7pm.

Scores

Southern Nash 8 Northern Nash 3. Southern Nash 4-3. Northern 0-7
Fike 9 Nash Central 4. Fike 3-4   Nash Central 2-5

WHIG FIlming Little League Games

Those of you who watch Rocky Mount's community TV station WHIG already know for years Sunday nights at 8pm has been reserved for any local sporting event that the station chose to record.  The last events done were during football season when they had a high school football game of the week.

Edward Green who was the sports director left the station around the first of the year.  Long time local announcer Wes Bradshaw has changed jobs which prevents him to doing  games so there were no basketball after football ended.

Recently the station contacted me to see if I was interested in doing some little league games this spring.  The city of Rocky Mount little league began their season last night.  It is the plan to tape games on Wednesday night and play that game back on Sunday night at 8pm.

The plan will be to do 10 games which include maybe 8  regular season games and maybe the city championship game.  So if you have a child that plays on the Wesley Men's Yankees, Breakfast Optimist Diamondbacks,  Chambliss and Rabil Braves, Hester and Tucker Attorneys Phillies, Pizza Inn Marlins and the Evening Optimist Orioles you might see you child or grandchild on TV this spring.

The Rocky Mount Gryphons home baseball game this week is  scheduled for Wednesday not Thursday.  I could not swear to you whether that has been that way all season   an I had not noticed it.  Makes good sense to me because some schools are out of school Friday as well as off all next week.  Should a rain out occur Thursday may not be able to make the game up until week after next because of all the Easter Tournaments next week.  No team wants to play three conference game the final week.

This pitch count deal is hard enough just two games a week and throwing  A third game the final week could cause all types of pitching issues for those teams in the battle for playoff spots.

A couple of days ago we spoke about college players from his area and how they did this year and I asked if you knew  of any player missed let me know and a name has popped.  Former Rocky Mount Gryphons guard Alexus Cooper who is a senior at Eastern Kentucky.

Cooper played in all 32 games and was the third leading scorer averaging 12.1 points per game.  She led the team in steals with 51.   She lead the team in minutes played 34.3.  She made 146 field goals on the season.

If you think of someone still feed me the name and I'll find the stats on that local player.

One More Week and Vacation

You hear this all time when teams are in the middle of the battle with other conference teams the intensity level is higher when the games effect conference play.  A non conference game pops up and teams lose that intensity level.  Well next week just about everybody will be in an Easter Tournament somewhere and most will play three games and then there is one week to go in conference play.

Two more games to get in this week and they need to get them in before Friday. Will teams lose that intensity factor this week knowing no school next?  Still plenty of movement that can occur before the Easter break. First game to look at is the Big one on Tuesday.

Rocky Mount 5-1 10-3 @ Hunt 6-0 10-5.  The best hitting team of the two is Hunt having scored 38 runs in their 6 wins.  Rocky Mount has scored half that at 19. As great as Rocky Mount's pitching has been Hunt has been better.  Hunt has allowed 10 runs while Rocky Mount 18. Hunt will be home.   Sure looks all Hunt, But that is why they play the games.

Southern Nash 3-3 10-5 @ Nash Central 2-4 8-7.  This is one of those games playing for the right to be alive for the playoffs.  Both teams have given up 31 runs in conference play.  The Bulldogs have scored 31 while the Firebirds 28.  This is an even match up.

Fike 4-2. 6-8 Northern Nash 0-6 4-10.  Both these teams even in runs allows in conference play 30.. A week later Northern still last in runs scored with 10 while Fike stands at 23.   This might be the Knight's chance to put one in the W column.

Softball has first playing last and the two teams tied for second playing the two teams tied for 4th.

Rocky Mount 0-6 4-11 @ Hunt 6-0 8-5.  Rocky Mount has given up 99 runs in six conference games.  Hunt has given up only 7 runs in six games.  Looks like a mismatch.

Fike 4-2 10-5 @  Nash Central 2-4 4-11.  Fike has scored 50 against the Bulldogs 41 in their six games.  Where the edge falls toward the Golden Demons is they have yielded just 27 against Nash Central's 65.  The Bulldogs need to use the home field to their advantage.

Southern Nash 4-2 8-6 @ Northern Nash 2-4 6-9.  What do the numbers say in this one?  Southern has given up only 22 runs while the Lady Knights 44.  Edge goes to Southern.   Scoring 60 for the Lady Birds 18 for Northern. Advantage Birds but this one is at Northern.