Monday, May 12, 2008

Until this season, the last time Rocky Mount's baseball team ...

... won a playoff game was ...

May 8, 2001 - Rocky Mount 5, Hillsborough Orange 0

At Orange, Rocky Mount senior pitcher Carter Harrell threw a one-hitter and struck out a school-record 19 batters en route to the win. RMHS had eight hits and Orange helped the Gryphons' cause with three errors. Future UNC signee Paul Jenkins was 3-for-3.


... had a no-hitter in the postseason was ...

May 9, 2000 - Rocky Mount 2, New Hanover 0

After recording seven one-hitters in his career, Carter Harrell finally got his first and only no-no in this first-round 4-A playoff matchup. He struck out 10 and walked one that evening, while RMHS got six hits and one run each in the second and sixth (a Harrell RBI-double). Not a bad effort outing since that Wildcat lineup included dangerous hitters in twins Darryl and Trevor Lawhorn - both of whom eventually went on to play at East Carolina.


.... won a second-round playoff game was ...

May 11, 2000 - Rocky Mount 3, South Johnston 1 (8 innings)

At South Johnston in the 4-A playoffs, Paul Jenkins not only got the win (five-hitter, 9 Ks), but he hit a two-run home run over the right-center field fence to help give RMHS a 3-1 victory. The head coach of South Johnston that day - our very own Pat Smith!


... won at least 20 games in consecutive seasons was ...

1995 and 1996

RMHS was 23-3 in 1995 and 23-4 in 1996. The 1995 squad lost to New Hanover in the third round, while the 1996 team fell to Lee County in the 4-A East finals - no best-of-three back in those days!


... scored as many as nine runs in a postseason game was ...

May 15, 1998 - Rocky Mount 9, Hope Mills South View 3

These two teams played in Cumberland Co. Down 3-2 going into the seventh, the Gryphs struck for seven runs to blow the game open. The winning pitcher - Rocky Mount assistant coach Jason Battle - who hurled a three-hitter.


... played a scheduled doubleheader was ...

March 19, 1999 - RM 5, Douglas Byrd 0; RM 5, Douglas Byrd 0

With both games going five innings, Rocky Mount swept visiting Douglas Byrd. Jon-Charles Harrell, older brother of Carter, got the win in both games. He allowed two hits and struck out six in the opener, and gave up three hits and K'ed three in the nightcap. Jimmy Bullard helped him out with a home run in the first contest, while brother Carter blasted one in game 2. RMHS had seven hits in each game. This season, RMHS split two-seven innings games at Gryphon Stadium with South Granville .. a 4-0 win, and a 6-5 defeat.



... won four straight Rocky Mount Invitational Baseball Tournament titles was ...

1994, 1995, 1996, 1997

RM beat Beddingfied in 1994 finals (7-2) and the Bruins again (6-0) in 1995, then stopped Northern Nash 8-5 in 1996 and beat Durham Jordan 6-2 in 1997. The current RMHS four-title winning streak is as follows:
  • 2008 - Rocky Mount def. Northern Nash, 6-5, to finish 3-0 in round-robin format
  • 2007 - Rocky Mount def. Southern Nash, 13-1
  • 2006 - Rocky Mount def. Northern Nash, 6-2
  • 2005 - Rocky Mount def. Northern Nash, 5-2