Berry's two-run shot rallies Post 58 to Game 1 win

Matthew Berry and Mike Smith had the kind of night baseball players dream of.

Monday night, both were very much awake as they helped propel Rocky Mount Post 58 to a 9-6 victory over Cary Post 67 to go up 1-0 in the best of three series for the American Legion Area I title.

The two teams will meet in Game 2 Tuesday at Cary High School. Game time is 7 p.m.

With game tied at 6-all, Berry slammed a two-run home run over fence in left center to push Post 58 ahead. Minutes later, Mike Smith gave the squad some insurance when he singled in Spencer Bell from second to put Rocky Mount (23-5) up 9-6.

Berry had a three-run double in the first inning to fuel a five-run uprising by Post 58. It batted around to go up 5-1 after 1.

But Post 67 (18-6) hung around and hung around. Dillon Rudio's solo shot in the sixth tied it at 6-apiece before Berry's mammoth blast.

Berry ended the evening with six RBI (3-for-5 with two doubles and a homer), while Smith was 5-for-5 at the plate, collected a double and knocked in two runs.

Neither starter was around at the end, but Jeremy Trevathan (3-1) got the win with his two innings of work while Post 58 rallied for the win.

Rocky Mount Post 58 - 9
Cary Post 67 - 6

Post 67 100 220 100 - 6 11 1
Post 58 500 100 03x - 9 13 2

WP - Jeremy Trevathan (3-1; 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K)
LP - James Todd (5 IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 4K)

POST 67

Hitting results:

Grant Shambley - 3-4, RBI, R
Drew Woodall - 1-4, RBI (sac fly, 4th)
Stephen McKinney - 0-3, 2BB
Blair Betts - 0-3, 2K (lifted in the 4th)
sub - James Todd - 0-0, BB (thrown out at 2nd, 6th)
Antonio Colatino - 2-5, RBI (scored Shambley in the 1st), R
Dillon Rudio - 2-4, HR (solo shot to left center off Trellis Ashley, 5th), RBI, 2R
Joe Pistaccio - 2-3, R (lifted 5th)
sub - David Josam - 1-2
Gerrit VanGenderen - 0-3, RBI (sac fly, 5th)
Daniel Mason - 0-0
David Hamm - 0-4 (3Ks, 6-3 DP)

Pitching results

VanGenderen (2.2IP, 6H, 5R, 5ER, 7BB, 0K)
Todd (5IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 4K) - Loss
Caleb Clark (.1IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 0K)

POST 58

Hitting results

T.J. Taylor - 0-3, 3BB, R
Tyler Clark - 1-4, 2B, R
Collins Cuthrell - 1-3, 2BB, 3R
Thomas Berry - 1-3, 2B, BB
Matthew Berry - 3-5, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 2R
Kyle Norville - 0-4 - lifted 6th
sub - Parker Helms - 0-1
Spencer Bell - 2-4, RBI, 2R, 2SB
Mike Smith - 5-5, 2B, 2 RBI, SB
Cameron Ramsey - 0-2, 2BB - lifted 7th
sub - Fuller Weatherly - BB

Pitching results

Brandon Denton (4IP, 8H, 5R, 3ER, 3BB, 6K) - threw 107 pitches
Trellis Ashley (2IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 1K)
Jeremy Trevathan (2IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 1K) - Win
Bill Clark (1IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K)

Game Notes:

•Post 58 batted around in the first - 10 batters came to the plate - half of them scored.
•Post 58 had success in the bottom of the lineup (7,8,9) - it went 7-for-11 with a double, four RBI, four BB and two runs scored.
•Each team's final pitcher on the evening were home schooled and both were named "Clark" - Caleb Clark, Post 67; Bill Clark, Post 58.
•Post 58 is now 8-0 in the postseason (23-5 overall). It has won 22 of its last 23 games.
•Post 58 left 13 runners on base - at least one every inning, Post 67 left 10.
•Post 67's staff combined to walk 11 Post 58 batters.
•Post 67's Shambley reached base four straight times (1B, 1B, E6, 1B) before flying out to center in the 8th.
•Post 67 had four hits in the 5th that led to two runs. Post 58 had four hits in the first on the way to five runs.
•Bunts didn't go Post 67's way as it struck out twice on bunt attempts.
•Post 67 had only two hits over its last four innings - Rudio's HR (led of the 6th) and a Pistaccio single (7th).

Mabry cans winning free throw to give the East a comeback win

GREENSBORO - Now the Gaineys are even, thanks to Rocky Mount's all-time scorer.

Both Mike and Pam Gainey can both claim a head coaching victory in a N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star Basketball Game. Monday night, Mike Gainey, head coach of the East mens squad, saw his star come through for him one more time.

Tashawn Mabry, who led the Gryphons to an NCHSAA 3-A state title last winter, made a free throw with 3.6 seconds remaining to give the East a 99-98 comeback win over the West at Greensboro Coliseum.

Mabry, who is headed to Rhode Island, ended the game with 17 points, slighty behind UNC-bound Reggie Bullock, who scored a game-high 20 points. Bullock received the game's MVP honors for his performance (10 rebounds, five assists, three steals).

Pam Gainey led the East women to a 64-47 triumph over the West when she was a head coach in 2002.

Not since 2002 had a Rocky Mount boys basketball player played for the East team. That player was Jolly Manning.

For the fourth straight season, RMHS had at least one athlete participate in the East-West games.

WEST (98) — Corey Hensley 10-15 1-2 22; De’Mon Brooks 4-12 5-7 13; Jordan Downing 3-96-6 13; Darius Carrier 5-8 0-0 12; Jeremy Ingram 3-9 1-2 9; Jack Sumner 3-5 0-0 8; Aaron Toomey 2-3 1-2 7; Evan Shelton 3-4 1-2 7; Justin Cheek 1-10 2-2 4; Kendall Bethea 0-0 3-4 3. Totals 34-75 20-27 98.

EAST (99) — Reggie Bullock 8-19 2-4 20; Preston Ross 7-13 4-7 19; Tashawn Mabry 4-14 8-11 17; Jake Lliteras 4-7 0-0 10; Jerrel Williams 3-3 4-6 10; Emanuel Chapman 2-9 2-2 6; Dory Hines 2-4 2-6 6; Jamaal Williams 1-10 2-4 4; Robert Carpenter 2-6 0-0 4; RaSean Brewington 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 34-87 24-40 99.

Halftime: West 56-44.

3-point goals—West 10-25 (Toomey 2-2; Sumner 2-3; Carrier 2-2; Ingram 2-6; Hensley 1-3; Downing 1-4; Cheek 0-4; Brooks 0-1), East 7-21 (Lliteras 2-5; Bullock 2-6; Ross 1-1; Brewington 1-1; Mabry 1-4; Carpenter 0-2; Jamaal Williams 0-1; Chapman 0-1).

Fouled out—None.
Rebounds—West 50 (Brooks 13), East 56 (Bullock 10).
Assists—West 17 (Toomey 5; Brooks 5), East 13 (Chapman 3).
Total fouls—West 22, East 16.
A—2,892

American Legion Baseball Area I Playoff Schedule, Cary Post 67 Roster

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL AREA I EAST FINALS
(best of three)

CARY POST 67 (19-6) vs. ROCKY MOUNT POST 58 (23-6) - Series tied 1-1

GAME 1 - Rocky Mount Post 58 9, Cary Post 67 6

GAME 2 - Cary Post 67 6, Rocky Mount Post 58 3

GAME 3 - Rocky Mount Post 58 @ Cary Post 67 (Cary HS), Wednesday, July 21, 7 p.m.

CARY POST 67 ROSTER

No. - Player, Class, School, College

1 - David Josam, 2010, Green Hope, will attend UNC-Charlotte

2 - Caleb Clark, 2010, Home schooled, will attend Liberty University

3 - Dillon Rudio, 2010, Athens Drive

4 - Grant Shambley, 2010, Green Hope. signed with Wake Forest

6 - Gerrit VanGenderen, 2010, Athens Drive, will attend Appalachian State

7 - David Hamm, 2010, Athens Drive, will attend N.C. State

9 - Daniel Sondag, 2011, Green Hope

11 - Daniel Mason, 2010, Athens Drive, will attend Appalachian State

12 - Will Yoder, 2011, Green Hope

13 - James Todd, 2009, Cardinal Gibbons, plays for Rhodes College (Memphis, Tn.)

15 - Drew Woodall, 2009, Athens Drive, plays for Charleston Southern

16 - Stephen McKinney, 2010, Cary, signed with UNC-Pembroke

17 - Joe Pistacchio, 2010, Green Hope, will attend Appalachian State

23 - Anthony Colantino, 2011, Green Hope

25 - Blair Betts, 2010, Athens Drive, signed with Indiana

Head coach - Neil Woodall
Assistant coaches - Bryan Booth, Clay Council, Robert Stephenson
Athletic Officer - Don Daniels

Follow Post 58 in Game 2 and, or Game 3 on the Internet

CARY - Rocky Mount Post 58 fans who may not be able to make the trip to Cary for the team's Area I title series with Cary Post 67, may listen to Game 2 and, if needed, Game 3 of the American Legion Baseball Area I title series on the Internet.

Cary High School's David Maney, who is the webmaster of Cary High's iHigh.com site, will handle the play-by-play broadcast of the game(s) from Cary High School on North Carolina.iHigh.com beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday and, if necessary 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Go to NorthCarolina.iHigh.com - click on the following link - http://northcarolina.ihigh.com, then click on the game in the list of iHigh broadcasts at the top of the page.

For a direct link to Game 2, click here! Game 1 will be played at Gryphon Stadium Monday at 7.

Game 1 will be played at Gryphon Stadium Monday at 7 p.m. There was a conflict Post 67 had with Cary High School's Summer League team, which plays its last home game of the regular season at home Monday. So, the best-of-three series will start for the defending Area I champion at home and conclude on the road.

Look for more on the State Tournament on the NorthCarolina.iHigh.com site later this week! p.m.

There was a conflict Post 67 had with Cary High School's Summer League team, which plays its last home game of the regular season at home Monday. So, the best-of-three series will start for the defending Area I champion at home and conclude on the road.

RM Post 58 finishes off Kinston Post 43; next up is Cary Post 67

For the second straight season, Rocky Mount Post 58 is the Area I East baseball champion.

It earned the title after a 9-5 win over Kinston Post 43 Friday at Gryphon Stadium that earned it a 3-0 sweep in a best-of-five series over the team from Lenoir County.

Post 58 will now host Cary Post 67 Monday in Game 1 of the Area I championship series (best of three). Due to a conflict for the use of Cary High's baseball field with the school's Summer League team, the series will begin at Gryphon Stadium Monday at 7 p.m.

Game 2, and if necessary, Game 3 will be played at Cary High Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Cary comes into the series at 18-5, while Post 58 sports a 22-5 record.

Hobbs Johnson moved to 3-0 on the season in recording the win. He logged five innings on the mound. He gave up three runs on six hits, walked three and struck out six.

NOTES:

• Two Kinston Post 43 errors in the first two innings opened the door for five Post 58 runs with starter Scottie Ginn on the mound .


• Post 58's Matthew Berry stole home in the third on Post 43 reliever Landon DeBruhl to put it up 6-0


• Post 43 got on the board in the fifth with three runs - biggest hit was Tyler Potter's triple.


• Ty Eason hit a solo home run to left center in the eighth off Post 58 reliever Trellis Ashley.


• Kinston hit into three double plays to end several big inning possibilities for Post 43.


• Post 58 has gone 7-0 in the postseason.
  

Rocky Mount Post 58 9
Kinston Post 43 5

Post 43 000 120 002 — 5 12 3
Post 58 321 001 02x — 9 14 1

WP- Hobbs Johnson (3-0, 5IP, 3R, 3ER, 6H, 3BB, 6K)
LP - Scottie Ginn (2IP, 6R, 2ER, 4H, 1BB, 0K)

Top hitters -
Post 43 - Tyler Potter 3-4, 2B, 3B, R; Ty Eason 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, R; Everett Charlton 2-4, R; Brad Hunter 1-4.

Post 58 - Thomas Berry 3-4, 4 RBI; T.J. Taylor 2-4, 2 RBI; Kyle Norville 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI

Records: Post 43 14-9. Post 58 22-5

Helms gets win for Post 58 to go up 2-0 in series

(NOTE: Kinston Free Press sports editor Ryan Herman has graciously allowed me to post his story to connect you to last night's game. I am doing the same for his readership in Kinston when Post 58 comes home.)

- Post 58's Parker Helms

KINSTON — If Kinston Post 43 hopes to bring the American Legion Area I East Conference championship series back to Viking Field, it better start swinging the bats when the ducks are on the pond.

At least that’s the way head coach Ronnie Battle sees it.

Rocky Mount Post 58 finally started hitting the ball late with runners in scoring position while Kinston never could, which resulted in a 6-3 win Thursday night and put Rocky Mount up 2-0 in the best-of-five series which shifts back there tonight for Game 3.

“We hindered ourselves because we had opportunities,” Battle said, whose team went 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base. “We had opportunities and couldn’t do anything.”

Post 43 sure had its chances alright, but so did Post 58, which went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position prior to the seventh inning. The only difference was Rocky Mount’s untimely hitting issues ended after the sixth.

Tied at 2, Post 58 ripped off three straight hits to start the seventh and broke the tie on a sacrifice fly to left by Spencer Bell that scored Thomas Berry.

In the eighth, two walks issued by reliever Matt Jones were cashed in by Berry when his opposite-field double got down into the right-field corner for a 5-2 lead.

Matthew Berry’s RBI groundout plated the other Berry in the inning, who reached third on a wild pitch from Mike Wetherington and gave Post 58 a comfortable 6-2 lead.

The eventual winning team went 3-for-8 with runners at second and/or third over the final three frames.

“We are an offensive team and we know we can hit the ball,” Battle said. “We just didn’t get it done.”

At the start, the game looked as if it could go on forever. Each team put up a run in both the first and second innings, and from there their inability to drive home teammates took hold.

Rocky Mount (21-5) left the bases loaded in the third and fifth innings and stranded two more in the fourth, largely in part to Kinston starter Patrick DuBose’s ability to make a pitch when it counted.

DuBose worked his way around a double and two walks in the third, a lead-off single and a walk in the fourth, and another single sandwiched between a pair of walks in the fifth.

Although saddled with the loss, DuBose pitched well enough to win but wasn’t given any run support. In six innings, he gave up three runs on seven hits, seven walks and struck out six.

“That was really frustrating, that (DuBose) was waiting patiently, knowing we were going to score,” Battle said. “You’re right, Patrick pitched very well. He pitched well enough that he should have walked away with a victory.”

Rocky Mount starter Parker Helms had an eerily similar outing, but where DuBose wasn’t given any offense Helms stayed around just long enough for Post 58 to get going.

Helms went one more inning, gave up one more hit and allowed one less run, walked only two and fanned eight.

Tyler Potter’s RBI single to left in the first and Brad Hunter’s RBI hit to the same spot in the second gave Kinston (14-8) its two runs early and countered Mike Smith’s excuse-me solo home run which barely cleared the short porch in left field and gave Rocky Mount a 2-1 lead.

From then until the seventh, there were plenty of hits and plenty of drama in the 3-hour, 22-minute marathon, including Post 58’s star hitter Collins Cuthrell being ejected following a strikeout swinging to end the sixth.

There were also plenty of runners left on base. But where Rocky Mount finally got things going, Post 43 never did and is stuck in an 0-2 hole facing elimination tonight.

“We hurt ourselves because the ballgame should have been us ahead and probably going into the ninth inning,” Battle said. “It should have been them coming back instead of us.

“We haven’t hit the ball at all against them in the last two ballgames. That’s why we’re down 0-2.”

Notes:

Post 58’s Bill Clark got the two-out save in the ninth. … Kinston loaded the bases in the ninth with one out before Clark came on. He promptly got Potter to ground into a fielder’s choice at second. … Post 43 left 11 on base while Post 58 stranded 12. … Game 3 is tonight at Gryphon Stadium in Rocky Mount at 7. Game 4, if necessary, will be at Kinston High at 7 p.m. Saturday. … Cuthrell will not be allowed to play in tonight’s game due to his ejection. … Helms took a line drive from Ty Eason off the knee to start the seventh. He stayed in to finish the inning. … Wetherington pitched a 1-2-3 scoreless ninth for Kinston, it’s only such frame. ... In the Area I West Final Series , Cary beat Clayton 12-3 Wednesday eveving to go up 2-1.

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL
AREA I EAST FINAL SERIES
Game 3
@ Viking Field, Kinston HS, Kinston

Rocky Mount Post 58 6, Kinston Post 43 3

Post 58 110 000 130— 6 9 1
Post 43 110 000 001— 3 12 1

WP - Parker Helms (6-0, 7IP, 8H, 2R, 1ER, 3BB, 8K); LP - Parker Dubose (6IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 7BB, 7K).

Leading Post 58 hitters: Thomas Berry 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, Matthew Berry 2-5, RBI; Spencer Bell 1-3, RBI; Mike Smith 1-4, HR, RBI; T.J. Taylor 1-2, 2B, 2R.

Records: Post 58 21-5; Post 43 14-8

Kinston-RM Legion game 2 rained out, moved to Thursday

KINSTON - Game 2 of the American Legion Area I East series final between Rocky Mount Post 58 and Kinston Post 43 was rained out Wednesday evening.

Rain moved into Lenoir County about 40 minutes before game 2 was to start. That rain combined with the rain that hit the field at Kinston High School Tuesday evening made the field unplayable.

Game 2 now has been moved to Thursday at 7 p.m.

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL AREA I EAST FINALS
(best of five)

KINSTON POST 43 (14-7) vs. ROCKY MOUNT POST 58 (20-5)

GAME 1 - Rocky Mount Post 58 10, Kinston Post 43 2

GAME 2 - Rocky Mount Post 58 @ Kinston Post 43 (Kinston HS), ppd. rain - moved to Thursday, July 15, 7 p.m.

GAME 3 - Kinston Post 43 @ Rocky Mount Post 58 (Gryphon Stadium), Friday, July 16, 7 p.m.

GAME 4 - (if necessary) Rocky Mount Post 58 @ Kinston Post 43 (Kinston HS), Saturday, July 17, 7 p.m.

GAME 5 - (if necessary) Kinston Post 43 @ Rocky Mount Post 58 (Gryphon Stadium), Sunday, July 18, 7 p.m

RMHS alum helps start new Triangle sports website

If what's going on in Triangle area sports is down your line - whether it's the ACC, minor league baseball or the Hurricanes, then you might check out this new website: The Capital Sports Report at: http://capitalsportzone.blogspot.com/

Rocky Mount High School alum and ex-Rocky Mount Telegram sports editor Cliff Barnes has joined forces with three of his sports writing collegues, Neil Amato (Durham Herald-Sun,Wilmington Star-News), Dane Huffman (Raleigh News and Observer, WRAL.com) and Steve Wiseman ([Columbia, S.C.] The State), in producing the blog-oriented site.

So you can tell - these guys love sports!

The site first appeared on the Internet in May.

Barnes, who has won over 60 state, regional and national writing awards during his career, is a 1978 RMHS grad and culminated his senior year as the sports editor of UNC's Daily Tar Heel newspaper with the coverage of the Dean Smith's first national championship - UNC's dramatic 1982 win over Georgetown in the Louisiana Superdome.

Check this site out!

Post 58 wins Area I East series opener with Kinston Post 43

- Post 58's Spencer Bell

Kinston Post 43's pitching staff was less than stellar Tuesday evening in its game 1 outing with Rocky Mount Post 58 in the American Legion Area I East title series.

Kinston saw three pitchers (Cody Heath, Josh Harris, Matt Jones) come to the mound and they combined to give up nine hits, 12 walks and uncorked eight wild pitches.

It was a recipe for disaster for Kinston as it fell 10-2 to Post 58 at Gryphon Stadium. The two teams will continue their best-of-five battle Wednesday at Kinston High School. Game time is 7 p.m.

In the process, Post 58, up 1-0 in the series, recorded its 20th win (20-5) of the season - the second consecutive season it has done so (20-6 in 2009).

But things didn't start that way for Post 43.

Rocky Mount starter Jeremy Sloop issued four straight balls to ECU-bound Josh Lovick to start the game, then gave up a single to Landon DeBrul. Lovick went to third on the throw in, while DeBrul trotted over to second. Consecutive sacrifice flies by Wes Sowers and Mike Potter platted Lovick and DeBrul, respectively, to give Kinston a quick 2-0 advantage.

But that was the last time Post 43 would see the lead.

Post 58 struck for three runs in the second, six in the fifth and one more in the sixth to put the game on ice.

Cameron Ramsey's two-run double fueled the third, while Spencer Bell's RBI single and Tyler Clark's two-run base hit broke open the fifth.

And it could have been worse for Post 43.

Rocky Mount stranded 12 base runners on the night. Kinston, which tallied just five hits, left three on base. Eight Post 58 batters combined to collect nine hits on the evening with Spencer Bell leading the way (2-for-3, two RBI, two runs scored).

Sloop, after his shaky start, ended up going eight innings before letting Bill Clark pitch the ninth.

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL
AREA I EAST FINAL SERIES
GAME 1
@ Gryphon Stadium, Rocky Mount

Rocky Mount Post 58 10
Kinston Post 43 2

Post 43 200 000 000 - 2 5 0
Post 58 030 061 00x - 10 9 0

WP - Jeremy Sloop (8 IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K)
LP - Cody Heath (2 IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 5BB, 0K)

Leading hitters:

Post 43 - Landon DeBrul 2-4, R; Josh Lovick 1-3, R; Mike Wetherington 1-4, 2B; Brad Hunter 1-3

Post 58 - Spencer Bell 2-3, 2 RBI, R; Cameron Ramsey 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R; Tyler Clark 1-4, 2 RBI, R; Collins Cuthrell 1-4, 2 RBI; Matthew Berry 1-2, R; Thomas Berry 1-2, 2B, R; Kyle Norville 1-5, 2B; T.J. Taylor 1-3.

Records: Post 43 14-7, Post 58 20-5.

Preview Notebook: Kinston Post 43 makes deepest Legion playoff run since 1970

By Ryan Herman
Kinston Free Press

KINSTON - All the offensive firepower Kinston Post 43 head coach Ronnie Battle boasted about before the season started has jolted the team into a place it hasn’t been in quite some time.

The lack of pitching depth Battle was worried about before the summer’s first pitch wasn’t quite as bad as he thought it could be.

With a lineup loaded with big bats and a pitching staff that has defied expectations, Post 43 has made its deepest run in American Legion playoff action since 1970.

The Southern Division champion will face Northern Division champion Rocky Mount Post 58 in a best-of-five series to determine the Area I East champion that begins at 7 tonight at Rocky Mount. Games 2 and 4 will be held at Kinston High, also at 7 p.m.

Post 58 (19-5) is the defending conference title-winner, and is 4-0 in the postseason thus far, including a two-game sweep of Edenton Post 40 in the semifinals.

“This is a first for us,” Battle said, who has coached Post 43 for 13 years. “The talent level in Kinston and Lenoir County has gotten better each year.”

It took Kinston (14-6) three games to topple Wilson Post 13 over the weekend in a best-of-three conference semifinal series. Post 43 won Game 1 11-6 on Friday and fell 7-6 on Saturday.

It advanced to its first conference championship series in 40 years with a 6-1 win at Viking Field Sunday night, a process Battle said started when he began scouting area players and giving by-invitation-only roster spots instead of open tryouts.

“We started inviting players instead of holding tryouts because someone can really shine in a tryout then you find out as the season goes along he wasn’t really that talented,” Battle said.

“When you get the right group, things can happen.”

Battle knows his boys of summer will have a tough task against Post 58 if it wants a berth in the state tournament held in Asheboro later this month.

Rocky Mount boasts nine players from the home high school that went 22-3 this spring, three of whom were on the Gryphons’ 2008 state 3A championship team — Collins Cuthrell, Thomas Berry and Cameron Ramsey.

Cuthrell and Berry have banged a combined 17 home runs — 10 by Cuthrell, who has signed with Barton College — and each is hitting over .400.

“I know that Rocky Mount is a good, aggressive team. I see them similar to us in that they like to slug the baseball,” Battle said. “We’re going to have to continue to play solid baseball.

“We’re looking forward to it.”

Kinston Post 43 player roster

KINSTON - Here is the player roster for Kinston Post 43, coached by former longtime Kinston High School head coach Ronnie Battle. Kinston is 14-6 coming into its Area I East title series with Rocky Mount Post 58.

The two teams will meet in game 1 Tuesday at Gryphon Stadium.

No., Player, Position, School

1 - Joshua Lovick, INF, graduated Kinston High, signed with East Carolina

2 - Everett Charlton, OF, graduated from South Lenoir

3 - Scottie Ginn, P, graduated from North Lenoir

4 - Cody Heath, P, graduated from Kinston, had signed with Southeastern C.C.

5 - Brad Hunter, OF, graduated from South Lenoir, signed with Pitt C.C.

6 - Alex Brann, C, rising soph. at Barton (signed)

7 - Ty Eason, INF, graduated from South Lenoir

8 - Tyler Potter, INF, redshirt fresh. at UNC-Pembroke

9 - C.J. Bradshaw, OF, rising junior at Kinston

10 - Wes Sowers, INF, rising senior at Greene Central

11 - Patrick DuBose, P, graduated from Parrott Academy

12 - Mike Wetherington, P/OF/C, rising soph. at Pitt C.C. (signed)

14 - Logan Deaver, P, graduated from South Lenoir, signed with Lenoir C.C.

15 - Landon DeBruhl, INF, graduated from Kinston

16 - Matt Jones, INF/P, graduated from Bethel Christian Academy

22 - Josh Harris, INF, graduated from South Lenoir

It will be Kinston Post 43 vs. Rocky Mount Post 58 - starting Tuesday

There will be no rematch with Wilson Post 11 this summer for the Area I East title for Rocky Mount Post 58.

Kinston Post 43 topped Wilson 6-1 Sunday evening at Kinston High School in game 3 of their American Legion Area I East semifinal series. This will be Kinston's deepest foray into the Legion playoffs since 1970. Rocky Mount Post 58 is the defending Area I champion.

Post 43 will now face Post 58 beginning Tuesday (7 p.m.) at Gryphon Stadium in their best of five series for the Eastern Division title. A victory in this series will guarantee the winner a berth in the N.C.State Tournament set for later this month at McCrary Park in Asheboro.

Here is the schedule for the conference final series:


AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL AREA I EAST FINALS
(best of five)

KINSTON POST 43 (14-6) vs. ROCKY MOUNT POST 58 (19-5)

GAME 1 - Kinston Post 43 @ Rocky Mount Post 58 (Gryphon Stadium), Tuesday, July 13, 7 p.m.

GAME 2 - Rocky Mount Post 58 @ Kinston Post 43 (Kinston HS), Wednesday, July 14, 7 p.m.

GAME 3 - Kinston Post 43 @ Rocky Mount Post 58 (Gryphon Stadium), Thursday, July 15, 7 p.m.

GAME 4 - (if necessary) Rocky Mount Post 58 @ Kinston Post 43 (Kinston HS), Friday, July 16, 7 p.m.

GAME 5 - (if necessary) Kinston Post 43 @ Rocky Mount Post 58 (Gryphon Stadium), Saturday, July 17, 7 p.m.

Cuthrell leads Post 58 to rout of Edenton Post 40

EDENTON - Rocky Mount Post 58 rode the momentum that came in the ninth inning Friday night in its big comeback win to an outright rout Saturday afternoon.

Game 2 of its American Legion Area I East semifinal series with Edenton Post 40 turned into a blowout as RM parlayed 12 hits into a 17-3 seven-inning demolition at Historic Hicks Field.

Post 58 (19-5) will have to wait one more day to see who it will face in the Area I East final series. Wilson Post 13 sneaked past Kinston Post 43 7-6 Saturday evening to take that series to a game 3 Sunday in Kinston.

The winner will play a best-of-five series to decide the conference champ beginning Tuesday at Gryphon Stadium.

Collins Cuthrell, who had a superior season with the Rocky Mount Gryphons this past spring (RM Telegram Hitter of the Year), has outdone his RMHS season as he popped his ninth and 10th home runs of the summer in registering four RBI and three runs scored.

Cuthrell not only leads the team in home runs, but in runs scored (38), hits (38), doubles (10) and RBI (30) - all numbers greater than he had in the 25 games he played with RMHS. His .422 batting average is second to Thomas Berry's .433, who slammed a home run , too, Saturday - his seventh. He knocked in two runs and scored four times.

Tyler Clark got into a grove Saturday going 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run blast. He tallied four RBI and scored twice.

Brandon Denton would up with the win as it turned out to be a staff day for Post 58. Also getting action on the mound were Jeremy Trevathan, Trellis Ashley and Mike Smith. Each pitched an inning apiece.


American Legion Area I East Semifinals
Game 2 @ Historic Hicks Field, Edenton

Rocky Mount Post 58 17
Edenton Post 40 3
(7 innings)

Post 58 104 534 0 - 17 12 2
Post 40 021 000 0 - 3 5 3

WP - Brandon Denton (4IP, 3H, 3R, 3 ER, 7BB, 2K)
LP - Austin Cook (3IP, 5H, 5R, 5ER, 2BB, 0K)

Leading hitters:

Post 58 - Collins Cuthrell, 2-3, 2 HRs, 4 RBI, 3R; Tyler Clark 2-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2R; Thomas Berry 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, 4 R.

Post 40 - Daniel Oliver 2-2, HR, RBI

Records: Post 58 19-5, Post 40 8-10.

Post 58 rallies with wild ninth inning

If Edenton Post 40 head coach Bob Jordan had been a little more patient in the bottom of the ninth Friday night, Rocky Mount Post 58 would likely be heading to its game two meeting with Post 40 in the semifinals of the American Legion Area I East semis down 0-1.

As it was, up 5-0, Jordan lifted starter Chad Whitehead, who gave up two singles with one out in the frame, for Daniel Oliver.

The two former Lawrence Academy stars, who both clouted home runs to give Post 40 its seemingly insurmountable lead, would see their fine efforts on the night go by the wayside.

That ptiching move opened the door for the unbelievable.

Post 58 would crank out four more hits and bring eight more batters to the plate for an astounding 6-5 victory over Edenton. T.J. Joyner's two-run single brought in Spencer Bell and Mike Smith for the tying and winning runs.

Four of Post 58's runs came with two outs - incredible!

Now, what Post 40 team will show up Saturday? It will rely on pitcher Austin Cooke to get to it to game three Sunday. I honestly don't think, however, that Post 40 has the depth of pitching to dig out of the hole it fell into Friday.

Post 58 has won four straight over Edenton this season - and Saturday might make it five consecutive.

On the other side of the Area I East bracket in Kinston Friday, Wilson Post 13 fell to Kinston Post 43 11-6 in their semifinal series opener. Kinston rallied from being down 4-0 at one point.

Kinston's players had heavy hearts, however, as their teammate Taylor Humphrey (South Lenoir) and his younger sister died in a single-car wreck in Georgia earlier in the week during a family trip to Florida. The mother, father and a sister survived the accident.

Several Post 43 players will be pallbearers for the two Saturday before playing game 2 in Wilson that evening.

Cuthrell awarded Angello-Chesson Scholarship

RALEIGH - Collins Cuthrell, a member of the Rocky Mount High School Class of 2010, is the latest recipient of a $1,000 scholarship in honor of Joe Angello (’87) and Juan Chesson (’85) through The Gryphon Fund.

Cuthrell, who was a two-year starter in football and a three-year starter in baseball, has signed a national letter-of-intent to play baseball at Barton College in Wilson.

Past winners have gone on to further their education at North Carolina State, North Carolina Central, UNC-Charlotte, East Carolina and North Carolina Wesleyan.

Over $21,000 has been donated since The Fund began.

For those wishing to donate or would like more information on The Gryphon Fund, send an email to gryphonfund@aol.com.

Your donation is tax-deductible and will help future graduates of Rocky Mount High School .

If you would like to donate now, make your check out to the Triangle Community Foundation (www.trianglecf.org) and memo the check to "The Gryphon Fund" and mail to: The Gryphon Fund, c/o Triangle Community Foundation, 324 Blackwell Street, Suite 1220, Durham, N.C. 27701.

Here is a complete list of recipients:

Angello-Chesson Scholarship Winners

2010 - Collins Cuthrell
2009 - Hunter Perry
2008 - Malcolm Armwood
2007 - Taylor Huffman
2006 - Jonathan Tyndall
2005 - Kelion Lawrence
2004 - Terrance Thorne

Danny Talbott: 'Sports world has changed greatly'

(Note: Thanks to my friend Wilson Times sports editor Paul Durhan for letting me reprint this article on arguably Rocky Mount's greatest athlete ever)

By Keith Barnes
Wilson Times

WILSON - Whenever the discussion arises as to who might have been the best all-around high school athlete in the history of North Carolina one name that always pops up is Danny Talbott.

Talbott is somewhat of a sports legend in these parts and his accomplishments while at Rocky Mount Senior High School still border on the unbelievable.

As a three-sport athlete during his senior year (1962-63), he led his teams to 4-A state championships in football, basketball and baseball, a feat not accomplished either before or since and highly unlikely to ever occur again at any level.

Furthermore, Talbott was not only a member of each team but was also its leader and star player, although he's quick to point out that these championships were total team efforts.

Maybe so, but his teammates would probably also admit that without his presence there would likely have been no championships.

Following high school Talbott took his talents to the University of North Carolina where he again played three sports during his freshman year and part of sophomore year.

He eventually had to cut back slightly, though, and eventually dropped basketball but continued a brilliant career as a football quarterback and as a pitcher/first baseman on the baseball team.

Talbott was named Atlantic Coast Conference Football Player of the Year and ACC Athlete of the Year in 1966 and "The Sporting News" named him All-America as a first baseman.

In 2003 he was finally inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall-of-Fame, an honor which many felt he should have received much earlier.

Talbott, now retired following a 33-year career in the pharmaceutical business, still lives in Rocky Mount with his wife, Myrlene.

He was in town recently to participate in the N. C. Baseball Museum Celebrity Golf Tournament at Wedgewood Public Golf Course and prior to teeing off sat down to discuss several topics including the state of sports in general.

While Talbott readily admits that sports has been an important factor in his life, he also cautions that the sports world has changed greatly since he played and in some ways might be in danger of getting out of hand.

"Athletics is a great training tool for life," he said. "It teaches discipline, relationships and getting along with others but it should be kept in perspective.

"You wonder if some of the young kids playing sports today now are really enjoying what they're doing or if they're there (playing sports) because they're pushed into it by parents living through their kids," he said. "Also, I've got a problem when 8-year-old kids are playing in tournament games on Sunday morning when they should be in church."

Talbott credits several factors for his personal success in athletics.

"The Lord blessed me with the ability but there were lots of good coaches that took a lot of time to teach me," he said. "We were all given different abilities but it just so happened that mine were the kind that got written about more in the paper."

One coach about whom Talbott speaks highly is Henry Trevathan, who coached him in the seventh and eighth grades.

Trevathan later became head football coach at Ralph L. Fike High School, where he led the team to three straight 4A state championships in 1967-69.

Talbott also praised his teammates, many of whom still live in the area and he sees occasionally.

"I got to play with a great bunch of guys," he said. "We were like a family."

Regarding today's superstar college and pro athletes:

"Some athletes this day and time think they're bigger than life," said Talbott. "I think they need to come down off their pedestals and realize it's (sports) not all about them." Anyone who lived in Wilson or Rocky Mount during the late '50s or early '60s probably remembers the fierce football rivalries between the two high schools during that era and Danny Talbott was right there in the thick of much of the action.

"The Rocky Mount-Wilson rivalry was so strong we each actually had closed practices the week of the game," he recalled. "It was a great rivalry but we (players on both teams) were all good friends."

While here, Talbott got to talk with Trevathan, who was also a guest at the golf tournament and earlier had these comments to make about his former pupil.

"I've seen lots of great athletes in North Carolina but Talbott ranks with the best," said Trevathan. "Once in a while nature comes along and gives us something special and Danny was special."

Post 58 will face Edenton Post 40 in Round 2

Rocky Mount Post 58 will face fellow North Division member Edenton Post 40 in Round 2 of the American Legion Area I East baseball playoffs.

Post 40 advanced to Round 2 with its 3-2 win over Pitt County Post 39 Wednesday evening in Winterville. It won its series two games to one. Post 58 swept New Bern Post 24 in Round 1 with victories of 14-4 and 19-0.

Post 58 (17-5) will start its best of three series with Edenton (8-8) beginning Friday at 7 p.m. at Gryphon Stadium.

Post 58 swept Post 40 during the regular season (3-0) with wins of 12-11, 11-7 and 10-6.

AMERICAN LEGION AREA I EAST BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

Round 2 - Edenton Post 40 vs. Rocky Mount Post 58

Game 1 - Friday, July 9, at Rocky Mount, Gryphon Stadium, 7 p.m.

Game 2 - Saturday, July 10, at Edenton, Historic Hicks Field, 12 noon

Game 3 - Sunday, July 11, at Rocky Mount, Gryphon Stadium, 7 p.m. - if necessary

Season ends for New Bern's Post 24

By Adam Thompson
New Bern Sun Journal

NEW BERN - If anything, the youthful Post 24 American Legion baseball team gained some valuable experience this summer.

But it will have to wait until next season to showcase what it’s learned. Post 24’s trying season ended Tuesday with a 19-0 loss to Rocky Mount Post 58 at Boykin Field.

A day after defeating Post 24 14-4, Rocky Mount concluded the best-of-three game series with a 14-hit performance.

With the majority of its players as high school underclassmen, Post 24 was simply out-manned by a Rocky Mount squad that featured eight college players.

In its final game of the summer, Post 24 started two rising sophomores in high school, two kids that recently graduated, one college student and four more underclassmen at New Bern High School.

Post 24 finished with a 3-18 record.

“In reality, we were playing a level above our heads,” said Post 24 coach Gary Smith. “Legion is a funny game. Some programs butter the bread on the legion side and some are looking to develop their high school program, and that’s what we are looking to do.”

Post 24’s offense was limited to just three base hits, including doubles from 2009 New Bern graduate Eric Kosco and NBHS rising junior Bill Little.

Rising sophomore Whitman Barnes reached base twice on a single and a walk.

The pitching staff of NBHS grad Jim Robinson, Barnes, Little and Kosco combined to strikeout 15, but also yielded 12 walks.

Barnes and Kosco each struck out six batters.

“I’ve had teams that were a lot better, that I just haven’t enjoyed as much,” Smith said. “I think, this summer, this has been a great bunch of guys to be around, the ones that have continued to show up and been here every game. They’ve continued to play hard and continued to improve.”

Rocky Mount jumped on Post 24 early, dropping four runs in the top of the first inning and five more in the second.

Post 24’s Barnes slowed Rocky Mount momentarily by striking out the side in the third inning.

“Everybody wants to win. I’d rather win than eat, but I also have to remember what this year was designed to do and that was to get guys like Whitman and Trent Wynn and (Bill) Little and (Ross) Leggett some experience,” Smith said.

Rocky Mount extended its lead with three runs in the fourth and seven in the fifth.

Post 24, who had just one batter reach on a walk, stranded five runners on base. Defensively, Post 24 committed four errors to none for Post 58.

Rocky Mount (17-5) left eight runners on base. Collins Cuthrell, Kyle Norville and Brandon Denton had three hits apiece for Rocky Mount. Bill Clark drove home three runs with a double in the fifth.

NOTE: Rocky Mount Post 58 will host either Edenton Post 40 or Pitt County Post 39 in a best of three series beginning Friday at 7 p.m. at Gryphon Stadium.

2010 American Legion Baseball Area One Playoffs

AREA ONE PLAYOFFS - NORTH CAROLINA SENIOR LEGION BASEBALL

Winning Team to State Tournament in Asheboro - beginning July 24

EAST

#1 - Rocky Mt Post 58 8-1
vs.
#4 - New Bern Post 24 1-7


#3 - Edenton Post 40 3-6
vs.
#2 - Pitt County 39 6-3


#3 -Wayne County 5-4
vs.
#2 - Wilson Post 13 7-2


#4 - Ahoskie Post 102 0-9
vs.
#1 - Kinston 6-3


WEST

# 1 Clayton Post 71 8-1
vs.
# 4 BYE


# 2 Durham Post 7 4-4
vs.
# 3 Apex Post 124 4-5


# 3 Raleigh Post 1 1-7
vs.
# 2 Garner Post 232 6-3


# 1 Cary Post 67 9-0
vs.
BYE


Quarter Finals
Best of Three
July 5-7

Semi-Finals

Best of Three

July 9-11

Conference Finals

July 13 - 17

Best of Five

Area Finals

July 19-21

Best of Three

Merrifield delivers for the Gamecocks

Bill Merrifield got the job done for the 1980 Rocky Mount Gryphons with winning a state baseball title. But he couldn't lead his Wake Forest college teams to an NCAA championship.

His son Whit, a junior, got that job done last night as his single to right in the 11th inning knocked in the winning run to give South Carolina a 2-1 win over UCLA in the final national title game at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Ironically, Wake Forest is the only ACC school ever to win a national baseball title - and USC is a former ACC member.

It's South Carolina's first national championship after previous NCAA title appearances in 1975, 1977 and 2002. The Gamecocks beat the Bruins on Monday 7-1 to go up 1-0 in the title series.

South Carolina finishes the year 54-16. UCLA ends its season 51-17.

I talked to both Merrifields the summer before Wes' freshman season and I wondered why he didn't go to Wake - like his dad. After all, dad Bill is still involved with Wake as a vice president of ISP Sports.

Whit said he wanted to make his own mark, which would have been pretty tough after his dad had been a two-time ACC Player of the Year and voted to Wake Forest's Sports Hall of Fame.

In May of 2007, he said the following in an interview with ImpactBaseball.com about his goals in life.

"Well, my first goal in life is to raise a loving family and be a great dad. My second goal is to graduate from USC with a degree in whatever I choose to major in. Then, I think like any baseball player, my long term goal is to make it to the big leagues.

"But first I want to go to USC and earn a starting job and work from there. I want to know that when I hang up my cleats, even if I didn't reach my goal, I know that nobody worked harder than me and I did all I could to reach my goal. But I look forward to a long career in baseball and feel like God has blessed me with enough talent to reach my goals. So I am excited to see what the future has to hold for me."

We've seen a portion of his future and it's pretty bright.

After last night, I'd say he's made his mark at South Carolina.