RMHS girls headed back to Raleigh

Rocky Mount High School's girls basketball team has been invited to participate in the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament for the second straight season.

The Lady Gryphons, who will feature East Carolina recruit J'Kyra Brown, will also be after their second straight title in the event, which was called the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament until 2010. It is one of the oldest prep Christmas tournaments in the country - signified by it celebrating its 40th anniversary last year.

The tournament begins on Dec. 26 at Cary Academy.

Rocky Mount finished 26-4 last season and reached the NCHSAA 3-A East regional finals before falling to Burlington Williams.

Joining Rocky Mount in the eight-team field will be Raleigh Broughton, Cary Academy, Greensboro Dudley, East Wake, Durham Hillside, Holly Springs and Charlotte Myers Park.

Fuquay-Varina hires Mountford as athletic director

Former Rocky Mount High School boys and girls soccer coach James Mountford has been hired as athletic director at Fuquay-Varina High School.

Mountford spent six years as head coach at RMHS and was very successful with both teams. He was 74-39-8 with the boys' team and 66-30-7 with the girls' squad. 

A 1995 graduate of Fuquay-Varina High, Mountford returned to teach and coach at his alma mater seven seasons ago. He was named the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association 4-A State Coach of the Year in 2010.

"I am truly honored and blessed to have the opportunity to lead the athletic program at Fuquay-Varina," Mountford told HighSchoolOT.com. "As a former Bengal student-athlete, I know firsthand how vital and important athletics can be in a student-athlete's life."

He will resign his duties as head coach of both varsity squads to concentrate on his athletic director duties.

Mountford, a Barton College graduate, is married to former Rocky Mount High athlete Emily Munden.

 

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/05/2246956/fuquay-varina-hires-james-mountford.html#storylink=cpy

2012 American Legion Southeast Regional pairings:

(At Riley Park, Sumter, S.C.)

August 9

Game 1 – Shelbyville, Ky. vs. Lynchburg, Va. (23-3), 9 a.m.

Game 2 – Wilmington (33-7) vs. Rockdale, Ga. (30-1), noon

Game 3 – Tuscaloosa, Ala. (45-9) vs. Florence, S.C. (35-4), 3:30 p.m.

Game 4 – Fort Pierce, Fla. vs. Sumter, S.C. (23-8), 6:30 p.m.

August 10

Game 5 – Game 1 loser vs. Game 3 loser, 9 a.m.

Game 6 – Game 2 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 12:30 p.m.

Game 7 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 3:30 p.m.

Game 8 – Game 2 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6:30 p.m.

August 11

Loser’s bracket games, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Winner’s bracket final, 6 p.m.

August 12

Games at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

August 13

Games at noon and 3 p.m. (if necessary)

2012 N.C. American Legion State Baseball Tournament Results

(At M.S. Deal Stadium, Granite Falls)

Wednesday’s games

Game 1 – Whiteville 14, Randolph County 6

Game 2 – Wilmington 13, High Point 7

Game 3 – Cherryville 4, Apex 3 (10 innings)

Game 4 – Caldwell County 14, Pitt County 1 (7 innings)

Thursday’s games

Game 5 – Randolph County 6, Apex 1, Apex (20-8) eliminated

Game 6 – Pitt County 9, High Point 8, High Point (29-9) eliminated

Game 7 – Cherryville 9, Whiteville 4

Game 8 – Wilmington 9, Caldwell County 7

Friday’s games

Game 9 – Pitt County 6, Whiteville 5, Whiteville (23-9) eliminated.

Game 10 – Caldwell County 6, Randolph County 3,  Randolph County (31-11) eliminated

Game 11 – Wilmington 16, Cherryville 5

Saturday’s games

Game 12 – Cherryville 5, Caldwell County 1, Caldwell County (28-10) eliminated.

Game 13 – Wilmington 20, Pitt County 8 (7 innings), Pitt County (21-6) elminated

Sunday’s game

Game 14 – Wilmington 11, Cherryville 1 (8 innings)

State champion – Wilmington Post 10 (33-7)

State runner-up – Cherryville Post 100 (37-12)

RMHS' Johnson picks High Point U.

Rocky Mount rising senior Jeremy Johnson

Rocky Mount High School has had at least one baseball player sign to play Div. I college baseball the last three years.

You can make that four, come this fall.

Gryphon pitcher and rising senior Jeremy Johnson has made a verbal commitment to play baseball at High Point University. He will sign a National Letter-of-Intent with the Panthers in November.

He will follow in the recent D-I footsteps of Brian Goodwin (UNC), Ben Fish (Campbell), Hobbs Johnson (UNC) and Benton Moss (UNC). Johnson made his decision last week.

"Overall, High Point had everything that I was looking for in a school,"  said the lefty pitcher who went 4-4 and struck out 80 batters for an offensively anemic Gryphon squad. "It had great academics, a great baseball program with a great coaching staff and a great atmosphere for me to be successful in college. The school had what I was looking for and my family and I felt very comfortable about my decision."

High Point, a school with an enrollment of around 4,500, went 28-31 in baseball last season and is a member of the Big South Conference.

Not only was Johnson the top pitcher on Rocky Mount's staff (career record of 10-7 with 130 Ks), he led them at the plate as well.

He paced the team in batting (.342), hits (27) and runs scored (19). He was second on team in RBIs - a bit unusual for player in the lead-off position.

"I made an early decision because I found exactly what I wanted in a school, " said Johnson, who narrowed his choices down to Army, Western Carolina and High Point before picking the Panthers. "It has a good Div.  I program and when I visited the campus, I felt right at home. My family and I talked it over that night about the other schools and the benefits of each one and in the end, we realized that making an early decision about High Point was the best option for me."

When Johnson wasn't playing for the Gryphons, he was playing travel ball with the Impact Baseball's Dirtbags squad. All the coaches he's had along the way have brought him to where he is now.

"Everyone throughout my high school career has helped me in making this decision," said Johnson, who played center field when he wasn't on the mound. "All my coaches from Coach Pitch, Showcase (Andy Partin and the Dirtbags) and high school (Kent Cox). have helped me develop into the player I am today. My whole family and friends have been supportive of me through the decision-making process and it's been a blessing to have such a great support group."

Cox, his head coach at Rocky Mount, wished his 2012 team could have given him more run support.

"Jeremy is a fine pitcher and a fine young man," said Cox, who just completed his third season with the Gryphons. "I couldn't be happier for him. I just wish our team last season could have put more runs on the board for him. He did the best he could for us on the mound and at the plate. If we had gotten some better offensive production, there's no telling how good a junior season he would have had."

"He was our No. 1 guy and he faced every tough opponent we had last season," Cox said. "If we had helped him, just a little bit, we all could have been more successful."

Johnson hopes to make a contribution to the Panthers right away.

"When I get to High Point, I will be a middle relief guy," Johnson said. "They liked me because I go after hitters and I get outs. I'm not going to overpower guys with my fastball. With me, it's about locating and executing all of my pitches to have success."

Rocky Mount All-Stars in Greensboro

Alexus Cooper, Terrill Hilliard and Tia Hudgins enjoy a banquet for the N.C. East-West All-Stars. 

       

Not only were the athletic talents of Alexus Cooper, Terrill Hilliard and Tia Hudgins on display last Monday night in the N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star Basketball Games in Greensboro, their academic accomplishments were honored as well.

Thanks to GPAs of over 3.0 for their final school year, each were named to the NCCA's All-Academic Team during team introductions prior to their respective games at the Greensboro Coliseum. 

As for their game performances, Cooper, a starter for the East at guard, led all scorers in the Women's All-Star Game with 16, but the East fell to West 82-65. Cooper also tallied four steals. Hudgins didn't have the offensive game she wanted as she failed to score - much in part because she got into early foul trouble and spent more time on the bench than she wanted.

She, however, ended up with five rebounds.

Hilliard showed more of his ability to face the basket in the Men's All-Star Game as a starter. He was second on his team in scoring with 16 points, including canning four of six 3-point attempts. 

But the East fell 107-97 to the West.

McClain honored at East-West All-Star Game

1982 Rocky Mount High School alum George McClain takes the court at the Greensboro Coliseum. (Photo/Alan Wooten)

GREENSBORO - Every time George McClain has stepped on the playing floor at the Greensboro Coliseum, good things have happened.

Monday evening, McClain and several others were honored as former MVPs of the N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star Men's Basketball Game.

In July of 1982, McClain helped the East claim victory over the West and he was named the game's MVP.

Four months earlier, the floor was good to McClain, too. He helped the Gryphons beat Chapel Hill to grab the 1982 NCHSAA 4-A State Championship.

Gryphons to invade Greensboro Coliseum Monday evening

Three Rocky Mount High School athletes will play their final prep event of their careers Monday evening at Greensboro Coliseum.

Basketballers Terrill Hilliard, Tia Hudgins and Alexus Cooper will be playing in the N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star Men's and Women's Basketball Games. The women will start at 6:30 p.m., while the men will take the court around 8:30.

Here are the bios of the Rocky Mount participants that will appear in the official program of the games. These three athletes are the 16th, 17th and 18th Rocky Mount students to play in the games since 2000 - more than any school in the Twin Counties or the Big East Conference. 

Terrill Hilliard

Terrill. . . Rocky Mount High. . .6-6, 189 lb. forward. . . coached by Michael Gainey. . . as a senior, averaged 19.4 points 7.5 rebounds. . . named NCPreps 3A All-State, District  3 Player of the Year, All-Conference, Conference Player of the Year, Telegram All-Area, team MVP and captain. . . NC-SC All-Star Game participant. . . played for 3A state championship team. . . as a junior, named All-Area, East Regional All-Tournament. . . as a sophomore, played on 3A state championship team. . . signed an athletic grant-in-aid with Wingate University. . . undecided about major. . . his parents are his role models. . . favorite college athlete is Harrison Barnes. . . favorite pro athlete is James Harden. . . says “I feel very proud to be considered one of the best in the East and be able to represent Rocky Mount.  I’m expecting to get better from playing against high competition and gain more knowledge from the coaches and players.” 

Tia Hudgins

Tia. . . Rocky Mount High. . . 5-8 guard. . . coached by Pamela Gainey. . .as senior, averaged 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals. . . named All-Conference, 2012 Athlete of the Year. . . Leadership Award recipient. . . joined the “1,000 Point Club”. . . as junior, named All-Conference. . . Coaches Award recipient. . . as sophomore, named All-Conference. . . Coaches Award recipient. . . named Player of the Year and twice named team MVP in volleyball and also competed in track and soccer. . . member of National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, Project Hart. . . plans to attend Queens University where she will major in computer information systems. . . her siblings Tanika and Terrell are her role models. . . says  “I feel honored to play in the East-West All-Star game.  I am the third sibling to receive such an honor.  I’m expecting to win as well as to gain new friends and have this experience of playing in the all-star game.” 

Alexus Cooper

Alexus. . .Rocky Mount High. . .5-8 guard. . .coached by Pamela Gainey. . .as a senior, averaged 12.6 points, 3.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 steals. . .named All-Area…High School Invitational Basketball All-Tournament Team. . .participated in the North/South All-Star Game. . .as junior, did not play due to injury. . . as sophomore, averaged 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.3 steals. . .named All-Area Player of the Year. . .also competed in cross country and track and field. . .received honors chord and NC Scholar chord. . . signed an athletic grant-in-aid with Eastern Kentucky University where she will major in criminal justice. . .her mother is her role model. . .favorite pro athlete is Derrick Rose. . . says  “I feel honored and excited to be able to participate in the all-star game.  I’m expecting to again a good experience from the game.”

Post 58 hosts New Bern in playoff opener

Click on photo to enlarge!

Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt Post 58’s baseball team will open postseason action Thursday evening at Gryphon Stadium when its hosts the No. 4 seed from Area I East - Southern Conference member New Bern Post 24. Post 58 (18-6)  is the No. 1 seed from Area I East - Northern Conference. The best-of-three series will move to New Bern High School’s Boykin Field for game 2 Friday evening. If a game 3 is needed, play will resume in Rocky Mount Saturday night. The second round will also be a best 2-of-3 series beginning Monday, July 16, weather permitting. Should Post 58 advance, it will face either Pitt County Post 39 or Ahoskie Post 102 in round 2. New Bern may have a reputation of being unheralded the past few seasons, but Post 24 can’t be overlooked. However, it has had its problems this summer, as a 2-11 record might indicate. Many of the players that helped New Bern High win the Mideastern 4-A Conference regular season championship this past spring have either graduated, are injured or opted to play showcase baseball this summer. New Bern High head coach Gary Smith, who is also coaches Post 24, has youth all over the place. West Craven Post 539 had a senior Legion baseball team at the beginning of the season, but by mid-June, a lack of players caused the program to disband. Post 24 had the similar problems last summer when it didn’t have enough players to participate in the playoffs. Post 58, its scheduled first-round opponent in 2011, was issued a bye into the second round. Three of those Post 539 players joined Post 24’s squad to give it some instant depth. Also Smith’s young players in the program have progressed. One player Post 58 may have to watch out for is Game 1 starter Trevor Pence. The right hander, who graduated last June, helped guide the New Bern Bears to that conference title after posting an 8-1 record and an ERA of 0.84. He earned All- Conference honors and was recently named to the N.C. Baseball Coaches Association All-State Team. Post 58, under head coach Hank Jones, will need to get Pence, who is headed to Wake Tech next fall, out of the lineup and into Post 24’s inexperienced bullpen to insure a possible series win. Area I East Division Playoffs First Round (best-of-three games) (1) Rocky Mount Post 58 (18-6) vs. (4) New Bern Post 24 (2-11) (2) Pitt County Post 39 (12-5) vs. (3) Ahoskie Post 102 (6-14) (1) Wayne County Post 11 (11-6) vs. (4) Edenton Post 40 (5-9) (2) Wilson Post 13 (11-9) vs. (3) Kinston Post 43 (9-6) Winners in the first-round series begin play in the second round, also best 2-of-3, on Monday, July 16. Area I West Division Playoffs First Round   (best-of-three games) (1) Raleigh Post 1 (12-5) vs. (4) Pittsboro (3-9) (2) Apex Post 124 (9-5) vs. (3) Durham Post 7 (8-10) (1) Johnston County Post 71 (16-4) vs. (4) Creedmoor (3-10) (2) Cary Post 67 (8-9) vs. (3) Garner Post 232 (19-8) Winners in the first-round series begin play in the second round, also best 2-of-3, on Monday, July 16

Greenville sports store has ties to NCWC national title

If you were in town in June of 1989, you have to remember North Carolina Wesleyan's baseball team winning the NCAA Div. III national championship in Bristol, Ct. in the wee hours of that special Monday morning.

The guy who propelled the Battling Bishops to that 8-7 win over California State -Stanislaus with his 13th-inning home run, then-senior Eric Jarman, now is in the sports equipment business in his hometown of Greenville.

Jarman, who played baseball for Ron Vincent at Greenville Rose, now owns Stadium Sports in Greenville which is located at the corner of 14th Street and Charles Blvd,  just down from Minges Coliseum and Clark-LeClair Stadium.

The store specializes in equipment for baseball, fast pitch softball and volleyball, while carrying other sports equipment as well. Half of the store is an East Carolina University Spirit Store and it is an official ECU Licensed Retail Champion.

Some of our brands it carries include Easton, Wilson, DeMarini, Mizuno, Louisville Slugger, Combat, Marucci, Russell, The Game, Cutter & Buck, Asics, Under Armour and Hurley.

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Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt Post 58 Statistical Leaders - 23 games

(Top 5 in each category)

 

HITTING

Aparicio

Batting Avg.

                                                                                               

.452 - Jay Aparicio                      

.421 - Jeremy Lucas

.400 - Andy Morris

.377 - Spiers Miller

.373 - Khalil Macklin

Doubles

10 - Khalil Macklin

8 - Spiers Miller

8 - Matthew Berry

Macklin

5 - Jay Aparicio

3 - Colton Vaughn

3 - Jordan Taylor

Triples

1 - Khalil Macklin

1 - Jay Aparicio

1 - Spencer Ramsey

Home Runs

2 - Jay Aparicio

1 - Spiers Miller

Berry

1 - Jeremy Sloop

RBI

20 - Jay Aparicio

19 - Matthew Berry

16 - Khalil Macklin

16 - Tyler Wooten

15 - Spiers Miller

Runs Scored

30 - Spiers Miller

21 - Khalil Macklin

19 - Jay Aparicio

19 - Matthew Berry

18 - Kyle Pratt 

PITCHING

Lucas

Victories

4 - (4-0) Jeremy Lucas

4 - (4-1) Cam Webb

3 - (3-0) Jeremy Trevathan

2 - (2-2) Tyler King

1 - (1-0) Dillon Moore

1 - (1-0) Aron Crumb

1 - (1-0) Jeremy Sloop
1 - (1-0) Chase Johnson

ERA

2.45 - Jeremy Trevathan

2.97 – Jeremy Lucas

Trevathan

3.86 - Tyler King

5.80 - Cam Webb   

7.36 - Dillon Moore

Strikeouts

30 - Jeremy Lucas

30 - Cam Webb

14 - Jeremy Trevathan

11 - Tyler King

8 - Spenser Ramsey

Innings Pitched

Webb

35.7 - Cam Webb

30.3 - Jeremy Lucas

22.0 - Jeremy Trevathan

21.0 - Tyler King

16.3 - Spenser Ramsey

Aparicio grand slam sends Pitt County packing

Jay Aparicio

Ever since Jay Aparicio moved into Rocky Mount Post 58's starting lineup, he's been getting extra-base hits.

Tuesday evening, he went even deeper.

Aparicio slammed a walk-off grand slam to left off reliever Brock Rouse to send Pitt County Post 39 back down N.C. 43 with a 10-0 loss.

It was the climax to a seven-run seventh inning that gave Post 58 a 10-run rule victory.

While Aparicio was guiding the offense, Rocky Mount's pitching was sublime. Post 58 starter Jeremy Sloop had his best outing of the season in throwing a three-hit shutout.

Jeremy Sloop

Sloop (1-0) walked one battler, hit one batter and struck out five. In getting his first win of the season, he even worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning. 

How impressive has Aparicio been this season? 

He's only played in 11 of Post 58's 23 games, yet he leads the team in RBI with 20. He is also the team leader with a .452 batting average. Tuesday evening he was 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI.

Andy Morris, who was just added to the lineup, was 1-for-3 with three RBI. Khalil Macklin was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

ADDITIONAL GAMES -  With the loss of two games on its schedule this week, two more games have been added to Post 58's schedule to round out the regular season.

Post 58 will travel to Apex High School Saturday (7 p.m.) to face Area I West member Apex Post 124. Apex will come to Rocky Mount Monday at 7 p.m.

Rocky Mount Post 58 10

Pitt County Post 39 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	L
Pitt County Post 39	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			0	3	0	7
Coleman-Pitt Post 58	0	3	0	0	0	0	7			10	9	2	8

WP: Jeremy Sloop (1-0, 7IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 1HB, 5K)
LP: Damien Jenkins (5IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 3HB, 6K)
 
Leading hitters: Post 39 - Thomas Conlon 1-1, Walker Gaddis 1-3, Gary Dixon 1-3.

Post 58 - Jay Aparicio 2-4, 2B, grand slam HR, 4 RBI, 2R; Khalil Macklin 3-4, 2B, 2R; Jeremy Lucas 2-3, 2R; Andy Morris 1-2, 3 RBI, R; Kyle Pratt 1-3, 2 RBI, R

Records: Pitt County Post 39 11-5, Rocky Mount Post 58 18-5.

Post 58's regular season ends Tuesday evening

Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt Post 58's baseball team will end its regular season Tuesday evening when Pitt County Post 39 comes to visit. 

Post 58 is coming off a doubleheader win at Elizabeth City (10-2, 15-0) Sunday.

But it wasn't originally supposed to be the Rocky Mount's last regular season game.

Post 58 was scheduled to end its regular season Thursday evening with Area 1 East Southern Conference member Wayne County Post 11 making a visit.

But Post 11 has two makeup games with New Bern Post 24 left on its calendar, so it was forced to cancel.

Monday night, Post 58 was scheduled to host Edenton Post 37, but only seven Post 37 players showed up and it was forced to forfeit - moving Post 58 to 18-5 overall and it closed its Northern Conference title run with a 14-1 mark.

It's also hard to believe that Rocky Mount has played 22 games, while teams like New Bern and Kinston Post 43 in the Southern Conference have played less than 15.

Things have been really rocky in the Southern Conference since West Craven (Whitehurst-Ware) Post 539's team was disbanded the weekend of June 16 for a lack of participation.

Of course, it wasn't that long ago when New Bern had to cancel its season because of a lack of players.

Let's hope playing more games helps Post 58 come playoff time - which starts on Thursday, July 12.

STATE TOURNAMENT -  While this year's American Legion State Tournament will be held in Lenoir, it was announced Monday that the 2013 State Tournament will be held in Wilson at Fleming Stadium. 

With an Area I squad as a host team, Wilson Post 13 will get an automatic bid to the tournament, and any other Area I team would have to win the Area I playoffs next season to advance. Normally, the Area winner and its runner-up move on to the State Tournament.

That was the case when Pitt Co. hosted the State Tournament three summers ago at East Carolina's Clark-LeClair Stadium and Post 58 won the Area I title - beating Area I West winner Cary Post 67.

Tempers, temperatures soar as Post 13 falls to Rocky Mount 16-12

Jeremy Trevathan

By Tom Ham
Wilson Times 

WILSON - Ah! American Legion baseball in the stifling Friday night heat.

Mix in the overheated environment with the festering Wilson-Rocky Mount rivalry, and about anything can happen. And plenty did happen before the lights shut down well over four hours later in Fleming Stadium.

After four lead changes and two ties, Rocky Mount claimed the marathon 16-12 to clinch regular-season Area One East Division North Conference supremacy. Post 58 completed a sweep of the three-game, regular-season series in climbing to 11-1 in the conference and 15-5 overall.

Post 13 sank to 8-6 in the conference and 10-9 overall. Wilson ends league play with a test at Ahoskie this evening.

After 28 runs, 30 hits, six errors, eight stolen bases, 10 walks, seven wild pitches, three passed balls and numerous delays, the outcome was settled.

There’s more.

Starting Rocky Mount catcher Spencer Ramsey and his replacement, Jeremy Sloop, had to leave the game because of problems with the heat.

Tempers flared. The bickering began with an exchange between Post 13 catcher Logan Butts and Rocky Mount base runner Khalil Macklin. Along the third-base line, an exchange occurred between Rocky Mount head coach Hank Jones and fans. Players from both teams emerged from their respective dugouts.

Then, to start the top of the sixth inning, Butts and home-plate umpire Don Spiers were involved in an exchange. Butts was ejected and, thus, will not be eligible to play in today’s conference finale at Ahoskie. Witnessing the proceedings was Area One Commissioner Bob Figulski of Cary.

Wilson changed pitchers after one batter in the top half of the eighth inning and that’s when home-plate umpire Spiers collapsed from heat exhaustion, received emergency treatment and was transported to the hospital.

Base umpire Scott Simpson then agreed to assume duties behind the plate. The proceedings were delayed several minutes as Simpson collected his behind-the-plate gear. Former high school and college baseball umpire Don Johnson, who has been inactive for a couple of years, agreed to serve as the base umpire.

Play resumed and Post 58 erased a 12-11 deficit with two runs in the top half of the eighth. The tying run scored on a wild pitch and the go-ahead run on a passed ball. Rocky Mount added three insurance runs in the top half of the ninth.

Right-hander Jordan Taylor, the third Rocky Mount pitcher, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth and then retired Wilson in order in the ninth to notch the save and preserve the win for right-hander Jeremy Trevathan, who relieved starter Cam Webb.

Left-hander Matt Ballance, the third of four Wilson pitchers, took the loss. Each team collected 15 hits.

Rocky Mount right fielder Jonathan Aparicio batted 4 for 6, scored twice and drove in three runs. Designated hitter Matthew Berry, third baseman Jeremy Lucas and Sloop each rapped two hits. Lucas delivered the biggest Rocky Mount hit — a three-run double in the fifth.

For Post 13, shortstop Cory Nygard and second baseman Spencer Boykin each drilled three hits. Center fielder Parker Lamm, Butts, first baseman Nathan Boykin and designated hitter Charlie Vaughan contributed two hits each. Butts drove in three runs. Nygard and Parker Lamm each scored three times and Parker Lamm had two RBIs.

Nathan Boykin hammered a bases-loaded, three-run double in the fourth to snap a 6-6 deadlock and stake Wilson to its biggest lead of 9-6. But Rocky Mount benefited from three consecutive walks and Lucas’ double to retaliate with five runs the top half of the next inning.

Spectators left grumbling and seeking air-conditioning.

“I mean to tell you, this is pitiful,” remarked one spectator as he climbed into his car.

Maybe it was just too danged hot.

What a difference a day made!

Jeremy Sloop

"What a difference a day made, twenty-four little hours ..."

Those lyrics from that great Dinah Washington standard kept waffling through my mind Wednesday evening as Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt Post 58 had its rematch with Johnston County Post 71.

Literally, 24 hours after Post 58 had played perhaps its best overall game of the season, it came up with a stinker last night.

Johnston County rebounded from its first loss of the season by burying Post 58 14-2 in seven innings. Run-wise, it was Post 58's worst defeat of the season.

And the extra-base hit was Post 58's undoing.

Post 71 had only 10 hits, but they also banged out three doubles and a triple to help tally those 14 runs.

Rocky Mount managed just three hits on the night (singles from Spiers Miller, Khalil Macklin and Jeremy Sloop) and two of them came after Post 58 trailed 8-1.

Post 71 sent Post 58 starter Tyler King packing after 2 1/3 innings. He allowed seven runs on seven hits, walked two and only posted one strikeout.

Head coach Hank Jones then called on Dillon Moore, Spenser Ramsey, Jay Aparicio and Chase Johnson, but to no avail. It was Post 71's night.

Post 58 gets back into Area I East Northern Division play Friday when it makes its lone trip to Wilson to face Post 13. Game time is 7 p.m.

Johnston County Post 71 14

Rocky Mount Post 58 2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
Johnston County Post 71	0	4	3	1	5	1	0			14	10	0	6
Coleman-Pitt Post 58	0	0	0	1	1	0	0			2	3	3	7

WP: Matt Bunn (4IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 3K)

LP: Tyler King (2-2, 2.1IP, 7H, 7R, 7ER, 2BB, 1K)

 

Leading hitters: Post 71 - Austin Lee 2-5, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, R; Cody Alphin 3-4, 2B, 4 RBI; Ben Youngblood 1-3, 3 RBI. Post 58 - Jeremy Sloop 1-2, R; Spiers Miller 1-4; Khalil Macklin 1-3.

Records: Johnston County Post 71 13-1, Rocky Mount Post 58 14-5.

Macklin invited to USA Baseball tourney

Khalil Macklin

From the Nashville Graphic

CARY - Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt Post 58 starter Khalil Macklin got a surprise invitation last week.

The rising Nash Central junior was asked to be among the top prep baseball talent in the nation and play in USA Baseball's Tournament of Stars competition held at its complex in suburban Cary. The event ran from Wednesday through Sunday.

USA Baseball's officials got word about Mackin's abilities and he was invited to participate despite being a 16-year-old and playing in the 18-under division.

The Tournament of Stars was made up of 144 of the nation's best ballplayers who were vying for an eventual spot on USA Baseball's 18U National Team. That team would travel internationally and represent the USA. Players were picked for teams representing one of USA Baseball's seven National Member Organizations (AABC, American Legion, Babe Ruth, Dixie, PONY, NABF and RBI) and an "at-large" team selected by USA Baseball. 

"I thought it was a great honor to be selected and named as one of the top 144 high school baseball players in the country," said Macklin, who is currently first or second in virtually every offensive category for Post 58.

USA Baseball and Major League Baseball covered all player costs associated with the event. The eight teams faced each other in pool play throughout the weekend. The event was used to pare those 144 players down to 40.

Fittingly, Macklin played for the American Legion team. He got to play in three of the team's four games while also participating in an all-day skills showcase  for scouts Thursday that was held on all four of USA Baseball's fields.

Unfortunately, Macklin didn't make the cut. But he was seen, and now his name will be on the tongues of the event's organizers for future teams.

"I wasn't necessarily disappointed," said Macklin about not making the top 40. "I just looked at it as another opportunity to get better for next year's tryouts. I was blessed for the experience.

Macklin, who will be suiting up for football in the next month or so for the Bulldogs, thought the whole adventure will help him focus on his talents for the future.

"I actually learned a lot of important tips this past week to help me improve my game," said Macklin, who will return to Post 58's lineup Wednesday evening when it hosts non-divisional foe Johnston County Post 71. " I think I did the best I could do. I think my experience will help me with Legion ball and high school ball because I know what I'm capable of doing, and if i keep working hard and stay hungry and humble, anything's possible."
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                       - Charles Alston