NPC 2009

When and where is the first head to head matchup of the regular season by these top 4 teams?

 

Laws was pitching well for the legion team before his back started giving him ploblems. Gobble may have struggled some with the legion team but he gains some really valuable time on the mound agains some really good hitter.
West does have two ace pitchers in Simpson and Shephard. Simpson really improved over the course of the legion season and is a nasty lefty, I look for him to have a big year.

I feel that everyone that took advantage of play legion ball will benefit from it this season.

 

As far as pitching for East Rowan and West Rowan--

West--Simpson, crafty junior that is not going to over power you. Was 8-2 last year with an era of a little over 3. Shepherd (App St) transferred in from Carson where he was a work horse (6-5, 1.75 66k in 72inn). Can touch around 87mph. Big kid, around 6'3, who has a high ceiling of potential, who can hit as well. After, that it gets kind of thin on experience as the varsity level. Brantley Huffman (2-2, 4.63) logged some innings last year as did DJ Webb. I'm not sure what is coming up from jayvee. This is all I know for the Falcons, they may have someone else that I am not familiar with.

East--Shive (UNCC) is going to be healthy, however his innings will probably be limited at the beginning of the year, which East can afford to do. Horse of a right hander that was tapping 90 this summer. People are forgetting about Kent Basinger who tore up his knee during one of East's first games last season. Hightower was real high on him last year as being East's #2 before the injury. He did come back and throw some innings in last year's state championship series. Shut it down in Legion to let injury fully heal. Laws, (6'4") right hander who did battle injuries during the legion season, but was effective enough to pitch perfect game last year and shut down South Point in the Western Championship. Alex Litaker (Brevard) has worked and improved enough to be offered a college scholarship. He didn't log a single inning last year, but has good enough stuff to warrant a college scholly. East has two lefties that will throw in Will Johnson and David Ijames. Also, Preston Troutman (bright future, with a cannon) and Parker Gobble as well.

I only have the East schedule so far but their matchups with the other top teams are as follows:

East @ West 3/17
East vs Moors 3/27
East Vs LN 4/3
East vs West 4/17
East @ Moors 4/28
East @ LN 5/5

 

I believe you mean Brantley Horton. Brett Huffman will play 1st.

West Rowan @ Mooresville Tues Mar 10, 2009 4:30. We ain't skeered. I'll be on the left field line with a big 'old dip of Grizzly watching the game.

 

As for this pitching thing.

East has Shive and he will not be fully ready at the beginning of the season. Rest of the them don't know but we've faced them now for 2 years so let the battles begin.

West Rowan has Shepherd & Simpson. What will make these guys better is a definite improvement defensivly and offensively with Crucitti and Untz added to the lineup. DJ Webb will get innings. He throws strikes and from what I understand had East Rowan beat last year until a pitching change.

Lake Norman has the top pitcher in the league in Lamoscola. Whitley another Catawba signee with be #2. Do not count these guys out. I'm warning you guys. They will bunt you to death and find a way to win.

Mooresville has Aaron Meadow, Ian Walters, Wes Dumford, Chris Bonaventure. These 4 can pitch with anyone. You might not have heard of them but I will tell you, they can beat you. As a matter of fact yes we don't have a dominant pitcher like Aubrey or Beav BUT we have a stable of at least 10 pitchers that can get it done if used in the right situation and time.

 

I dont think anyone in the NPC had East beat last year, thats why they were 18-0 in conference

 

I'm not sure if West had East beat at any point last season. I saw the game where East won 9-1. They scored 8 off of Simpson in 3 innings. Cody Laws pitched 5 innings for the Mustangs.

The second meeting East won 14-5. They did score 7 in the 7th. I wasn't there, so I'm not sure of the particulars.

I know Lake Norman threw Lamoscola against East the first time they played, but I think they threw someone else the second. The first time was really weird as Lamoscola breezed through the lineup recording 7 straight strikeouts. After that, the wheels fell off. East ended up chasing him and winning the game, I think 9-3. Laws, again, was the winning pitcher for East.

 

if that semi-final game in the playoff tooks place one day later, Aubrey Meadows would not only have beat them, but shut them out.

 

To bad it wasn't, they lost get over it

 

I like to see some good smack talk, but it brings up a thought, that as good as East was last year, what amazed me was reading so many comments on this message board from other teams who simply refused to ever give East Rowan much credit. I completely understand supporting your team, but I could never figure it out that some almost made it sound like East was even lucky or fortunate.

Ex: (and keep in mind I have no son playing so I am neutral) and travisunc knows exactly who I am and where I'm from, so I'm no Rowan County fan either (not at all),,,,, but I didn't have to see East but one time to see that they were clearly different than everyone else. They were at NW Cabarrus and Ryan Overcash pitched a heckuva game, but what impressed me about East all night long was how EVERY SINGLE PLAYER in East's lineup 1-9 got down the first base line so well, they just put pressure on teams from top to bottom like no other team in the league. They may not win it this year, but they gotta be the team to beat until someone does beat them. And when someone does in fact finally beat them, I'll be the first to give you props.