N.C. Legion Tournament (1st Round)

congrats Pitt

Pitt Co. / Greenville's always strong in baseball; Rose HS has won a few state titles, too. Congrats & best of luck in the SE regionals, in Ala.?

 

Lexington must have a good team to have given Pitt County a fit like this.The Morton kid sounds like a special player.

 

Heck of a day yesterday. Game 1 was a classic pitching duel with both starters going 10. Morton pitched his rear off (like he has all year), but Alex White was down right filthy. In legion ball in our part of the state its mainly fastball, curveball, change - you just don't see many guys throwing a slider. Most guys don't really learn to throw that pitch until the next level. White had a nasty slider working yesterday and it was a big factor.

Lexington had 2 on and nobody out in the 6th maybe (its a blur - I can't remember) and didn't get a bunt down. With 2 guys dealing like they were yesterday any mistake is magnified and not getting that bunt down hurt. Lexington still may not have scored, but you never know. Pitt got a big hit in the 10th to win it. One of the best (well played) ball games I've seen in a long time.

In game 2 Zach White also threw well for Lexington, but the damage was done. Lexington actually did have a chance to do a little something in the 8th when Zach Briggs hit a solo homer and Tyler McKenzie singled, but Pitt's right fielder came up with an outstanding over-the-shoulder grab in right-center to rob Brandon Clodfelter of at least an RBI double.


Lexington had an outstanding (and improbable) run, but these boys from Pitt County are the real deal. The best ball club won yesterday - plain and simple. They have outstanding pitching, fine defense and enough hitting. I think they could do some damage in the regional with their pitching and defense. They are a fine program, with fine coaching and some dang good players. They will represent North Carolina well in Alabama. Good Luck to them.

 

Once again 9 you 'bulls-eyed' it. Alot of people are so fixated with scoreboards that they miss the game. We witnessed 19 innings of classic baseball yesterday. I can't imagine a more perfect state championship than that. The 4 starters were mules. The position players were grinding. Batters were battling & fielders were diving & the fans were sweating out every pitch. In the end it just came out right for Pitt & wrong for Lexington.

No doubt the best team won. Pitt didn't make a single error all day...not even one. Their closest thing to a miscue was a single wild pitch. In Game 1 Lexington failed on 2 bunt attempts, but Pitt managed to lay down the Safety Squeeze that ultimately won the game for them. What can you do but tip your hat.

Let me end this with an editorial comment: Pitt clearly was the most talented team in the state. They were loaded with 19 year old veterans who have been preparing themselves for this moment for years. I doubt if Pitt has a single kid who hasn't played travel ball & done the extra off-season things necessary to succeed. I suspect they have a dozen guys on their roster who are playing or will soon be playing at the next level. So all you can do is tip your hat because the crown fits their heads.

Lexington is totally different. At first glance, they were the least imposing team in the tournament: not very tall, not very fast, not very muscular, not over-powering. As far as I know, only 5 of their kids have ever played anything other than community/school ball. Heck, four key contributors were playing Middle School ball 15 months ago. And for the rest, the #1 point of discussion for the week was: "If we qualify for Alabama, how many are willing to miss football practice to go?"

That helps to explain why when you watched Lex play, you didn't walk away impressed. You see, their game wasn't always textbook pretty. There were bad baserunning decisions, balls thrown that should have been held, bunting techniques that made you wince, outfielders who sometimes took the wrong angles, & so on. At some point in every game, Coach Griff (a purist if there ever was one) would take his hat off & rub his chrome dome in frustration.

And yet they kept winning...& winning...& winning... It was the dangdest thing I've ever seen. I've tried my best to figure out why. At one point I was convinced that the talent in Area 3 was down, but a week in Cherryville convinced me the opposite was true. So I amended my opinon & arrived at these 4 conclusions:

1--Lex was a team of destiny. Lip's 21 years of labor & retirement caused the Good Lord to line up the planets & stars. It was just meant to be. It's hard to alter the plan of the One who invented baseball ("In the Big-inning, God created the heavens & the earth...").

2--Griff & his staff are that good. They coached their fanny's off, rolled the dice & made every correct decision that allowed this team to grow from raw green to ripe red. Griff allowed his Kiddie-Corp to be children off the field, but taught them to be men between the lines. That required the patience of Job & the wisdom of Solomon, and all I can say is: "BRILLIANT".

3--There is more talent on Lex's team than meets the eye. As I have alluded in other threads, the teams who went home early all openly dissed Lexington. The "You don't belong at our party" looks & comments flowed from their players & fans. But I suspect Lex made believers out of everyone who hung around yesterday. I'm convinced that Post 8 was deservedly the 2nd best team in the tournament. Caldwell, step aside. Shelby, it wasn't the rain. Morehead City, we weren't the 'chumps' you said we were (with profanity laced in). If you don't know that by now, you will someday. I predict that when it all shakes out, there will be at least 8-10 (or more) kids from this team playing in college somewhere.

4--Lexington is loaded with heart. Lexington was just one play from Alabama in both games. Just one swing or catch & the trophy rides home on a different bus. On paper Pitt was the prohibitive favorite, but they barely got away with their skin. I suspect they expected an early knockout but instead won on the Judges Card. Lex just refused to lose. They wouldn't be intimidated...wouldn't back down...wouldn't cave in. Whether you are talking about Mort or White or TMac or whomever...there was no meltdown in the bunch. All teams claim they have that 'never-say-die' spirit, but this Post 8 bunch oozed it.

So it comes to an end. It was a joy to be around this team...without a doubt the most fun in Tyler's sports career I've ever experienced. I smoked alot of cigars this summer...about a month more than I expected (or needed). But our tournament run capped 4 years of Legion ball that previously had been at times painful to endure & quick to end. But the chef saved the best for last...this summer was a dessert that was out of this world. All I can say is: Thanks. Thanks American Legion Post 8 & Lip & Griff & Shoaf & Stone & every player & parent & fan...

Ty had a great tournament, hitting .467 (on base percentage .670) against some high caliber competition. He once again proved his metal against college level pitching, which is gratifying & encouraging. But the best thing he'll carry away from all this is the satisfying memories of 'what might have been'. In 3 weeks when he hits Belmont Abbey's campus, he'll be able to brag that he stood on top of the mountain of pre-college baseball. The view was awesome. What a way to go out!

 

Congrats to both Pitt and Lexington

 

Nine & UK...prior to this Legion season the only thing I knew about Lexington was the great BBQ. Thank you for bringing this team to our attention and thank you for taking us on your incredible ride.

Good luck to Ty as he heads over to The Abbey. They have great coaches over there in Coach Smith and Coach Anderson

 

Lex & Pitt County

I'm a true Caldwell County Post 29 fan, and the disappointment runs very deep with the showing in the state tournament. Can't explain what happen, I truly believe that sometimes you can want something to much. It's foolish to think that was all Caldwell had. We just happen to play our worst two games of the year in the state tournament. Congradulations "Pitt County" team, and Lex that was a great run, we finished second in the state in 04 so I know how you feel.

 

Most Pitt Co kids are not very big on AAU/traveling teams. Kids grow up in Greenville with the benefit of the state's best youth baseball program and outstanding Little League and Babe Ruth organizations. Travel ball is very much an afterthought.

High school ball is paramount in Greenville. Rose is the state's best program and probably has the best coach in the history of NC. Conely was outstanding this year and will be good again next year. The two best teams in NC this year, in my opinion, were Conely (obviously) and Rose. Next year it could be Rose and Conely.

 

Whc6, I spoke between games with 2 parents of Pitt Co & they said that "all" of their team had played travel ball (AAU) along the way. My son did too, so we even spoke about the sacrifices we as parents had made to get to this level.

Perhaps they were just generalizing...But from observing how fundamental & polished their team was, I had no problem believing it. Pitt's hitting was no better than most of the teams at the tournament, but their defense & pitching was extra special.

 

Congratulations to both Pitt County and Lexington for 2 great runs at the state tournament.

UK7Dook3,,, Lexington may have surprised folks from other areas, but nothing Lexington accomplished surprised me. The only reason those other teams dissed you guys is because you don't have the "reputation" or whatever,,, but you guys truly earned everything you got by playing sound fundamental baseball.

Rowan folks will always wonder "what if Will Clark never surfaced",,, but don't let anyone ever put a damper on what you guys accomplished this year,,,, because take it from an opponent who's just being honest,,,, you guys peaked at the right time and you would've beaten Rowan also. You guys truly deserve to be Area 3 champions and I think being state-runnerups ain't too shabby either...

Good Luck to your boy...