Rocky Mount High roughs up SouthWest Edgecombe pitching in victory

Rocky Mount High pitcher Wesley Drake delivers to SouthWest Edgecombe on Wednesday at Rocky Mount High School.

Isaiah Stewart takes a lead off of second base against SouthWest Edgecombe on Wednesday at Rocky Mount High School.

There has been no beginning of the year rust on Rocky Mount High’s bats so far.

After routing Tarboro, 16-0, on Tuesday evening, the Gryphons were right back at it Wednesday against SouthWest Edgecombe, shellacking the Cougars, 13-1, in five innings. Rocky Mount High accumulated 11 hits, most of which were well-struck and placed perfectly between defenders.

“We’ve been pleased with how we’re swinging the bats lately,” coach Pat Smith said. ”(Our assistants) have worked extremely hard with our hitters, and we think some of them are improving. I would like them to be a little more selective … but that comes with experience. It takes a lot of at-bats to learn lessons.”

Rocky Mount High took advantage of three SouthWest Edgecombe errors in the second inning to blow open the game. After a leadoff walk, the Cougars had errors on three straight plays and those lost outs came back to hurt. The Gryphons (3-1) scored seven times on six hits in the inning to transform a 1-0 lead into an 8-0 blowout.

Senior Jarratt Mobley started for the Cougars (1-3), but only lasted two innings, allowing eight runs — only four of which were earned -— and striking out three batters. Coach Shelton Langley said it seemed the early errors put more pressure on Mobley and he started trying to overpower hitters instead of trusting his defense.

“Any pitcher will tell you, if your defense starts making a lot of mistakes behind you, you start to think you have to do it all yourself,” Langley said. ”It got to the point where after the fourth error, he felt like he had to throw it past everybody. … But he’s human and you’re going to have a start that isn’t your best.”

The Cougars’ offense was able to get sporadic hits off Rocky Mount High starter Wesley Drake, but only Dylan Hodges’ leadoff homer in the fourth did any damage. Drake struck out seven batters and looked just as comfortable with men on base as he did when the bases were empty.

He started a inning-ending double play in the first inning, struck out two batters to strand a runner in the second and then struck out three our of four batters after Hodges’ home run.

“As long as he throws strikes, he’s going to be effective,” Smith said. ”His ball moves a little bit … We’re pleased with how he’s thrown in his two starts.”

These types of blowouts don’t do much for teams like Rocky Mount High, which has games coming up against Wendell Corinth-Holders and Greenville Rose. Smith said he has taken time after the game the past few days to highlight both the little things that will serve the Gryphons well in the future and the mistakes that will be far more costly against better competition.

Regardless, Smith is hopeful that these wins will instill some confidence in his group.

“I hope it builds a little bit of confidence and a little bit of belief in what we’re trying to do,” Smith said. ”When you’re successful it allows you to believe in it.”

ROCKY MOUNT HIGH 13

SOUTHWEST EDGECOMBE 1

SWE 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 5 4

RMH 1 7 5 0 X — 13 11 0

WP: Wesley Drake, 5 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 H, 7 K, 0 BB

LP: Jarratt Mobley, 2 IP, 8 R, 4 ER, 8 H, 3 K, 2 BB

2B: Logan Pearce (1st and 2nd off Mobley), Josh Pittman (1st off Mobley), David Harrison (2nd off Mobley)

HR: Dylan Hodges (4th off Drake)

by Josh Walfish
Sports Writer for Rocky Mount Telegram

Wednesday, March 9, 2016