Gryphons get past Franklinton for 2-0 conference start

A few inches separated a four-run win and a tight rest of the top of the seventh.

Luckily for Rocky Mount, playing at home on Friday, it was the first option. Jamar Ellis, pitching with two outs to a Franklinton batter with the bases loaded in an 8-4 game, bore down and delivered a fastball, which was fended off for a lazy, tailing blooper that initially seemed destined to land in the right field grass.

But Gryphons first basemen Connor Powell tracked the flare and made a successful lunging catch, ending the game at 8-4 on a play that could just have easily resulted in a bases-clearing bloop.

“I was thinking the ball was going to get down,” Rocky Mount coach Carter Varnell said. “I was looking for where my right fielder was. Lucky enough, Connor got a good jump and made a really nice play—a heck of a play. I patted him on the back.”

The win for the Gryphons (5-4, 2-0) ended a two and a half hour affair where they managed only three hits but benefited from a wild Rams pitching staff. Rocky Mount was actually outhit by Franklinton (3-2, 0-2), 7-3.

“We’ve got to do better offensively moving forward if we want to beat some good teams in conference. I dare say if we only have three against some of the teams we play in conference, it’s going to be tough,” Varnell said.

Indeed, the product left something to be desired but a Big East win it was, closing out the series with first-year conference opponent Franklinton, which the Gryphons had beaten earlier in the week, 10-0.

Lefty Joernest Petway started for Rocky Mount, making quick work of the Rams in the first inning with two strikeouts and a fly out. But he would last only two more innings, letting up two runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batsman in the second and third.

Gates Harrell entered in the fourth inning and closed the door on the Rams while Rocky Mount padded its lead; he went the next three innings, let up zero runs and amassed seven strikeouts with only one hit.

“He’s in that middle relief, long relief role,” Varnell said. “He did what we needed him to do.”

Caleb Whitaker started the seventh, but allowed three walks and two hits before Ellis stepped in to get the final out on Powell’s game-ending catch.

On offense, the three hits came from Austin Luttrell, Kyle Rich and Powell. As a team, the Gryphons reached base by walk or hit batsmen 11 times in only six innings. They had the bases loaded in three different innings, but never found the timely at-bat they needed to really differentiate themselves.

“That was the teaching moment,” Varnell said. “We’ve got to do a better job offensively of getting that timely hit.”