Four RMHS baseball players make NEW 6 first-team, NN's Joyner Player of the Year
June 14, 2009 Rocky Mount High School
- Rocky Mount senior catcher Ben Fish
When Northern Nash head baseball coach Eddie Loesner sent senior pitcher Tyler Joyner to the mound, he could just about bet the house that he'd leave the hill with a win.
And in 2009, that happened about 90 percent of the time. Someone that dependable couldn't help but be the NEW 6 Baseball Player of the Year. The 5-11, 185-pounder led the way for the league as its diamond All-Conference teams were released this weekend.
Only a no-hitter in one contest by the opposing pitcher and an untimely error by a teammate in another kept the lefthander from possibly posting a perfect record this past season. He went an astounding 10-2 this past spring, struck out 135 batters and posted a microscopic 0.47 ERA. That's just five earned runs in 73 innings of work.
He topped off his prep career by being drafted in the 50th round by the Cleveland Indians in last week's Major League Draft - joining fellow All-Conference performer Brian Goodwin who went in the 17th round to the Chicago White Sox. They are believed to be first Nash County twosome to be drafted in the same season.
However, both seem destined to follow their earlier signing commitments to attend East Carolina and North Carolina, respectively.
Called one of the best high school lefthanders on the East Coast by one pro scout, Joyner concluded his career with a 30-8 record and nearly 400 strikeouts. He didn't have a bad season at the plate, either, He batted .346 with eight doubles, three home runs, 14 runs and 19 RBI.
Joyner was joined by his catcher senior Tyler Clark, who surprised everyone with high level of production this past season. He led Nash County in home runs with seven while hitting .366, scored 30 times and knocked in 29 runs, which also led the county. The other Northern first-team selection was senior shortstop Wesley Joyner (.296, 17 RBI, 21 runs).
Rocky Mount, which shared the NEW 6 regular season title with the Knights, placed four players on the first team - led by senior catcher Ben Fish. Fish, who has signed with Campbell, hit .427, slapped three homers and knocked in 28 runs. He is RMHS' career RBI-leader with 81.
Gryphon senior center fielder Goodwin (6-0, 185) made his third appearance on the first team. He batted .413, scored 25 runs and plated 18 runs. He set the school and county mark for career hits with 126.
Making their debut on the first-team list were juniors Collins Cuthrell and Hobbs Johnson. Cuthrell, who led RM in scoring with 28 runs, batted .416 for the year - .440 in NEW 6 play. Johnson, also a lefty pitcher who came to RMHS from Rocky Mount Academy, went 8-1 on the season as the Gryphons' ace with an impressive 0.98 ERA. He was second in the county with 115 Ks.
Southern Nash junior pitcher Kyle Shields was the Firebirds' lone first-team selection while Nash Central junior outfielder Dominique Holloway represented the Bulldogs. Shields went 6-6 for Southern Nash and led the county in innings ptiched with 79 2/3. He posted an ERA of 1.93 and fanned 96 batters.
Rocky Mount's Pat Smith and Northern's Loesner shared Champion Coach of the Year honors.
Below are all three NEW 6 All-league teams:
2009 NEW 6 All-Conference Baseball Teams
First team
Ben Fish, Rocky Mount
Hobbs Johnson, Rocky Mount
Collins Cuthrell, Rocky Mount
Brian Goodwin, Rocky Mount
Tyler Joyner, Northern Nash
Tyler Clark, Northern Nash
Wesley Joyner, Northern Nash
David Gibbons, Wilson Fike
Kyle Shields, Southern Nash
Dominque Holloway, Nash Central
Second team
Steven Moore, Northern Nash
Mike Williams, Northern Nash
Mike Smith, Northern Nash
Dillon Cockrell, Rocky Mount
Benton Moss, Rocky Mount
Russell Ward, Wilson Fike
Mitchell Wheeler, Wilson Fike
Tripp Sauls, Wilson Fike
Ryan Scott, SW Edgecombe
Taylor Lewis, Southern Nash
Honorable Mention
Nick Wells, SW Edgecombe
T.J. Taylor, Nash Central
Michael Whitehead, Rocky Mount
Brandon Denton, Northern Nash
William Prince, Wilson Fike
Matt Sampson, Southern Nash
Player of the Year - Tyler Joyner, Northern Nash
Champion Co-Coaches of the Year - Eddie Loesner, Northern Nash; Pat Smith, Rocky Mount |
NATIONAL
NORTH CAROLINA
