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Prep Roundup
Columnists Brian Meadows Brad NormanMembersLocal Connection› Iredell County Young Athletes Association› South Iredell Athletics Association › SHS athletics › WIHS athletics › NIHS athletics › SIHS athletics › LNHS athletics Syndicate RSSAP NASCAR NASCAR Features A look at this year's schedule A look at this year's drivers Differences between stock car and open-wheel racing NASCAR Research & Development Petty Enterprises splitter testing Aerodynamic testing in Concord's wind tunnel Top 10 moments in Daytona history Site StatisticsThis page has been viewed 801384 timesPage rendered in 0.2228 seconds Total Stories: 2136 Total Comments: 34 Most Recent Entry: 08/15/2008 01:53 pm Most Recent Comment on: 04/17/2008 11:54 pm Most Recent Visitor on: 05/23/2012 08:42 am |
2008 Jun-11
AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL
Post 66 relishes rare division leadBy Brian Meadows Sitting atop the Area III Southern Division standings at the season’s midway point, Mooresville’s American Legion baseball team finds itself enjoying overdue success. No longer playing second fiddle to the Rowans and Lexingtons, Post 66 is contending for its first Area III championship since the days of the first Gulf War. Mooresville captured its last title in 1990, when it took down Kernersville in the final. Mooresville coach Josh Graham cautioned about getting ahead of themselves, but, “We can’t be any more pleased with how it’s started,” he said. Averaging more than nine runs per game, the Moors are 9-3 overall and a perfect 7-0 in the 10-team division. Contributions are widespread, but centerfielder Jon Crucitti has provided the most punch. A rising junior at Mooresville High, Crucitti leads the team in hits (17), runs (15), RBIs (13), batting average (.486) and slugging percentage (.886). His three home runs match the team lead. “He’s just a gamer,” Graham said. “The first three or four games, he was sort of unconscious. Then he came back down to Earth, but he’s still hitting it well. … We’ve swung it well all season.” Crucitti is one of five players batting .400 or better. The opponents’ batting average hovers below .280. “Our pitching has been outstanding,” Mooresville infielder Nathan Abraham said. Left-hander Nick Lomascolo (2-0) struck out 12 in an 11-1 eight-inning romp Sunday past South Rowan. Eighteen of his 19 innings pitched have been the shutout variety, and the Lake Norman High rising senior has yet to allow an earned run. Graham linked the Moors’ success to a winning attitude drilled into their psyche this spring, when Mooresville and Lake Norman made deep runs in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A state playoffs. “They’re starting to believe in themselves — get that swagger — and that makes a big difference,” Graham said. The postseason advancement may have boosted their confidence, but it came with a price — a very small break in the action. After winning its first two playoff games in program history, Lake Norman wrapped up its season May 16 with an 8-0 loss in the third round to eventual state runner-up East Rowan. Mooresville dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker to East Rowan in the fourth round May 20. Two days after the Blue Devils exited, Aubrey Meadows said he was back on the field practicing in preparation for the Moors’ May 23 season opener. Post 66 players welcomed this week’s five-day layoff between the South Rowan win and Saturday’s home game against Mocksville. “Oh yeah, it’s definitely a good thing for me,” said Meadows, a UNC Charlotte signee. Abraham agreed. “Everybody could use the break,” he said. “We’ve been playing nonstop.” Whether the hiatus derails their momentum remains to be seen. Graham hopes it charges their batteries for the stretch run. “Anytime you win, you just want to keep playing,” Graham said. “At the same time, a lot of the kids were starting to get a little bit wore out. Hopefully they’ll come back Saturday ready to go and a little more energized.” Bookmarkz |
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