The boys of summer probably can’t tell it’s their season.
Although Kinston Post 43 (10-5, 5-3)has earned the No. 2 spot in the Area I East Division as playoffs approach, several of the club’s games have been rained out during the recent stretch of fickle tropical storm weather. Post 43 has only been able to play a half inning of one game and an away game against Rocky Mount Post 58 Monday night, with Kinston beating the Area I East Division’s No. 1 team,3-1.
The two teams swapped sites Monday and were expected to play Wednesday at Viking Field, but the torrential downpour decided otherwise. The game against Rocky Mount was cancelled for a second day in a row.
Division playoffs are scheduled to begin July 7, so Kinston manager Ronnie Battle expects a few doubleheaders to make up for the cancelled games. The top four teams will compete in the playoffs.
“Obviously, (rained out games) will have an impact on our standings,” he said. “It affects (the team) somewhat. The more rest they get, the more energized they are. They’ll be able to do some things that you normally see pretty early in the season.”
He said Post 43 doesn’t traditionally hold organized practices, but the pitchers especially have been accustomed to a rhythm which has been disrupted by the area’s rain stint.
“It affects the pitchers because pitchers have pretty much gotten in sync,” Battle said. “When they get these long layovers like this, they get out of rhythm. It takes them a little while to get it back, and that could make the difference in winning the ball game.”
He said Post 43 players have been relaxing as they wait to take the fieldagain, while trying to keep baseball on their minds.
“It’s kind of disappointing because you get into the mindset of the game … and then it gets rained out,” said Post 43 right-handed pitcher Matt Hinson. “It’s kind of like a let down. You have to stay in that game-day state everyday because you just don’t know, and when you get on the field — really turn it on.
“It really all comes down to your mentality.”
Hinson said the weather has allowed players to rest before a potential playoff run.
“I think it’s actually helped out everybody from the players’ standpoint with just being able to come back a little fresher mentally and physically,” said Mike Ellsworth, Post 43 assistant coach. “The only difference is missing a spot by an inch or two because you aren’t throwing a baseball every day or missing a pitch by an inch or two because you aren’t swinging a bat everyday.”
He said Post 43 should be ready to go when playoffs start, even though the string of cancelled games has been frustrating.
“There are positive and negatives, but there’s nothing you can do about Mother Nature,” Ellsworth said.
While the playoffs start date stands at July 7, a lot of games have to be made up between today and Sunday.
“It’s been really frustrating,” Ellsworth said, “but it’s help us going into the playoffs without a doubt.”
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 and Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan