Weather certainly not helping Area I East Division teams

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on July 3, 2013 1:47 PM

• Print
• Email

MOUNT OLIVE -- The frustrating rainouts continue and the 11th hour is quickly approaching for Senior Legion baseball teams in Area I East Division play.

And the make-up dates are disappearing.

Heavy rainfall has forced cancellation of 10 division contests since Sunday. Athletic officers have searched for alternatives in desperation to complete the 14-game schedule that will determine the four-team playoffs, which begin July 7.

Area I commissioner Bob Figulski sent an email to teams encouraging them to find any viable solution to make up missed games.

"We've never really had a year like this since I can remember," Figulski said in the email. "I want to encourage everyone to get any game in they can (and) I know everyone is looking for alternate fields to play their games. ... If the field is dry, I want you to play Thursday."

Figulski said he'd move the starting date for the playoffs back one day.

Five games separate the eight teams in the standings. Five teams have five victories apiece and six teams have three or more losses. Athletic officers and coaches wonder how Figulski will determine the playoff representatives if the current weather pattern continues through Sunday.

Forecasts call for more stable weather over the eastern part of the state which has received more than five inches of rainfall in some areas.

"It has rained so much, we're not going to get on any field any time soon," Wayne County Post 11 athletic officer James Cox said. "There is not a field in Wayne County that you can play on right now because of all of the water. (Post 11 coach Jason) Sherrer said we are not able to get on Mount Olive's field for the next 10 days because it's too wet.

"We understand that everybody is having the same problem."

Wayne County has been involved in 14 rainouts this season.

Sherrer's team is 5-4 in division play and has played just four times in the last 15 days. Post 11 is slated to host a pair of weekend games against league-leading Rocky Mount and Albemarle-Elizabeth City on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, respectively.

Make-up contests against Pitt County and Windsor remain in doubt.

"It's been terrible," Cox said.

Just seven division games are on tap for the rest of the regular season, which is supposed to conclude Saturday. More than 20 games have not been rescheduled including suspended contests involving Albemarle, Windsor and Rocky Mount.

Figulski said that he anticipates offering a clearer picture of the division race after Thursday's games. He requested that updated records from athletic officers and/or coaches should be submitted to him so he can "sort things out."