Duplin County trio leading the way for Post 11

For the second summer in a row, Duplin County has not had an American Legion Baseball team; however, the talented legion players and coaches from across the county still needed somewhere to play, and a few of them found a home for the summer in Wayne County where they represent Post 11.

Those Duplin County representatives are: North Duplin head coach Colton Chrisman, former North Duplin and current University of Mount Olive pitcher Erik Rosas, and East Duplin second baseman Baines Raynor who all contributed to the success of Post 11 who recently won the Area 1 East Championship allowing them to qualify for the American Legion Baseball state tournament.

Chrisman, who is assistant coach for the Post 11 team, is currently in the middle of his sixth American Legion Baseball season (with 2020 being cancelled due the COVID-19 pandemic) and he joined the team along with head coach Adam Pate in 2018. The two coaches developed a good relationship through playing high school baseball against one another (with Chrisman attending Southern Wayne and Pate attending C.B. Aycock).

They connected again as coaches during the 2017-18 school year when they both helped teach physical education at Northdrive Elementary, and when Pate got the head coaching job for the legion team at the end of the school year, he said it only made sense to ask Chrisman to join him.

“We played against each other in high school ball, and then we actually taught P.E. together at the same elementary school at Northdrive Elementary, and that was the year that I was taking the leading job. We hit it off and have been working hard since,” Pate said.

Pate also said that Chrisman has been instrumental to the team’s success as he has completely bought into his system of developing players and coached any position that he was asked to.

“He’s coached third. He’s coached first. He’s done all types of different things. (He’s) a Swiss Army Knife in terms of a coach,” Pate said.

“He’s been instrumental in helping our guys learn (and) develop, and when we send them back to whatever school or college they are going to in the fall, they’re ready, and he’s a big part of that. We wouldn’t be able to do the things we do as a program without him.”

Thanks to Chrisman, Post 11 was also able to recruit perhaps its most important relief pitcher this season and one who has played a big part in the success of the team during the last three seasons— Erik Rosas, who has come into games facing many difficult situations but seems to always find a way to get out of trouble.

Pate said that Rosas, who has pitched 22 innings this season earning 26 strikeouts and throwing for an incredible 2.22 earned run average, has not only been a great asset to the team for his ability on the field but also because of his leadership in the dugout.

“Erik brings a lot of leadership and veteran presence— that’s been huge,” Pate said. (He’s played) Post 11 baseball in the state tournament before (and) knows the ropes of the series, so his leadership has been huge.”

Raynor, who has been the ultimate utility man for Post 11 playing second base as well as anywhere else on the field the team needs him, also joined. This is thanks to Chrisman who was able to get in contact with Raynor and eventually convince him to join the team through his contacts with the other coaches in Duplin County.

“I’m thankful that I got the opportunity at North Duplin to bring Erik on, and then through relationships with the people in the Duplin County, got Baynes to come as well,” Chrisman said.

“Baines has done great playing all over the field, using his wheels, and at the plate he’s been a very good bat for us.”

Raynor, who has struggled to adjust to an arguably higher level of baseball being played at the legion, is currently batting just .258; however, he still has a respectable on-base percentage of .329 and has 17 hits, 11 RBIs and 12 runs scored. He has also helped the team on the basepaths by stealing 11 bases.

Chrisman said that regardless of whether they make an impact on the field every week, he is grateful that Rosas and Raynor could join the team and that they have a place to continue to work on their skills in the summer.

“We’re extremely thankful that these Duplin County boys have had the opportunity to come and play with us, and they a big part of our team. Whether they are in the lineup or not, they carry a lot of the weight for us,” Chrisman said. “We are extremely thankful to have both of them.”