Tobs facing Mission Impossible after another rainout

Nothing wrong with assembling a stout army to fight the collegiate summer league version of Mission Impossible.

That was the scenario in rain-soaked Fleming  Stadium on Thursday night, when the host Wilson Tobs were scheduled to oppose overall, second-half and first-half East Division of the Coastal Plain League champion Peninsula.

Rain fell much of the day, and at approximately 4 p.m., the majority of the Tobs’ 20-plus players joined the effort to push rainwater out of the Fleming Stadium outfield.

As a result, the game’s starting time was moved from 7 p.m. until 8, then to 8:45 and finally to 9. A City of Wilson curfew declares a game in Fleming Stadium must begin by 9 p.m. At 8:45, Tobs general manager Mike Bell apologetically announced the all-important contest had been canceled.

A couple hundred fans did not depart until then.

The umpires conferred with head coaches Noah Cartwright of Wilson and Hank Morgan of Peninsula, and determined the field was unplayable.

The infield appeared in satisfactory condition, but the drenched outfield still contained spots of standing water.

At issue was the battle between the Tobs and Wilmington Sharks for the East Division’s second — and last — berth for next week’s Petitt Cup playoffs to determine the 2024 champion.

Thursday arrived with both Wilson and Wilmington having three games remaining in the regular season, and the Tobs trailing Wilmington by two games.

The Tobs’ only chance to advance into the playoffs was to go  3-0 to end the season and the Sharks finish 0-3.

With Wilson not playing Thursday, Wilmington could have clinched the playoff spot with a win against Morehead City, However, the Sharks lost 12-1 to Morehead City in a game called in the seventh inning because of rain.

Thus, the Tobs travel to Wilmington on Friday night trailing the Sharks by 1 ½ games with two to play. A Sharks win crushes Wilson postseason hopes.

A Wilson victory will leave Cartwright’s Tobs trailing by a half-game going into Saturday’s finale in Fleming Stadium against the Greenville Yard Gnomes. Still, the Tobs must win their game Saturday and the Sharks lose at Tri-City for Wilson to advance into the playoffs. Sounds like something akin to Mission Impossible.

The Tobs, defeated 2-0 Wednesday night at Tri-City in a tilt halted by a storm in the fifth inning, possess a 24-19 overall record, while Wilmington is 26-18. In the second half, the Sharks stand second at 10-10, followed by the Tobs at 9-10.

Peninsula rules at 32-12 overall and 16-4 the second half. The Pilots need one win in their last three games to clinch homefield advantage throughout the four-team playoffs.

“It has been a rough July,” said the distressed Bell. “All the staff and players want to do is play baseball. But that has been taken away by all this rain. It has substantially affected our playoff push.

“We have been pushing water and working on the field since 4 p.m. I really thought we had a chance to play. But it has rained so much that water in Wilson has nowhere to go. Everybody is upset; these guys want to play. But when the umpires said the field was unplayable and unsafe, there was nothing I could do.”

An extremely dry June yielded no Tobs, postponements. But Thursday night’s called game was the third in the last two weeks.

The Peninsula team traveled 2 ½ hours to Wilson, only to return without playing an inning.

“Intelligent minds won today,” commented Morgan. “It was the right decision. I know (the Tobs) put a ton of work into it, and I know how it feels. Sometimes, it works and, sometimes, it doesn’t work out. We wanted to play, but the umpires and two (head coaches) all agreed trying to play would be putting players in harm’s way.”

Thus, Cartwright will send ace right-hander Reese Miller to the mound against the Sharks.

Right-hander Jonah Milchuck, Wilson’s scheduled starter Thursday, will probably get the nod Saturday against the Yard Gnomes.

Miller revealed he has not pitched against Wilmington this season, but did so in 2023.

“They’ll have a game plan,” Miller said of the Sharks. “I know a lot of them, and they know what to expect.

“We needed to win (Thursday night), but I am ready to go. I haven’t thrown in a week — I’ll be good.”

How good has Miller, with pro aspirations, been this season?

He has posted a 5-1 record and averages more than a strikeout per inning. Miller has allowed only six runs all season.

“This is a big game for the team and big for us,” Miller commented. “It’s summer baseball and there are bigger things. But it’s important. I am going out and throw as many innings as I can throw.”

Of course, Thursday night’s promotions were a wash, but the attractions did not include the fireworks show. After four postponements, the fireworks are planned for Saturday night’s season-ending  home game. And Bell reported the weather forecast is clear.

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