Former NL pitcher dies in single-vehicle accident Alphin helped lead Hawks to state championship in 2006, runner-up finish in 2007 April 10, 2009 - 9:27 PM Bryan C. Hanks Managing Editor LA GRANGE - John Alphin, a state championship pitcher and outfielder at North Lenoir High School, died in a single-vehicle accident Friday. The accident happened in the Shine community of Greene County at around 4:30 p.m. State Highway Patrol Trooper Billy Beaman said as Alphin was driving west on Hart Road, approaching the intersection at Shine Road, he ran off the right shoulder of the road and overcorrected. His Toyota pickup truck then skidded, overturned and landed in a nearby resident's yard, where Alphin was ejected from the vehicle. Paramedics transported him to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 5:30 p.m. Beaman said there was no indication that Alphin was speeding or intoxicated. Alphin graduated from North Lenoir in 2008 and was a freshman at East Carolina University. He was 19. A former teammate, current North Lenoir senior Tyler Potter, said he was in shock when he heard the news after baseball practice on Friday. "I was really shocked almost to the point of disbelief," Potter said. "I am pretty tore up; it really hasn't sunk in all the way yet." Alphin was a three-time all-state performer for North Lenoir and veteran Hawks coach Jim Montague. "John was just a fantastic individual," Montague said. "(He) did everything in the classroom, in the community and on the athletic fields. It's just a sad moment." North Lenoir junior varsity baseball coach Jonathan Davis echoed Montague's sentiments. "Nobody played harder than John," Davis said. "He always gave it his all, on the field and in the classroom. He's just a great kid from a great family." Alphin was only a sophomore at North Lenoir when he made a huge splash on the local prep sports scene. He was the third starting pitcher behind Sthil Sowers and Brandon Sutton, who were one year ahead of him. He also started in the outfield when he wasn't on the mound. Alphin was a part of the 2006 2A state championship team and the 2007 2A runner-up. In 2008 - despite playing with a severely-injured shoulder - Alphin helped will the Hawks to the fourth round of the 2A playoffs, where they lost to the eventual state champions. "When John stepped on the mound, good things happened for North Lenoir baseball," Montague said. "Even before he threw his first pitch, we knew we were going to be in the ball game that night and John was going to keep us in that ball game." Potter said Alphin was the ultimate team player. "He was probably one of the best teammates I ever had," Potter said. "He always led by example, but he was a vocal leader, too. He made the game fun to play." He is the son of Carlton and Lisa Alphin and the brother of Jacob Alphin, who also played at North Lenoir and was the MVP of the 2005 2A state championship. "It's Lisa, Carlton, Jacob and John," Montague said. "When you mention one of them, you see all of them. My heart goes out to the Alphin family. Words just cannot describe how we feel right now." Funeral arrangements for Alphin have not yet been set. Sports Editor Ryan Herman and News-Argus Baseball Pitcher of the Year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Alphin: News-Argus Baseball Pitcher of the Year By Andrew Stevens Published in Sports on June 22, 2008 2:04 AM . The North Lenoir senior wouldn't change a thing. With his future in baseball in jeopardy thanks to a back injury suffered during his junior season, Alphin left everything he had on the field in his senior campaign to the tune of a 10-1 record with a 1.25 earned run average. The comeback performance earned Alphin the 2008 News-Argus All-Area Pitcher of the Year award. While playing with the Hawks in an ImpactBaseball.com Tournament in Wilson during his junior season, Alphin fractured the L5 vertebrae in his back while making a throw from the outfield. Following surgery, Alphin's ability to practice was limited and his future in baseball beyond high school was up in the air. Undeterred by his circumstances, Alphin returned for his senior season determined to help his team compete for the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 2-A state championship that eluded it in 2007. "I think the main thing was I was so relaxed this year," said Alphin. "I wasn't uptight and thinking about college and where I was going to go. I was able to be more relaxed and have fun." With Alphin back in the fold North Lenoir finished the 2008 season 21-2 overall including a 10-0 record in the Eastern Plains 2-A Conference. The Hawks reached the fourth round of the NCHSAA playoffs. With a newfound faith in his two-seam fastball that's built for inducing ground balls, along with a slider and a changeup Alphin recorded 62 strikeouts in 56 innings of work. Alphin's final start for North Lenoir was a third-round playoff game at Mayodan McMichael. The right-hander struck out five and also hit a solo home run in the Hawks' 6-0 victory. North Lenoir's quest for a state title was derailed with a fourth-round loss to Hillsborough Orange. Now Alphin is heading to ECU with no plans to play baseball outside of a chance at walking on. His days of being a teammate and playing a game he loves may very well be over, but after one last stellar season, Alphin wouldn't change a thing. "If this was my last year and I don't end up playing next year then I'm perfectly satisfied," said Alphin. "I have no regrets. I believe everything happens for a reason. The season went just the way I was hoping it would go."
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