For Carson and Carter Gipson, those days and nights of hard work came to fruition on Wednesday afternoon.
The Gipson twins both signed national letters of intent to play baseball at the University of Mount Olive.
“It feels good. The real work starts now, and it’s something to look forward to,” Carter Gipson said.
“It’s a big accomplishment, and it’s also something that I’ve been looking forward to,” Carson Gipson added.
Their older brother Blake Gipson is already on the UMO baseball team, so Carter and Carson were familiar with the UMO baseball program.
Neither second-guessed their decision to become a Trojan.
Last season, UMO went 37-12, won the Conference Carolinas regular-season title and reached the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.
“Playing with Adam Pate and our older brother going there helped have a connection with the school,” Carter said.
As juniors, Carter and Carson helped lead C.B. Aycock to an 8-5 record, the Golden Falcons’ first winning season since 2018.
They are both pitchers, but C.B. Aycock head coach Allen Thomas said Carson and Carter contribute to the Golden Falcons in a variety of ways.
“They pitch for us, but they also can play middle infield, so they help us in more ways than just on the mound,” Thomas said. “Just the way they carry themselves, their demeanor and things like that.
“It’s a lot more than just on the mound.”
The duo also had a big summer playing for Wayne County Post 11. Over the summer, Post 11 had a 23-7 record, won the Area East 1 East and advanced to the N.C. Legion state tournament for the first time since 2014.
“It was just a blast being with everybody. It gives us something to look forward to,” Carson said.
Thomas was happy to see Carson and Carter follow in their older brother’s footsteps and lauded their improvement over the past few seasons.
And heading into their senior seasons, Carson and Carter will be vital pieces for the Golden Falcons.
“It’s good for them being together. I’m very happy for them,” Thomas said. “They’ve worked hard to get where they’re at, and both of them have improved tremendously.”
