Cumpton is latest from Greenbrier to join pros

Brandon Cumpton might have surprised some of his fans when he signed a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates last week.

The former Greenbrier High School product still had a year of eligibility left at Georgia Tech, but he skipped out on finishing his education to become a professional athlete.

The decision came late in the minor league season. The 21-year-old starting pitcher was added to the State College Spikes' active roster Tuesday. He was drafted in the ninth round by the Pirates more than two months ago.

"My family and I have been weighing my options for the last several weeks, and I have decided that playing professional baseball is the best thing for my career," Cumpton wrote in an e-mail to The Augusta Chronicle . "It was a very tough decision. Georgia Tech has been a wonderful place for me over the last three years. Leaving behind the opportunity to make another run at the College World Series was a hard decision."

Cumpton said he plans to complete his degree at Georgia Tech in the off-season. But he'll first pitch in the New York-Penn League for short-season State College.

The right-hander had yet to make it into the Spikes' starting rotation entering Saturday's game.

PACKED WITH TALENT: Cumpton's signing added another name to the growing list of teammates who reached the pro level. The Greenbrier High School state championship baseball teams of 2006 and 2007 featured Cumpton as a pitcher, Rich Poythress at third base and Jeff Rowland in center field.

Poythress, playing for the Mariners' Advanced-A affiliate in his second year as a pro, became the first player in the minor leagues to surpass 100 RBI two weeks ago.

Rowland signed with the Tigers earlier this summer and hit .341 in the New York-Penn League before being promoted to the Single-A level. The left-handed outfielder entered Friday's game with an eight-game hitting streak for the West Michigan Whitecaps.

FORFEIT: A short-season game in the Northwest League between the Everett AquaSox and Boise Hawks last weekend ended in a forfeit when visiting Hawks manager Jody Davis pulled his team off the field because of what he said was unsafe playing conditions.

Davis was later suspended six games by the league.

"I don't think we've ever had one of these in the Northwest League," league president Bob Richmond told The (Everett) Daily Herald . "That's something we just can't put up with ... When you get a (game started) the umpires are essentially the generals, and they need to be obeyed. They weren't. That's why the suspension."

The start of the game was delayed 80 minutes because of rain. Hawks outfielder Ryan Cuneo slipped on the wet grass trying to field a ball when play resumed in the first inning and, after a 23-minute discussion, the umpiring crew determined the field was playable, prompting Davis' actions.

The Daily Herald reported Wednesday that the two teams and the league are in discussions about the AquaSox receiving possible financial compensation for the Hawks' forfeit.

IT'S HOW YOU FINISH: Hickory pitcher Jake Brigham gave up singles to the first two batters he faced Tuesday night in a start against Greensboro. The 22-year-old right-hander responded by retiring the next 26 batters he faced.

Brigham's two-hit, complete-game shutout finished in a 2-0 win for the Grasshoppers and lasted just two hours and five minutes.