Pirates Blank UNCW To Earn Super Regional Berth
June 07, 2004 | Baseball
Bunn tossed eight shutout innings to lead East Carolina to a 7-0 victory over North Carolina-Wilmington in the regional championship at Grainger Stadium. The junior tied a career high with 11 strikeouts and allowed just two hits.
''Sitting around, waiting to pitch, you get antsy,'' said Bunn, who would have pitched earlier if East Carolina had lost one of its two earlier games in the regional. ''But I was ready to throw whenever they needed me.''
East Carolina (51-11) advanced with the victory and will face South Carolina in Columbia in a best-of-three super regional beginning Saturday. The winner of the super regional advances to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
''There wouldn't be any better place for me to celebrate my trip to Omaha than on that field right there because I've got a history of those people not liking me a whole lot and I've got a history of not liking them a whole lot,'' said Pirates coach Randy Mazey, who played and began his coaching career at Clemson, one of South Carolina's main rivals.
''It's going to be exciting. It's a great college baseball atmosphere,'' Mazey said.
UNC-Wilmington (40-23) hit the field less than 12 hours after it defeated Tennessee 4-3. Rain delayed the start of UNC-W and ECU for more than two hours Sunday, and the Seahawks had to play the Volunteers less than an hour after the loss to the Pirates.
UNC-W scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Vols, but couldn't muster anything against Bunn and the rested Pirates on Monday.
''I felt like we were prepared and would be physically but I think it caught up with us from a mental standpoint,'' said Seahawks coach Mark Scalf, whose team was eliminated from the postseason. ''Mentally, it was a grind for us today.''
East Carolina jumped on UNC-Wilmington early. Ryan Norwood had an RBI single in the third and Billy Richardson scorched a two-out, two-run double into center field in the fourth inning to make it 3-0 ECU.
The Pirates then broke it open with four runs in the sixth. John Poppert led off with a solo home run and Jake Smith had a pinch-hit two-run double in the frame.
''I'm going to leave this tournament right now thinking that we're pretty hot the whole way one through nine and I feel good about really every guy that steps to the plate right now, which is a pretty good feeling,'' Mazey said.
Bunn (10-0) retired the first 10 batters that he faced. The Conference USA pitcher of the year threw 79 pitches, 62 for strikes. He was named the regional's most outstanding player.
''I only got about two hours of sleep last night, waiting for this game,'' said Bunn, who was selected by the Montreal Expos in the fifth round of Monday's baseball draft. ''But I came out, I thought I would be tight but it just felt right.''
Mazey let Bunn warm up in the ninth before he went out to the mound to remove from him the game. Bunn doffed his cap as he ran off the field to a standing ovation from the capacity crowd.
''He went above and beyond anything I've ever seen him do,'' Mazey said. ''From the first pitch of the game to the last he had command of all of his pitches, even the changeup today.''
2004 All-NCAA Kinston Regional Team
C: John Poppert, East Carolina
1B:Ryan Norwood, East Carolina
2B:Lee McLean, UNC Wilmington
3B: Mark Minicozzi, East Carolina
SS: Aaron Smith, UNC Wilmington
OF: Ryan Jones, East Carolina
OF: Drew Costanzo, East Carolina
OF: Tim Preston, UNC Wilmington
DH: Matt Poulk, UNC Wilmington
P: Greg Bunn, East Carolina
P: Luke Hochevar,Tennessee
Most Outstanding Player:Greg Bunn, East Carolina
