Pirate Baseball Hosts UNCA for 2004 Opener
February 12, 2004 | Baseball
PIRATES OPEN 2004 SEASON
East Carolina returns to the diamond at Harrington Field for the first time since May 2003 as the Pirates open their season this Friday, Feb. 13, in the first of a three-game series against visiting UNC Asheville. ECU finished 34-27-1 under then first-year head coach Randy Mazey in 2003 and advanced to its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Pirates renew a series with the Bulldogs to open up the 2004 season. ECU and UNCA have met nine previous times on the baseball diamond with the Bulldogs claiming wins in five of those meetings.
ON THE AIR
Sunday's series finale will be available throughout eastern North Carolina on the newly expanded Pirate Sports Network. Carrying over 30 games on the network this season is WGHB (1250 AM - Pirate Radio 1250) in Farmville/Greenville. Patrick Johnson will call play-by-play in 2004 and will be joined by guest commentators througout the season. Kinston Free All games on the Pirate Sports Network can be heard live on the internet through ECUpirates.com, the official web site of ECU athletics. Friday and Saturday's games will not be broadcast.
ON THE WORLD WEB
Live scoring and statistical play-by-play will be available for Friday and Saturday's games this weekend on the internet through the official web site of the Pirates, ECUpirates.com. The statistical feed, which updates live after each batter, is made possible through a direct connection from the official statistician's scorebook computer and will be available for a majority of ECU's home and road games in 2004.
NOTING THE PIRATES
? Junior outfielder Darryl Lawhorn was selected the 2004 Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year by the league coaches. Lawhorn also was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association Preseason All-America second team and the Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America third team.
? The Pirate pitching staff set a new school record for strikeouts in 2003 with 480 strikeouts. ECU returns five pitchers from last year's staff and welcomes 14 new hurlers in 2004.
? ECU's defense ranked No. 18 in 2003 in fielding percentage. The Pirates return six position starters including their entire outfield in Jamie Paige, Darryl Lawhorn and Ryan Jones. Ryan Norwood and Mark Minicozzi return on the corners while Jake Smith and John Poppert will share the duties behind the plate. ECU has a new middle infield in Billy Richardson at shortstop and Trevor Lawhorn at second base.
? Senior Left fielder Jamie Paige will wear the No. 23 jersey in 2004 in honor of former coach Keith LeClair. Paige replaces Ben Sanderson who wore No. 23 as a senior during the 2003 season.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
UNC Asheville posted a 27-28 record in 2003 under 2003 Big South Coach of the Year Matt Myers. UNCA finished second in the Big South. The Bulldogs return only two position starters but has the bulk of its pitching staff back in 2004. UNCA returns two of its aces from last season in senior right-hander Steven Cook and senior right hander Aaron Rembert. Cook started 15 games and posted a 9-5 record while recording a 4.53 ERA. He also struck out 65 batters in 105.1 innings while walking 28 batters. Rembert started 10 contests and posted a 4.77 ERA in 71.2 innings of work. He struck out 38 while only walking 11 batters. He has 16 career wins and needs four victories to become the school's all-time leader for victories. On offense, UNCA returns senior Nick Jaksa who hit .324 including one home run, 13 RBI and nine doubles. Junior left fielder Steve Sherman hit .296 with three homers and 25 RBI last season while junior infielder Josh Coyle added four homers and 15 RBI and hit .227.
PIRATE, BULLDOG SERIES
ECU renews a series with UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs and Pirates last played in 1999 with UNCA edging out ECU, 2-1, at Harrington Field. UNCA leads the all-time series, 5-4, with four victories coming in Greenville. Of the nine series game, eight have been played at Harrington Field. UNCA defeated the Pirates in Wilmington, 7-1, during the 1996 season.
LECLAIR'S JERSEY NO. 23 AWARDED TO SENIOR JAMIE PAIGE Baseball jersey No. 23, which is the number worn by former ECU head coach Keith LeClair throughout his coaching and playing career, became an honorary number for the Pirate baseball program in 2003. The number is awarded annually to a deserving player who best displays the hustle, determination and desire that made LeClair a great coach and player. Outfielder Ben Sanderson wore the No. 23 in 2003 and passes the honor on to senior outfielder Jamie Paige in 2004. Paige, a three-year letterman, is a career .300 hitter and batted .307 with 42 runs scored, 71 hits, eight doubles, three home runs and 33 RBI as a junior in 2003. LeClair, whose courageous battle against a neuromuscular disorder, has garnered support and admiration throughout the ECU community.
