Delaware Comes to Town for Three-Game Series
February 20, 2004 | Baseball
Pirates Continue 12-Game Home-Stand
East Carolina welcomes Delaware to Harrington Field this weekend for a three-game series beginning Friday at 3 p.m. The Pirates and Blue Hens will play Saturday at 2 p.m. and wrap up the series Sunday at 1 p.m.
ECU is coming off a 10-2 win over intra-state foe Campbell Wednesday. The Pirates pounded out 11 hits and got a six strikeout performance from Carter Harrell in the win. Delaware will see only its second game action of the season after having two games taken away last weekend due to inclement weather at Coastal Carolina. Coastal Carolina defeated the Blue Hens in the series opener, 12-7.
ECU will send the same pitching rotation to the mound from the season opening sweep of UNC Asheville. Brody Taylor will start Friday's game with reigning Conference USA Player of the Week, Greg Bunn, to follow on Saturday. Freshman right-hander Ricky Brooks will make his second start of the season Sunday.
Delaware has not announced its pitching rotation for the weekend, but right-handers Mike Mihalik (18.00 ERA, 4 K's), Jason Rogers and Scott Rambo are expected to be in the mix. Mihalik started the season opener against Coastal and allowed six earned runs in three innings while striking out four.
Noting the Pirates
? East Carolina plays its fifth game of a 12-game home-stand to open the 2004 season.
? Junior right-hander Greg Bunn earned Conference USA Pitcher of the Week honors Monday after his performance against UNC Asheville. Bunn struck out eight Bulldogs in five innings in his first career start.
? Junior right-hander Carter Harrell earned his second win of the season for the Pirates on the mound. Harrell pitched five scoreless innings and struck out six in Wednesday's 10-2 win over Campbell. Harrell hasn't allowed an earned run in seven innings in the young season.
? ECU hit six home runs in the opening series against UNCA led by junior first baseman Ryan Norwood. Norwood homered twice in ECU's final game of the series.
? ECU will use the same pitching rotation of left-hander Brody Taylor, right-hander Greg Bunn and right-hander Ricky Brooks for the second straight weekend.
?Sophomore second baseman Trevor Lawhorn seeing his first action as a Pirate in 2004, has been hot lately. Lawhorn leads the team hitting .533 with five RBI on eight hits including one double and one home run. He is slugging .800 with an on-base percentage of .588.
? 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 Blue Hens
Delaware (0-1) enters the weekend series looking for its first win of the season. The Blue Hens dropped its season opener to Coastal Carolina, 12-7. Right fielder Dave Harden led Delaware going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI on two home runs and a double. Ryan Graham and Brock Donovan each added a pair of hits. The final two games of the series were cancelled due to inclement weather leaving the Blue Hens to come to Greenville with an 0-1 record. Delaware has not announced its pitching rotation for the weekend, but right-handers Mike Mihalik (18.00 ERA, 4 K's), Jason Rogers and Scott Rambo are expected to be in the mix. Mihalik started the season opener against Coastal and allowed six earned runs in three innings while striking out four. Rogers started 12 games in 2003 and posted a 3.90 ERA. He struck out 65 batters in 83 innings. Rambo posted a 3-5 record with a 6.02 ERA in 2003. He tallied 63 stikeouts in 58.1 innings while walking 23.
Pirate, Blue Hen Series
ECU leads the all-time series 10-4 with the Pirates sweeping the three-game series last season. The Pirates won 7-5, 12-0 and 14-3 at Harrington Field.
