Softball Opens Season Against Campbell On Saturday
February 04, 2005 | Softball
Under the direction of ninth-year head coach Tracey Kee, the Pirates have been picked to finish sixth in Conference USA again this season by the league's head coaches. ECU finished 47-24-1 overall last season and 10-14 in Conference USA, with a trio of players earning second team all-conference honors.
The Pirates welcome back two of those all-conference players, senior first baseman Kate Manuse and junior catcher Krista Jessup. Manuse set the school and conference record for doubles in a season with 26 two-base hits, while ranking second in the league in total bases (115) and RBIs (54). Jessup tossed out over 25 percent of would-be base stealers, recorded a .982 fielding percentage, and hit .290 with 36 RBIs.
Manuse is one of four seniors on this season's roster, which includes Shirley Burleson, Mandi Nichols and Leigh Savoy. Burleson started 71 games last season in left field and hit .281, while swiping 15-of-17 bases. Savoy, who will spend most of her time as middle infielder, will be expected contribute more this season as will Mandi Nichols. A Greenville native, Nichols will be expected to provide leadership both on and off the field and improve her offensive production from a year ago.
Likely to take the mound on Saturday will be junior Brently Bridgeforth and sophomore Keli Harrell. The two combined for 32 victories last season and a 2.51 earned run average. Harrell fanned 161 batters in over 168 innings as a freshman in 2004 and held opposing hitters to a .230 batting average. Brently was also particularly tough on opposing offenses, limiting them to a .240 clip.
The Pirates welcome nine new faces to their roster, including four junior college transfers. Ashley Quick and Stephanie Hayes spent the last two seasons at Chipola College, while Alison Monce of Cary, N.C. played the last two seasons at Gulf Coast Community College. Another North Carolina native, Christin Poe, attended Louisburg College last season before transferring this season.
Hayes rounds out the Pirates' three-pitcher rotation, while Monce will be found roaming the outfield with Quick and Poe each playing a more versatile role.
In addition to Monce and Poe, three other North Carolinians are new to the ECU roster. Paige Baggett, who attended D.H. Conley in Winterville, is one of two freshmen utility players on the roster along with Erin St. Ledger of Wilmington. Laurel Carlson hails from Fuquay-Varina and will be found playing on the infield.
Saturday's doubleheader against Campbell is the first of 20 home dates this season which includes a pair of tournaments and Conference USA series against Saint Louis, Louisville, Houston and Charlotte.
