Softball Hosts Charlotte In Final Home Series Of 2005
April 29, 2005 | Softball
All four seniors will be recognized during a pregame ceremony prior to the start of Sunday's game.
East Carolina, which has won seven straight conference games at home, leads the all-time series with Charlotte, 18-7, but are just 3-6 against the 49ers as a Conference USA member. The Pirates won last year's series, 2-1.
The Pirates (51-15, 13-5 C-USA) currently reside third in the Conference USA standings, one game behind second place Louisville and three games back of league-leading DePaul. Charlotte (17-36, 4-14 C-USA) stands tied for eighth place.
In addition to representing the Pirates' place in the standings, the number three also looms large for other reasons. Three victories would give the Pirates their third C-USA sweep of the season, while three home runs would set a new C-USA team record for single season home runs. The Pirates have smashed 57 dingers this season and need three to reach 60 and break the mark set by Houston in 2003.
Sophomore Keli Harrell is just three strikeouts shy of 300 for the season. Harrell, who continues to set the school single season record for strikeouts, leads the league in wins (25), innings pitched (241.2), batters struck out (297), saves (7) and appearances (45).
Manuse, who has homered in every Conference USA series this season, continues to torch opposing pitchers the season. Last weekend against DePaul, she went 4-for-8 at the plate to raise her batting average to .383, while hitting her league-leading 14th home run of the year. She needs just three RBI to become the third player in school history to drive 60 runs in a season and three base-on-balls to become the first player in C-USA and ECU history to be issued 50 walks during the year.
ECU leads the conference in runs (328), hits (483), RBI (300), doubles (93), walks (215) as well as the aforementioned home runs.
