Softball Hosts UAB For Key C-USA Series
April 09, 2010 | Softball
April 9, 2010
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - After winning eight straight and 14 of its past 15 games, the East Carolina softball team (22-12, 5-1 C-USA) hosts UAB (22-11, 6-3 C-USA) for another important Conference USA series this weekend. The Blazers are one of three teams tied for second in the league behind the Pirates. Action begins with a 1:00 p.m. Saturday doubleheader on Youth Day. The teams complete the series Sunday with a 12:00 p.m. contest.
Wednesday at Hampton, the Pirates recorded two five-inning victories as they took the first game 9-0 and the second 12-0. Junior Toni Paisley and sophomore Faith Sutton extended their combined shutout innings streak to 32 with the blankings. Senior Marina Gusman-Brown led the offense with four hits, including two home runs in the second contest, five runs batted in and five runs scored during the two games. Classmates Cristen Aona and Kaui Tom each also hit a home run in the fifth inning of game two.
Pirates Against The Blazers ...
East Carolina holds a slim 15-13 advantage in the all-time series that began in 2002. The Blazers won six of the first seven meetings before the Pirates took seven of the next eight in 2004 and 2005. Most recently, ECU has claimed six of the past seven contests.
Last season in Birmingham, East Carolina grabbed the all-time series lead as it picked up a pair of 3-1 Saturday wins before a 2-1 Sunday triumph. In game one a year ago, UAB’s Catherine Douglass hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 1-1 before Aona and Sarah Bibee drove in runs in the top of the eighth to lift ECU to the win. In game two, Jessica Johnson hit a two-run home run in the first inning and it was all the Pirates would need as Brooke Swann picked up the win. The finale had Aona and Johnson each driving in a run as Paisley limited UAB to one run on four hits.
11 And Counting ...
Paisley has won her past nine starts and 11 decisions as she has allowed only five earned runs over the 67.1 innings pitched, good for a 0.52 earned run average. She has also struck out 97 batters during the span, an average of 1.4 whiffs per inning.
What Can Brown Do For You? Power The Offense ...
During Wednesday’s doubleheader at Hampton, Gusman-Brown collected four hits, five runs batted in and five runs scored. She belted two home runs in the second contest to go along with a double in each game. Gusman-Brown tied career highs with four RBI and three hits during game two. She also became the first player to hit two home runs in a game since Erin St. Ledger against Kent State Feb. 8, 2008.
Shutout Streak At 32 Innings ...
Not since UNC Greensboro scored in the bottom of the sixth inning in the second game of the Pirates’ March 30 doubleheader has Paisley or Sutton allowed a run. The duo posted three-straight shutouts at UCF last weekend and blanked Hampton twice in five-inning contests Wednesday. It was the second consecutive season in which ECU held UCF scoreless over the three-game league series.
More On The Shutouts ...
By not allowing a run Wednesday at Hampton, the Pirates extended their shutout streak to five-straight games, tied with the 1992 squad for the longest in program history. That group picked up five consecutive blankings from March 1-7.
This season, of the Pirates’ 22 wins, 14 have been shutouts.
Finding The Home-Run Swing ...
Over the past 12 games, East Carolina has found its home-run power, hitting 17. Gusman-Brown leads the way with six over that span while Tom has hit four and senior Charina Sumner two.
The team’s homer numbers are also improved from last season. Through the first 34 games of 2009, ECU hit just 12 home runs. Through 34 contests this year, the Pirates have 22.
