Pirates End Regular Season In Memphis
May 07, 2010 | Softball
May 7, 2010
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The East Carolina softball team (36-16, 13-5 C-USA) plays its final regular season games this weekend in Memphis (24-22, 8-12 C-USA). The Pirates enter the weekend in first place and are poised to claim their first-ever Conference USA regular season championship with two wins in the three-game series. The teams begin the three-game series with a doubleheader Saturday starting at 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, the Pirates closed the ECU Softball Field in style with an 11-game home winning streak after a pair of victories over in-state rival Elon. An unearned run gave ECU a 1-0 win in the opener before a three-hit, three-runs-scored performance from senior Vanessa Moreno led the team to an 8-0 victory in the second contest. Seniors Cristen Aona and Marina Gusman-Brown also pitched in, combining to drive in five runs in the nightcap. The Pirates finished the season undefeated against in-state teams, going 11-0 and outscoring Campbell, N.C. Central, UNC Greensboro, N.C. State, UNC Wilmington and the Phoenix 71-7.
The Pirates Against The Tigers ...
East Carolina owns an 8-3 advantage in the all-time series, which began in 2006 when Memphis started its softball program. After dropping three of the first four meetings, the Pirates have won the past seven contests while outscoring the Tigers 37-17.
In ECU's last trip to Memphis, in 2008, the Pirates claimed 9-4 and 12-11 victories. The Tigers committed 11 errors during the two games, leading to six unearned runs. The Sunday contest was canceled due to inclement weather.
Last year in Greenville, East Carolina recorded 2-0, 2-1 and 6-1 triumphs. In game one, Kaui Tom and Charina Sumner delivered RBI singles in the fifth inning to back Toni Paisley's blanking. The Pirates trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the seventh in the second contest but came back as Gusman-Brown and Sarah Bibee each singled home a run for the walk-off win. In the series finale, Aona had three RBI and scored a run to lead the offense. Gusman-Brown and Tom also each drove in a run during Paisley's third win of the weekend.
Two And Clinch ...
Entering this weekend, East Carolina needs two victories to clinch its first Conference USA regular season championship. The Pirates lead the league with a 13-5 record. It would be the first regular season title for the ECU program since winning three consecutive Big South championships from 1997-99.
Paisley Shuts Down Conference Foes ...
Junior Toni Paisley has recorded 11 victories in Conference USA games this season, with 10 being solo or combined shutouts. She has allowed runs in only three league games: in a 4-3, nine-inning triumph in the series opener against Marshall, in a 2-0, 11-inning loss in game one to UAB and in a 4-2 setback at Houston in the series finale. The contest against the Thundering Herd was the Pirates' C-USA opener, making Paisley's past 10 league wins shutouts.
3-4-5 = Offense ...
In Thursday's second game against Elon, Moreno, Aona and Gusman-Brown hit third, fourth and fifth in East Carolina's lineup. The trio combined to go 7-11, drive in six runs, score six times, draw two walks and not strike out in the Pirates' 8-0 victory.
One Last Hurrah ...
Moreno has been playing her best softball of the season during the final month of her collegiate career. Since the April 17 series against UTEP began, Moreno has posted a team-best .400 batting average. She is tied for the squad lead in hits with 12 and leads the Pirates with three home runs, nine runs scored, a .767 slugging percentage and a .486 on-base percentage.
Shutting Out A Series, Twice ...
Southern Miss was blanked in all three games by East Carolina last weekend. It was the second time this year the Pirates swept a three-game league series without allowing a run as they shut out UCF three times April 2-3. In C-USA history, the only other team to sweep two three-game sets in the same season without allowing a run was Southern Miss in 2000, when the Golden Eagles blanked UAB and Charlotte three times each. That Southern Miss squad eventually advanced to the Women's College World Series.
Cashing In When Given The Chance ...
Since the start of April, East Carolina has driven in 21 of 40 runners from third base with fewer than two outs. That converts to 52.5 percent. Opponents have not had nearly the same number of chances or successes, driving in runs in only two of their eight opportunities, good for 25.0 percent.
