Pirates Take On Iowa, No. 3 Georgia
February 11, 2011 | Softball
Feb. 11, 2011
| East Carolina Games 3-4: Iowa and Georgia | |
| Date | Saturday, Feb. 12 |
| Time | 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. ET |
| Location | Athens, Ga. (Jack Turner Softball Stadium) |
| Game Notes | East Carolina  | Iowa | Georgia |
| Statistics | East Carolina | Iowa | 2010 Georgia |
| Internet Coverage | Iowa Gametracker | Georgia Gametracker Live Chat |  Season-Opening Weekend Preview |
| Mobile Connect | Live Chat for Mobile Devices |
| Pirate Softball Central |
Gameday Central | Roster |
ATHENS, Ga. - After opening the 2011 campaign Friday with a 1-1 record, East Carolina continues action at the Red & Black Showcase Saturday. The Pirates face Iowa (1-1) at 9:00 a.m. before playing host and No. 3 Georgia (1-0) at approximately 1:00 p.m.
Pirates Taking On Iowa
In the only meeting between the two teams, March 14, 1992, at the South Florida Tournament in Tampa, Fla., the Pirates suffered a 5-0 setback.
The Hawkeyes' Lisa McFarlan limited ECU to just one hit and fanned seven during the contest. Iowa scored single runs in the first, third and fifth before putting the game out of reach with a two-run sixth. East Carolina's Jenny Parsons allowed all five Iowa runs, but none earned, and had the lone hit for the Pirates.
ECU Against Georgia
Two years ago, the Pirates traveled to Athens to take part in the Bulldog Invitational. East Carolina faced host Georgia twice while at the event, falling in two tight games, 2-0 and 2-1.
In the first contest, the teams were tied 0-0 through five innings before the Bulldogs scored twice in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Sojourner Moody and a sacrifice fly by Alisa Goler. The second game was much like the first as the teams were scoreless until the eighth inning. With the international tie breaker rules placing a runner at second base to start the frame, ECU scored in the top of the eighth on a Kaui Tom single that plated Christina Merrida. UGA loaded the bases with no outs in its half, but a fielder's choice and fly out initially kept a run from scoring. With two outs, Kristen Schnake singled to right field, driving in the pair.
Catch Us If You Can
When falling behind during the last two seasons, opponents have had a very hard time coming back on the Pirates, and have not done so at all after the fifth inning. East Carolina is 42-7 when scoring first and 36-1 when leading after four innings, 29-0 when ahead after five frames and 30-0 when leading after six.
Additionally, the Pirates have posted a 16-3 record when scoring in the first inning.
East Carolina And The RPI
The Pirates finished 34th in the final 2010 RPI rankings, the highest of any Conference USA squad. Last year, ECU went 9-15 against teams in the top 50 of the RPI. ECU was 10-1 against teams ranked 51-100 and was 25-2 from 101 to the end of the rankings. During the season, the Pirates captured one road triumph over Texas (RPI: 14), three over UCF (39), one over Fresno State (41) and two over Houston (50).
The 1-0 Win
After not recording a 1-0 victory since topping Boston College in eight innings at home Feb. 15, 2008, the Pirates picked up a school-record eight such triumphs in the 25 contests from April 14 to the end of the 2010 season. Twice before, in 2005 and 2001, ECU recorded five 1-0 wins during the year.
ECU also started this season with a 1-0 triumph over Lipscomb.
In 2010, the Pirates defeated N.C. State 1-0 in the opener April 14, UTEP in games one and three of the series April 17-18, Houston in the first contest April 24, Southern Miss in game two May 1, Elon in game one May 6, Memphis in the series finale May 9 and No. 12 Texas at the NCAA Austin Regional May 21.
New Faces ... Everywhere
A year ago East Carolina used the experience of seven seniors, six who regularly started, to win 44 games as well as the program's first Conference USA regular season and tournament titles.
This season the Pirates have just two seniors, Toni Paisley and Sissy Jimenez, and welcome a Conference USA-high 10 freshmen. Up to seven of the 10 could start for the Pirates and all are expected to experience significant playing time. As a team, East Carolina returns just 23.7 percent of its runs scored, 26.2 percent of its hits and 35.5 percent of its runs batted in from the 2010 campaign.
