ECU Goes For Series Sweep Sunday
March 19, 2011 | Softball
March 19, 2011
| East Carolina Game 32: Marshall | |
| Date | Sunday, March 20 |
| Time | 12:00 p.m. ET |
| Location | Huntington, W.Va. (Dot Hicks Field) |
| Game Notes | East Carolina  | Marshall |
| Statistics | East Carolina | Marshall |
| Internet Coverage | Gametracker |  Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Chat |
| Mobile Connect | Live Chat for Mobile Devices |
| Pirate Softball Central |
Gameday Central | Roster |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - East Carolina goes for its first Conference USA sweep of the season Sunday at Marshall. The Pirates (23-8, 3-2 C-USA) take on the Thundering Herd (10-15, 0-5 C-USA) at noon. Saturday, ECU recorded 10-1 and 3-2 victories.
An Earned Run Allowed
In the top of the seventh inning of last Saturday's first game against Memphis, the Tigers scored an earned run with two outs on an Ashleigh King double to left field. It was the first earned run surrendered by the Pirates against a Conference USA opponent in 69 innings. The streak began in the bottom of the fifth at Houston on April 25, 2010, after Reina Gaber drove in a run with two outs for the Cougars.
Never Give Up
This season, East Carolina has a 1-6 record when the opponent scores first, but the Pirates have certainly not gone down easily lately. In the last three games when the foe has been the first on the board, ECU has scored three runs in the sixth and seventh innings to try and make a comeback. The Pirates have lost those three games by a combined four runs.
Hits Tell The Story
ECU has outhit its opponent 22 times this season. In those contests the Pirates own a 20-2 record with the only two losses occurring against Memphis in the second game Saturday and versus St. John's Feb. 18. East Carolina is also 3-0 in games when the teams have the same number of base knocks. Since the start of the 2007 campaign, the Pirates are 147-13 when outhitting their competition and 18-8 when the hits are tied.
Coming Back, Yes; Allowing It, No
This month, the Pirates have already pulled off a pair of comeback wins, downing Northern Iowa 4-1 after trailing 1-0 and topping Maryland 3-2 after entering the seventh inning down 2-1. Opponents have not had the same luck against East Carolina as the Pirates are 19-0 when holding a lead after the fourth inning. ECU is also 4-0 in contests that are tied after four full frames.
No Free Passes
East Carolina failed to draw a walk against Maine March 10. It was the first time all season the Pirates had not recorded at least one base on balls. For the year, ECU is averaging 3.2 walks per contest and entered the weekend tied for the Conference USA lead with 96 total free passes.
On the other hand, senior Toni Paisley and junior Faith Sutton have done their part limiting walks allowed to opponents. The two have issued just 34 walks, the fewest in Conference USA, in 204.2 innings, an average of 1.2 base on balls per seven frames.
Leaders In Conference USA
In addition to the previously mentioned league-best marks in most walks drawn and fewest walks allowed, East Carolina also entered the weekend leading Conference USA in on-base percentage (.376), hits (195) and hit by pitches (24).
The Pirate pitchers had also recorded the most wins (21), strikeouts (234) and strikeouts looking (74).
