Pirates Look To Take Series From Blazers
April 16, 2011 | Softball
April 16, 2011
| East Carolina Game 47: UAB | |
| Date | Sunday, April 17 |
| Time | 2:00 p.m. ET |
| Location | Birmingham, Ala. (UAB Softball Field) |
| Game Notes | East Carolina  | UAB |
| Statistics | East Carolina | UAB |
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - East Carolina looks to win the series against UAB Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in the finale after the teams split Saturday's doubleheader. The Pirates (30-16, 10-7 C-USA) are one of just two Conference USA teams to defeat the Blazers (31-12, 12-2 C-USA) this season.
Paisley A Top 25 Finalist For ASA Award
Wednesday, senior Toni Paisley was named one of the Top 25 Finalists for the Amateur Softball Association of America's 2011 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. The honor, which is considered the most prestigious in Division I women's collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Paisley is the lone representative from Conference USA and is one of just two players outside a "power six conference" school to make the final 25 list.
Entering The NCAA Record Book
With 15 strikeouts during Saturday's opener at UAB, Paisley pushed her career total to 1,171 whiffs. The 15 also moved her up to 28th on NCAA Division I all-time list.
This season, Paisley is averaging 9.2 strikeouts per game and is likely to make at least eight more starts. At her current rate, that would give Paisley 73 additional strikeouts. Those whiffs could push her all the way up to 21st on the NCAA career list.
We Got You
During Saturday's first game versus the Blazers, sophomore Kai Clark threw out Lauren Webster on an attempted steal of second base. Clark (7) and freshman Rebecca Lee (1) have already combined to gun down eight would-be base stealers this season. A year ago, the Pirates totaled seven runners caught stealing.
Double The Fun
The Pirates have displayed plenty of gap power this season, producing 52 doubles, nearly twice the total of their opponents (28). ECU is averaging 1.1 doubles per game.
In Conference USA action, East Carolina has an even higher average, pounding out 24 doubles in 17 games, or 1.4 two-base hits per tilt. During the entire 2010 league season, the Pirates collected 12 doubles in 21 games.
Many More Chances
This season, East Carolina has had 456 at-bats with runners in scoring position and 112 opportunities with a runner on third base and fewer than two outs. Opponents, on the other hand, have had just 242 and 53 chances, respectively, against Paisley and junior Faith Sutton.
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 have picked up 12 such triumphs in their last 72 games (16.7 percent of contests and 23.5 percent of victories). ECU tallied a school-record eight in 2010, all from April 14 to the end of the season. So far this year, the Pirates have tallied four 1-0 wins, with the latest being last Sunday's victory against UCF.
The Pirates have downed Lipscomb Feb. 11, Iowa Feb. 12, Tulsa in the opener March 26 and the Knights April 10 by 1-0 scores so far this year. In 2010, East Carolina 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.
