East Carolina Baseball Notebook (Weekly Recap)
March 05, 2012 | Baseball
March 5, 2012
East Carolina Pirates (8-2)
Last Week's National Rankings: No. 30 (Perfect Game);
Receiving Votes (USA Today/Coaches, Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA)
Current Streak: W-3
Last Week: 3-0
Mar. 2 - Win vs. Stony Brook, 1-0
Mar. 3 - Win vs. Stony Brook, 2-1
Mar. 4 - Win vs. Stony Brook, 4-3
Upcoming Week
Road vs. Troy (Mar. 7)
Road vs. Alabama (Mar. 9) - DRASH Alabama Baseball Classic
Neutral site vs. Oral Roberts (Mar. 10) - DRASH Alabama Baseball Classic
Neutral site vs. No. 14 Louisville (Mar. 11) - DRASH Alabama Baseball Classic
Pirate Hitter-of-the-Week
Philip Clark, Junior, OF
Clark led the Pirates in hitting on the week batting .500 (4-for-8) with an RBI and one run scored in three starts ... In the series opener he recorded his third multi-hit game of the season (25th career) going 2-for-3 and scoring the Pirates lone run in a 1-0 victory ... On Saturday he was 1-for-2 and drove in the game-winning RBI in the seventh on a sac fly scoring Jay Cannon in a 2-1 win ... In the series finale, he was 1-for-3 extending his current hitting streak to four games with a single in the eighth frame ... On the season he ranks third on the team with a .313 (10-for-32) batting average driving in five runs and scoring a pair.
Pirate Pitcher-of-the-Week
Kevin Brandt, Senior, LHP
Brandt tossed a season-high 8.0 innings of shutout work against Stony Brook to set the tone for ECU's second series sweep of the season ... The southpaw faced four over the minimum and retired nine of the first 10 batters faced ... He allowed four hits with two walks in his eight-inning outing (fifth longest career start) recording four punch outs and improving to 2-1 on the season ... It was the second time this year that he has combined on a shutout ... He faced just four batters in an inning twice as his defense recorded three double plays ... All four of his punch outs were swinging and he allowed just one runner to reach second base (fourth inning) ... To go along with his four strikeouts, he induced eight fly outs and 10 ground outs ... The win was Brandt's 21st of his career ranking him ninth among the NCAA Active Career leaders ... With his four strikeouts, Brandt now has 221 for his career which ranks seventh among the NCAA Active Career leaders ... On the season he sports and impressive 1.25 ERA where he has allowed six runs (three earned) on 14 hits and has recorded 17 strikeouts to just four walks in 21.2 innings.
PIRATE NOTES
ECU's pitching staff posted a 0.33 ERA allowing four runs (one earned) on 20 hits with 11 strikeouts and eight walks during its three-game sweep over Stony Brook ... On the season as a whole, they sport a Conference USA best 1.20 ERA in 09 innings with 65 strikeouts to just 22 walks ... In 10 games, ECU has allowed 21 runs (12 earned) and are holding opposing hitters to a composite .201 batting average ... The bullpen has been impressive so far surrendering just four runs (one earned) on 19 hits in 32.1 innings and boasting an outstanding 0.28 ERA.
Sophomore INF/RHP Drew Reynolds picked up two more saves on the weekend pushing his season total to five, which leads Conference USA ... He is a perfect 5-for-5 in save opportunities ... In six appearances this season, he boasts a 0.00 ERA tossing 5.0 scoreless innings allowing just three hits, striking out six, walking two and has combined on a pair of shutouts this season ... Reynolds' fourth save came in the series opener against Stony Brook where he allowed one hit and struck out one in an scoreless inning of relief ... On Saturday he tossed another scoreless ninth allowing a walk.
Junior Jharel Cotton recorded his second win of the season in Sunday's 4-3 victory against Stony Brook ... Cotton scattered four hits over six innings allowing one run (unearned) with four strikeouts ... In three outings this year, the St. Thomas, V.I. native boasts a 1.10 ERA (ranking ninth in C-USA) with 10 strikeouts and two walks in 16.1 innings ... He has allowed three runs (two earned) on 12 hits and sports a 2-0 record.
Junior Tyler Joyner produced another quality start against Stony Brook (Mar. 3) allowing one run (earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 6.1 innings ... In three outings, he owns a 2-0 records with nine strikeouts to just three walks and has allowed two runs (both earned) on 11 hits in 18.0 innings ... His 1.00 ERA ranks seventh in C-USA and fourth on the team.
Sophomore Tanner Merritt tossed 3.2 shutout innings on the weekend in a pair of appearances ... The Greenville, N.C. native picked up his first collegiate win on Saturday allowing a hit in 1.2 innings of relief work and in the series finale notched his first collegiate save surrendering a pair of base knocks in 2.0 scoreless frames ... On the year he has appeared in six games allowing one run (unearned) on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in 8.2 innings ... He is holding opposing hitters to a .133 composite average.
Senior Tim Younger drove in a pair of runs in the series finale against Stony Brook on his lone hit of the weekend, a single in the second inning ... Despite his 1-for-7 performance at the plate, Younger still leads the Pirates with a .444 average (12-for-27) with six RBI and six runs scored ... He has drawn six walks and been hit once in 27 official plate appearances for a .559 on-base percentage, which leads the team and C-USA ... In the field he sports a 1.000 fielding percentage recording 30 put outs and 30 assists in 60 chances turning seven double plays.
Head Coach Billy Godwin recorded his 486th career and 224th Pirate win on Sunday against Stony Brook ... He ranks second all-time on ECU's wins list and trails only ECU Hall of Famer Gary Overton (427).
