East Carolina Welcomes Tulsa for Conference Series
April 10, 2015 | Softball
April 10, 2015
Digging In
The East Carolina softball team plays host to American Athletic Conference foe Tulsa in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader Saturday, April 11 at 1 p.m., followed by a single game on Sunday, April 12 at 11 a.m. Live stats and video will be available for all three games on ECUPirates.com.
Weekend Promotions
Saturday's contest is "Strike Out Cancer Day" as all fans wearing pink will receive $2 admission. Additionally, the first 100 fans in attendance will be given a pink T-shirt. It is also Pirate Kids Club Day as PKC members receive free admission with the presentation of their membership card. The final game of the three-game series, which takes place on Sunday, is Girl Scouts Day as well as Exceptional Community Baseball League Day. Pre-ordered group tickets are offered at a $1 rate for Girl Scouts and ECBL members can also receive $1 admission. Lunch bags and folders will be given away to the first 100 fans in attendance.
The Series vs. The Golden Hurricane
East Carolina and Tulsa will meet for the 27th time in program history on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Hurricane holds a slight edge over the Pirates in the all-time series as Tulsa leads, 15-11. Last season, ECU took the middle game of a three-game series at Tulsa by a score of 10-2, however, the Golden Hurricane came away victorious in games one and three with scores of 11-9 and 8-3, respectively. The Pirates own an 8-5 advantage over Tulsa when playing in Greenville, N.C., as 10 of ECU's 15 losses to the Golden Hurricane have come when playing on the road.
About East Carolina
East Carolina is coming off of a 6-1 non-conference loss against N.C. State on Wednesday which dropped the Pirates' record to 11-29 overall. However, ECU is 3-6 in the American Athletic Conference as the Pirates sit in fifth place in the league standings.
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As a team, ECU is batting .231 with 131 runs scored, 124 RBIs, 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. The Pirates hold the edge on their opponents in base on balls as ECU has drawn 113 walks to its counterparts' 96. The pitching staff has compiled a 4.39 team ERA with four shutouts on the year. The Pirates have four pitchers who have combined for 158 strikeouts in 269.1 innings of work.
Senior catcher Abby Wynne leads the Pirates offensively with a .297 batting average (35-for-118). She owns a team-best 35 hits, 24 runs scored and eight home runs. Her last three homers came at Houston as she belted a home run in each game of the series including the eventual game-winner in the seventh inning of the finale. Additionally, she has driven in 18 runs, drawn 19 walks and stolen five bases on as many attempts. Junior shortstop Casey Alcorn has also contributed to ECU's offense with a .273 clip while leading the squad in RBIs (19) and doubles (7). Junior centerfielder Meredith Mitchell is second on the team with a .284 batting average (29-for-102). She owns 10 runs, 11 RBIs and has a team-best six stolen bases on the year.
In the circle, senior right-handed pitcher Sarah Christian has been most effective for East Carolina as she has appeared in 26 games with 21 starts. Christian owns a team-leading 2.91 ERA with a 5-10 record. She has pitched nine complete games including three shutouts this season. She has fanned a team-leading 63 batters over 113.0 innings of work while allowing 23 walks. Freshman righty Ashley Cruise owns 50 strikeouts in 74.2 innings pitched. She is 3-11 on the year with a 4.41 ERA with 20 appearances, 13 starts, four complete games and one shutout.
Scouting Tulsa
Tulsa comes to Greenville, N.C. after dropping a mid-week game at Wichita State, 7-2. The Golden Hurricane is 23-15 overall and 5-4 in American Conference action. Tulsa is the only school in league action to have defeated No. 17/18 UCF, which leads the conference with a 37-6 season record, while going 8-1 in conference play. The Golden Hurricane edged the Knights, 5-4, in Tulsa, Okla., on April 3.
The Golden Hurricane is hitting .298 which is second in the league. They have also posted 234 runs on 211 RBIs. Tulsa has belted a conference leading 36 home runs on the year while also leading the league in slugging percentage (.481), RBIs (211), doubles (57), walks (154) and total bases (501). The Tulsa pitching staff has combined for a team ERA of 2.98 with 13 complete games, eight shutouts and four saves to go along with 206 strikeouts in 253.2 innings pitched.
Senior infielder Julie Kernen leads the Golden Hurricane offensively with a .364 batting average to go along with a conference-best 49 RBIs and 12 doubles. She also adds 29 runs scored, 10 home runs and 16 walks. Sophomore Maggie Withee is the squad's leader in runs with 33. She also owns 12 RBIs and as many walks. Â
Tulsa utilizes three pitchers in Bailey Erwin, Caitlin Sill and Emily Watson. Erwin is a senior who has seen the most action with 22 appearances and 13 starts. She has a 3.03 ERA and is 11-3 on the year. Erwin has also fanned a team-leading 85 batters in 94.2 innings of work including two complete games and a shutout. Junior pitcher Sill owns a 6-9 record to go along with a 2.89 ERA in 20 appearances and 13 starts. She has logged six complete games with a pair of shutouts while striking out 57 in 89.2 innings of work. Watson, a freshman, has compiled a 2.55 ERA and is 6-3 on the season in 19 appearances with 12 starts, five complete games and three shutouts. She has 63 strikeouts and 27 walks over 66.0 innings.
Quality Opponents
This season East Carolina softball will face several quality opponents throughout a competitive schedule. The slate features a number of teams which rank in the top 50 in RPI as well as nine opponents which appeared in the 2014 NCAA Regionals. The Pirates' conference schedule is just as demanding as four (UCF, Houston, Tulsa, USF) of the seven American Athletic Conference schools saw action in the NCAA Regionals a year ago. Three of the Pirates opponents are ranked in the Top 25 poll in No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 17 UCF and No. 24 James Madison. Additionally, East Carolina has two teams (South Carolina, Virginia Tech) on its schedule that are currently receiving votes.
Movin' on Up
Senior right-handed pitcher Sarah Christian is moving up in the East Carolina record books as she is ranked fifth in the ECU record book for most appearances with 142. She is also listed sixth all-time in wins (55), games started (106), innings pitched (663.2) and strikeouts (352). She also comes in seventh in complete games (58). This season, the Greenville, N.C., native is 5-10 with a team-best 2.91 ERA with nine complete games and three shutouts. She has recorded a team-leading 63 strikeouts in 113.0 innings of work with 23 walks.
Closing in on the Top 10
Casey Alcorn, the Pirates' junior shortstop, has belted five home runs this season to bring her career total to 16. She is just one homer away from breaking into the ECU record book. The school record is 42, which was set by former Pirate Isonette Polonius during her three-year career from 1997-99. If Alcorn blasts another bomb, she will tie Kaui Tom's 17, that were hit from 2007-10, and be in 10th in the all-time batting records.
Home Run Derby
Senior catcher Abby Wynne has contributed to nearly half of the Pirates' home runs this season as she has blasted eight of ECU's 20 homers. The Greenville, N.C., native has been on a hot streak as of late belting four homers in as many games. She got started at Memphis on March 29, when she sent a 2-2 count over the fence in the top of the eighth inning to life ECU to a 3-1 victory over the Tigers. Wynne has continued to belt home runs as she tallied a home run in game one and game two of a doubleheader at Houston on April 3 and followed that effort with a solo shot in the eighth on April 4 to give East Carolina a 4-3 win over the Cougars. Wynne's eight home runs rank her fourth in the American Athletic Conference.
Casey at the Bat
Junior shortstop Casey Alcorn has been a consistent force at the plate this season for the Pirates. The Hummelstown, Pa., native owns a .273 batting average and a .471 slugging percentage. She leads the team in several offensive categories including RBIs (19)Â and doubles (7). She also has added 33 hits, 23 runs scored, eight walks and five home runs. In addition to her offensive prowess, Alcorn has also been an integral part of the ECU defense earning 39 starts at shortstop. Alcorn leads the team in assists with 109 and has recorded 49 putouts. Her 109 assists rank her second in the American Athletic Conference.
Wynne-ing
Redshirt senior catcher Abby Wynne has been stout behind the plate this season. She has done an excellent job throwing out runners attempting to steal as she has caught 10 runners to rank second in the American Athletic Conference. In addition to her solid defense, Wynne has also produced on the offensive end as well. She the team-leader in batting average with a .297 (35-for-118) clip. She also has posted 24 runs, 18 RBIs, eight home runs and three doubles with five stolen bases in as many attempts. She leads the Pirates in hits (35), runs (24), home runs (8), slugging percentage (.542) and on-base percentage (.396).
Walk This Way
Freshman left fielder Mary-Sloan Bradford has drawn 30 walks in 38 games to lead the Pirates. Her 30 walks are also good for tops in the American Athletic Conference. Bradford is averaging 0.79 walks per game which ranks her 37th in the nation. The product of Windermere, Fla., owns an on-base percentage of .394, once on base, Bradford does her job on the base paths has she has scored 17 times and has swiped a team-best six bases in nine attempts.
Standing Room Only
Pirate National packed the stands on Wednesday, April 8 when East Carolina hosted N.C. State to set a new stadium attendance record of 861. The record eclipses the previous milestone set on May 14, 2011, during ECU Softball Stadium's inaugural season, of 844 against Tulsa. Earlier this season, the Pirates filled the stadium with 614 fans to rank fifth all-time in attendance. Below is a list of the highest attended games in ECU Softball Stadium history.
Highest Attended Games
April 8, 2015 - 861 vs. N.C. State
May 14, 2011 - 844 vs. Tulsa
April 30, 2011 - 673 vs. Houston
February 19, 2011 - 658 vs. Hofstra
February 7, 2015 - 614 vs. South Carolina
All-Tournament Honors
At the Outrigger Resorts Hawaii Spring Fling Tournament junior centerfielder Meredith Mitchell was the lone Pirate named to the All-Tournament Team. She led the team with a .455 batting average after going 5-for-11 in five games. Additionally, she scored three runs, drove in one run and tallied six total bases. Mitchell drew two walks and recorded a double to own a slugging percentage of .545, while registering a .538 on-base percentage during the tournament. The all-tournament team nod was her second of the year as she was also named to the Pirate Classic All-Tournament Team along with five of her teammates. The Pirates had a successful season-opening tournament as ECU saw six players receive Pirate Classic All-Tournament Team honors. After winning the tournament, freshmen Ashley Cruise and Mary-Sloan Bradford were named Most Valuable Pitcher and Most Valuable Player, respectively. Additionally, sophomore Ali Ramirez, juniors Casey Alcorn and Mitchell, along with redshirt senior Abby Wynne were also named to the Pirate Classic All-Tournament Team.
Returning Home
Keli Harrell, East Carolina's all-time saves leader, returned to her alma mater on January 22 as she was hired as an interim assistant coach. Her hiring marks Harrell's second stint on the Pirates' coaching staff as she previously served as a graduate assistant from 2007-10. During that time, she played an integral role in guiding ECU to lead the league in several pitching categories, including earned run average (1.45), strikeouts (467), and wins (44). In her final year on staff, Harrell helped lead East Carolina to its first-ever Conference USA Tournament Championship as the Pirates made an appearance in the NCAA Regionals for just the third time in program history. She looks to bring the same success to the Pirates in 2015.
Quick Hits
· On January 15, head softball coach Beth Keylon-Randolph was granted an extended administrative leave of absence due to personal reasons.
· Sophomore catcher Alex Mycek will redshirt the 2015 season due to an injury.
· Freshman Ashton Stowe is out indefinitely due to injuries.
On Deck
East Carolina welcomes No. 24/25 James Madison to ECU Softball Stadium for a mid-week, non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 15. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Live stats and video will be available on ECUPirates.com.
| East Carolina vs. Tulsa | |
| Dates | Saturday, April 11 & Sunday, April 12 |
| Times | 1 p.m. & 11 a.m. |
| Location | Greenville, N.C. | ECU Softball Stadium |
| Game Notes | East Carolina  | The American |
| Coverage | Saturday Live Stats (Game 1)Â | Saturday Video Saturday Live Stats (Game 2) Sunday Live Stats | Sunday Video |
| @ECUScoreboard | |
Digging In
The East Carolina softball team plays host to American Athletic Conference foe Tulsa in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader Saturday, April 11 at 1 p.m., followed by a single game on Sunday, April 12 at 11 a.m. Live stats and video will be available for all three games on ECUPirates.com.
Weekend Promotions
Saturday's contest is "Strike Out Cancer Day" as all fans wearing pink will receive $2 admission. Additionally, the first 100 fans in attendance will be given a pink T-shirt. It is also Pirate Kids Club Day as PKC members receive free admission with the presentation of their membership card. The final game of the three-game series, which takes place on Sunday, is Girl Scouts Day as well as Exceptional Community Baseball League Day. Pre-ordered group tickets are offered at a $1 rate for Girl Scouts and ECBL members can also receive $1 admission. Lunch bags and folders will be given away to the first 100 fans in attendance.
The Series vs. The Golden Hurricane
East Carolina and Tulsa will meet for the 27th time in program history on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Hurricane holds a slight edge over the Pirates in the all-time series as Tulsa leads, 15-11. Last season, ECU took the middle game of a three-game series at Tulsa by a score of 10-2, however, the Golden Hurricane came away victorious in games one and three with scores of 11-9 and 8-3, respectively. The Pirates own an 8-5 advantage over Tulsa when playing in Greenville, N.C., as 10 of ECU's 15 losses to the Golden Hurricane have come when playing on the road.
About East Carolina
East Carolina is coming off of a 6-1 non-conference loss against N.C. State on Wednesday which dropped the Pirates' record to 11-29 overall. However, ECU is 3-6 in the American Athletic Conference as the Pirates sit in fifth place in the league standings.
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As a team, ECU is batting .231 with 131 runs scored, 124 RBIs, 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. The Pirates hold the edge on their opponents in base on balls as ECU has drawn 113 walks to its counterparts' 96. The pitching staff has compiled a 4.39 team ERA with four shutouts on the year. The Pirates have four pitchers who have combined for 158 strikeouts in 269.1 innings of work.
Senior catcher Abby Wynne leads the Pirates offensively with a .297 batting average (35-for-118). She owns a team-best 35 hits, 24 runs scored and eight home runs. Her last three homers came at Houston as she belted a home run in each game of the series including the eventual game-winner in the seventh inning of the finale. Additionally, she has driven in 18 runs, drawn 19 walks and stolen five bases on as many attempts. Junior shortstop Casey Alcorn has also contributed to ECU's offense with a .273 clip while leading the squad in RBIs (19) and doubles (7). Junior centerfielder Meredith Mitchell is second on the team with a .284 batting average (29-for-102). She owns 10 runs, 11 RBIs and has a team-best six stolen bases on the year.
In the circle, senior right-handed pitcher Sarah Christian has been most effective for East Carolina as she has appeared in 26 games with 21 starts. Christian owns a team-leading 2.91 ERA with a 5-10 record. She has pitched nine complete games including three shutouts this season. She has fanned a team-leading 63 batters over 113.0 innings of work while allowing 23 walks. Freshman righty Ashley Cruise owns 50 strikeouts in 74.2 innings pitched. She is 3-11 on the year with a 4.41 ERA with 20 appearances, 13 starts, four complete games and one shutout.
Scouting Tulsa
Tulsa comes to Greenville, N.C. after dropping a mid-week game at Wichita State, 7-2. The Golden Hurricane is 23-15 overall and 5-4 in American Conference action. Tulsa is the only school in league action to have defeated No. 17/18 UCF, which leads the conference with a 37-6 season record, while going 8-1 in conference play. The Golden Hurricane edged the Knights, 5-4, in Tulsa, Okla., on April 3.
The Golden Hurricane is hitting .298 which is second in the league. They have also posted 234 runs on 211 RBIs. Tulsa has belted a conference leading 36 home runs on the year while also leading the league in slugging percentage (.481), RBIs (211), doubles (57), walks (154) and total bases (501). The Tulsa pitching staff has combined for a team ERA of 2.98 with 13 complete games, eight shutouts and four saves to go along with 206 strikeouts in 253.2 innings pitched.
Senior infielder Julie Kernen leads the Golden Hurricane offensively with a .364 batting average to go along with a conference-best 49 RBIs and 12 doubles. She also adds 29 runs scored, 10 home runs and 16 walks. Sophomore Maggie Withee is the squad's leader in runs with 33. She also owns 12 RBIs and as many walks. Â
Tulsa utilizes three pitchers in Bailey Erwin, Caitlin Sill and Emily Watson. Erwin is a senior who has seen the most action with 22 appearances and 13 starts. She has a 3.03 ERA and is 11-3 on the year. Erwin has also fanned a team-leading 85 batters in 94.2 innings of work including two complete games and a shutout. Junior pitcher Sill owns a 6-9 record to go along with a 2.89 ERA in 20 appearances and 13 starts. She has logged six complete games with a pair of shutouts while striking out 57 in 89.2 innings of work. Watson, a freshman, has compiled a 2.55 ERA and is 6-3 on the season in 19 appearances with 12 starts, five complete games and three shutouts. She has 63 strikeouts and 27 walks over 66.0 innings.
Quality Opponents
This season East Carolina softball will face several quality opponents throughout a competitive schedule. The slate features a number of teams which rank in the top 50 in RPI as well as nine opponents which appeared in the 2014 NCAA Regionals. The Pirates' conference schedule is just as demanding as four (UCF, Houston, Tulsa, USF) of the seven American Athletic Conference schools saw action in the NCAA Regionals a year ago. Three of the Pirates opponents are ranked in the Top 25 poll in No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 17 UCF and No. 24 James Madison. Additionally, East Carolina has two teams (South Carolina, Virginia Tech) on its schedule that are currently receiving votes.
Movin' on Up
Senior right-handed pitcher Sarah Christian is moving up in the East Carolina record books as she is ranked fifth in the ECU record book for most appearances with 142. She is also listed sixth all-time in wins (55), games started (106), innings pitched (663.2) and strikeouts (352). She also comes in seventh in complete games (58). This season, the Greenville, N.C., native is 5-10 with a team-best 2.91 ERA with nine complete games and three shutouts. She has recorded a team-leading 63 strikeouts in 113.0 innings of work with 23 walks.
Closing in on the Top 10
Casey Alcorn, the Pirates' junior shortstop, has belted five home runs this season to bring her career total to 16. She is just one homer away from breaking into the ECU record book. The school record is 42, which was set by former Pirate Isonette Polonius during her three-year career from 1997-99. If Alcorn blasts another bomb, she will tie Kaui Tom's 17, that were hit from 2007-10, and be in 10th in the all-time batting records.
Home Run Derby
Senior catcher Abby Wynne has contributed to nearly half of the Pirates' home runs this season as she has blasted eight of ECU's 20 homers. The Greenville, N.C., native has been on a hot streak as of late belting four homers in as many games. She got started at Memphis on March 29, when she sent a 2-2 count over the fence in the top of the eighth inning to life ECU to a 3-1 victory over the Tigers. Wynne has continued to belt home runs as she tallied a home run in game one and game two of a doubleheader at Houston on April 3 and followed that effort with a solo shot in the eighth on April 4 to give East Carolina a 4-3 win over the Cougars. Wynne's eight home runs rank her fourth in the American Athletic Conference.
Casey at the Bat
Junior shortstop Casey Alcorn has been a consistent force at the plate this season for the Pirates. The Hummelstown, Pa., native owns a .273 batting average and a .471 slugging percentage. She leads the team in several offensive categories including RBIs (19)Â and doubles (7). She also has added 33 hits, 23 runs scored, eight walks and five home runs. In addition to her offensive prowess, Alcorn has also been an integral part of the ECU defense earning 39 starts at shortstop. Alcorn leads the team in assists with 109 and has recorded 49 putouts. Her 109 assists rank her second in the American Athletic Conference.
Wynne-ing
Redshirt senior catcher Abby Wynne has been stout behind the plate this season. She has done an excellent job throwing out runners attempting to steal as she has caught 10 runners to rank second in the American Athletic Conference. In addition to her solid defense, Wynne has also produced on the offensive end as well. She the team-leader in batting average with a .297 (35-for-118) clip. She also has posted 24 runs, 18 RBIs, eight home runs and three doubles with five stolen bases in as many attempts. She leads the Pirates in hits (35), runs (24), home runs (8), slugging percentage (.542) and on-base percentage (.396).
Walk This Way
Freshman left fielder Mary-Sloan Bradford has drawn 30 walks in 38 games to lead the Pirates. Her 30 walks are also good for tops in the American Athletic Conference. Bradford is averaging 0.79 walks per game which ranks her 37th in the nation. The product of Windermere, Fla., owns an on-base percentage of .394, once on base, Bradford does her job on the base paths has she has scored 17 times and has swiped a team-best six bases in nine attempts.
Standing Room Only
Pirate National packed the stands on Wednesday, April 8 when East Carolina hosted N.C. State to set a new stadium attendance record of 861. The record eclipses the previous milestone set on May 14, 2011, during ECU Softball Stadium's inaugural season, of 844 against Tulsa. Earlier this season, the Pirates filled the stadium with 614 fans to rank fifth all-time in attendance. Below is a list of the highest attended games in ECU Softball Stadium history.
Highest Attended Games
April 8, 2015 - 861 vs. N.C. State
May 14, 2011 - 844 vs. Tulsa
April 30, 2011 - 673 vs. Houston
February 19, 2011 - 658 vs. Hofstra
February 7, 2015 - 614 vs. South Carolina
All-Tournament Honors
At the Outrigger Resorts Hawaii Spring Fling Tournament junior centerfielder Meredith Mitchell was the lone Pirate named to the All-Tournament Team. She led the team with a .455 batting average after going 5-for-11 in five games. Additionally, she scored three runs, drove in one run and tallied six total bases. Mitchell drew two walks and recorded a double to own a slugging percentage of .545, while registering a .538 on-base percentage during the tournament. The all-tournament team nod was her second of the year as she was also named to the Pirate Classic All-Tournament Team along with five of her teammates. The Pirates had a successful season-opening tournament as ECU saw six players receive Pirate Classic All-Tournament Team honors. After winning the tournament, freshmen Ashley Cruise and Mary-Sloan Bradford were named Most Valuable Pitcher and Most Valuable Player, respectively. Additionally, sophomore Ali Ramirez, juniors Casey Alcorn and Mitchell, along with redshirt senior Abby Wynne were also named to the Pirate Classic All-Tournament Team.
Returning Home
Keli Harrell, East Carolina's all-time saves leader, returned to her alma mater on January 22 as she was hired as an interim assistant coach. Her hiring marks Harrell's second stint on the Pirates' coaching staff as she previously served as a graduate assistant from 2007-10. During that time, she played an integral role in guiding ECU to lead the league in several pitching categories, including earned run average (1.45), strikeouts (467), and wins (44). In her final year on staff, Harrell helped lead East Carolina to its first-ever Conference USA Tournament Championship as the Pirates made an appearance in the NCAA Regionals for just the third time in program history. She looks to bring the same success to the Pirates in 2015.
Quick Hits
· On January 15, head softball coach Beth Keylon-Randolph was granted an extended administrative leave of absence due to personal reasons.
· Sophomore catcher Alex Mycek will redshirt the 2015 season due to an injury.
· Freshman Ashton Stowe is out indefinitely due to injuries.
On Deck
East Carolina welcomes No. 24/25 James Madison to ECU Softball Stadium for a mid-week, non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 15. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Live stats and video will be available on ECUPirates.com.
Players Mentioned
Infield
/ Softball
OF
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Pitcher
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P
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Outfield
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C
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1B
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OF
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Catcher/Outfield
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