Softball Set to Host Nationally-Ranked James Madison
April 14, 2015 | Softball
April 14, 2015
Digging In
The East Carolina softball team takes a small break from American Athletic Conference action when it welcomes No. 23/24 James Madison to ECU Softball Stadium on Wednesday, April 15 for a mid-week, non-conference doubleheader. First pitch of the first game is set for 3 p.m., while the second contest will begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one. Live stats and video will be available on ECUPirates.com.
The Series vs. The Dukes
East Carolina and James Madison will meet for the sixth time in program history and the Pirates lead the all-time series 5-0. The two teams will meet for the first time since 2007, when ECU shutout JMU, 5-0 in Greenville, N.C. James Madison, which is nationally ranked this season, looks for its first win in program history over the Pirates. ECU and JMU have met five times between 2004-07 with the Pirates going 3-0 at home and 2-0 on the road against the Dukes.
About East Carolina
East Carolina is looking to snap a four-game losing streak after the Pirates have dropped six of their last seven contests to fall to 11-32 on the year and 3-9 in American Athletic Conference action. ECU's last victory came on April 4 at Houston when the Pirates edged the Cougars, 4-3.
As a team, ECU is batting .225 with 132 runs scored, 125 RBIs, 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. The Pirates hold the edge on their opponents in base on balls as ECU has drawn 117 walks to its counterparts' 101. The pitching staff has compiled a 4.47 team ERA with four shutouts on the year. The Pirates have four pitchers who have combined for 164 strikeouts in 288.1 innings of work.
Senior catcher Abby Wynne leads the Pirates with a .288 batting average (36-for-125). She owns a team-best 36 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 20 walks and stolen five bases on as many attempts. Junior shortstop Casey Alcorn has also contributed to ECU's offense with a .266 clip while leading the squad in RBIs (19) and doubles (8). Junior center fielder Meredith Mitchell is second on the team with a .271 batting average (29-for-107). 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 28 games with 22 starts. Christian owns a team-leading 3.25 ERA with a 5-11 record. She has pitched nine complete games including three shutouts this season. She has fanned a team-leading 64 batters over 118.1 innings of work while allowing 26 walks. Freshman righty Ashley Cruise owns 50 strikeouts in 77.2 innings pitched. She is 3-11 on the year with a 4.33 ERA with 22 appearances, 13 starts, four complete games and one shutout.
Scouting No. 23/24 James Madison
No. 23/24 James Madison comes to Greenville, N.C., riding a 23-game winning streak as the Dukes have won 26 of their last 27 contests. Their last loss came on March 8, when they lost a 6-4 decision to Stony Brook. JMU is 32-6 overall and 11-0 in Colonial Athletic Association action.
The Dukes are batting .330 as a team and have scored 207 runs on 327 hits with 194 RBIs. The squad has racked up 34 home runs and 56 doubles to go along with 13 triples. Additionally, James Madison has stolen 71 bases while limiting opponents to just six stolen bases. The pitching staff has a combined ERA of 1.72 with 22 complete games and 11 shutouts. JMU has compiled 284 strikeouts with 52 walks in 248.1 innings pitched.
Junior Erica Field is the Dukes' leading hitter as she boasts a .411 (53-for-129) batting average to go along with her team-best .667 slugging percentage and .449 on-base percentage. She also leads the squad with 36 RBIs and 16 doubles, while posting 21 runs, five home runs and striking out just 12 times on the year. She is 5-for-5 on the base paths.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Megan Good is James Madison's primary pitcher as she is 19-0 on the year with a 1.02 ERA. She has made 25 appearances with 18 starts including 13 complete games, three shutouts and two saves. She has fanned 135 batters, while walking 24 in 124.0 innings of work. Her teammate Jailyn Ford, a junior southpaw, owns an 11-4 record and has compiled a 2.42 ERA in 21 appearances with 14 starts, eight complete games, four shutouts and a pair of saves. Ford has struck out 129 over 92.2 innings pitched while allowing just 20 base on balls. Additionally, Ford has contributed to the Dukes' offense with a .336 batting average, while leading the team in runs scored with 34. She also adds 15 RBIs, 11 doubles and is 8-for-10 on the base paths.
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. 15 UCF and No. 23/24 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 144. She is also listed sixth all-time in wins (55), games started (107), innings pitched (669.0) and strikeouts (352). She also comes in seventh in complete games (58). This season, the Greenville, N.C., native is 5-11 with a team-best 3.25 ERA with nine complete games and three shutouts. She has recorded a team-leading 64 strikeouts in 118.1 innings of work with 26 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 belted four homers in as many games when East Carolina played Memphis and Houston. 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 owns a .266 batting average and a .461 slugging percentage. She leads the team in several offensive categories including RBIs (19) and doubles (8). She also has added 34 hits, 23 runs scored, nine walks and five home runs. In addition to her offensive prowess, Alcorn has also been an integral part of the ECU defense earning 42 starts at shortstop. Alcorn leads the team in assists with 117 and has recorded 56 putouts. Her 117 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 .288 (36-for-125) 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 (36), runs (24), home runs (8), slugging percentage (.520) and on-base percentage (.388).
Walk This Way
Freshman left fielder Mary-Sloan Bradford has drawn 30 walks in 40 games to lead the Pirates. Her 30 walks are also good for tops in the American Athletic Conference. Bradford is averaging 0.75 walks per game which ranks her 44th in the nation. The product of Windermere, Fla., owns an on-base percentage of .387, 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 Nation 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 resumes American Athletic Conference action this weekend when it travels to Tampa, Fla., to take on USF on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. Saturday features a doubleheader that is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Sunday's series finale has first pitch set for 1 p.m. Live stats will be available on ECUPirates.com.
| East Carolina vs. No. 23/24 James Madison | |
| Date | Wednesday, April 15 |
| Times | 3 p.m. & 5 p.m. |
| Location | Greenville, N.C. | ECU Softball Stadium |
| Game Notes | East Carolina  | The American |
| Coverage | Live Stats (Game 1) Live Stats (Game 2) Video |
| @ECUScoreboard | |
Digging In
The East Carolina softball team takes a small break from American Athletic Conference action when it welcomes No. 23/24 James Madison to ECU Softball Stadium on Wednesday, April 15 for a mid-week, non-conference doubleheader. First pitch of the first game is set for 3 p.m., while the second contest will begin approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one. Live stats and video will be available on ECUPirates.com.
The Series vs. The Dukes
East Carolina and James Madison will meet for the sixth time in program history and the Pirates lead the all-time series 5-0. The two teams will meet for the first time since 2007, when ECU shutout JMU, 5-0 in Greenville, N.C. James Madison, which is nationally ranked this season, looks for its first win in program history over the Pirates. ECU and JMU have met five times between 2004-07 with the Pirates going 3-0 at home and 2-0 on the road against the Dukes.
About East Carolina
East Carolina is looking to snap a four-game losing streak after the Pirates have dropped six of their last seven contests to fall to 11-32 on the year and 3-9 in American Athletic Conference action. ECU's last victory came on April 4 at Houston when the Pirates edged the Cougars, 4-3.
As a team, ECU is batting .225 with 132 runs scored, 125 RBIs, 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases. The Pirates hold the edge on their opponents in base on balls as ECU has drawn 117 walks to its counterparts' 101. The pitching staff has compiled a 4.47 team ERA with four shutouts on the year. The Pirates have four pitchers who have combined for 164 strikeouts in 288.1 innings of work.
Senior catcher Abby Wynne leads the Pirates with a .288 batting average (36-for-125). She owns a team-best 36 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 20 walks and stolen five bases on as many attempts. Junior shortstop Casey Alcorn has also contributed to ECU's offense with a .266 clip while leading the squad in RBIs (19) and doubles (8). Junior center fielder Meredith Mitchell is second on the team with a .271 batting average (29-for-107). 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 28 games with 22 starts. Christian owns a team-leading 3.25 ERA with a 5-11 record. She has pitched nine complete games including three shutouts this season. She has fanned a team-leading 64 batters over 118.1 innings of work while allowing 26 walks. Freshman righty Ashley Cruise owns 50 strikeouts in 77.2 innings pitched. She is 3-11 on the year with a 4.33 ERA with 22 appearances, 13 starts, four complete games and one shutout.
Scouting No. 23/24 James Madison
No. 23/24 James Madison comes to Greenville, N.C., riding a 23-game winning streak as the Dukes have won 26 of their last 27 contests. Their last loss came on March 8, when they lost a 6-4 decision to Stony Brook. JMU is 32-6 overall and 11-0 in Colonial Athletic Association action.
The Dukes are batting .330 as a team and have scored 207 runs on 327 hits with 194 RBIs. The squad has racked up 34 home runs and 56 doubles to go along with 13 triples. Additionally, James Madison has stolen 71 bases while limiting opponents to just six stolen bases. The pitching staff has a combined ERA of 1.72 with 22 complete games and 11 shutouts. JMU has compiled 284 strikeouts with 52 walks in 248.1 innings pitched.
Junior Erica Field is the Dukes' leading hitter as she boasts a .411 (53-for-129) batting average to go along with her team-best .667 slugging percentage and .449 on-base percentage. She also leads the squad with 36 RBIs and 16 doubles, while posting 21 runs, five home runs and striking out just 12 times on the year. She is 5-for-5 on the base paths.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Megan Good is James Madison's primary pitcher as she is 19-0 on the year with a 1.02 ERA. She has made 25 appearances with 18 starts including 13 complete games, three shutouts and two saves. She has fanned 135 batters, while walking 24 in 124.0 innings of work. Her teammate Jailyn Ford, a junior southpaw, owns an 11-4 record and has compiled a 2.42 ERA in 21 appearances with 14 starts, eight complete games, four shutouts and a pair of saves. Ford has struck out 129 over 92.2 innings pitched while allowing just 20 base on balls. Additionally, Ford has contributed to the Dukes' offense with a .336 batting average, while leading the team in runs scored with 34. She also adds 15 RBIs, 11 doubles and is 8-for-10 on the base paths.
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. 15 UCF and No. 23/24 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 144. She is also listed sixth all-time in wins (55), games started (107), innings pitched (669.0) and strikeouts (352). She also comes in seventh in complete games (58). This season, the Greenville, N.C., native is 5-11 with a team-best 3.25 ERA with nine complete games and three shutouts. She has recorded a team-leading 64 strikeouts in 118.1 innings of work with 26 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 belted four homers in as many games when East Carolina played Memphis and Houston. 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 owns a .266 batting average and a .461 slugging percentage. She leads the team in several offensive categories including RBIs (19) and doubles (8). She also has added 34 hits, 23 runs scored, nine walks and five home runs. In addition to her offensive prowess, Alcorn has also been an integral part of the ECU defense earning 42 starts at shortstop. Alcorn leads the team in assists with 117 and has recorded 56 putouts. Her 117 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 .288 (36-for-125) 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 (36), runs (24), home runs (8), slugging percentage (.520) and on-base percentage (.388).
Walk This Way
Freshman left fielder Mary-Sloan Bradford has drawn 30 walks in 40 games to lead the Pirates. Her 30 walks are also good for tops in the American Athletic Conference. Bradford is averaging 0.75 walks per game which ranks her 44th in the nation. The product of Windermere, Fla., owns an on-base percentage of .387, 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 Nation 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 resumes American Athletic Conference action this weekend when it travels to Tampa, Fla., to take on USF on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. Saturday features a doubleheader that is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Sunday's series finale has first pitch set for 1 p.m. Live stats will be available on ECUPirates.com.
Players Mentioned
Infield
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OF
/ Softball
Pitcher
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
Outfield
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C
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
Catcher/Outfield
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