Game Day Central: ECU Hosts UCF In Conference Action
April 24, 2015 | Baseball
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| East Carolina vs. UCF Apr. 24-26, 2015 | 6:30 p.m./ 4 p.m./ 11 a.m. (ET) Greenville, N.C. RADIO: WNCT 1070 AM |
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PROMOTIONS
? The three-game series against UCF has been tabbed as Military Appreciation Weekend ... Military personnel and their families can buy one ticket and get another free all weekend ... On Friday there will be an Enlistment Ceremony pregame and the first 100 students will receive a free ECU koozie ... Saturday is ECU Letterwinner's Day (pregame recognition to baseball letterwinners in attendance) ... Also all fans in attendance will receive an American mini flag ... Sunday is Pirate Kids Club Day (free ticket with membership card).
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE GAME
? East Carolina will close out its five-game home stand this weekend playing host to UCF in American Athletic Conference action ... The two former Conference USA foes last played in 2013 with the Pirates taking the three-game set (L/2-0, W/10-8, W/6-5 in 10 inn) in Greenville ... ECU Head Coach Cliff Godwin spent three seasons (2009-11) as an associate head coach for the Knights under current head coach Terry Rooney ... The two also worked at Notre Dame and LSU together under skipper Paul Mainieri ... ECU comes into the weekend having won 6 of its last 7 games including a road series win at UConn and back-to-back walk-off wins vs. Atlantic Coast Conference members NC State (6-5) and Duke (3-2/10 inn.) in midweek action ... UCF has labored as of late dropping 6 of its last 10 contests which includes consecutive series setbacks against UConn an Tulane ... ECU holds a 22-10 all-time meeting in the series, which dates back to 2002.
? UCF is ranked No. 24 in the latest NCBWA poll ... The Knights have been ranked since the preseason and set a program-record earlier in the year with a No. 6 national ranking ... UCF looks to rebound after a mid-week loss to North Florida ... The Knights are 4-9 in their past 13 games after posting a series win over No. 15 Houston ... RHP Zach Rodgers (7-0) was selected to The American Honor Roll for the third-straight week after tallying his first-career shutout, a three hitter, that included 11 strikeouts ... The last four outings for Rodgers (4-0) features three complete-game wins (one shutout) and includes 34 strikeouts in 35 innings and allowing just two earned runs ... UCF ranks nationally in Home Runs (3rd - 51), Slugging Pct. (5th - .481), Hits (14th - 432), On-Base Pct. (17th - .395), Runs (19th - 286), Batting Avg. (23nd - .302) and Scoring (37th - 6.8) ... Tommy Williams, who was named to the USA Baseball midseason Golden Spikes Award watch list, paces the Knights with a .358 avg. and 12 doubles on the season, while driving in 32 runs ... Dylan Moore, a Perfect Game Mid-Season All-American, ranks nationally in runs (17th - 44), total bases (21st - 97) and homers (39th - 9) ... The Knights have 51 homers, including at least one in 27 of 42 games this year. #UCF has connected on four homers in a game twice vs. Fairfield (3/13) and vs. Houston (3/27) ... RHP Cre Finfrock (6-3) has tallied 51 strikeouts in 59.2 innings and registered 10+ punch outs vs. Fairfield (11) and at Cincinnati (10) ... UCF has recorded four walk offs: James Vasquez has singles vs. No. 15 Houston (3/27) and vs. Jacksonville (4/7), while JoMarcos Woods singled to beat Ole Miss (2/27) and Derrick Salberg drew a bases loaded walk vs. Presbyterian (3/20) ... Jordan Savinon has caught 13 runners attempting to steal, while only 17 have made it safely ... He has additionally erased two runners via pick offs.
PIRATE QUICK HITS (prior to weekend)
? East Carolina enters this weekend's action having won 6 of its last 7 games, including walk-off victories vs. NC State and Duke ... The Pirates are also winners in 7 of their last 10 contest.
? Evan Kruczynski has won 6 of his 10 starts (two NDs) ... Tossed 2nd CG in the AAC opener against Memphis allowing one run with six strikeouts ... Other was vs. Monmouth (2-Hit, SHO) ... Recorded 6 quality starts.
? Reid Love earned AAC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors following is 4-hit CG SHO against Tulane (Apr. 2) ... On the season he is 3-3 with 4 saves in 16 apps. (5 starts) with a 2.81 ERA ... At the plate he is batting .314 with 3 HRs, 12 RBI, 19 runs scored ... Started both of ECU's walk-off wins with base hits (3B/NCSU, 1B/Duke).
? Jacob Wolfe appeared in 12 games (10 starts) posting a 2-1 record with a 2.91 ERA in 58.2 IP ... Recorded 1st career save at UConn in the series finale ... Tossed 6.0 SHO frames vs. MON with 6Ks in first collegiate win ... Worked into the fifth inning in seven-straight starts.
? David Lucroy owns a 2-3 record with a 2.03 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) ... Fanned season- high nine batters vs. Memphis ... Had shortest outings of the season vs. TUL and at USF going 2.2 innings in each contest.
? Kirk Morgan has recorded at least one hit in 12 of last 14 games with six two-hit contests ... Walk-off RBI single vs. NC State (3rd career GW RBI)... Returned to lineup at UConn after missing five games with an injury (vs. Tulane).
? Luke Lowery leads the team in nine offensive categories ... Walk-off single vs. Duke (7th career GW RBI) ... On Mar. 16th earned AAC Hitter, Collegiate Baseball and CollegeSportsMadess National Player and NCAA.com Player-of-the-Week honors .
? Travis Watkins was named to the initial Johnny Bench Award Watch List (Mar. 11) marking the third-straight season on the list ... AAC Honor Roll selection (Mar. 9) ... Recorded a team-best 13 multi-hit games and four multi-RBI contests.
? Charlie Yorgen was named to the AAC Honor Roll (Apr. 2) ... Tied for team lead with 23 walks and tied for 3rd with 24 runs in 42 games.
? ECU's starting pitching boasts a 2.80 ERA ... Allowed 105 runs (73 ERs) with 151 strikeouts to 52 walks in 234.2 innings.
? The bullpen has surrendered 59 runs (47 earned) in 140.1 innings posting a 3.01 ERA ... They have allowed 17 of 81 inherited runners to score (21.0 percent).
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday: RHP Zach Rodgers (7-0, 2.07 ERA) vs. LHP Evan Kruczynski (6-2, 2.52 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Cre Finfrock (6-3, 3.17 ERA) vs. LHP Reid Love (3-3, 2.81 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs TBA
ECU'S HISTORY ON THE DIAMOND
? In its storied history, the Pirates won the 1961 NAIA National Championship, have claimed 23 conference titles (13 regular season/ 10 tournament), made 26 NCAA Regionals and advanced to three Super Regionals (2001, 2004 and 2009).
THE PIRATES AT A GLANCE
? The Cliff Godwin Era officially got underway on Feb. 13 with a three-game series against No. 2 Virginia ... Godwin, who was named the 16th head coach in school history on June 25, 2014, was a four-year letterwinner for the Pirates from 1998-2001 ... He has been a part of seven NCAA Regional and two College World Series teams at the Division I level as an assistant coach most recently helping Ole Miss to its first CWS appearance since 1972 ... As a player, he helped former ECU skipper Keith LeClair's teams post a 169-76 four-year ledger, including 46-plus wins in each of his final three seasons (16-16 in '99, 46-18 in '00 and 47-13 in '01) ... ECU won a pair of CAA Tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Regionals every season from 1999 to 2001 ... The Pirates were the top seed in their regional all three years, including a No. 6 national seed in 2001 where they advanced to the Super Regional round before being eliminated by Tennessee.
