ECU Sets 2019 Baseball Banquet For February 9
December 02, 2018 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. – ECU baseball fans will get a chance to meet the 2019 Pirates on Saturday, Feb. 9 as ECU will host its 2019 Pirate Baseball Banquet inside the New Student Center on main campus.
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Former Pirates Chris Holba (2016-18) and Eddie Loesner (1994-95) will serve as keynote speakers, while WNCT-TV Sports Director Brian Bailey will emcee the event.
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Holba posted a 9-1 record for the Pirates in 15 outings while sporting a 2.99 ERA last season. He capped off his junior campaign earning third-team All-America honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and was a unanimous American Athletic Conference First-Team selection, while ranking among the league leaders Top 10) in wins (t1st), ERA (sixth), fewest runs allowed (30/t6th), fewest earned runs allowed (27/seventh), innings pitched (81.1/eighth) and fewest walks (20/t8th). An 11th round selection by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft and a Golden Spikes Watch List candidate, Holba combined on a pair of shutouts (UNC and Saint Joseph's), sported a .900 winning percentage (tied for sixth on ECU single-season charts) and tallied eight quality starts to lead the Pirates.
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Loesner helped the Pirates to a 65-44 two-year record under the direction of ECU Hall of Fame Coach Gary Overton. After transferring from Brookdale Community College, where he served as a team captain, Loesner batted .271 with 13 RBI and scored seven runs with the Pirates. Following his collegiate career, he spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Pitt Community College where he helped the Bulldogs to the 1997 Region X regular season title and a pair of Region X Tournament crowns (1999-2000). Loesner has spent time as an area scout for the Chicago Cubs (1998-200), served as an assistant coach in the prestigious Cape Cod League (2000-02), assistant coach at ECU (2000-03) and head coach at Kinston High School, Nash High School and currently at Farmville Central High School. While with the Pirates in a coaching capacity, he worked with the first basemen, outfielders and assisted with hitting helping the team to a Conference USA Championship (2002) and bid to the 2002 Clemson Regional.
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The 2019 Pirates will be introduced during the program and fans will have a chance to hear from fifth-year head coach Cliff Godwin as well as selected players in a question and answer format.
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During his four years at the helm of the program, Godwin has guided ECU to three NCAA Regional berths (2018 Greenville Regional host), a Super Regional appearance, two American Athletic Conference Tournament titles and a 154-91-1 (.628) overall record. Eight players have earned All-America status, seven were NCAA All-Regional selections, 12 were named all-conference (11 first-teamers), while six were drafted by Major League Baseball teams.
Off the field, his teams have excelled in the class room by registering a 3.05 or higher grade point average in seven of eight semesters, including a team-best 3.52 in the Fall of 2017 which bested the previous mark of 3.42 (Fall 2015). Under Godwin, a two-time Academic All-America selection, 125 student-athletes have been named to the ECU Director of Athletics Honor Roll, while over 50 Pirates have earned inclusion on The American All-Academic Team maintaining a minimum 3.00 GPA.
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Following the 2018 season, the Pirates earned their third-straight American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and AAC Team Academic Excellence Awards. In 2017, two of Godwin's players (Travis Watkins/first-team and Charlie Yorgen/third-team) earned CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades, while last year Jake Agnos was a Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 First-Team selection.
In the community, the Pirates have donated over 4,000 hours working with programs in the Pitt County area such as the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Team IMPACT, Riley's Army, Cypress Glenn Retirement Community Flood Relief, Red Cross, First Born Community Development Center, ACES for Autism, Make-A-Wish Foundation and the James and Connie Maynard Children's Hospital.
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Pirate fans, coaches, players and ECU dignitaries will enjoy a sit-down dinner once again provided by McCall's BBQ and Seafood. Ticket prices for the event are for adults ($40), ECU Baseball Alumni ($25, one ticket per transaction) and children under 12 ($20) and must be purchased before Dec. 31, 2018. Fans also have the ability to purchase tables at the price of $1,000, which consists of seven seats for family and friends to go along with one player. Each table that is sold will receive two general admission season tickets, team autographed baseball jersey and their name or business name in the program and displayed on the table. Fans interested in sitting with Coach Godwin and purchase a table for $2,000 on a first come, first served bases. Any purchases made after Dec. 31, 2018 the price will increase by $10 (adults $50, baseball alumni $35 and youth $30).
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Schedule of Events
5 P.M. – Doors open and silent auction begins
5-6 P.M. – Autograph session with coaches, players and as well as Chris Holba and Eddie Loesner
6-8 P.M. – Program and dinner
6:50 P.M. – Silent auction ends
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Tickets for the banquet will officially go on sale Monday, Dec. 3. Fans can reserve their seats by ordering through the Online Ticket Center or by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at (252) 737-4500.
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Prior to dinner, the Pirates will hold an official practice session and intra-squad scrimmage at Clark-LeClair Stadium, which is free to ECU fans.
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Season tickets are officially on sale with packages starting as low as $120. Pirate fans have seven different options to choose from and can purchase their 2018 season tickets online or contacting the ECU Athletic Ticket Office.
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Ticket Options (tax included)
Chair Back – $200
Chair Back Upgrade (must have Pirate Club approval) – $400
Regular Reserved Bench – $200
Faculty/Staff Reserved Bench – $160
Senior Citizen Reserved Bench – $160
Young Grad Reserved Bench – $120
Economy Plan (Section 201/202 & Jungle) – $120
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Former Pirates Chris Holba (2016-18) and Eddie Loesner (1994-95) will serve as keynote speakers, while WNCT-TV Sports Director Brian Bailey will emcee the event.
Â
Holba posted a 9-1 record for the Pirates in 15 outings while sporting a 2.99 ERA last season. He capped off his junior campaign earning third-team All-America honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and was a unanimous American Athletic Conference First-Team selection, while ranking among the league leaders Top 10) in wins (t1st), ERA (sixth), fewest runs allowed (30/t6th), fewest earned runs allowed (27/seventh), innings pitched (81.1/eighth) and fewest walks (20/t8th). An 11th round selection by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft and a Golden Spikes Watch List candidate, Holba combined on a pair of shutouts (UNC and Saint Joseph's), sported a .900 winning percentage (tied for sixth on ECU single-season charts) and tallied eight quality starts to lead the Pirates.
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Loesner helped the Pirates to a 65-44 two-year record under the direction of ECU Hall of Fame Coach Gary Overton. After transferring from Brookdale Community College, where he served as a team captain, Loesner batted .271 with 13 RBI and scored seven runs with the Pirates. Following his collegiate career, he spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Pitt Community College where he helped the Bulldogs to the 1997 Region X regular season title and a pair of Region X Tournament crowns (1999-2000). Loesner has spent time as an area scout for the Chicago Cubs (1998-200), served as an assistant coach in the prestigious Cape Cod League (2000-02), assistant coach at ECU (2000-03) and head coach at Kinston High School, Nash High School and currently at Farmville Central High School. While with the Pirates in a coaching capacity, he worked with the first basemen, outfielders and assisted with hitting helping the team to a Conference USA Championship (2002) and bid to the 2002 Clemson Regional.
Â
The 2019 Pirates will be introduced during the program and fans will have a chance to hear from fifth-year head coach Cliff Godwin as well as selected players in a question and answer format.
Â
During his four years at the helm of the program, Godwin has guided ECU to three NCAA Regional berths (2018 Greenville Regional host), a Super Regional appearance, two American Athletic Conference Tournament titles and a 154-91-1 (.628) overall record. Eight players have earned All-America status, seven were NCAA All-Regional selections, 12 were named all-conference (11 first-teamers), while six were drafted by Major League Baseball teams.
Off the field, his teams have excelled in the class room by registering a 3.05 or higher grade point average in seven of eight semesters, including a team-best 3.52 in the Fall of 2017 which bested the previous mark of 3.42 (Fall 2015). Under Godwin, a two-time Academic All-America selection, 125 student-athletes have been named to the ECU Director of Athletics Honor Roll, while over 50 Pirates have earned inclusion on The American All-Academic Team maintaining a minimum 3.00 GPA.
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Following the 2018 season, the Pirates earned their third-straight American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and AAC Team Academic Excellence Awards. In 2017, two of Godwin's players (Travis Watkins/first-team and Charlie Yorgen/third-team) earned CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades, while last year Jake Agnos was a Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 First-Team selection.
In the community, the Pirates have donated over 4,000 hours working with programs in the Pitt County area such as the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Team IMPACT, Riley's Army, Cypress Glenn Retirement Community Flood Relief, Red Cross, First Born Community Development Center, ACES for Autism, Make-A-Wish Foundation and the James and Connie Maynard Children's Hospital.
Â
Pirate fans, coaches, players and ECU dignitaries will enjoy a sit-down dinner once again provided by McCall's BBQ and Seafood. Ticket prices for the event are for adults ($40), ECU Baseball Alumni ($25, one ticket per transaction) and children under 12 ($20) and must be purchased before Dec. 31, 2018. Fans also have the ability to purchase tables at the price of $1,000, which consists of seven seats for family and friends to go along with one player. Each table that is sold will receive two general admission season tickets, team autographed baseball jersey and their name or business name in the program and displayed on the table. Fans interested in sitting with Coach Godwin and purchase a table for $2,000 on a first come, first served bases. Any purchases made after Dec. 31, 2018 the price will increase by $10 (adults $50, baseball alumni $35 and youth $30).
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Schedule of Events
5 P.M. – Doors open and silent auction begins
5-6 P.M. – Autograph session with coaches, players and as well as Chris Holba and Eddie Loesner
6-8 P.M. – Program and dinner
6:50 P.M. – Silent auction ends
Â
Tickets for the banquet will officially go on sale Monday, Dec. 3. Fans can reserve their seats by ordering through the Online Ticket Center or by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at (252) 737-4500.
Â
Prior to dinner, the Pirates will hold an official practice session and intra-squad scrimmage at Clark-LeClair Stadium, which is free to ECU fans.
Â
Season tickets are officially on sale with packages starting as low as $120. Pirate fans have seven different options to choose from and can purchase their 2018 season tickets online or contacting the ECU Athletic Ticket Office.
Â
Ticket Options (tax included)
Chair Back – $200
Chair Back Upgrade (must have Pirate Club approval) – $400
Regular Reserved Bench – $200
Faculty/Staff Reserved Bench – $160
Senior Citizen Reserved Bench – $160
Young Grad Reserved Bench – $120
Economy Plan (Section 201/202 & Jungle) – $120
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Players Mentioned
04/13/26 Cliffs Cab
Monday, April 13
04/07/26 Inside Pirate Athletics
Tuesday, April 07
04/01/26 Cliff's Cab
Thursday, April 02
03/26/26 Inside Pirate Athletics
Thursday, March 26
