Softball Opens 2018 Campaign At Felsberg Invitational In Miami

Games 1-5: Felsberg Invitational
Schedule	Feb. 9: vs. St. John's \\\ 9 a.m. \\\ Live Stats Feb. 9: vs. South Carolina \\\ 11:15 a.m. \\\ Live Stats Feb. 10: vs. Hofstra \\\ 9 a.m. \\\ Live Stats Feb. 10: vs. St. John's \\\ 11:15 a.m. \\\ Live Stats Feb. 11: at FIU \\\ 1:30 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Video
Stadium	Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium
Tournament Central	Felsberg Invitational Tournament Central
Social Media	@ECUSoftball (Twitter) \\\ Instagram \\\ Facebook \\\ @ECUScoreboard (In-Match Updates) \\\ #ECUndaunted

Weekly Release No. 1 (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The ECU softball team begins a new season this weekend, heading to FIU for the Felsberg Invitational. The Pirates will face off against a stout field that includes Hofstra, St. John's, South Carolina and host FIU.

The Purple and Gold posted a 26-30 overall record, as well as a 5-13 mark in American Athletic Conference play, in 2017. ECU seeks its first winning season since recording a 28-20 record in 2014. The Pirates also look to return to postseason play for the first time since reaching the NCAA College Park Regional finals in 2011.

ECU welcomes back its top two hitters from the 2017 lineup in seniors Meredith Burroughs and Alex Mycek. The duo combined for 89 hits, 14 doubles, 32 home runs (16 each) and 84 RBI as well as notching respective 1.093 and 1.067 OPS marks. Redshirt sophomore Tate McClellan also returns after a solid freshman campaign during which she hit .261 with 10 doubles, eight home runs and 35 RBI. The Pirates had a penchant for hitting the long ball last year, setting a program and American Athletic Conference single-season record with 64.

ECU will take on a tough schedule in 2018 that features 19 games against 12 teams that qualified for an NCAA regional or the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC) in 2017.

Scouting St. John's
St. John's posted a 32-16 overall record and 17-4 mark in the Big East Conference in 2017 to win its second league regular season championship in the last three years. The Red Storm fell short of a NCAA regional appearance, however, falling to DePaul in the Big East Conference tournament championship game. St. John's proved to be a prolific offensive club in 2017, finishing 19th nationally in both batting average (.315) and scoring (5.77 runs per game) while ranking 26th in on base percentage (.389). The Red Storm pitching staff turned in a 3.19 earned run average with 309 strikeouts to 160 walks. St. John's returns seven of its top eight hitters, led by Kaitlin Mattera who batted .373 as a freshman. The Red Storm also welcome back the pitching tandem of McKenzie Murray and Madison Morris who produced respective 2.61 and 2.81 earned run averages while also combining for 122 strikeouts. ECU holds a 7-4 advantage in the series with St. John's, defeating the Red Storm 1-0 in the teams' last meeting back on Feb. 16, 2013 in Greenville. St. John's was selected to win the Big East regular season title in the preseason coaches poll.

About South Carolina
South Carolina accrued a 34-25 overall record in 2017 while finishing 10th in the SEC with an 8-15 league mark. The Gamecocks advanced to the finals of the NCAA Tuscon Regional, falling to host Arizona 9-0. South Carolina hit .278 as a team with 79 doubles and 45 home runs while the pitching staff ended the year with a 2.96 earned run average and 252 strikeouts. The Gamecocks return two of their top three hitters from a season ago, a group that was paced by freshman Mackenzie Boesel who boasted a .341 batting average, 10 home runs, 41 RBI and a 1.039 OPS. South Carolina will have to contend with the loss of its top two pitchers, Nickie Blue and Jessica Elliott, who turned in respective 2.59 and 2.80 earned run averages and teamed up to post 209 strikeouts. The Gamecocks lead the series against ECU 20-3, but the Pirates downed South Carolina 1-0 in the teams' most recent meeting Feb. 8, 2015 in Greenville. In the SEC preseason coaches poll, South Carolina is tabbed to finish 11th in the league standings.

The Book On Hofstra
Hofstra notched a 27-23 overall record and finished second in the Colonial Athletic Association standings with an 11-8 league mark in 2017. The Pride returns virtually its entire starting lineup, including top hitter Kristin Hallam who batted .378 as a freshman. Hofstra finished the year with a .275 team batting average while the pitchers combined for a 3.96 earned run average and 217 strikeouts. Sarah Cornell enters her sophomore campaign after pacing the pitching staff with a 3.28 ERA and 17-12 record in 177.1 innings pitched while striking out 129 batters. ECU has won the last four encounters with the Pride and leads the series 4-1. Hofstra has been predicted to finish in second place in the Colonial Athletic Association standings according to the preseason coaches poll.

A Look At FIU
FIU enjoyed one of its finest seasons in school history in 2017, posting a 46-15 overall record and a 17-6 mark in Conference USA games. The Panthers set the program record for single-season victories before bowing out in the NCAA Gainesville Regional. Freshman Shannon Saile was a force in the circle, compiling a 1.51 earned run average with 240 strikeouts in 208.1 innings pitched. FIU also welcomes back Megan Kugelmann who turned in a 1.93 ERA. Offensively, the Panthers will contend with the graduation of Stephanie Texeira who graduated as the program's all-time leader in batting average (.405), slugging percentage (.759), on-base (.543), runs (159), home runs (47), RBI (190), walks (147), total bases (420) and defensive putouts (1,191). As a team, FIU batted .283 while the pitchers produced a collective 1.77 ERA. The Pirates are 4-3 against the Panthers but lost the last meeting 7-3 back on March 18, 2016 in Miami. FIU was picked second in the Conference USA preseason coaches poll.

Bash Sisters
Of ECU's program and American Athletic Conference single-season record 64 home runs last year, Mycek and Burroughs hit 16 apiece, putting them in a tie for first place in the league and 22nd nationally. Only one other player in the AAC hit at least 10 - the now graduated Shelby Miller from Houston. Mycek owns 19 career home runs, ranking 10th on the program top-10 list.

Defensive Improvement
After posting a .958 fielding percentage in 2016, the Pirates improved dramatically in just one season as they finished the 2017 campaign with a .970 mark that ranked 40th nationally.

Protecting the Fort
ECU notched a winning record at home in 2017, emerging victorious in 17 of 30 games played at the ECU Softball Stadium - including the Purple and Gold's first-ever victory in the American Athletic Conference tournament. Since the facility opened in 2011, the Pirates are 96-82 in home contests.

Reinforcements
In addition to the talent returning to this year's roster, head coach Courtney Oliver has signed the 22nd-ranked recruiting class in the nation that will suit up for the Pirates this spring. Pitcher Whtiney Sanford was named a MaxPreps Medium School First Team All-American after finishing her prep career with a 54-8 overall record, 1.12 earned run average and 651 strikeouts in 361.2 innings pitched. Fellow hurler Erin Poepping compiled a 14-1 record, 1.18 earned run average and 101 strikeouts over 101 innings pitched during the regular season of her senior campaign. Other members of that highly-touted haul include infielder Ashleigh Inae (top-100 recruit), outfielder Tyler King, outfielder Courtney Layton and catcher Anna Epling.

Broom Ball
As the program continued its re-emergence in 2017, ECU accomplished a first as a member of the American Athletic Conference - sweeping a league opponent in a conference series. The Pirates stifled UConn in Greenville, winning the three games by scores of 4-0, 4-1 and 2-1.

Up Next
ECU makes its home debut next weekend, welcoming St. Joseph's, Towson and UMBC to the ECU Softball Stadium for the Pirate Clash.

Softball Opens 2018 Campaign At Felsberg Invitational In Miami

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Players Mentioned

Meredith Burroughs

Anna Epling

Ashleigh Inae

Tyler King

Courtney Layton

Tate McClellan

Alex Mycek

Erin Poepping

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