East Carolina University
UCF
No. 9 ECU Hosts UCF In American Series
April 22, 2021 | Baseball
| Games: 32-35 | |
| Dates: | April 23-25, 2021 |
| Times: | 1 p.m. (DH) /// 4 p.m. /// 12 Noon (ET) |
| Location: | Greenville, N.C. (Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium) |
| Game Program: | Baseball Gameday #5 |
| Live Game Coverage: | Radio: 94.3 FM The Game G1 Friday (ESPN+), G2 Friday (ESPN+), Saturday (ESPN+), Sunday (ECUPirates.com) TuneIn Radio: Online (Learfield/IMG College) |
| Internet Options | Live Stats: All Weekend |
| Official Web Sites | East Carolina | UCF |
| Game Notes | East Carolina | UCF | American |
| 2021 Statistics | East Carolina | UCF |
| Baseball Central | Roster | Schedule/Results | NCAA Baseball | College Scoreboard | Weekly Rankings | National Stat Leaders |
| Social Media | ECUBaseball | The American |
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Ninth-ranked East Carolina (26-5, 8-0 AAC) returns to action this weekend playing host to UCF (17-19, 7-5 AAC) for a four-game series. First pitch of the weekend is set for 1 p.m. (ET) Friday at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium and will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Pirates, who have made 30 NCAA Regional appearances, enters the weekend riding a nine-game winning streak which includes a pair of series sweeps against Cincinnati and Memphis. ECU, which is ranked in the Top 15 in all six major collegiate polls, returns return 27 players from last year's club including American Athletic All-Conference performers Tyler Smith (2018) and Jake Kuchmaner (2019), as well as Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America selection C.J. Mayhue (2020). In all, the roster consists of 22 freshmen, six sophomores, nine juniors and three seniors.
Also stepping onto the diamond are 12 newcomers in Danny Beal (RHP), Joey Berini (INF), CJ Boyd (1B/RHP), Garrett Chandler (OF), Cam Clonch (OF/1B/RHP), Landon Ginn (RHP), Josh Grosz (RHP), Ryley Johnson (OF), Josh Moylan (1B), Joey Rezek (OF/C), Austin St. Laurent (INF/RHP) and Jacob Starling (INF/OF).
2021 TEAM QUICK HITS
- Mustache March has come to an end, but East Carolina, Memphis and Michigan's baseball teams reached their goal of $10,000 to help #StrikeOutALS. Fans can still donate by clicking here!
- ECU opened up its 87th season of collegiate baseball (1932-42, 1946-present) with a three-game sweep of Rhode Island (Feb. 19-21).
- The Pirates have made a regional appearance in 16 of the last 21 seasons, including four of five under Godwin (2015, '16, '18, '19) - no post-season in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
- Heading into this weeks action, ECU has been ranked or received votes in at least one national poll for 52-straight weeks (began in 2018 preseason).
- For the sixth-straight week, ECU is a consensus Top 15 team after being ranked in the Top 10 for two weeks ... Back in 2019, five of the final six weeks leading up to the Super Regional's, they garnered at Top 10 designation in all six major collegiate baseball polls.
- The Pirates led the nation (2020) in fielding percentage (.990) and sac bunts (23) ... They also finished in the Top 10 in batting average (.317) and hits (183).
- ECU currently ranks among the national leaders (Top 20) in nine categories heading into this weekends action including win pct (2nd/83.9), K-to-BB ration (7th/3.56), Ks per 9 inn (12th/11.1), ERA (13th), WHIP (13th/1.19), batting average (14th), fielding pct (18th), slugging pct (19th) and BBs per 9 Inn (20th/3.11).
- This season the Pirates have fanned 342 batters in 31 games (11.1 kpg) and last year averaged 10.1 per contest (171 Ks in 17 games).
- ECU has five two-way players on its roster ... Dubbed #2WayU by Godwin, the five players are Zach Agnos, Skylar Brooks, Cam Clonch, Ryder Giles and Austin St. Laurent.
INDIVIDUAL QUICK HITS
- Seventh-year head coach Cliff Godwin stands third on ECU's all-time wins list with 240 victories ... He passed his college coach and ECU Hall of Famer Keith LeClair (212) on March 8, 2020 with a 4-1 win at Charlotte in the series finale.
- Freshman Carson Whisenhunt is tied for the team lead in wins (4) and strikeouts (51), while standing second in IP (36.1) ... Named AAC Pitcher-of-the-Week (March 15) and is a two-time AAC Honor Roll member ... Became the first pitcher since Brooks Jernigan (1998) to record double-digit strikeouts in consecutive games ... Named a Collegiate Baseball National Player-of-the-Week on Feb. 22 and picked up NCBWA National Pitcher-of-the-Month accolades on March 3.
- Junior Gavin Williams earned consecutive AAC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors (March 29, April 5) ... Has allowed one run over the last 22.0 innings dating back to March 19 vs. Illinois State (one run in first) ... In his last two starts he has struck out 33 while allowing 12 hits and walking five.
- Dating back to 2020, Jake Kuchmaner has won six of his last 12 starts posting a 6-1 record ... In 2019 he tossed the 31st perfect game in NCAA DI history at Maryland on March 17.
- Tyler Smith, a 2018 all-conference performer, owns an 19-4 career record (82.6 win pct. with one save in 69 games (37 starts) ... Tallied six career quality starts.
- Garrett Saylor will make his second career start in game two of the Friday doubleheader ... He struck out a career-high eight batters over four innings against Cincinnati (April 1).
- Seth Caddell leads the team in home runs (10), RBI (34) and sac flies (4) ... Nationally he ranks 28th in HRs, 28th in sac flies and 65th in RBI.
- Connor Norby was named AAC Player-of-the-Week (March 15) ... He is a two-time AAC Honor Roll selection and currently owns a 38-game on-base streak and a 18-game hitting streak heading into this weekends action ... Collected at least one hit in 30 of 31 games (multiple 19 times) ... Currently fourth in the nation in hits (57), fourth in hits per game (1.84), sixth in batting average (.442) and 15th in total bases (92) ... Named to Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List (April 14).
- C.J. Mayhue has six saves on the season which stands 17th nationally ... Earned his sixth save in game 2 of doubleheader vs. Memphis ... Owns a 2-1 record in 17 outings (third nationally) with 46 strikeouts to seven walks in 28.2 innings.
- Thomas Francisco had his 12-game hit streak come to an end in the series finale against Charlotte (ended at 14 games), however he has reached base safely in all 31 games this season (34 going back to 2020) heading into the weekend ... Hit a pair of home runs in the Pirates 4-3 extra-inning win vs. Illinois State ... Named to AAC Weekly Honor Roll on March 22.
- Seniors Matt Bridges and Cam Colmore return for their sixth year ... Combined, they have appeared in 148 games, with a 15-4 record, eight saves with 214 Ks in 197.2 IPs.
PROBABLE STARTERS (2021 stats)
Friday-1: (LH) Colton Gordon (5-2, 2.77 ERA) vs. (RH) Gavin Williams (4-0, 0.86 ERA)
Friday-2: (RH) Kenny Serwa (1-2, 4.33 ERA) vs. (RH) Garrett Saylor (3-0, 3.52 ERA)
Saturday: (RH) AJ Jones (3-2, 4.62 ERA) vs. (LH) Jake Kuchmaner (2-1, 4.62 ERA)
Sunday: (RH) Zack Hunsicker (0-1, 4.03 ERA) vs. (RH) Tyler Smith (1-1, 3.48 ERA)
GODWIN AT A GLANCE
• Cliff 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 11 NCAA Regional and two College World Series teams at the Division I level as an assistant coach and head coach … During his seven years at the helm of the program, Godwin has guided ECU to four NCAA Regional berths (2018 and 2019 Greenville Regional host), two Super Regional appearances, the 2019 American Athletic Conference Regular season title, a pair of AAC Tournament crowns and a 240-118-1 (.670) overall record … Ten players have earned All-America status, while 10 were NCAA All-Regional selections, 16 were named all-conference (15 first-teamers) and 14 were drafted by Major League Baseball teams … A two-time AAC Coach-of-the-Year selection (2015, 2019), Godwin was inducted into the George Whitfield Hall of Fame in January of 2016 … In 2018, he completed a summer stint on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team staff that posted a 12-3 record that included series wins over Chinese Taipei, Japan and Cuba … 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 (46-16 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. 7 national seed in 2001 where they advanced to the Super Regional round before being eliminated by Tennessee.
