East Carolina University
Cincinnati
No. 11 East Carolina Travels To Cincinnati
May 13, 2021 | Baseball
| Games: 44-47 | |
| Dates: | May 14-16, 2021 |
| Times: | 1 p.m. (DH) \\\ 4 p.m. \\\ 11 a.m. (ET) |
| Location: | Cincinnati, Ohio (UC Baseball Stadium) |
| Live Game Coverage: | Radio: 94.3 FM The Game Friday G1 (ESPN+), Friday G2 (ESPN+), Saturday (ESPN+) Sunday (ESPN+) TuneIn Radio: Online (Learfield/IMG College) |
| Internet Options | Live Stats: All Weekend |
| Official Web Sites | East Carolina | Cincinnati |
| Game Notes | East Carolina | Cincinnati | American |
| 2021 Statistics | East Carolina | Cincinnati |
| Baseball Central | Roster | Schedule/Results | NCAA Baseball | College Scoreboard | Weekly Rankings | National Stat Leaders |
| Social Media | ECUBaseball | The American |
GREENVILLE, N.C. – No. 11 East Carolina (33-10, 15-5 AAC) hits the road for a four-game weekend set at Cincinnati (24-21, 13-11) starting Friday, May 14. First pitch of the series is set for 1 p.m. (ET) at the UC Baseball Stadium and will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Pirates, who have made 30 NCAA Regional appearances, is coming off a home series win against Tulane that propelled the Pirates back into first place in the league standings by a half game. ECU, which is ranked in the Top 15 in all six major collegiate polls, returns 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, eight 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).
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 55-straight weeks (began in 2018 preseason).
- Twice this season the Pirates were a consensus Top 10 team (March 15 and March 22) and have been ranked in the Top 15 in eight of 12 weekly rankings during the regular season.
- 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).
- Heading into this weekend's action, ECU ranks among the nationals leaders (Top 25) in 10 categories including win percentage (8th/76.7), K to BB ratio (9th/3.36), batting average (11th/.307), HRs per game (12th/1.47), slugging percentage (14th/.492), HRs (15th), Ks per 9 innings (17th/10.6), BBs per 9 innings (20th/3.15), hits (22nd/445) and WHIP (25th/1.26).
- This season the Pirates have fanned 447 batters in 43 games (10.4 kpg) and last year averaged 10.1 per contest (171 Ks in 17 games).
- Heading into the season, 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 247 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 returned to the mound vs. Tulane tossing three scoreless innings in a predetermined start ... Owns a 5-0 record in eight starts with a 2.97 ERA ... Struck out 54 while walking 11 in 39.1 innings ... 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) ... Since moving into a starters role, he has allowed six runs (five earned) over 40.1 innings ... He has 68 strikeouts to 12 walks ... Fanned 10-plus batters in three of those starts and sports a 6-0 record with a 1.12 ERA ... Ranks among Top 10 in ERA (6th/1.29) and Ks per 9 innings (8th/14.51) and wins (26th.7).
- Tyler Smith, a 2018 all-conference performer, owns an 20-5 career record (80.0 win pct.) with one save in 72 games (40 starts) ... Tallied seven career quality starts and combined on five career shutouts.
- Seth Caddell leads the team in RBI (40) and sac flies (4), while sharing team lead in HRs (12).
- Connor Norby owns the nations longest on-base streak (50 games) which started in 2020 ... Named AAC Player-of-the-Week (March 15) and is a two-time AAC Honor Roll selection ... Collected at least one hit in 37 of 43 games this season, which includes a 20-game hit streak ... Currently second in the nation in hits (73), sixth in hits per game (1.70), seventh in total bases (121), eighth in average (.415), 30th in runs (48) and 36th in HRs (12) ... Named to Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List (April 14).
- C.J. Mayhue has six saves on the season which stands 51st nationally ... Earned his sixth save in game 2 of doubleheader vs. Memphis ... Owns a 2-1 record in 21 outings (29th nationally) with 52 strikeouts to nine walks in 34.0 innings ... Named to NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List (April 28).
- Thomas Francisco ranks fifth nationally in hits (70) and 23rd in average (.395) ... Had 31-game on-base streak snapped at WSU ... Seven of his career-high 10 home runs have come in AAC play ... Hit two runs in a game twice this season (Illinois State/March 19, Tulane/May 9) ...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 163 games, with a 17-4 record, 10 saves with 227 Ks and 90 BBs in 218.1 IPs ... Colmore was named AAC Pitcher-of-the-Week on May 10.
PROBABLE STARTERS (2021 stats)
Friday-1: (RH) Gavin Williams (7-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. (LH) Garrett Schoenle (5-2, 3.72 ERA)
Friday-2: (RH) Tyler Smith (2-2, 3.71 ERA) vs. (RH) Zach Segal (5-3, 3.99 ERA)
Saturday: TBA vs. (LH) Evan Shawver (2-1, 2.55 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs. (RH) Jalen Wade (3-0, 7.52 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 247-123-1 (.667) 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.
