East Carolina Reveals 2024 Baseball Schedule

GREENVILLE, N.C. – A total of 33 home games at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium, including the 21st annual Keith LeClair Classic, as well as 31 contests against teams slotted in the top 100 of the final 2023 RPI rankings help constitute the East Carolina baseball program's 2024 competition schedule released Wednesday by 10th-year head coach Cliff Godwin.

The four-time defending American Athletic Conference regular season champion Pirates are slated to play 20 games (12 at home) against teams that qualified for an NCAA Regional a season ago as well as seven contests against squads ranked or receiving votes in the final 2023 Top 25 polls.

Renewal applications for baseball are in the process of being mailed to 2023 season ticket holders, but fans can utilize ECU's Online Ticket Center, reserve by phone (252-737-4500) or visit the ticket box office in the meantime. Season ticket prices have remained the same in 2024 which continue to be lower than peers in state and conference opponents. Chairback tickets are less than $8 a ticket and Economy Plan tickets are less than $5 a game for the season.

"We are extremely excited about the competitive schedule we have put together this season," Godwin said. "As a program, we always strive to be battle tested for the postseason. This schedule is loaded with quality opponents who will push us to play at an elite level each time out. Pirate Nation, make sure to get your season tickets today. GO PIRATES!"

The 90th season of collegiate baseball at ECU begins with a three-game home set against Rider (Feb. 16-18) followed by a midweek trip to in-state rival Campbell (Feb. 20). The Pirates then take on North Carolina Feb. 23-25 in a traveling series comprised of one game in Chapel Hill (Friday), another in Greenville (Sunday) and a single contest at a neutral site (Saturday).

After trekking to Norfolk Feb. 27 for a tussle with Old Dominion, East Carolina heads right back to the friendly confines for the 21st iteration of the Keith LeClair Classic (March 1-3) which features games against Purdue, Cal State Fullerton and Southeastern Louisiana.

In addition to the Rider series and LeClair Classic, ECU will host VCU (March 5-6), Columbia (March 15-17), UNCW (March 26), Elon (April 9), Old Dominion (April 17), NC State (April 23), Duke (May 7) and Campbell (May 14) in non-conference play.

The remainder of the non-league road schedule includes additional tilts with Liberty (March 8-10), UNCW (March 12), Elon (March 19), NC State (April 2) and William & Mary (April 16).

East Carolina begins its quest for an unprecedented fifth-straight AAC regular season title with a series at league newcomer UTSA (March 22-24). The Pirates will also visit Florida Atlantic (April 5-7), Memphis (April 26-28) and Tulane (May 10-12) while hosting UAB (March 28-30), Charlotte (April 12-14), Wichita State (April 19-21), South Florida (May 3-5) and Rice (May 16-18).

The American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship (May 21-26) will once again be held at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla., - the home of the Clearwater Threshers (Class A Advanced affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies). Last year, East Carolina became the first team in the event's history to drop its opening contest and battle back to reach the tournament championship game.

NCAA Regional (May 31-June 3) and Super Regional (June 7-10) campus sites will be determined in May, while the College World Series will be contested at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., from June 15-26. ECU looks to host a regional for the fifth time in the last six years after doing so four-straight times from 2018-22.

Godwin has guided East Carolina to seven NCAA Regional berths (2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 regional host), four Super Regional appearances (2022 host), a pair of AAC Tournament crowns and a 351-168-1 (.676) overall record. Under his direction, 13 players have earned All-America status while 18 have been named to NCAA All-Regional Teams. Additionally, 40 student-athletes have garnered all-conference honors (25 first-team selections) and 22 players have been selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

The 2023-24 recruiting class, ranked 25th nationally by Perfect Game and 26th by Collegiate Baseball, consists of six infielders (Isaac Armstrong, Kenan Bowman, Chaz Myers, Nick Parham, Parker Thomas and Colby Wallace), three outfielders (Bristol Carter, Chance Hall and Davin Whitaker), two catchers (Walker Barron and Jason Janesko), six right-handed pitchers (Drew Bryan, Jackson DiLorenzo, Michael Irby, Chris Kahler, Jack McDonald and Chandler Williford) and four left-handed pitchers (Corey Costello, Aaron Groller, JD Little and Ethan Norby).

ECU returns 20 players, including Second-Team All-American and All-AAC First Team selection Trey Yesavage, and eight all-conference honorees in Yesavage, Carter Cunningham (First Team), Jacob Jenkins-Cowart (First Team), Justin Wilcoxen (Second Team), Jacob Starling (Second Team), Joey Berini (Second Team), Luke Nowak (Second Team) and Zach Root (All-Freshman Team). In all, the roster consists of 16 freshmen, five sophomores, nine juniors and 11 seniors.

Players Mentioned

Joey Berini

Carter Cunningham

Jacob Jenkins-Cowart

Luke Nowak

Zach Root

Jacob Starling

Justin Wilcoxen

Trey Yesavage

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