Friday, February 24
Greenville, N.C.
5:00 p.m.
East Carolina University
vs
North Carolina
No. 11 ECU Clashes With No. 12 North Carolina In Weekend Series
February 23, 2023 | Baseball
| Games 5-7: No. 11 East Carolina vs. No. 12 North Carolina | |
| Coverage | February 24: 5:00 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch February 26: 1:00 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch Radio: 94.3 The Game (Scooter Rogers and Gary Overton) |
| Location: | Greenville, N.C. | Clark-LeClair Stadium (5,000) |
| Official Web Sites: | East Carolina | North Carolina |
| Game Notes: | East Carolina | North Carolina | The American |
| Statistics: | East Carolina | North Carolina |
| 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 continues its early-season run of contests against in-state opponents this weekend when it takes on No. 12 North Carolina in a series that begins in Greenville and concludes in Chapel Hill.
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The first two contests at Clark-LeClair Stadium are slated to begin at 5 p.m. (Friday) and 2 p.m. (Saturday) while the Sunday finale at Boshamer Stadium will start at 1 p.m.
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ECU (3-1) fell for the first time Tuesday in Buies Creek, dropping a 6-5 extra-inning affair to Campbell at Jim Perry Stadium. The Pirates led 5-4 through four innings but did not score again as the Camels eventually received a walk off single from Logan Jordan in the bottom of the 10th. Free passes plagued East Carolina as the pitching staff walked seven and hit six batters. Luke Nowak provided a spark offensively, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and three stolen bases. He now leads the squad with a .533 batting average.
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Early in the campaign, the Pirates rank among the national statistical leaders as they are 13th in scoring (12.0 runs per game), 14th in sacrifice flies (four) and doubles per game (3.0) and 15th in total doubles (12). Individually, Lane Hoover in fourth in both runs scored (10) and runs per game (2.50) while Justin Wilcoxen slots seventh in hits (10) and ninth in hits per game (2.50) and total bases (19).
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Projected Pitching Matchups
Game One: Trey Yesavage (0-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Max Carlson (0-0, 8.31 ERA)
Game Two: TBA vs. Connor Bovair (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game Three: Josh Grosz (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. Will Sandy (0-0, 4.91 ERA)
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A Look at the Tar Heels
North Carolina heads to Greenville with a four-game win streak in tow via victories over Seton Hall (twice), Radford and Longwood. The Tar Heels boast a .305 batting average with eight doubles, two triples and five home runs as well as a .467 slugging percentage and .464 on base percentage. Meanwhile, the pitching unit sports a 2.60 earned run average with 51 strikeouts against 25 walks in 45 innings of work. Tomas Frick paces the club with a .471 batting average, three doubles and a team second-best six RBI.
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The North Carolina Series
North Carolina leads the series with East Carolina 53-32 and has won three of the last five meetings. The teams played a three-game set last season as the Tar Heels won 7-4 and 2-0 decisions in Chapel Hill before the Pirates responded with a 5-0 victory in the series finale. ECU has emerged victorious in three-straight encounters with UNC at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
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Individual Notables
Head Coach Cliff Godwin: Sits just 10 wins away from matching Billy Godwin for second place on the ECU all-time head coaches wins list ... Has been part of 13 NCAA Regional and two College World Series teams at the Division I level as an assistant coach and head coach … Guided ECU to six NCAA Regional berths (2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 Greenville Regional host), four Super Regional appearances, three-straight American Athletic Conference regular season titles and three AAC Tournament crowns while posting a 304-151-1 (.665) overall record … Under Godwin's direction, 20 players have earned All-America status, 23 have been NCAA All-Regional selections, 33 have been named all-conference (26 first teamers) and 14 have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams … A four-time AAC Coach-of-the-Year selection (2015, 2019, 2021, 2022), 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.
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Danny Beal: Was credited with the win in East Carolina's 23-5 triumph over George Washington (Feb. 19), throwing 2.0 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit.
Merritt Beeker: Collected his first career victory on the mound in game two of the doubleheader with George Washington (Feb. 18) ... Fired across 1.1 scoreless innings and struck out three.
Joey Berini: Has started three games at shortstop ... Tallied two hits and a run scored in East Carolina's 23-5 triumph over George Washington (Feb. 19) ... Added another hit and run scored at Campbell (Feb. 21).
Tyler Bradt: VMI transfer who made his first appearance in the Purple and Gold in game one of Saturday's doubleheader (Feb. 18) ... Has struck out six batters in 3.0 innings of work ... Was credited with the save in the season opener against George Washington (Feb. 18) after tossing 1.1 scoreless frames and striking out three ... Fanned three batters in 1.2 innings at Campbell (Feb. 21).
Nathan Chrismon: Earned his first collegiate start in game two of the doubleheader against George Washington (Feb. 18) ... Has scored two runs and notched his first RBI via a sacrifice fly in the series finale versus the Colonials (Feb. 19).
Cam Clonch: Started at first base in game two of the doubleheader against George Washington (Feb. 18) ... Went 2-for-2 with a run scored, three RBI, a double and a home run in the series finale versus the Colonials (Feb. 19).
Carter Cunningham: Has started all four games in right field ... Went 1-for-3 with a double and RBI in game two of the doubleheader against George Washington (Feb. 18).
Josh Grosz: Started the series finale against George Washington (Feb. 19), tossing four innings with three strikeouts.
Charlie Hodges: Made his season debut at Campbell (Feb. 21), earning the first start of his career in an East Carolina uniform.
Lane Hoover: Has started all four games in left field ... Scored eight runs and drew two walks in the George Washington series ... Collected two walks and scored a pair of runs at Campbell (Feb. 21).
Jacob Jenkins-Cowart: Has started all four games in center field ... Went 5-for-15 with three runs scored and five RBI in the George Washington series ... Clubbed his first career grand slam in the second game of the doubleheader against the Colonials (Feb. 18) ... Tallied a run scored and a double at Campbell (Feb. 21).
Ryley Johnson: Has appeared in all four games, scoring three runs ... Clubbed his first home run of the season (two-run HR) in the George Washington series finale (Feb. 19).
Willie Lumpkin: Made his East Carolina debut against George Washington (Feb. 18), striking out one batter in 0.2 innings of work ... Provided a big boost out of the bullpen at Campbell (Feb. 21), throwing 2.2 solid innings and recording another strikeout.
Alec Makarewicz: Has started all four games at third base ... Went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI in the George Washington series finale (Feb. 19).
Josh Moylan: Has started three games as first base ... Went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI in the George Washignton series finale (Feb. 19) ... Drew a walk and scored a run at Campbell (Feb. 21).
Luke Nowak: Has started all four games at designated hitter ... One of two Pirates (Jenkins-Cowart) to record a hit in each game thus far ... Tallied three RBI in game two of Saturday's doubleheader against George Washington (Feb. 18) ... Exploded statistically at Campbell (Feb. 21), going 3-for-5 with a RBI and three stolen bases ... Has swiped a squad-best four bags.
Zach Root: Tabbed to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll Feb. 20 ... Picked up his first collegiate victory in game one of Saturday's doubleheader (Feb. 18), tossing 3.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts against just one walk ... Scattered two hits while holding opposing batters to a .154 average ... Did not allow an extra-base hit ... Retired the first seven batters he faced.
Garrett Saylor: Named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award Watch List ... Made his season debut in game one of the George Washington doubleheader (Feb. 18), tossing 1.1 scoreless innings ... Turned in 0.2 scoreless frames with a strikeout at Campbell (Feb. 21).
Carter Spivey: Made his season debut in the opener against George Washington (Feb. 18) ... Threw 2.2 innings and struck out a pair.
Jacob Starling: Has started all four games at second base ... Hit .500 (5-for-10) with two runs scored and three RBI in the George Washington series ... Clubbed a three-run home run in the first game of the doubleheader against the Colonials (Feb. 18) and scored a pair of runs for good measure ... Chipped in with three RBI in the series finale (Feb. 19) ... Notched a hit and RBI at Campbell (Feb. 21).
Justin Wilcoxen: Named the AAC Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Feb. 20 ... Has started all four games at catcher ... Hit a whopping .714 (10-for-14) with nine runs scored, three doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in the George Washington series... Tallied at least three hits in every contest against the Colonials ... Began his stellar weekend in game one of the GW doubleheader (Feb. 18) during which he went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, four RBI and a home run ... Capped the twinbill with a 4-for-5 performance while adding three runs scored and a double ... Helped lead the Pirates to a 23-5 victory in series finale (Feb. 19), going 3-for-4 with four runs scored, four RBI, two doubles and a home run ... On the whole, produced a 2.107 OPS with a 1.357 slugging percentage and .750 on base percentage ... Did not allow a stolen base or commit an error in 31 defensive chances.
Dixon Williams: Made two pinch hit appearances in the series with George Washington, ripping a double down the right field line in game two of Saturday's doubleheader (Feb. 18) before recording a single and a run scored in the series finale (Feb. 19).
Trey Yesavage: Made his first start of the campaign in game two of Saturday's doubleheader against George Washington (Feb. 18) ... Fanned a career-high seven batters against just one walk in five solid innings of work.
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