No. 14 East Carolina Plays Host To North Carolina

Game 45: North Carolina at No. 14 East Carolina
Coverage	May 3: 5:00 p.m. \| Live Stats \| Watch Stream: ESPN+ (Patrick Johnson and Jay Sonnhalter) Radio: 94.3 The Game (Scooter Rogers and Dr. Gary Overton)
Location:	Greenville, N.C. \| Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium (5,000)
Official Web Sites:	East Carolina \| North Carolina
Game Notes:	East Carolina \| North Carolina
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. 14 East Carolina begins a new week with the chance to complete the season series sweep of North Carolina when the Tar Heels visit Lewis Field at a sold-out Clark-LeClair Stadium Wednesday evening.

The contest is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. and will be streamed live via ESPN+ with Patrick Johnson and Jay Sonnhalter on the call. As always, Scooter Rogers and Dr. Gary Overton will handle the radio broadcast on 94.3 The Game.

The Pirates (31-13) knocked off UNC (28-16) back in February by identical 6-5 scores on a Friday (Feb. 24) in Greenville and the following Sunday (Feb. 26) in Chapel Hill. ECU trailed both games late but rallied to score in the final few frames on each occasion. East Carolina set a Clark-LeClair Stadium record with 6,003 fans in attendance for the thrilling home affair.

ECU kept pace near the top of the American Athletic Conference standings with a home series win over Tulane last weekend. The Pirates (9-4) are just one game back of Houston and Wichita State (10-5) who match up later this week down in Texas while East Carolina travels to Cincinnati.

The Pirate offense features six players hitting at least .303 as Justin Wilcoxen paces the club with a .328 batting average. Jacob Starling hit .500 (9-for-18) against NC State and Tulane last week.to up his average to .307 and earn a spot on the AAC Weekly Honor Roll. Lane Hoover also moved into the East Carolina career top 10 in runs scored (166) and walks drawn (108). Collectively, ECU is hitting .290 with 84 doubles, eight triples, 52 home runs, 208 walks and 59 stolen bases in 66 attempts.

East Carolina's pitching staff boasts a 4.16 earned run average with 441 strikeouts and 138 walks in 385.1 innings of work. Opponents are batting .241 against the unit.

ECU has fared quite well at home this season, racking up a 26-3 record inside the friendly confines.

About the Tar Heels
North Carolina, who hosts Campbell Tuesday evening before heading to Greenville, won a key Atlantic Coast Conference road series at Virginia Tech last weekend. The Tar Heels are hitting .287 as a team with 96 doubles, five triples and 72 home runs and are individually led by Hunter Stokely's 354 batting average. Mac Horvath also checks in with team-high marks in his (56), doubles (18), home runs (19), RBI (56), stolen bases (19) and runs scored (53). North Carolina's pitching staff owns a 4.55 ERA with 407 strikeouts and 197 walks in 392.0 frames.

Projected Pitching Matchup
RHP Garrett Saylor (1-0, 3.97 ERA, 22.2 IP) vs. RHP Connor Bovair (4-2, 4.23 ERA, 61.2 IP)

The North Carolina Series
North Carolina leads the series with East Carolina 53-34, but the Pirates have won six of the last nine meetings. The teams also 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 four-straight encounters with UNC at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

Individual Notables
Head Coach Cliff Godwin: Owns 335 career wins and is second on the East Carolina career coaching 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.

Danny Beal: Holds a 3-1 record and has struck out 32 batters against two walks in 24.1 innings ... Owns a team-best three saves (at Houston/April 1, Old Dominion/April 11 and Tulane/April 29) ... Fanned a career-high nine batters and picked up the win in a career long five-inning outing against Old Dominion (April 11) ... Struck out six in three innings as East Carolina knocked off Charlotte April 19 at Truist Field.
Joey Berini: Has started 39 games at shortstop ... One of six Pirates hitting .303 or better ... Rapped out an RBI double in the 6-5 home victory over then No. 12 North Carolina (Feb. 24) ... Hit his first career home run in the Pirates' 10-2 win over Liberty (March 11) ... Clubbed his third home run of the season in the 13-9 win over NC State (April 4) ... Has drawn a walk in three-straight games.
Carter Cunningham: Has started 33 games in the outfield (17/RF, 13/LF, 3/CF) ... Tallied two hits and two runs scored in the series opener against Liberty (March 10) while also hitting his first home run of the season ... Notched a pair of two-hit efforts in the George Mason series ... Collected two hits and scored three runs in the Pirates' 17-7 run-rule win over UCF (April 6) ... Went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in the win over Old Dominion (April 11) ... Clubbed his fourth home run of the season at Charlotte (April 19).
Josh Grosz: Tabbed the AAC Pitcher of the Week March 27 ... Named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll March 6 and 13 ... Fanned five batters in 4.0 innings in the 6-5 win at then No. 12 North Carolina (Feb. 26) ... Struck out 10 batters and did not allow in hit in five scoreless innings against Georgetown (March 5) ... Turned in his second-straight quality start in ECU's 13-1 over Liberty (March 11), tallying a career-high 11 strikeouts in six innings while allowing just one earned run ... Logged a career-long outing against Missouri State (March 19), going 7.2 scoreless innings and striking out five ... Threw the first complete-game shutout for ECU since 2021 in the George Mason series finale.
Lane Hoover: Has started 35 games in the outfield (21/LF, 14/CF) ... One of six Pirates hitting .303 or better ... Helped ECU to a home and home sweep of then No. 12 North Carolina, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI in the 6-5 win in Chapel Hill (Feb. 26) ... Recorded a hit and scored two runs in the 17-4 victory over Indiana (March 3) ... Turned a pair of multi-hit efforts in the Missouri State series ... Clubbed his second career home run in the 11-3 victory over George Mason (March 24) ... Went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI in the Pirates' 17-7 run-rule win over UCF (April 6) ... Notched his third career home run in the victory over Old Dominion (April 11) ... Scored a season-high four runs and provided the two-run walkoff single in the 11-10 series-opening victory over Tulane (April 28).
Jake Hunter: Turned in a strong start at Elon (March 8), striking out six hitters and allowing just one earned run in 3.1 innings ... Grabbed his first win of the season in the 4-3 win over Missouri State (March 18) with three strikeouts in 2.2 scoreless frames ... Tossed a season-long 4.1 innings against NC State (April 4) and secured his second victory of the campaign, striking out five batters against no walks ... Fanned five batters and notched the win in a 3.2-inning outing against Tulane (April 29).
Jacob Jenkins-Cowart: One of six Pirates hitting .303 or better ... Tied with Moylan for the team lead in home runs (nine) ... Has started 33 games in the outfield (22/RF, 11/CF) and five at designated hitter ... Clubbed his first career grand slam in the second game of the doubleheader against the Colonials (Feb. 18) ... Recorded a hit and run scored in both wins over then No. 12 North Carolina ... Went 3-for-6 with a run scored and three RBI in the 17-4 victory over Indiana (March 3) ... Became the first Pirate since Corey Kemp in 2008 to hit three home runs in a contest as he also drove in five runs in East Carolina's victory over NC State (April 4) ... Went 3-for-4 with four RBI in the series-opening win over Tulane (April 28).
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 ... Struck out two batters in 1.2 innings in the two wins over then No. 12 North Carolina ... Did not allow a run or hit in 1.1 innings at the LeClair Classic.
Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman: Paces the pitching staff with 19 appearances out of the bullpen and a 2.61 ERA with 31 strikeouts against seven walks ... Tallied wins on the mound against then No. 12 North Carolina (Feb. 24) and at Queens (March 7) ... Notched his first career save in the 7-2 win over Liberty (March 10) ... Fanned a career-high five batters at UNCW (March 14) ... Collected a save in the series opener against Missouri State (March 17).
Alec Makarewicz: Has started all 44 games at third base ... Named the AAC Player of the Week April 10 ... Recorded his second home run of the season in the 6-5 win over then No. 12 North Carolina in Chapel Hill (Feb. 26) ... Tallied his first career multi-home run contest and first career four-hit performance in the 10-2 win over Liberty (March 11) ... Notched four hits and drove in four runs in the Pirates' 17-7 run-rule victory over UCF (April 6).
Ryan McCrystal: Tabbed to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll March 27 ... Collected his first hit of the season in his first at bat in the 5-2 win over Queens (March 7) in Kannapolis ... Made his first start of the campaign in the 13-1 win over Liberty (March 11) ... Tallied two hits and drove in two runs against William & Mary (March 15) ... Logged three hits and three RBI in the 5-0 win over George Mason (March 24).
Josh Moylan: Tabbed the AAC Player of the Week March 13 ... Named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll March 6 and April 17 ... Has started 38 games at first base ... Tallied a double and drove in a run in the 6-5 win over then No. 12 North Carolina in Greenville (Feb. 24) ... Clubbed his first career grand slam in the 11-2 victory over Georgetown (March 5) ... Went 6-for-12 with five runs scored and seven RBI in the Liberty series ... Logged his second career four-hit effort in the Missouri State series finale (March 19) ... Drove in three runs in the Pirates' 17-7 run-rule victory over UCF (April 6) ... Notched a home run in all three games of the Cincinnati series.
Luke Nowak: Named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll Feb. 27 ... Has started 38 games (24/DH, 10/LF, 8/RF) ... Exploded statistically at Campbell (Feb. 21), going 3-for-5 with a RBI and three stolen bases ... Has swiped a squad-best 16 bases ... Recorded a hit and RBI in both wins over then No. 12 North Carolina ... Tied a school record by drawing five walks in the 13-1 win over Liberty (March 11) ... Notched five hits in the UCF series ... Went 2-for-3 with a double in the victory over Old Dominion (April 11) ... Tallied three RBI in the Cincinnati series finale (April 16).
Zach Root: Tabbed to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll Feb. 20 ... Owns a 3-2 record and 34 strikeouts in 35.0 innings ... Picked up his first collegiate victory in game one of the George Washington doubleheader (Feb. 18), tossing 3.2 scoreless with five strikeouts against just one walk ... Notched his first collegiate save in the 6-5 home victory over then No. 12 North Carolina (Feb. 24) ... Made his first collegiate start at Duke (Feb. 28), tossing three scoreless frames with three strikeouts ... Earned the win at Elon (March 8) by throwing five scoreless with three strikeouts ... Collected his third victory of the season in the Pirates' 7-3 win over Old Dominion, tossing three scoreless innings to start the game ... Notched a career-high six strikeouts in 4.2 innings against Tulane (April 29) in his first career AAC start.
Garrett Saylor: Named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award Watch List ... Notched his 200th career strikeout in the series opener with Tulane (April 28) ... 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) ... Recorded a strikeout in the 6-5 home win over then No. 12 North Carolina (Feb. 24) ... Delivered a strong start at Queens (March 7), striking out four batters in five innings ... Enjoyed a career-long outing in the win over William & Mary (March 15), going 5.1 innings and striking out seven ... Collected seven strikeouts versus Campbell (March 22) ... Returned from injury in the series finale with Cincinnati (April 16), throwing the final inning.
Carter Spivey: Selected the AAC Pitcher of the Week April 17 ... Named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll April 10 ... Notched his first save of the campaign at then No. 12 North Carolina (Feb. 26), working out of a sizable jam in the ninth inning ... Picked up his first win of the season in a 10-2 Pirate victory over Liberty (March 11), allowing just one earned run and striking out four in six innings ... Turned in a quality start of 6.0 innings while striking out six in the Pirates' 11-5 victory over UCF that clinched the series ... Tossed ECU's second complete-game shutout of the season in the 10-0 win over Cincinnati (April 15).
Jacob Starling: Named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll May 1 ... Has started all 44 games at second base ... Leads the team with 18 multi-hit efforts ... Delivered both game-winning RBI in the victories over then No. 12 North Carolina via a pair of two-run doubles in the late innings ... Exploded for six RBI in the 17-4 win over Indiana (March 3) ... Went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a home run at Elon (March 8) ... Drew six walks in the Liberty series ... Provided the walkoff single in ECU's 4-3 victory over Missouri State (March 18) that clinched the series ... Celebrated his birthday April 4 by hitting a home run in ECU's 13-9 win over NC State (April 4) ... Collected three hits in the road rematch with the Wolfpack (April 25) ... Went 3-for-5 with three runs scored in the series opener versus Tulane (April 28).
Justin Wilcoxen: Leads the squad with a .328 batting average ... One of six Pirates hitting .303 or better ... Named the AAC Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Feb. 20 ... Has started 30 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 ... Drove in three runs in the 17-4 win over Indiana (March 3) ... Drilled the game-winning RBI single to left field in East Carolina's 3-2, 12-inning victory over UCF (April 7) that clinched the series sweep ... Clubbed a three-run home run that put ECU in the lead for good at Charlotte (April 19).
Trey Yesavage: Selected to the midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List ... Tabbed the AAC Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career on March 20 ... Named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll Feb. 27 ... Has struck out 82 batters against 14 walks in 55.2 innings of work ... Was stellar in a quality start against then No. 12 North Carolina (Feb. 24), allowing just one run on three hits with eight strikeouts in the 6-5 victory ... Produced another quality start against Indiana (March 3), surrendering one run on four hits with a career-high 11 strikeouts in the Pirates' 17-4 win ... Fanned 11 batters for the third time this season in the 11-3 win over George Mason (March 24) - his fifth-straight quality start (7.0 IP, 3 ER) ... Collected a career-high 13 strikeouts at Houston (March 31).

Up Next: East Carolina heads up to Cincinnati May 5-7 for a three-game AAC series at the UC Baseball Stadium. The Pirates swept the Bearcats earlier this season in Greenville.

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Players Mentioned

Danny Beal

Joey Berini

Carter Cunningham

Josh Grosz

Lane Hoover

Jake Hunter

Jacob Jenkins-Cowart

Willie Lumpkin

Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman

Alec Makarewicz

Ryan McCrystal

Josh Moylan

Luke Nowak

Zach Root

Garrett Saylor

Carter Spivey

Jacob Starling

Justin Wilcoxen

Trey Yesavage

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