Wednesday, February 28
Greenville, N.C.
4:00 p.m.
East Carolina University
vs
NC State
Pirates Set To Host NC State And Purple-Gold Invitational
February 27, 2024 | Softball
| Games 18-23: NC State and Purple-Gold Invitational | |
| Date | Feb. 28, Mar. 1-3, 2024 |
| Coverage | Feb. 28 vs. NC State: 4 p.m. (Watch/Live Stats) Mar. 1 vs. App State: 3 p.m. (Watch/Live Stats) Mar. 1 vs. Youngstown State: 5:30 p.m. (Watch/Live Stats) Mar. 2 vs. Youngstown State: 12:30 p.m. (Watch/Live Stats) Mar. 2 vs. Saint Joseph's: 3 p.m. (Watch/Live Stats) Mar. 3 vs. App State: 12:30 p.m. (Watch/Live Stats) |
| Venue | Max R. Joyner Family Stadium |
| Statistics | East Carolina | NC State | App State | Youngstown State | St. Joseph's |
| Game Notes | East Carolina |
| Social Media |  @ecu_softball (Twitter) \\\ Instagram \\\ #WeBelieve |
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GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina softball team continues its 19-game homestand on Wednesday when the Pirates welcome in-state rival NC State to Max R. Joyner Family Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
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First pitch is set for 4 p.m. and the game will be streamed via ESPN+.
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In its past five games against ACC foes, the Pirates are 2-3, defeating NC State and North Carolina last year while dropping a doubleheader to Duke and the first of a doubleheader to the Wolfpack. Following its midweek clash with the Wolfpack, the Pirates will host Appalachian State, Youngstown State and Saint Joseph's for the Purple-Gold Invitational as ECU will take on the Mountaineers and Penguins at 3 and 5:30 p.m. respectively on Friday. Admission is free for fans.
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The Pirates are off to the best start in program history since the 2000 Pirate softball team that started 17-1 in its first 18 games and went on to win a program-record 60 games. ECU is coming off a 5-0 week as the Pirates continued to rack up runs and shut down its opponents' offense as ECU recorded a shutout in its last three games. Jordan Hatch, Taylor Apple, Devin Long and Payton Hudson combined for the first no-hitter since April 2, 2011, by Toni Paisley in ECU's 6-0 win over N.C. Central, leading to Apple receiving a spot on the AAC Honor Roll.
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ECU is one of only four teams in the country that is top-10 in both ERA (0.83/5th) and batting average (.373/7th). Emma Jackson leads ECU at the plate, batting .534 and tallying 31 hits (1st in AAC/NCAA) along with 13 doubles (1st in AAC/NCAA). Morgan Johnson leads the American and is third in the country in RBI with 27. ECU is currently first in the AAC in runs scored (90), hits (126), on-base percentage (.438) and doubles (27). The Pirates currently have four players who are hitting .400 or higher at the plate.
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The NC State Series
NC State leads the all-time series with East Carolina 15-9 as the teams split a doubleheader in Raleigh last season. It will be the Wolfpack's first game in Greenville since April 25, 2018, when ECU defeated NC State 2-1.
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The Appalachian State Series
ECU leads the all-time series 4-0 with the Mountaineers and this weekend will be the first time that the programs will clash since Feb. 24, 2008, when the Pirates downed Appalachian State 8-2 in the Pirate Classic.
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The Youngstown State Series
The Pirates lead the series 3-0, last playing the Penguins on Feb. 8, 2019, when ECU defeated Youngstown State 11-4 at the Spartan Classic.
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The Saint Joseph's Series
East Carolina leads the series with Saint Joseph's 6-0 as the Pirates clashed with the Hawks earlier this month at the Charleston Invitational where ECU shutout St. Joe's 8-0 twice in five and six innings.
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Up Next
East Carolina finishes its homestand with a doubleheader against Duke on Wednesday, Mar. 6 at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina softball team continues its 19-game homestand on Wednesday when the Pirates welcome in-state rival NC State to Max R. Joyner Family Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Â
First pitch is set for 4 p.m. and the game will be streamed via ESPN+.
Â
In its past five games against ACC foes, the Pirates are 2-3, defeating NC State and North Carolina last year while dropping a doubleheader to Duke and the first of a doubleheader to the Wolfpack. Following its midweek clash with the Wolfpack, the Pirates will host Appalachian State, Youngstown State and Saint Joseph's for the Purple-Gold Invitational as ECU will take on the Mountaineers and Penguins at 3 and 5:30 p.m. respectively on Friday. Admission is free for fans.
Â
The Pirates are off to the best start in program history since the 2000 Pirate softball team that started 17-1 in its first 18 games and went on to win a program-record 60 games. ECU is coming off a 5-0 week as the Pirates continued to rack up runs and shut down its opponents' offense as ECU recorded a shutout in its last three games. Jordan Hatch, Taylor Apple, Devin Long and Payton Hudson combined for the first no-hitter since April 2, 2011, by Toni Paisley in ECU's 6-0 win over N.C. Central, leading to Apple receiving a spot on the AAC Honor Roll.
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ECU is one of only four teams in the country that is top-10 in both ERA (0.83/5th) and batting average (.373/7th). Emma Jackson leads ECU at the plate, batting .534 and tallying 31 hits (1st in AAC/NCAA) along with 13 doubles (1st in AAC/NCAA). Morgan Johnson leads the American and is third in the country in RBI with 27. ECU is currently first in the AAC in runs scored (90), hits (126), on-base percentage (.438) and doubles (27). The Pirates currently have four players who are hitting .400 or higher at the plate.
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The NC State Series
NC State leads the all-time series with East Carolina 15-9 as the teams split a doubleheader in Raleigh last season. It will be the Wolfpack's first game in Greenville since April 25, 2018, when ECU defeated NC State 2-1.
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The Appalachian State Series
ECU leads the all-time series 4-0 with the Mountaineers and this weekend will be the first time that the programs will clash since Feb. 24, 2008, when the Pirates downed Appalachian State 8-2 in the Pirate Classic.
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The Youngstown State Series
The Pirates lead the series 3-0, last playing the Penguins on Feb. 8, 2019, when ECU defeated Youngstown State 11-4 at the Spartan Classic.
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The Saint Joseph's Series
East Carolina leads the series with Saint Joseph's 6-0 as the Pirates clashed with the Hawks earlier this month at the Charleston Invitational where ECU shutout St. Joe's 8-0 twice in five and six innings.
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Up Next
East Carolina finishes its homestand with a doubleheader against Duke on Wednesday, Mar. 6 at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
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Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
RHP/INF
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