ECU Begins AAC Baseball Championship Run Tuesday

2024 AAC Baseball Championship: No. 1 Seed East Carolina vs. No. 8 Seed Rice
Coverage	May 21st: 12:30 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch Stream: ESPN+ (Patrick Murray and Jeff Brightwell) Radio: 94.3 The Game (Scott Rogers and Dr. Gary Overton)
Location:	Clearwater, Fla. \| BayCare Ballpark (8,500)
Tourney Info:	AAC Baseball Championship Central
Official Websites:	East Carolina \| Rice
Game Notes:	East Carolina \| Rice
Statistics:	East Carolina \| Rice
Baseball Central:	Media Center \| Roster \| Schedule/Results \| NCAA Baseball \| College Scoreboard \| Weekly Rankings \| National Stat Leaders
Social Media:	ECUBaseball (Twitter) \| ecu_baseball (Instagram) \| East Carolina Baseball (Facebook)

CLEARWATER, Fla. – No. 9 East Carolina begins play at the 2024 American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Tuesday afternoon when the top seeded Pirates take on No. 8 seed Rice inside BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.

First pitch is scheduled for 47 minutes following the conclusion of the tournament opener between No. 4 seed Wichita State and No. 5 seed UAB which is set to begin at 9 a.m.

As always, Scott Rogers and Dr. Gary Overton will handle the radio call locally on 94.3 The Game while Patrick Murray and Jeff Brightwell will broadcast the contest on ESPN+.

ECU (40-13) captured its fifth-straight AAC regular season title with a home sweep of the Owls last weekend. Several Pirates earned postseason accolades from the league as Carter Cunningham was tabbed the Player of the Year while Trey Yesavage was named the Pitcher of the Year. Ryley Johnson also garnered Defensive Player of the Year honors and Cliff Godwin was selected the Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career.

East Carolina made a run to the championship game of last year's tournament, becoming the first team in the event's history to drop its opening contest and battle back to reach the final. After falling to South Florida, the Pirates ran off four-straight wins over Cincinnati, UCF and USF before losing to Tulane in the championship bout. East Carolina looks to advance to the final for the third-straight season having done so in 2022 and 2023.

Entering the postseason tournament, ECU paces the league in batting average (.312), earned run average (3.75) and fielding percentage (.978). Cunningham leads the conference in batting average (.396), slugging percentage (.696), runs scored (68) and OPS (1.186) while Yesavage is tops in ERA (2.09), opposing batting average (.162), strikeouts (139) and victories (11).

The Pirates also slot among the national leaders, ranking fourth in both WHIP (1.23) and ERA, fifth in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (7.49), sixth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (302), 12th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.70), 12th in winning percentage (.755) and 21st in batting average. A recently named Golden Spikes Award semifinalist, Yesavage is third in the country in victories, fourth in strikeouts, fifth in ERA (2.09), sixth in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (5.02) and strikeouts per nine innings (14.55) and ninth in WHIP (0.88).

Projected Pitching Matchup
LHP Ethan Norby (3-0, 3.67 ERA, 41.2 IP) vs. LHP J.D. McCracken (4-7, 5.50 ERA, 70.1 IP)

About Rice
The Owls (22-34) enter tournament play with a collective .249 batting average, 89 doubles, 10 triples and 49 home runs. Treyton Rank paces the club in doubles (15) and RBI (38) while Ben Dukes tops Rice in batting average (.315). The Owls' pitching staff sports a 5.32 team ERA with 471 strikeouts and 274 walks in 496.0 innings of work.

The Rice Series
Rice leads the all-time series with East Carolina 24-12. The Pirates and Owls meet for the first time in American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship play.

Individual Notables
Head Coach Cliff Godwin: Owns 391 career victories and is second on the East Carolina career coaching wins list ... Has been part of 14 NCAA Regional and two College World Series teams at the Division I level as an assistant coach and head coach … Guided ECU to seven NCAA Regional berths (2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 Greenville Regional host), four Super Regional appearances, five-straight American Athletic Conference regular season titles and three AAC Tournament crowns while posting a 391-183-1 (.681) overall record … Under Godwin's direction, 13 players have earned All-America status, 18 have been NCAA All-Regional selections, 45 have been named all-conference (28 first teamers) and 22 have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams … A five-time AAC Coach-of-the-Year selection (2015, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024), 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: Named to the 2024 All-AAC Second Team ... Leads the club in appearances (28) ... Tossed 3.2 scoreless innings and surrendered just one hit while racking up four strikeouts in the Liberty series, collecting his first win and second save of the campaign Saturday and Sunday respectively ... Earned the win in the series finale versus Columbia by tossing 2.1 scoreless relief innings ... Collected his third save of the season in the 14-10 victory at UTSA ... Credited with the win at NC State with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief ... Earned the win in the middle game of the Memphis series, limiting the Tigers to one run and striking out four over a season long 6.0-inning outing ... Threw 5.0 innings in relief in the middle game of the South Florida series to grab his fifth win of the year ... Appeared in all three games of the Tulane series, racking up six strikeouts and producing two scoreless outings ... Locked down the win with four scoreless innings in the regular season finale versus Rice that clinched the outright regular season title.
Joey Berini: Has started all 53 games at shortstop ... Registered three RBI in the series opener against Columbia ... Clubbed his first home run of the season in the series finale at UTSA ... Legged out his second career triple and registered a pair of hits in the 7-4 win over UNCW ... Logged two hits in the series finale at Florida Atlantic ... Hit .545 (6-for-11) with five runs scored, seven RBI and two home runs in the Wichita State series ... Went 2-for-5 with two runs scored in the Tulane series finale.
Bristol Carter: Named to the 2024 AAC All-Freshman Team ... Has started 42 games in left field and one in center ... Provided the walkoff single in the bottom of the ninth in ECU's 10-9 win over then No. 15 North Carolina that clinched the series in front of a record Clark-LeClair Stadium crowd of 6,017 ... Went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, a triple and an RBI in the series opener at Liberty ... Notched two hits, two runs scored and two RBI in the series opener against Columbia ... Went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the 14-10 victory at UTSA ... Logged two hits and drove in two runs in the Florida Atlantic series finale ... Posted a career-high three RBI in the win over Elon ... Produced a pair of multi-hit performances in the Charlotte series ... Clubbed a two-run home run in the top of the 13th at William & Mary as part of a three-hit performance ... Notched a career-high four hits in the middle game of the Memphis series.
Carter Cunningham: 2024 AAC Player of the Year and First Team selection ... Named the AAC Player of the Week Feb. 26 and April 29 ... Leads the American Athletic Conference in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, runs scored and OPS ... Has started 46 games at first base, two in left field and two in center field ... Put together a 19-game hitting streak to start the season ... Paces the club in both multi-hit (23) and multi-RBI (16) efforts ... Tallied a career-high four hits in the 7-4 win over then No. 15 North Carolina in Fayetteville ... Went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, four RBI and two home runs versus Southeastern Louisiana ... Collected a career-high five RBI in the series opener at Liberty ... Recorded two hits and scored three runs in the victory at UNCW ... Exploded for three hits, three runs scored and two RBI at NC State ... Turned in a three-hit performance in the Florida Atlantic series finale ... Matched career-high marks in at bats (7) and hits (4) in the contest at William & Mary ... Logged two hits and three runs scored in the home win over No. 21 NC State ... Hit .583 (7-for-12) in the Memphis series with six runs scored, nine RBI, two doubles and three home runs ... Posted three hits, score two runs and notched three RBI in the regular season finale win versus Rice that clinched the outright regular season title.
Jacob Jenkins-Cowart: Named to 2024 All-AAC First Team ... Earned AAC Player of the Week honors Feb. 19 and May 19 ... Has started all 53 games at right field ... Leads the club in both multi-hit (24) and multi-RBI (18) efforts ... Hit .500 (6-for-12) with six runs scored, five RBI, three doubles, two home runs and a pair of stolen bases in the Rider series ... Posted at least two hits in every game of the series with then No. 15 North Carolina, rapping out three hits and driving in two runs in Sunday's 10-9 walkoff victory ... Went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI and a home run at Old Dominion ... Logged three hits and drove in three runs against Southeastern Louisiana ... Notched two hits and drew two walks in the 12-4 win at NC State ... Registered two hits, three runs scored and three RBI in the win over Old Dominion ... Posted three hits and four RBI at William & Mary ... Went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI in the Memphis series opener ... Tallied three hits, two runs scored and four RBI in the Tulane series finale ... Hit .500 (7-for-14) with five runs scored, 11 RBI, a double, three home runs and a 1.714 OPS in the Rice series.
Ryley Johnson: 2024 AAC Defensive Player of the Year ... Tabbed to the 2024 All-AAC First Team ... Named the AAC Player of the Week for the first time in his career April 15 ... Has started 50 games at center field ... Paces the club with 20 stolen bases in 23 attempts ... Tallied a pair of multi-hit efforts in the series with then No. 15 North Carolina ... Clubbed a pair of home runs and stole three bases in the Columbia series ... Scored three runs in the Florida Atlantic series opener ... Went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the 5-1 win over Charlotte ... Posted three hits and scored four runs at William & Mary ... Hit .600 (6-for-10) with three runs scored and four RBI in the Wichita State series ... Notched three hits and scored four runs in the home win over No. 21 NC State ... Leads the AAC in triples, on base percentage and runs scored ... Hit .417 (5-for-12) with six runs scored and four RBI in the Memphis series.
Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman: Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist ... Named to the 2024 All-AAC First Team ... Tabbed to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List ... Paces the squad with five saves ... Slots second on the team in strikeouts (77) ... Is third on the club in appearances (21) ... Has surrendered just four earned runs in his last 36.2 innings of work ... Notched a seven strikeouts in three innings at Campbell before tallying seven more in four scoreless innings versus Purdue ... Logged 3.1 scoreless frames in the Liberty series, racking up seven strikeouts against one walk and earning his first save of the campaign in the weekend finale ... Recorded five strikeouts in two innings at UNCW ... Picked up the win in relief at UTSA via 2.2 scoreless innings ... Threw three scoreless innings with four strikeouts to notch the victory in the 7-4 win over UNCW ... Tallied a win and a save in the UAB series ... Allowed just one earned run and registered seven strikeouts over five innings to record two saves in the Florida Atlantic series ... Collected a career-high eight strikeouts in a four-inning save versus Charlotte ... Struck out six over three innings at William & Mary while allowing just an unearned run.
Ryan McCrystal: Has made 14 starts at catcher and 27 at designated hitter … Registered two hits (including a home run), a run scored and RBI in the series opener at Liberty … Posted multiple hits in four straight games from March 22-26 … Notched three hits in the series opener at UTSA ... Logged three hits and scored a pair of runs in the middle game of the Memphis series ... Went 3-for-6 with two RBI in the Tulane series finale.
Ethan Norby: Named to the AAC All-Freshman Team ... Owns a 3-0 record and two saves in 16 appearances (eight starts) ... Struck out six and did not allow a hit in 4.0 scoreless and hitless innings in the UAB series finale ... Became the first Pirate pitcher to register double-digit strikeouts in a relief appearance since Jake Agnos tallied 11 in a 5-4 victory over Western Carolina March 3, 2017 ... Collected his first collegiate save in the Wichita State series opener by striking out four over the final 1.1 innings ... Allowed just one earned run in 4.1 innings of relief to earn the win over No. 21 NC State ... Logged his second save of the season with 2.2 scoreless frames in the Rice series opener.
Zach Root: Tabbed to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watchlist ... Named the AAC Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career on Feb. 26 ... Collected his first win of the season on the mound in East Carolina's 7-0 victory over Rider, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings and notching seven strikeouts ... Was masterful in the middle contest of the series with then No. 15 North Carolina, throwing a career-best seven scoreless innings while matching his career high in strikeouts (seven) against no walks ... Turned in another quality start against Cal State Fullerton, surrendering just one run over seven innings while striking out a career-high 10 batters against one walk ... Tossed six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in a win over Columbia ... Limited Charlotte to one run in five innings of work to claim his fifth win of the season against no losses.
Jacob Starling: Has started 41 games at second base ... Hit for the cycle in the 10-6 win over No. 21 NC State and finished the game with four RBI ... Posted three hits, five runs scored, three RBI and two home runs in the Rider series ... Drove in a run and drew two walks at Campbell ... Notched a career-high four hits in the 7-4 win over then No. 15 North Carolina in Fayetteville ... Logged three RBI in the series finale at Liberty ... Went 2-for-3 with two runs scored at UNCW ... Registered two hits, two RBI and two runs scored in the win at NC State ... Drove in five runs, logging a double and home run in the middle game of the Memphis series ... Went 3-for-5 with three RBI in the Tulane series opener.
Colby Wallace: Made his collegiate pitching debut in the first game of the doubleheader versus Rice, tossing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts ... Has made 15 starts at third base and has played in 26 games ... Posted three hits in games against Cal State Fullerton, Charlotte and Wichita State.
Justin Wilcoxen: Named to the 2024 All-AAC First Team ... Has started 39 games at catcher and 12 at designated hitter ... Notched a pair of hits and drove in a run at Campbell ... Tallied two hits and an RBI in the 7-4 win over then No. 15 North Carolina in Fayetteville ... Registered three hits, three runs scored, two RBI and two home runs versus Southeastern Louisiana - his first career multi-home run effort ... Tied his career high with four hits at UNCW ... Logged three hits and four RBI in the Columbia series finale ... Posted a pair of hits and scored two runs in the win at NC State ... Turned in his second career multi-home run effort in the 11-7 win over Wichita State ... Notched two hits, including a home run, in the home win over No. 21 NC State ... Went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI, a double and a home run in the Memphis series finale ... Tallied two hits, three runs scored and a pair of RBI in the series-opening win over South Florida ... Logged three RBI in the first two games of the Rice series.
Dixon Williams: Has started 41 games at third base and 11 at second base ... Hit .375 (3-for-8) during the Rider series while scoring three runs and compiling four RBI ... Has drawn a team-best nine walks ... Drove in a pair of runs in the season-opening 16-2 victory ... Notched two hits and scored two runs at Campbell ... Clubbed his first career home run against Purdue ... Tallied a career-high three RBI in the 8-0 win over Columbia ... Went 2-for-4 with two RBI in the win at NC State ... Went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and three RBI in the run-rule win over Charlotte ... Tallied two hits and a pair of RBI in the home win over No. 21 NC State ... Hit .615 (8-for-13) with five runs scored in the Memphis series ... Logged home runs in four straight games from April 27 to May 5.
Trey Yesavage: 2024 AAC Pitcher of the Year ... Named to the All-AAC First Team ... Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist ... Selected the NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher of the Week for April ... Named the American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week April 8th, 15th and 29th ... Leads the AAC in earned run average, opposing batting average, strikeouts and wins ... Has posted eight double-digit strikeout efforts this campaign ... Was dominant in the series opener at then No. 15 North Carolina, giving up just one earned run and striking out 11 batters against one walk in six innings pitched ... Went a career-long eight scoreless innings in the win over Purdue, fanning 11 hitters and scattering two hits ... Struck out nine over six innings while allowing just one run in the series opener at Liberty ... Struck out 10 batters and allowed just one earned run in six innings versus Columbia ... Tossed seven scoreless frames and struck out 11 in the series opener at Florida Atlantic ... Combined with Jackson DiLorenzo to throw a no hitter in the run-rule victory over Charlotte, striking out 12 batters over six innings ... Notched a career-high 15 strikeouts in the series-opening win over Wichita State ... Came within one out of throwing a no hitter at Memphis, racking up 12 strikeouts in the 14-0 run-rule victory ... Struck out 11 batters against no walks in a seven inning complete-game victory over South Florida.

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Players Mentioned

Danny Beal

Joey Berini

Bristol Carter

Carter Cunningham

Jackson DiLorenzo

Jacob Jenkins-Cowart

Ryley Johnson

Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman

Ryan McCrystal

Ethan Norby

Jacob Starling

Colby Wallace

Justin Wilcoxen

Dixon Williams

Trey Yesavage

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