Tuesday, March 31
Greenville, N.C.
6:00 P.M.
East Carolina University
vs
UNC Wilmington
Pirates Start Homestand Against UNCW Tuesday
March 31, 2026 | Baseball
| Games 30: UNCW Seahawks (18-9, 7-2 CAA) at East Carolina Pirates (16-12-1, 3-3 American) | |
| Coverage | March 31st: 6:00 p.m. \\\ Live Stats \\\ Watch Stream: ESPN+ Radio: 94.3 The Game (Dylan Johnson and Dr. Gary Overton) |
| Location: | Greenville, N.C. | Lewis Field at Clark LeClair Stadium (5,000) |
| Official Websites: | East Carolina | UNCW |
| Game Notes: | East Carolina | UNCW |
| Statistics: | East Carolina | UNCW |
| Baseball Central: | NCAA Baseball | College Scoreboard | Weekly Rankings | National Stat Leaders |
| Social Media: | ECUBaseball (X) | ecu_baseball (Instagram) | East Carolina Baseball (Facebook) |
GREENVILLE, N.C. -Â The East Carolina Pirates (16-12-1, 3-3 American) start their four-game homestand at Lewis Field in Clark LeClair Stadium on Tuesday, where they will set their sights on UNC-Wilmington (18-9, 7-1 CAA).Â
UTSA Series Recap
The weekend series in San Antonio proved to be a rollercoaster for the Pirates, beginning with a dominant pitching performance on Friday but ending in a heartbreaking extra-inning loss on Sunday. East Carolina opened the set with a clinical 3-0 shutout victory, powered by a masterful start from Ethan Norby. Norby silenced the Roadrunners' bats, racking up 12 strikeouts and allowing only a single hit over seven innings of work. The offense provided just enough support, with Colby Wallace driving in two runs to secure the series-opening win.ÂHowever, the momentum shifted quickly on Saturday as UTSA jumped out to an early lead that the Pirates could not overcome. The Roadrunners exploded for five runs in the first inning, aided by defensive miscues and a towering home run from Drew Detlefsen. ECU's bats were held in check for most of the afternoon, managing only a single run in the sixth inning to fall 6-1.
The loss set the stage for a dramatic rubber match on Sunday, which saw the Pirates orchestrate a massive late-game comeback. After trailing 5-0 through six innings, ECU surged ahead with seven unanswered runs across the final three frames to take a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth.
The series finale ultimately ended in frustration as UTSA rallied to tie the game in the ninth and eventually secured an 8-7 walk-off win in the tenth inning. Despite the late-inning heroics from the Pirate lineup, the bullpen couldn't hold off the final Roadrunner surge. With the series loss, East Carolina moves to 16-12-1 overall on the season and sits at an even 3-3 in American Athletic Conference play. The team will look to bounce back as they return home for a midweek matchup and prepare for their next conference tilt.Â
With the UTSA series now behind them, East Carolina moves to 16-12-1 overall on the season and sits at an even 3-3 in American Conference play.Â
Norby Throwing Punches
Ethan Norby had a commendable outing on Friday night in the series opener against UTSA, being able to reach his season high in strikeouts (12), while only giving up one hit and three walks in 7.0 innings of work, and also throwing a combined shutout with reliever Joseph Webb. Norby was able to face 26 batters with 108 pitches and ultimately became victorious to get the lone win for the Pirates against UTSA.Norby received American Conference Pitcher of the Week on March 30 for his performance at Roadrunner Field.
Last Time vs. UNCW
The Pirates secured a solid 5-3 victory over in-state rival UNCW earlier this month at Brooks Field, fueled by effective pitching and timely execution. ECU jumped out to an early lead in the third inning when Walker Barron and Braden Burress both crossed the plate, capitalizing on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Grady Lenahan. While the Seahawks managed to cut the deficit to one in the sixth, ECU's bullpen stayed composed under pressure to keep the game within reach. The Pirates extended their cushion in the later innings, adding a run in the seventh via an Austin Irby RBI single and two more in the eighth through another Barron base hit and a second Lenahan sacrifice fly. On the mound, the trio of Ryan Towers, Joseph Webb and Sean Jenkins combined for a strong performance to hold the Seahawks on their own field.Midweek Starters
RHP #20 Frank Ciccone vs. LHP #33 Trey WillifordÂAbout UNCW
The UNCW Seahawks are enjoying a productive season, currently holding an 18-9 overall record with a sharp 7-2 mark in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play. After a somewhat bumpy start in mid-February, when they dropped two out of three to Maryland, UNCW found its stride through March. A major turning point was a perfect road sweep of Jacksonville, which kicked off a stretch in which the team won nine of 11 games. Their dominance in conference play was most recently punctuated by a massive 22-1 blowout victory over William & Mary, but their series against the Tribe came to a dramatic close, where William & Mary was able to snatch a win from the Seahawks, ending the game with a final score of 8-9.Â
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