Pirates in for a close shave

By Brian Bailey
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The preliminaries are just about over.

East Carolina plays host to UNC-Wilmington Tuesday night before finally entering league play in the American Athletic Conference. The Pirates host preseason favorite Houston in a three-game series beginning on Friday night.

Six of the league's eight head coaches tabbed the Cougars in that preseason poll that was released in January.

Pirate head coach Cliff Godwin hopes his non-conference slate pays dividends when league play opens. The Pirates have won all of their weekend series to date, with the exception of the two out of three losses at Rice.

"Even I have to take a step back and look at our schedule," said Godwin after Saturday's 13-0 series clinching win over Jacksonville. “There’s been no mercy with the schedule we’ve played so far, so this was good and it does feel good to coach when you win 13-0, compared to 5-3 or 4-3 or whatever."

Saturday's hero was one of the most likable guys on the Pirate team, Eric Tyler. Tyler hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first and a grand slam in the eighth. He ended his day with a new school record eight RBI's, breaking the record formerly held by Darryl Lawhorn.

“It’s incredible and even better that it came in a series clinching win,” said Tyler. "I had no idea (about the record) until Mr. Malcolm Gray (ECU Sports Information Director) told me about it.

“It couldn’t have happened to a better person," said Godwin. "I’m proud that his name is going down in the record book. He does things the right way, on and off the field. He works hard every single day, so I’m really happy for him.”

East Carolina's entire baseball team grew mustaches this month to promote awareness and raise money for ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease. The official name of the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

It is a cause most dear to ECU baseball, as complications from the disease took the life of former ECU skipper Keith LeClair, for whom Cliff Godwin played as a Pirate.

This Thursday the squad will host a "Shave Off" for ALS, to get rid of all of the facial hair.

I joined in on the fun, growing my mustache for the first time since the 1991 Pirate football team shaved it off in Atlanta as a part of the "Dream Season."

I'll admit, my mustache leaves a lot to be desired. It is better than Cliff's for sure. I appreciate the baseball team including me in on the fun, but I don't know if I will be able to participate next year.

My lovely wife Melissa isn't a fan of the 'stache.' She told me that if we do "Mustaches for March" next year it will be to raise money for the Brian Bailey Divorce Fund! I think she was only half kidding.

So with a school record 8-RBI day in his pocket, I asked Eric Tyler if he was going to shave, or keep his mustache for luck.

"I can't wait to get rid of it," Tyler joked. "I'm looking forward to the big shave!"

I also look forward to shaving on Thursday. It's been fun and for a great cause.

"I think most everybody is ready to shave," said Godwin.

Look for your clean-cut Pirates against Houston starting Friday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

BB

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