Watkins Six RBI Paces No. 25 ECU Over Elon, 11-7…No. 8 Tar Heels Visit No. 19 Pirates Wednesday…Pirates softball wins in walk-off fashion…Trevon Brown could play a big part in ECU’s offense in 2017…Giants wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris takes pay cut …Two UCF football players suspended after failing NCAA drug test…Gamecocks are the Cinderellas of men’s tournament…Panthers QB Newton to have shoulder surgery, will miss OTAs…US edges Japan 2-1, advances to WBC championship game

Pirate Press: East Carolina Headlines

Baseball: Watkins powers Pirates Bonesville.net

ecupirates.com

• Watkins Six RBI Paces No. 25 ECU Over Elon, 11-7
• Softball Walkoff Home Run Lifts East Carolina Past Campbell In Greenville
• ECU Well-Represented At Inaugural AAC Academic Consortium Symposium

Greenville Daily Reflector

• Pirates get back in win column
• Statons donate $100,000 to enhance study-abroad opportunities

Pirates open spring practice Washington Daily News

No. 8 Tar Heels Visit No. 19 Pirates Wednesday GoHeels.com

Installation week to honor Chancellor Staton The East Carolinian

Old Dominion and East Carolina Play to 1-1 Draw in First Spring Game odusports.com

Trevon Brown could play a big part in ECU’s offense in 2017 WWAY 3

Giants wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris takes pay cut New Jersey Online

Around the American Athletic Conference

theamerican.org

• The Rise: Basketball Enters Postseason, Spring Sports Heat Up
• Houston’s Scheiner Earns Two National Weekly Honors
• Tulane’s Schmitz, SMU’s Sharapova Earn Weekly Honors
• Softball Heads into Week Seven
• Top Dunk Tuesday

Sources: A Wichita State move to American Athletic Conference grows more likely The Wichita Eagle

Villar leads USF baseball to 19th consecutive win  Tampa Bay Times

Orlando Sentinel

• Two UCF football players suspended after failing NCAA drug test
• UCF football players enjoying smoother ride during spring workouts
• UCF focused headed into NIT quarterfinals against Illinois

Dallas News

• Five reasons why SMU will return to the Big Dance next season 
• SMU spring football breakout candidate No. 5: Bryce Wilds ready to make bigger impact up front

Temple QB decision may take a while Philly.com

That’s more like it: Tulane unloads on McNeese State 10-2 New Orleans Advocate

Regional Headlines: The Carolinas and beyond

Keatts’ quick turnaround at UNCW offers hope for Wolfpack – DeCock  Raleigh News and Observer

Columbia The State

• Gamecocks are the Cinderellas of men’s tournament
• UMass hires Pat Kelsey from Winthrop five days after NCAA Tournament
• Jimmy Fallon with shout-out to Gamecocks’ upset of Duke
• Front-page worthy: Jackie Bradley Jr. on cover of Sports Illustrated
• 16 things to know about USC women in the Sweet 16

Charleston Post and Courier

• Four home runs lead Clemson past College of Charleston, 8-4
• Spur of the Moment: Can Frank Martin’s underdog Gamecocks really ‘go win this thing’?
• For ‘humbled’ Sindarius Thornwell, Gamecocks’ NCAA run affords second chance for first appearance at Madison Square Garden

Ex-VCU assistant who left for Rice returning to coach Rams Norfolk Virginian Pilot

SEC Rises: Football league has 3 teams vying for Elite Eight Associated Press

UNC players stick with program in quest for titles USA Today