Bonesville: The Authoritative Independent Voice of East Carolina

News & Features from ECU, the AAC and Beyond

  • Home
  • News & Features
  • Recruiting
  • Photos
  • Audio
  • Roundup
  • Comments
  • Legacy Archives

• ECU 2022 Football Schedule
• ECU 2022-23 Hoops Schedule
• ECU 2023 Baseball Schedule

— Recruiting Thumbnails —
Football: 2023 • Hoops: 2023-24

View from the East
Adler shines after Fenway failure

April 28, 2017 By Al Myatt Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

The genesis of N.C. State’s 6-0 win at East Carolina on Wednesday night came Saturday at Fenway Park.

That’s where  the Wolfpack played Boston College in an ALS Awareness game. NCSU senior left-hander Sean Adler had a brief outing in his 10th start of the season.

The Southern Cal transfer had been State’s Friday night guy against some ACC heavyweights but he threw just 22 pitches before he was pulled in an 8-3 loss to BC.

The Pack and Adler ventured into Clark-LeClair Stadium with something to prove after getting swept by the Eagles (16-22).

Adler was able to go in the midweek matchup because of his limited pitch count. He experienced another rocky start as Wesley Phillips and Charlie Yorgen each singled into right field for the Pirates to start the bottom of the first inning.

ECU head coach Cliff Godwin firmly accentuates a point during a game earlier this season. (Archive photo by Bonesville Staff)

But Adler escaped another early hook against some of ECU’s biggest bats. He struck out Eric Tyler and got Tyler Watkins to ground into a double play.

That was the turning point in the analysis of Pirates coach Cliff Godwin.

“We did not do a good job offensively,” Godwin said. “Really didn’t execute our plan. The game was lost, in my opinion, in the first inning when we had the first and third and no outs and don’t score a run right there. I really thought that allowed their guy to settle in and he was way better than we were last night.”

Adler was king of the hill for five and one-third innings. He allowed just three hits after the opening salvo from Phillips and Yorgen. He struck out one and fanned seven.

Joe O’Donnell and Austin Staley completed the shutout, subduing the Pirate faithful among a gathering of 4,181.

Pirates have had their share of misfortune

Adler’s comeback outing is just the latest of misfortunes to beset ECU (22-20).

Godwin isn’t given to excuses but the facts speak for themselves.

“Pretty much anything that could go wrong this year has gone wrong,” Godwin said. “Four key players get injured — Bryce Harman, Evan Kruczynski, Dwanya (Williams-Sutton) and Chris Holba. We had to remove a player (Joe Ingle) from the team who has had a lot of success here. It’s not how you draw it up.

“The season’s not over, but, obviously, we’re not where we want to be right now. At the end of the day, we can’t change anything in the past. We’ve got to move forward and continue to focus on getting better.”

Ingle, a junior who had 22 career saves, was dismissed from the program just prior to a 9-5 win at UNC-Wilmington on April 18.

“All I’ll say about that is, no one person is bigger than the program,” Godwin said. “Not myself, not any player on our team and as long as I’m the coach here, not one person will ever be better than East Carolina baseball.”

Kruz makes a difference

Senior lefthander Evan Kruczynski, a preseason All-America, was effective last week in his return to action after recovering from a leg fracture. (Archive photo by Bonesville Staff)

The Pirates have Harman, Kruczynski and Williams-Sutton back. Kruczynski  has returned from a leg fracture and contributed eight innings in a one-hitter as ECU got its first American Athletic Conference win, 6-0, at Cincinnati on Saturday.

“He pitched great,” Godwin said. “Kruz has pitched a lot of big games for us in the past two-and-a-half years. He pitched phenomenal. … He gave up one hit to the third batter of the game and then retired 22 straight. That’s the most impressive pitching performance we’ve had all year. …

“He’s going to continue to get more healthy. He’s not 100 percent right now. His leg probably won’t feel great for another couple of months. He’s a warrior. He’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached. … His pitching performance last weekend came at a very opportune time. We needed that.”

The Pirates had a breakout game offensively on Sunday, mauling the Bearcats, 14-3, as Watkins went 4-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBIs.

Rain, exams

ECU returned to exams and rain in Greenville but Godwin said those factors didn’t impact preparation for the Wolfpack.

“We deal with weather all the time,” Godwin said. “We’re an outside sport. It had nothing to do with the way we played.”

Judging from the unprecedented grade-point averages the Pirates have compiled under Godwin, a former academic All-American, the players can handle end-of-semester demands in the classroom, too.

An 11:30 a.m. practice was set for Thursday to accommodate the exam schedule.

“We’ll try and get better,” Godwin said. “The offense is inconsistent but we’re leading the league in hitting. It’s inconsistent. We have games that we score 14 runs and we get shut out. There needs to be more consistency. We scored 14 runs on Sunday. We just didn’t score (Wednesday). It’s baseball. We needed to put together better at-bats (Wednesday) night but it’s not like we don’t have a good offense.

“N.C. State was hitting .261 going into last night and we were hitting .302. Who would you rather have on paper? But that’s why you play the game. They did a better job against our pitchers than we did. … They started their weekend starter but that’s not the reason we lost. … We lost because we didn’t swing the bats.”

One wonders how the game with State would have unfolded if Kruczynski had been toeing the rubber for ECU.

Godwin wasn’t presented with that scenario, but he knows the fans come out to see regional rivals.

“It’s a big game,” Godwin said. “It’s N.C. State. It’s a rivalry game. If you can’t get ready and put your best foot forward against them, then something’s wrong. … We lost (Wednesday) night. They were better than us (Wednesday) night. We hate losing to anybody.”

Tulane tonight

Godwin planned to meet with pitching coach Dan Roszel on Thursday morning to discuss the rotation for the AAC series at home with Tulane that gets going tonight at 6:30.

“It will be Kruczynski, Trey Benton and (Jake) Agnos,” Godwin said. “We’re just not sure what order we’re going to go in yet.”

Godwin said that, ideally, the Pirates would like to get Kruczynski back in his customary Friday night slot.

The Green Wave is 21-21 after a 3-12 start. Tulane completed a season sweep of LSU with a 9-6 win in New Orleans on Tuesday night. The Wave is 8-4 in league play.

“They haven’t had the injuries we’ve had,” Godwin said. “They have a new coach (Travis Jewett). I’m sure it took some time to get used to the new coaching staff. They were expected to be at the top of the league as well. They have a lot of returners from last year’s regional team. They’re experienced. They’re very good. They’re very talented. They’re a very good team.”

VIEW ECU’S 2017 BASEBALL SCHEDULE

Related

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Filed Under: News & Features

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News & Features

ECU Recruiting News
Towering lineman Neolian still honing skills

Basketball News
Pirates top SMU, 77-72

VIEW FROM THE EAST: NORTH TEXAS
The new American

Basketball News
ECU rally falls short

ECU Recruiting News
More help is on the way to ECU secondary

Basketball News
Porter leads Shockers past Pirates

VIEW FROM THE EAST: FAU
The new American

Basketball News
Pirates rally past Tulsa to snap losing streak

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

VIEW FROM THE EAST: CHARLOTTE
The new American

More News & Features

ECU Schedules

  • ECU 2021 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2020-21 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2021 Baseball Schedule

ECU Recruiting

  • Football Recruiting Class of 2021
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2020
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2019
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2018
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2017
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2021-22
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2020-21
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2019-20
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2018-19
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2017-18
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2016-17

Past Football Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2014 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2013 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2012 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2011 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2010 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2009 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2008 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2007 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2006 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2005 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2004 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2003 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2002 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2001 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2000 Football Schedule
  • Historical Schedules

Past Basketball Schedules

  • ECU 2019-20 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2018-19 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2017-18 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2016-17 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2000-2015 Basketball Archives

Past Baseball Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2001-2014 Baseball Archives

Recruiting Class Profiles

ECU Recruiting News
Towering lineman Neolian still honing skills

ECU Recruiting News
More help is on the way to ECU secondary

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review (UPDATED)
Pirates tap transfer portal for more talent

AAC Early Signing Review
New members dive into AAC recruiting wars

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review
First wave of recruits just the beginning

ECU Recruiting News
Brown finds way to ECU through portal

ECU Recruiting News
Transfer safety McDaniel destined for ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates land coveted Spartanburg quarterback

ECU Recruiting News
Swift ECU recruit ‘in a class of his own’

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates win out for Georgia prep linebacker

ECU Recruiting News
Linebacker with pedigree charts path to ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates find a gem in Palmetto State receiver

ECU Recruiting News
Official visit swayed North Mecklenburg star

ECU Recruiting News
Physical Georgia receiver poses tough matchup

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates project lineman Durant as center

ECU Recruiting News
ECU spotted potential in Conley lineman

ECU Recruiting News
ECU lands fleet-footed Georgia defensive back

ECU Recruiting News
‘Football town’ helps draw Short to Pirates

ECU Recruiting News
ECU targets edge rushers

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates aim high for interior line talent

ECU Recruiting News
Well stocked Pirates enter fray for O-linemen

ECU Recruiting News
ECU faces uphill battle in hunt for tight ends

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates cast wide net for wide receivers

ECU Recruiting News
Loaded Pirates still courting running backs

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, February 6, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, February 5, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, February 4, 2023

Writer Archives

  • Bonesville Staff
  • Brian Bailey
  • Sammy Batten
  • Bethany Bradsher
  • Brett Friedlander
  • Al Myatt
  • NFF
  • Greg Vacek
  • Danny Whitford

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, February 6, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, February 5, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, February 4, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, February 3, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, February 2, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, February 1, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, January 30, 2023

More Web Roundups

Copyright © 2023 Bonesville.net · Website by Seaport Webworks. · Log in · Privacy Policy