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 Baseball Schedule
• ECU 2022 Football Schedule
• ECU 2021-22 Hoops Schedule
• Recruiting: Football • Hoops

The Bradsher Beat
Freshman-heavy lineup readies for Pirate Clash

February 15, 2018 By Bethany Bradsher Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Even after a trip to a warm and sunny locale, one of the best parts is returning home. The East Carolina softball team knows that feeling well, as the players prepare for a 10-day home stretch after an intense season-opening trip to Miami.

The first event in that long home stand is the Pirate Clash, a tournament featuring visiting teams Maryland-Baltimore County, St. Joseph’s and Towson. If predicted rainy weather doesn’t alter the schedule, the Pirates will play Friday at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

The squad hit the ground running with a trip to the Felsberg Invitational that ended with a 2-3 record. The Pirates defeated St. John’s, then fell in three consecutive matchups with South Carolina, Hofstra and St. John’s before prevailing over host school Florida International.

While they were hoping for better results, ECU freshman pitcher Erin Poepping said that the Florida tournament was about far more than accumulating early victories.

ECU softball coach Courtney Oliver (ECU Media Relations)

“The trip in general just kind of made us grow in terms of getting comfortable with each other and learning how each other play,” said Poepping, who came to Greenville in the fall from Lino Lakes, MN. “One of the main things I learned this weekend was how supportive this team is of each other. They are really just there to pick each other up.”

Coach Courtney Oliver, who is starting her third season leading the ECU team, echoed her freshman player’s sentiments about the value of getting away together and experiencing a bit of adversity on the front end of the schedule. With five freshman in the lineup, the players needed to experience the reality of Division I competition, and preseason practice alone will never teach those lessons, she said.

“We kind of expected that we were going to run into a couple of issues, and that just doesn’t happen to experienced players,” Oliver said. “Overall, I was really happy with what I saw. We have a very competitive group, and I’m excited for what the future of this program is, just based on these players.”

One of the most freshman-heavy segments of the ECU roster is the pitching staff, but Oliver said that she was pleased with the competitiveness of Poepping and fellow newcomer Whitney Sanford. Poepping was credited with the opening win over St. John’s, and Sanford held the mound for the entire victory over FIU. The pitching staff is aided by juniors Mary Williams and Ashley Cruz.

“I was very impressed with our pitching,” Oliver said. “Even though they’re freshman pitchers, they’re making the big pitch at the big moment with runners in scoring position.”

The bats warmed up more and more as the South Florida trip continued, and in the 6-4 FIU victory Pirate hitters responded to a 4-0 deficit with scoring bursts in the sixth and seventh innings, most notably home runs from two seniors — N.C. State transfer Meredith Burroughs and third baseman Karlie Smith.

Smith, one of only four seniors on the squad, said that she has seen a steady progression of talent and intensity since her arrival in Greenville, and just five games into the season she believes that this group of players is special in terms of rapport with their coaches and unity on the field.

“Every year, we’ve tried to set our standard higher and higher,” she said. “Every year, we’re just trying to build off our mistakes from the years prior, and now I feel like this year we really feel like we have the whole package.”

After the Pirate Clash, the team will host the Pirate Invitational the following weekend before returning to a warm location for their next road swing at the Malahini Kipa Aloha Tournament in Honolulu.

Even though Miami and Hawaii are choice travel locations, the coaching staff and players alike love the atmosphere in the seven-year-old ECU Softball Stadium and welcome the chance to add to their foundation and draw some new fans over the coming ten days.

VIEW ECU’S SOFTBALL SCHEDULE ON ECUPIRATES.COM

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

Baseball News
Pirates walk off in 10th for sweep

Baseball News
Pirates continue roll

Baseball News
Pirates overtake Houston for 12th straight win

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Pirates grind to success

Baseball News
ECU edges Campbell, 7-6

Baseball News
Pirates clinch AAC crown

Baseball News
ECU captures series, boosts conference lead

Baseball News
Pirates take series opener with Bulls

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates aim high for interior line talent

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Pirates prevail at less than best

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
Tweets by bonesville

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
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

ECU Recruiting News
ECU targets quarterbacks of the future

AAC Football Recruiting News
Transfer portal reshaping AAC football programs

Class of 2022 Defensive Report Card
ECU’s former weak link becoming big strength (updated)

Class of 2022 Offensive Report Card
Help is on the way for blocking corps (update 3)

American Athletic Conference Recruiting
Bearcats lead AAC’s early signing push

Class of 2022 In-depth Analysis
Surprises, depth highlight early recruiting haul

VIEW FROM THE EAST
‘What a difference a year makes’

Football Recruiting Report
Prolific receiver Webb may enroll early

Football Recruiting Report
Another gifted running back headed to ECU

Football Recruiting Report
ECU wins pledge from hotly recruited RB Gunn

Football Recruiting Report
Coveted lineman Sacra may enroll early

Football Recruiting Report
Pirates lure a star from DB factory

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Harrell on quest for unanimous effort

Football Recruiting Report
West Craven star Mims sticking close to home

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Pirates ready for preseason camp

Football Recruiting Report
Lineman built his future during COVID layoff

Football Recruiting Report
Norcross star on track for early enrollment

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Pirates pulling from portal

Football Recruiting Report
Big man Allen tapping into ‘nasty side’

Football Recruiting Report
ECU gets one of NC’s top D-line prospects

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, May 23, 2022

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, May 22, 2022

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, May 21, 2022

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, May 23, 2022

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, May 22, 2022

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, May 21, 2022

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, May 20, 2022

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, May 19, 2022

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, May 18, 2022

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, May 16, 2022

More Web Roundups

Copyright © 2022 Bonesville.net · Website by Seaport Webworks. · Log in · Privacy Policy