Gary Overton has been involved with East Carolina baseball for a long time. He lettered for the Pirates from 1970 to 1973. He served in a support role in the program before becoming head coach from 1985 to 1997 and winning an ECU record 427 games.

He is in his 22nd year as analyst on the Pirate radio network. Respected in the game across the country, Overton has worked on the selection committee for the NCAA tournament.

He was inducted into the ECU hall of fame in 2004 after guiding the Pirates to the NCAA tournament five times.

Overton has monitored the 2025 team’s progress from a 2-5 start to its current 15-9 record.

“A lot of good things are occurring on the diamond for the Pirates and they’re certainly playing to their strengths right now, which is the key to winning games,” Overton said.  “Every element of play is being conducted in a first-class manner, which is gaining positive results.”

The career record

Cliff Godwin, who was recruited to ECU by Overton, has 412 career wins at his alma mater and will likely pass Coach O this season,

The sooner the better in terms of the record, Overton says, since it means the Pirates are winning games.

“That is a testament to Cliff and to all that he, his staff, and his players have accomplished in the Pirate program,” Overton said. “The success, of course, that they have had and that success is paramount to a winning program for all of the Pirate Nation.

“Because of their success, it’s certainly a well-deserved honor to Cliff. Hopefully, that will be sooner rather than later because it ensures that success that he has been such a great part of, and he’s experienced it as a player and as a coach.

“For someone of his coaching credentials to be the person to break that record, that’s certainly an honor and certainly something that brings a smile to all our faces.”

Coaching philosophy

Overton was asked about his coaching philosophy.

“I think any coach would tell you that it starts first and foremost with the players,” he said. ” … That’s where it starts, and I think that’s where all the accolades really should go to the players and to the staff that just make those kinds of things happen.

“As far as philosophy, I’m not sure that there’s any one part of a philosophy as much as it is establishing a culture much like Cliff has done. … I’ll just say from my standpoint or my vantage point, just being a part of an historical program and one of much tradition, it is something that I’m very proud to have been a part of.:

Changes in the game

Immediate eligibility for transfers and the attraction of NIL money have affected college athletics across the board, including ECU baseball.

“No question that the game has changed dramatically since the time that I was the head coach,” Overton said.  “What coaches have to go through today, especially in navigating so many issues and so many circumstances off the field as well as on, is certainly a credit to what those coaches are trying to accomplish today.

“And I think there’s a tip of the cap to what coaches do have to go through today and how they translate that into very successful programs as Cliff has done. The portal and, of course, NIL are two things that none of us would’ve thought of just as few as maybe 10, 15 years ago. But now those two things have changed, the element of the game in terms of how it was in years gone by.”

Pieces coming together

The Pirates experienced some losses in the portal after hosting a regional in 2024 and there were 27 new players on the 2025 roster.

ECU has won eight of its last nine games after some early struggles.

“The players really have been adapting exceptionally well to the culture of ECU baseball and to the system that Cliff has put in place,” Overton said.  ” … It’s really special because all of the returning players talk about how proud they are of being in the program and playing in front of some of the most passionate fans in the country, but the new players are really accepting that as well

“Players who are entering the program for the first time relish that role of being a part of a very proud program.”

Midweek matchup at Duke

The Pirates visit Duke (16-9) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The game is scheduled to be shown on the ACC Network. The Blue Devils are coming off a sweep at Virginia, which dropped the Cavaliers out of the national rankings.

“Two things that come to mind,” Overton said. “One is that Duke is a program that has started a little slow over the last several years and finished very strong as the year has gone on. The sweep of Virginia this past weekend, I think substantiates just that.

“That it’s a team that’s starting to warm up. The Pirates played a very challenging schedule early in the year, and although the wins were not accumulated, maybe like the Pirates would’ve liked, it has made that club better along with players really adapting to the system.

“These are two clubs that I think fans are going to hear a lot about as the season progresses and even more so when the season comes to a near end. Right now, as far as this one game goes, Pirate baseball, this past weekend, as we mentioned earlier, every element of play was in force and I think we’re going to continue to see that as the season goes on.

:Duke on the other hand, which seems to be a little more of an offensive laden club, maybe even than they’ve had in the past, particularly with power, poses a threat that both teams are going to have to be prepared for on the mound.

“That being said, you have to really like what you see in ECU’s roster because of the depth of its pitching staff as well as the quality of that staff. There are bullpen arms well rested to encounter this particular game

“I think you’ll see a really good matchup, but I think it’ll all come down to the strength of the two pitching staffs. I think you have to really like what you see on the ECU staff at this point. And this past weekend that was the case as well.”

Trip to Rice

The Pirates are 3-0 and atop the American Athletic Conference standings after a sweep of Memphis in Greenville,

This weekend Rice hosts ECU. The Owls recently made a change in leadership, putting former Tulane and Texas coach David Pierce in charge, Pierce is familiar with the Pirates.

“First and foremost, it’s the first road conference series of the year for ECU, and that in itself is a little change that many of these players have yet to see,” Overton said. “That’s a challenge in itself. Coming off the sweep of Memphis, … I think the Pirates gained a little confidence this past weekend, … from the conference standpoint, which that can carry a little momentum into this series as well.

“Rice, a new coach middle of the year, David Pierce, being familiar with ECU and the style of play that Cliff possesses, especially from that Super Regional that he had with his Texas club. He’ll certainly be prepared and he’ll have that team prepared. However, coming in in the middle of a year, it’s going to take a little while to establish some form of culture. And at the same time, Rice with a big win over Florida-Atlantic

“Rice with a conference win over a really highly touted foe, having a good year, I think speaks for what David Pierce brings to that program immediately. So the Pirates will be tested, there’s no question about that. And the Pirates will have to continue playing good baseball to continue the success that they had this past weekend.”

Overton’s influences

Overton has been influenced by some of the outstanding coaches in ECU history.

“Former coaches at ECU gave me a lot of insight into not only what was transpiring, but why. Hal Baird was playing then, but Earl Smith, Jim Mallory, and just being around those guys — it was very special just to get into the insight of the whys and hows and the learning of baseball from the moves that they made and their tactical strategies, so to speak. But I think that’s the best part that I can give.

“Those two guys were very instrumental in my development, but as was George Williams who followed Earl Smith as a coach, but I’d have to say Hal Baird, Earl Smith, Jim Mallory, and George Williams had a lot to do with my learning of baseball and my understanding.”

“I served as a grad assistant under George Williams and then as an assistant coach under Hal Baird. And again, those two, I think the relationship I had with those two men, particularly Hal Baird, we are not only colleagues, but very close friends as well.

“When Hal Baird became the coach at Auburn, I became the head coach here.”

Recruiting Cliff Godwin

Godwin can trace his coaching roots back to Mallory, who guided the Pirates to the NAIA championship in 1961, through Overton, the link between past and present.

Greene Central coach James “Rabbit” Fulghum advocated for Godwin in the recruiting process.

“We spent a lot of time with his high school coach and discussing the recruitment of him and having seen him play, we thought he was the guy that would fit in very well for what we were looking for.”