Audio: Brian Bailey
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The
Brian Bailey Show
airs on Pirate Radio
1250
on Mondays at
6:30 p.m. Brian's
guest this week was
ECU baseball coach
Cliff Godwin (right)
and D.H. Conley
coaches Jason Mills
(baseball) and Wayne
Deans (softball):
Replay
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BASEBALL |
Pirates complete
sweep |
CINCINNATI —
Luke
Lowery's RBI double
in the top of the
eighth inning lifted
East Carolina to an
8-7 win on Saturday
and completed a
three-game sweep at
Cincinnati.
The Pirates
concluded the
regular season at
36-20 overall and
15-9 in the American
Athletic Conference.
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BASEBALL |
ECU captures series at Cincy |
CINCINNATI —
East Carolina scored three runs in the top
of the fourth inning after Cincinnati had
taken a 1-0 lead in the second and the
Pirates went on to a 6-4 American Athletic
Conference win over the Bearcats on Friday
night. The outcome clinched the series for
ECU, which improved to 35-20 overall and
14-9 in league play. ...
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BASEBALL |
ECU tops Cincinnati,
7-3 |
CINCINNATI —
East Carolina opened its American Athletic
Conference series at Cincinnati with a 7-3
win on Thursday night. Reid Love (7-3)
pitched seven innings as a three-run fifth
inning put the Pirates (34-20, 13-9 AAC)
ahead to stay. ...
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BASEBALL |
Senior Nights and Days for Pirates |
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East
Carolina officially celebrated
Senior Night with a 7-0 win over
Elon at Clark-LeClair Stadium on
Tuesday night. There have been
numerous senior afternoons and
evenings for the Pirates throughout
the 2015 season because Hunter Allen
and Reid Love have played such big
roles
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More from Al Myatt... |
Pictured: Hunter Allen, top left,
is shown turning a
6-3 double play in
an ECU win over
Princeton on March
17. Reid Love, top
right, is pictured
celebrating with
Pirates coach Cliff
Godwin after his
leadoff triple in
the bottom of the
9th set up a
dramatic victory
over N.C. State on
April 21. Heading
into the final
series of the
regular season, the
senior co-captains
have been stalwart
performers as the
Pirates have made a
run at the American
Athletic Conference
title while keeping
their eyes on a
potential NCAA
regional berth.
(Photos by W.A.
Myatt) |
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BASEBALL |
Pirates shut out Elon |
GREENVILLE —
East Carolina took a 7-0 nonconference win
over Elon on Senior Night at Clark-LeClair
Stadium on Tuesday night. The game was
shortened to seven innings because of
threatening weather. Pirate seniors Hunter
Allen and Reid Love had productive
performances ...
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FOOTBALL RECRUITING |
Recruiting Wars: Offensive Line |
East
Carolina will suffer some of its most
significant personnel losses after next
season on the offensive line, and starting
to fill those voids is a priority as the
Pirates pursue the recruiting Class of 2016.
...
More from Sammy Batten... |
Recruiting Wars:
QB |
RB |
WR/TE |
OL | DL | LB | DB |
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FOOTBALL RECRUITING |
Thumbnail sketch: WR Tahj Deans |
Southern
Nash star Tahj Deans has solid credentials
as a defender but is projected as a wide
receiver at East Carolina after committing
to join the Pirates' recruiting class of
2016. ...
Thumbnail sketch... |
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By
Brian Bailey
©2015 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF THIS PAGE
East Carolina heads to the Sunshine State for tournament play this week
at the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship.
The Pirates carry plenty of momentum to Clearwater, FL, after
sweeping Cincinnati. ECU
finished the regular season one game out of a share of the AAC title
with Houston.
The American features a double elimination format rather than the pod
system some leagues have used in the past. Pirate coach Cliff Godwin
says he’s a big proponent of the double elimination format.
“I wasn't going to leave the meetings in Connecticut in September if we
didn't play double elimination,” said Godwin only half joking. “I can't
stand playing meaningless baseball this time of the year. I think you
should play for something. For me the pod system, people can argue that
you might get in (NCAA Tournament) if you win one of the three games,
but I want to play for something and I think the kids do too.
"You get the emotion and the
competitive juices flowing when it's a double elimination tournament and
I'm glad that the coaches all voted for it.”
Pirate ace Reid Love will get the start in game one against Central
Florida. The Knights were a preseason top 10 pick, but fell on hard
times this season. ECU
swept UCF earlier this season.
Perhaps Love is in line to join several other Pirates who are now in the
big leagues.
Sunday was a day like no other for former ECU players. Chris Heston
started his game for the Giants. Heston has been a big surprise all
year, though Sunday was his worst outing of the young season.
Seth Maness was doing his usual in St. Louis, coming out of the pen and
inducing a double play ground ball. No one has done that better over the
last couple of seasons.
Then there was the stunning debut of former Pirate Mike Wright.
Wright didn’t find out he was starting on Sunday against the Angels
until Saturday night. His first major league strikeout came against Mike
Trout, who oddly enough originally committed to East Carolina out of
high school.
Wright was brilliant for the Birds. He pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up
no runs and just four hits. He struck out six and didn’t walk a batter.
He was absolutely beaming when he spoke to the television audience on
MASN after the Orioles' 3-0 win.
“It's amazing,” said Wright. “It's really amazing. It's more than
anything I could have asked for. It's just a great feeling. It was
great. You know I've been in the bullpen the last few games and that's
how I thought I would come out but to have my normal routine and
continue starting like I have done in the past."
His interview was then interrupted by the traditional pie in the face
after a great debut.
“Welcome to the majors,” said Orioles play-by-play man Gary Thorne.
Thorne then asked Wright what flavor the pie was.
‘It's delicious, absolutely delicious,” Wright answered.
Later in the interview, Hall of Fame pitcher and Orioles color
commentator Jim Palmer asked Wright about keeping his composure, and
slowing down.
“My pitching coach worked with me on that,” said Wright. “He would say
if I threw two balls in a row to step back off the mound and regroup and
so that’s what I do.”
Wright was then asked to name his coach.
“Dan Roszel, absolute stud,” said Wright.
As luck would have it the Pirate baseball team watched the interview
with Wright while traveling.
“The whole team cheered when Wright gave that shout-out to Dan,” said
Godwin. “I think Dan Roszel is the best pitching coach in the country,
and that’s why he’s at East Carolina.”
Roszel is certainly spitting out the prospects.
His current staff will be tested in the AAC tournament and most likely
in the NCAA regionals next week.
BB