Mission to Omaha on course

By Brian Bailey
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It was the 'shot heard 'round the Pirate Nation.'

More than that, it was a shot heard 'round the entire nation!

Travis Watkins hit a three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth Saturday night, propelling East Carolina to a stunning 8-6 win over home-standing Virginia, the defending National Champion and the top seed in the Charlottesville Regional.

Sure, the Pirates still had work to do. But that blast sent the champs reeling and moved ECU within one win of the NCAA Super Regionals.

While many of us were thinking and hoping for a sacrifice fly, Watkins was just trying to win the pitch.

“On the home run, I honestly wasn’t going for the home run," Watkins explained. "He beat me in and that’s what we talk about in this program. Coach (Cliff) Godwin stresses it: ‘Don’t get beat the same way twice.' So he beat me in and I was like ‘I’m going to get to that fastball in’ and he threw me a fastball in and I got the barrel to it."

It will go down as one of the most stunning wins in East Carolina baseball history.

I've really never seen or heard anything like it. Watkins got all of it. My mind quickly switched from tying the game, to walking-off with a victory.

The Cavalier faithful turned silent. It was over in an instant. The only sound came from the Pirate celebration, the first of two for the weekend.

The Pirates plated five in that 9th inning against Virginia. As in true team fashion, just about the entire lineup contributed in the inning.

Of course the job wasn't done. ECU still expected one or perhaps two battles with Virginia before the weekend would be complete.

The stunned Cavaliers never recovered from that 9th inning, essentially turning one loss into two. William & Mary beat Virginia early on Sunday, setting the stage for the Pirates to complete the regional win.

The Pirates did just that. Watkins, the Charlottesville Regional MVP, snapped a 4-4 tie with the Tribe in the 5th with a two-run round-tripper, and then Eric Tyler followed later in the inning with a two-run homer of his own for the winning 8-4 margin.

Sam Lanier was the star on the mound, as his stock continues to rise out of that Pirate bullpen.

Pirate Coach Cliff Godwin came close to going to Omaha as a player at ECU. Now his team is just two wins away in his second year as the team's skipper.

"There were so many great teams in this regional," said Godwin. "Any team, William & Mary, Bryant, UVa, any one of those teams could have won this regional. Our guys played their hearts out. We’re lucky, but our guys earned it. I’m so happy for East Carolina University, all these players, all the former players and former coaches at East Carolina."

Next up is a super regional matchup with No. 5 national seed Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas.

Texas Tech lost one game in its regional but regrouped to beat Dallas Baptist 5-3 to advance.

The super regional schedule should come out Tuesday.

This past weekend was one I'll never forget. The Pirate players agreed and spoke in depth about the celebration after the regional clincher Sunday night.

"Dog piles are awesome," said Watkins. "I’m the catcher so I’m always on the bottom of it. It hurts in the moment, but man it’s worth it. (I will) remember that for the rest of my life. It was awesome to celebrate that with my teammates.”

Eric Tyler agreed.

"It’s just been a blast this entire season," Tyler said. "It’s been up and down but there’s not a closer group of guys than this team. It’s just such an honor to go down in history for East Carolina baseball.”

Cliff Godwin is very much a part of that history. As a player he came close. As a coach he is close right now. Godwin says this team is beginning to comprehend the gravity of the mission.

"They understand this is bigger than themselves," Godwin said. "So many former players texted me yesterday that are so proud of our guys. That’s what East Carolina baseball is all about... It’s a family. East Carolina deserves to go to Omaha. Will it be this year? I hope so, but we’re going to get there sometime.”

Sometime could be sooner rather than later.

BB

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