WAR AT THE SHORE: #19 ECU faces rival UNCW on Wednesday

CUSA Fans Director of Content and East Carolina sports correspondent Thomas "Bubba" Rosenbaum provides us with his latest update on the ECU Pirates baseball team.

There should be a great atmosphere when the No. 22 Pirates meet in-state rival UNCW at Clark-LeClair Stadium at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Location: Clark-LeClair Stadium, Lewis Field (3,000)

Time: 7:00 p.m. (EST)

All-Time Series Record: East Carolina leads 61-52

East Carolina (19-6) currently claims the nation’s longest winning streak, as it has won 13 straight games and 17 of its last 18. The streak is the Pirates longest since the 2004 season during which the program achieved its highest national ranking ever (3 rd) while posting an impressive 51-13 mark. During that record-breaking season, ECU won 19 consecutive games.

Ironically, both streaks began following disappointing losses (Memphis in 2004 and Campbell in 2007).

Déjà vu’? Billy Godwin and his 19th ranked Pirates hope not, as that 2004 run was halted by a 15-5 thrashing at the hands of UNCW in Greenville in what was the final game at Harrington Field. ECU went on to win the next three meetings that season, which included two in the NCAA Kinston Sub-Regional.

Last year, East Carolina captured the season series, 2-1. The Pirates dominated the Seahawks, 11-2, in the Keith LeClair Classic before shutting them out, 4-0, a couple weeks later in Wilmington. UNCW staved off the sweep by collecting a 14-6 road victory in the final meeting of 2006.

Over the last decade, this rivalry has grown in intensity with each passing year. UNCW has established itself as a power in the CAA and one of the quickly emerging, quality programs on the East Coast. It has appeared in NCAA Tournament in three of the last four seasons.

East Carolina freshman Kyle Roller is 3-of-8 with 5 RBIs in limited playing time in his first season with the Pirates. He collected a hit in this at-bat during Saturday night's game versus Memphis.

The Seahawks’ success is largely due to the leadership of longtime Head Coach Mark Scalf. Scalf, who lettered four seasons at second base before graduating from UNCW in 1980, has spent more than a quarter century at the “ Port City” school. He returned to his alma mater in 1984 as an assistant coach and has spent the last 16 as the head man. Scalf has compiled a 495-407 mark in that time.

After becoming the first CAA team to post four consecutive 40-plus win seasons, UNCW returns seven position starters from last year’s conference tournament title team. The Seahawks pitching staff is young, but that wasn’t enough to keep the head coaches around the conference from projecting Mark Scalf’s club to finish a close second behind VCU in the league race.

However, the Hawks have played sub .500 baseball to date. They are currently 12-15 overall and 4-5 in the CAA.

As a team, UNCW is hitting a mediocre .275 and has 21 home runs.

Sophomore shortstop Steve Halford has started every game and leads the team with his .342 batting average. He is one of only two Seahawks that is above the .300 mark. Halford is second on the team in RBI (21) and doubles (9).

Second baseman Matt Holt, who is hitting .301 with three home runs and 11 RBI, is the only other player hitting above .300. The speedy freshman leads the team with seven stolen bases in nine attempts.

The Seahawks are solid behind the plate, as they return senior catcher Jonathan Batts. Batts, who was a second-team All-CAA performer in 2006, is batting .295 this season. He leads the team in several offensive categories: home runs (5), RBI (24), slugging percentage (.511), on-base percentage (.431) and walks (22).

Juniors Daniel Hargrave and Mark Carver are also threats with the stick, as they each have two long balls to their credit. Hargrave, who plays first base, leads the team with ten doubles. However, he has struck out a team-high 26 times. Carver’s average currently rest at .291. The Seahawks’ left fielder is tied for second on the team with nine doubles and has driven in 17 runs.

UNCW possesses a young pitching staff. Their team ERA sits at 4.74 and opponents are hitting .283. The Seahawks have allowed 29 home runs.

They will face an East Carolina line-up that has scored 47 runs in their last four games and is now hitting .293 on the season. Following a strong weekend against Memphis, Drew Schieber leads the Pirates with his .389 mark. Stephen Batts (.380), Harrison Eldridge (.358) and Dale Mollenhauer (.340) are the others hitting above .300. Senior Ryan Tousley is hitting .299 and is the team’s top long ball threat, as he is tied with sophomore Brandon Henderson for the team lead in home runs with five.

It appears that ECU sophomore Bailey Daniels will make his third consecutive mid-week start.

Other ECU VS. UNCW Notes:

• East Carolina is 3-1 in night games.
• The Pirates are 19-3 at Clark-LeClair Stadium this season.
• UNCW is 1-5 against ranked teams (at the time of the game) this season.
• ECU’s second largest margin of victory in its history came against UNCW on April 11, 1978 when it defeated the Seahawks, 25-1, at Harrington Field.

Prediction:
There is no doubt that UNCW will be ready for this game. They might likely start one of their weekend guys in hopes of garnering a resume’ building win. ECU will survive this one at home.

Former East Carolina pitcher Carter Harrell says: Pirates 12 - Seahawks 4

I say: Pirates 8 - Seahawks 5