ECU Baseball update:
ONE UP, ONE DOWN - Diamond Pirates practice for first time in 2007

"Welcome to the Jungle" blaring over the PA system…former mayor of Greenville Les Garner singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh inning stretch…K's hanging beyond the outfield fence at Clark-LeClair Stadium for each strikeout recorded by Pirate pitchers……"Apache" playing following each East Carolina home run… the fans in the Jungle giving the opposing outfielders an earful while providing their Diamond Pirates with the most loyal support found anywhere in college baseball…and last, but certainly not least, the players showing their appreciation for that support by "Jungle Jumpin'" following Pirate victories!

The Pirates work on their baserunning while taking batting practice on Wednesday afternoon.

That's right folks, all the excitement that is East Carolina baseball will arrive in less than a month when the first pitch of the Pirates' season is thrown on February 9th against the Liberty Flames at beautiful Clark-LeClair Stadium at Lewis Field!

The season officially got underway on Wednesday afternooon when second year head coach Billy Godwin and his team took the field for the first time with their initial practice of the 2007 campaign.

Following a disappointing 2006, one that saw the Diamond Bucs finish 33-26 and miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998, ECU will be looking to start a new streak of consecutive NCAA appearances this season.

The Pirates will have their work cut out for them, as they will face what appears to be the most difficult schedule in the program's history. Their 56-game slate features an incredible mix of outstanding non-conference games and the always tough Conference USA schedule. Nearly half of the games are against teams that can be found in the top 40 in one or more of the various polls.

East Carolina third baseman Jake Dean takes a lead while Dale Mollenhauer, Ryan Wood and another teammate look on (from left to right).

East Carolina will have the luxury of playing 38 of these games at the friendly confines of Clark-LeClair Stadium. Three 2006 College World Series participants—Rice, Cal State Fullerton and North Carolina—will make their way to Greenville.

The Owls, who return a wealth of talent from a season ago, seem as though they will be the consensus No.1. They have already earned the top spot in the two major polls that have been released by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America.

Last season, East Carolina traveled to Cal-State Fullerton for three games. This season, the tradition-rich Titans return the favor. They are ranked 12th by Collegiate Baseball and 14th by Baseball America.

2006 national runner-up and in-state rival North Carolina (preseason No.5 by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America) comes to Greenville for a mid-week game in early May after the Pirates will have traveled to Chapel Hill approximately two weeks earlier.

Michigan, who was the Pirates' opponent in their first game at Clark-LeClair Stadium in 2005, will return for a three-game series this season. The Wolverines are 38 th in the Collegiate Baseball poll.

The Pirates taking batting practice on day one.  Offensively, they are expected to be much improved over a season ago.

Pepperdine (preseason No. 19 by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America), Washington and Western Carolina travel to ECU for early season tournaments. The Huskies and Catamounts are receiving votes in the Collegiate Baseball poll.

Other mid-week opponents include quality programs such as N.C. State, Old Dominion and UNC-Wilmington.

Although the Pirates don't go on the road much this season, when they do, they will have their hands full.

Following a three-game home series with Liberty to open the season, they will travel to California for three against a very talented UCLA team. The Bruins, who are ranked 13th (Baseball America) and 26th (Collegiate Baseball), are many people's preseason favorite to win the PAC-10.

There are also demanding conference road trips to Tulane (15th-BA, 16th-CB) and Houston (33rd-CB).

It is time to get it cracking! Well, I think pinging would be more appropriate.

*An in-depth East Carolina baseball preview will be released within the next few days.