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What to Watch For: ECU at UNCW
Seahawks have a big opportunity to add to NCAA resume
Brant Wilkerson-New
5 hr ago
UNCW (10-3) vs. No. 7 ECU (13-2)
RHP Jacob Shafer (0-0, 6.75) vs. TBA
6 p.m. | Brooks Field | FloSports | 95.9 The Breeze
How’s this for a sendoff?
After playing four straight weekends at home, the Seahawks will hit the road — but not before finishing up a 14-game homestand with the 140th all-time meeting with the Pirates on Wednesday night
Unfortunately, one of the bigger regular-season home games in the history of Brooks Field will be a tough ticket to come by, as the school announced on Tuesday that the full allotment had been reserved by season-ticket holders and Seahawk Club members.
UNCW enters on a four-game winning streak, while ECU has reeled off seven straight victories, including one over a Top 25-caliber Duke club.
Elsewhere, Friend of the Perch Dan Spears wrote about Landen Roupp’s return to form in the StarNews, while Ronnie Woodward of the Daily Reflector highlighted the Pirates’ offensive firepower. Via Stephen Igoe of Hoist the Colours, ECU has been excellent on defense this season.
Meet the Pirates
When last we saw ECU, they left Wilmington on the wrong end of a walk-off bomb from Matt Suggs, whose three-run homer lifted the Seahawks to a 5-2 win on March 11, 2020 in what turned out to be the final game of the season.
(Have we mentioned that before? It feels like we haven’t mentioned it.)
The Pirates were 13-4 in the shortened 2020 season and haven’t skipped a beat in 2021, starting the season as the preseason favorite in the American and rolling through the schedule behind a dominant pitching staff that boasts a 3.00 ERA (21st nationally) with opponents hitting .195 on the season. ECU’s WHIP of 1.05 (9th) is absurdly good.
ECU hasn’t announced its starter, but it seems likely it’ll be either Carter Spivey (1-0, 5.79), who started both midweek games against Duke, while Garrett Saylor (0-0, 3.86) got the ball against Old Dominion.
Either way, expect to see several pitchers as neither Spivey or Saylor worked more than two innings in those three games.
The bats haven’t been far behind, either, hitting .294 on the season with 21 home runs (17th) while fielding .982 (19th).
There are plenty more superlatives, but you probably get the idea by now — the Pirates are really good in all phases and look like a team poised to challenge for a national seed in June.
Hitters to watch: Connor Norby (.484, 6 HR, 5 2B, 19 RBI), Seth Caddell (.281, 6 HR, 17 RBI), Josh Moylan (.341, 3 HR, 4 2B, 11 RBI), Ben Newton (.417, 1 HR, 3 2B, 8 RBI), Thomas Francisco (.328, HR, 10 RBI).
Pitching by Committee
Freshman Jacob Shafer will make his second start of the season following an inning of relief in Sunday’s win over Appalachian State.
The big righthander from High Point was solid in his debut effort Cincinnati, allowing four runs on six hits in 4.1 innings with three strikeouts and no walks as UNCW jumped out to an 8-2 lead.
The Seahawks will look for a few innings out of Shafer before turning it over to a bullpen that just rolled up 10.1 innings vs. App State, allowing one run on five hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.
Pitching depth will go a long way in determining how far this season goes for UNCW, and Wednesday night, we’ll get a preview of exactly who the Seahawks might throw out in big moments.
Coaches have given relievers varied roles up until usually turning to Hunter Hodges and Adam Smith to close the door in tight games. This game could shed some light on where Bryce Cota and Cole Benton figure into how they’ll set things up late, while Breydan Gorham has established himself as a reliable arm for a few innings.
Playing to Win
UNCW coach Randy Hood didn’t tip his hand when asked how he might approach a big midweek game with the NCAA Tournament in mind.
“We’re going to go in it just like we do every game, that’s to win, play the best guys that are ready that’s going to help us win baseball games,” he said. “However the game kind of plays out, we’ll make moves wherever we need, but it’s always with the thought of trying to win a baseball game.”
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the CAA is going to do the Seahawks many favors this season as the conference has struggled through the nonconference season, ranking 20th in RPI with a Division I record of 40-55 per WarrenNolan.com
UNCW currently stands at No. 36 in the RPI rankings while ECU is all the way up at No. 3, representing the biggest possible win on the schedule this season.
As for the CAA schedule, the Seahawks will play six games against William & Mary (No. 232), Charleston (195), Elon (148) and James Madison (264).
In nonconference matchups remaining, the Seahawks will get N.C. State (140), Coastal Carolina (144), North Carolina (61) and Charlotte (54).
With few elite opponents remaining, will UNCW approach its pitching any different against the Pirates?
Got to be NC
These games are always a great time, but it’s especially neat to have the eyes of college baseball’s national media on Wilmington for matchup that holds plenty of meaning for both programs as well as serving as a showcase for the state’s high school programs.
In all, the rosters feature 59 players (33 from UNCW) from every corner of North Carolina.
Pfafftown’s Reagan High School (3) has the most alums between the two teams, followed by several schools with two players on the rosters: Apex Pro5 Academy, Corinth Holders, Davie County, East Surry, New Hanover, Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons, South Johnston, Topsail, Shelby Crest and Whiteville.