ORLANDO, FLA. -- The East Carolina men's golf team finished 14th in its first tournament of the spring season after posting a 54-hole total 923 at the UCF/ Rio Pinar Intercollegiate. The tournament was being held at the par-72, 6,978-yard course at the Rio Pinar Country Club in Orlando, Fla.

The Pirates (39-47-3) were one of 18 teams participating in the tournament along with: Davidson, USF, Oral Roberts, Mercer, Coastal Carolina, Lamar, Wofford, South Alabama, Texas-Arlington, Kansas, Indiana, Richmond, Belmont, Middle Tennessee State, Jacksonville, Florida Atlantic and host school Central Florida.

South Alabama (295-282-286=863), the leaders heading into the second day, took home the tournament title after defeating host school, UCF (290-288-285=863), in a playoff hole. Coastal Carolina posted a third-round score of 293 to finish 19 stokes (881) behind the leaders for a third place finish. Lamar University (884) and Texas-Arlington (886) rounded out the top five. ECU, who played a man down in the first two rounds, walked away with a 14th place finish after posting a final round 304 for a total tournament score of 923 (311-308-304).

Gareth Maybin of South Alabama went wire to wire for his first tournament win of the spring after recording a two-under par 70 in the final round. For the tournament he was eight-under par (70-68-70=28). Landon Allen (74-71-66=211) of Texas-Arlington shot a tournament best 66 in the final round to claim a share of second place with UCF's Barry Roof (211). Three players, Christ Stroud (Lamar), Sonny Nimkhum (UCF), and Brandan Price (Mercer) finished in a tie for fourth with a 54-hole score of 213.

ECU welcomed the return of senior Jason Harris after he missed he first two rounds of the tournament with food poisoning. Harris finished his lone round with a three-over par 75. Calle Andren led the Pirates in the tournament after posting a 54-hole total of 226 (77-74-75), for share of 30th place, while fellow Pirate Brandon Pace finished tied for 44th with a 229 tournament total.

"We came out flat for this tournament," said head golf coach Kevin Williams. "Our chances of winning diminished greatly when Jason (Harris) couldn't play on Monday. We needed our other four players to step it up, and they didn't. We'll have to go back to the drawing board and find a line-up that will give us a chance to win."

The Pirates will travel to Myrtle Beach, S.C. on March 8 and 9th to participate in the Coastal Carolina Intercollegiate.

Top Pirate Finishes
T30 Calle Andren 77-74-75=226
T44 Brandon Pace 77-75-77=229
T67 Adam Howell 78-80-77=235
T79 Jeff Crowe 79-78-82=240
WD Jason Harris WD-WD-75

Top Individual Finishes
1. Gareth Maybin (So. Ala.) 70-68-70=208 (-8)
2. Landon Allen (UTA) 74-71-66=211 (-5)
2. Barry Roof (UCF) 68-74-69=211 (-5)
4. Chris Stroud (Lamar) 71-72-70=213 (-3)
4. Sonny Nimkhum (UCF) 71-70-72=213 (-3)
4. Brandan Price (Mercer) 72-71-70=213 (-3)

Top Team Finishes
1. South Alabama 295-282-286=863 (-1)**
2. UCF 290-288-285=863 (-1)
3. Coastal Carolina 289-299-293=881 (+17)
4. Lamar University 296-293-295=884 (+20)
5. Texas-Arlington 296-298-292=886 (+22)
**= Won in a Playoff