Feb. 20, 2010

Gameday Central | Complete Game Notes In PDF Form

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Following a Friday split, the East Carolina softball team returns to action Saturday for day two of the Lipton Invitational. The Pirates face No. 3 Florida at 2:30 p.m. before playing Kansas at 7.

Yesterday, ECU fell behind Marshall 7-1 before forcing a 7-7 tie in the top of the seventh. The Thundering Herd recorded the victory on a bases-loaded, two-out walk in the bottom of the ninth. In the second game, the Pirates rebounded to capture a 7-2 win over in-state rival Campbell.

Pirates Taking On Gators ...
After last weekend’s rain forced schedule changes at the USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament in Clearwater, East Carolina began the season with a 4-3 loss to No. 3 Florida in the initial meeting between the two programs.

The Gators took a 3-0 lead behind a solo home run from Kelsey Bruder in the second inning and a two-run shot from Francesca Enea in the third. The Pirates got a run back in the fourth when freshman Kai Clark drove in senior Marina Gusman-Brown on a fielder’s choice. Another UF home run, this one by Brittany Schutte, in the bottom of the fourth inning, made the score 4-1. Gusman-Brown doubled off the wall in left field to drive in two runs in the fifth, but ECU could not complete the comeback.

ECU Against Kansas ...
The Pirates will meet the Jayhawks for the first time in program history Saturday night. In fact, it will be the first time East Carolina faces an NCAA institution from the state of Kansas.

The Jayhawks went 2-3 during their opening weekend, defeating Sam Houston State 10-0 in six innings and downing Conference USA member Houston 4-3. Kansas fell to No. 22 Louisville 10-2 in five innings, Sam Houston State 8-0 in five innings and No. 14 Ohio State 4-2.

ECU In First-Time Meetings ...
The Pirates’ Saturday game against Kansas will be the first in the series. Since 2006, East Carolina has gone 13-7 when playing a first-time opponent. In 2009, ECU went 2-0 in initial meetings, defeating Indiana 8-3 and Georgetown 9-0. Last weekend, the Pirates fell to Florida 4-3 in the first game of the series.

Career Record Watch ...
After Friday's two games, senior Charina Sumner and junior Toni Paisley moved up the East Carolina or Conference USA career record lists. Sumner collected three hits to bring her total to 177, good for 10th place on the Pirates’ top 10 list.

In league history, Paisley’s 14 Friday strikeouts put her in ninth place on the Conference USA career list with 569. She is the only active pitcher in the league to be in the top 10.