March 10, 2010

Gameday Central | Complete Game Notes In PDF Form

Fresno, Calif. - The East Carolina softball team (8-10) continues its spring break trip with a Wednesday doubleheader at Fresno State (10-7). The first game is scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. EST. The Pirates have never faced the Bulldogs in softball.

Last weekend, the Pirates went 2-3 at the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational Tournament. East Carolina shut out Seattle in both games but fell to the host Rainbow Wahine twice and No. 1 Washington once. Sophomore pitcher Faith Sutton picked up both wins over Seattle as she struck out 17 during the two contests.

At the plate, senior left fielder Marina Gusman-Brown provided the power, hitting two home runs and collecting a team-best six runs batted in. Senior second baseman/right fielder Charina Sumner led ECU with five base hits while tying for the squad lead in runs scored with three. Gusman-Brown and senior shortstop Kaui Tom, who tallied three hits and two RBI, were named to the all-tournament team.

Fresno State played at the San Diego Classic last weekend, going 1-3. Today presents a tall task for ECU as the Bulldogs are a perfect 6-0 at home this season.

About The Bulldogs ...
Wednesday will mark the first meeting between East Carolina and Fresno State.

The Bulldogs are led on offense by junior catcher Caitlin Stiglich's .432 batting average. Sophomore outfielder Jody Badorine leads the team in hits with 17 and runs scored with 11. Sophomore infielder Michelle Moses' 14 runs batted in top the team, as do her three home runs.

In the pitching circle, sophomore Mackenzie Oakes and junior Morgan Melloh have shouldered the majority of the load with two other pitchers combining to throw just 8.2 innings. Oakes has a 2.53 earned run average while Melloh checks in at 3.30. Melloh, however, has a 6-4 advantage in wins and has a team-best 86 strikeouts in her 57.1 innings.

ECU In First-Time Meetings ...
Wednesday's meeting with Fresno State will be the first in series history. Since 2006, East Carolina has gone 15-10 when facing a team for the first time. In 2009, ECU went 2-0 in initial meetings, defeating Indiana 8-3 and Georgetown 9-0.

This season, the tide has turned as the Pirates are 2-4 in such meetings. ECU has fallen to No. 3 Florida 4-3, Kansas 3-1, No. 1 Washington 6-0 and Hawai'i 10-0. The Pirates defeated Morehead State 6-3 at the Pirate Classic and Seattle 9-0 at the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational Tournament.

The Big Bat ...
Gusman-Brown made the most of her trip home to Hawai'i as she batted .333 during the five contests and drove in six runs. She hit home runs against Seattle and Hawai'i, with the long ball against the Rainbow Wahine being a grand slam. The four runs batted in against Hawai'i established her career high. It was also the first ECU grand slam in nearly two years as the last was hit by Erin St. Ledger against Southern Miss March 16, 2008. For Gusman-Brown's efforts, she was named to the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational All-Tournament Team.

Another All-Tournament Team Selection ...
Gusman-Brown was not the only Pirate named to the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational All-Tournament Team as Tom also earned the honor. Tom recorded three hits and two runs batted in while playing errorless defense. Against Seattle Saturday, she picked up the first two-hit game of the season as she scored a run and drove in another. In the tournament finale against Seattle, she drove in the insurance run in the sixth inning.

Sutton Sends Them Down ...
Sutton picked up the first two complete games of her East Carolina career last weekend, shutting out Seattle twice. In the first meeting, she surrendered only one hit and struck out a career-high nine batters in the Pirates' 9-0 victory. Her previous best had been four whiffs against No. 3 Florida in the season opener, but Sutton fanned four consecutive Redhawks in the first and second innings. Sunday in the second game, she gave up three hits and fanned eight in the team's 2-0 triumph.