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BASEBALL |
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Changed call boosts Wolfpack |
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RALEIGH — East Carolina's recent
search for offense continued
with a 6-1 loss at N.C. State on
Monday night. Since beating the
Wolfpack 15-3 in Greenville six
nights earlier, the Pirates have
managed just eight runs in five
games, going 2-3 in those
contests. NCSU evened the season
series with the help of a
three-run home run by Evan
Mendoza in the second inning
that was initially ruled a foul
ball..
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More... |
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Next: Cincinnati at
ECU
Friday, 6:30 pm |
Saturday, 4 pm |
Sunday, 12 pm |
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BASEBALL |
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Pirates take series with UConn |
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GREENVILLE — A two-run homer by
Travis Watkins in the bottom of
the fourth inning on Sunday
lifted East Carolina to a 3-2
win over Connecticut in the
deciding contest of a three-game
American Athletic Conference
series. Watkins' blast overcame
a 2-1 Huskies lead. ECU pitchers
Jacob Wolfe, Sam Lanier and Joe
Ingle kept UConn scoreless the
rest of the way.
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Story, pictures & audio... |
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Pictured:
ECU catcher
Travis
Watkins and
teammates
shake hands
after taking
an AAC
series with
UConn with a
3-2 win on
Sunday at
Clark-LeClair
Stadium. The
junior
captain gave
the Pirates
the lead for
good with a
two-run shot
to left
field in the
4th inning.
(W.A. Myatt
photo) |
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BASEBALL |
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UConn, Pirates split
doubleheader |
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 GREENVILLE
— East Carolina split its
American Athletic Conference
doubleheader with Connecticut at
Clark-LeClair Stadium as the
Pirates took a 2-1 win in the
first game before the Huskies
prevailed 5-1 in the nightcap.
Parker Lamm singled in the third
and scored on a double by Eric
Tyler as ECU took a 1-0 lead in
the third inning of the second
game.
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Story, pictures & audio... |
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Pictured:
Junior Evan
Kruczynski
deals
against
UConn in
game one of
an AAC
doubleheader
on Saturday
at
Clark-LeClair
Stadium. (W.A.
Myatt photo) |
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BASEBALL |
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Pirates adjust schedule |
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East
Carolina postponed the start of
its American Athletic Conference
series with Connecticut on
Friday due to rain. The teams
will play a doubleheader
beginning at 11 a.m. today with
the second game scheduled to
follow approximately 45 minutes
after the conclusion of the
first game.
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FOOTBALL |
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Amos, Pirates buy in, focus
forward |
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 DaShaun
Amos's junior football season at
East Carolina was followed
shortly by the announcement that
Ruffin McNeill would not be
returning as coach. Some stormy
seas ensued for the Pirates but
Amos and his fellow
upperclassmen helped steady the
ship.
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More from Al Myatt...
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By
Brian Bailey
©2016 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
VIEW MOBILE
ALPHA VERSION OF THIS PAGE
Just when you thought the quarterback position at
East Carolina was stabilized, junior QB Kurt Benkert shocked the Pirate
nation by announcing plans to transfer out of the ECU program.
The news broke
via a release through the
school's athletics media relations department from head coach Scottie
Montgomery.
Usually news like this leaks out early, at least
parts of the story do. Rumors would usually circulate. Someone usually
hears something. Somebody always knows something. This story was
different and came as a huge surprise to many, including myself.
“While it was initially disappointing to hear, our
immediate focus needs to remain on Pirates who want to be Pirates,”
Montgomery said in the release. “We had a very competitive spring at
many positions and the objective is for that energy, work ethic and
ambition to continue throughout the summer and into preseason camp. I am
impressed by the leadership we currently have in place on this team and
my confidence in those young men grows on a daily basis.”
What Montgomery didn’t say is how disappointing this
had to be. Benkert took at least half of the spring football reps in his
competition with Philip Nelson at the quarterback position. Both
quarterbacks were impressive in the spring game.
Unless this just developed, Benkert basically used
the spring to show any other suitor that he was healthy enough to play.
Surely Nelson could have used extra reps. Now the Pirates also have to
find a suitable backup. Those backups certainly needed reps.
The bottom line is that East Carolina is now one hit
away from a major quarterback problem. It’s a familiar script, isn’t it?
Benkert had waited for what seemed like forever to
get a shot. He played in three games as a redshirt freshman behind Shane
Carden in 2014, completing eight-of-10 passes for 58 yards with an
interception. He also scored a pair of touchdowns on five carries.
| Column
continues after the following image... |
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Kurt
Benkert's injury-truncated career at East Carolina
included some promising moments. Benkert scampered 9
yards for a touchdown on this play against N.C. Central
to open the 2014 season. (W.A. Myatt file photo) |
The 2015 season was to be Benkert’s break-out party,
but he suffered that season-ending knee injury on August 25th.
Benkert has two years of football eligibility
remaining, and is scheduled to receive his bachelor's degree in business
administration with a concentration in finance during ECU's Spring
Commencement on May 6th.
“I am very blessed for the opportunity that ECU has
given me in obtaining my degree, and am forever thankful for the support
from such great coaches, teammates, faculty and fans. This was a very
tough decision that came from a lot of sleepless nights and
conversations from those close to me.”
Benkert will leave in search of a school with
graduate studies options that compliment his degree.
Still, this is a bitter pill for many at East
Carolina to swallow.
Some have concluded that Benkert must have been told
that he would not start the year as the Pirates' starting quarterback,
but I don’t think that is true at all.
Both Montgomery and ECU offensive coordinator Tony
Petersen told me after the spring game that the quarterback battle would
continue until August.
This generation seems to have a real issue that "the
grass is always greener.” I have always liked Kurt Benkert and wish him
nothing but the best.
There is another saying that comes to mind: “Be
careful what you ask for, because you just might get it.”
All of a sudden this summer of preparation has added
importance.
Philip Nelson has a unique story and now he heads to
the front of the quarterback class. Frankly, I’m not sure who’s behind
him.
I first heard a relevant comment from Bill Lewis in
the early 90s. “We want Pirates who want to be Pirates,” he would say.
Every Pirate coach since then has reiterated the same.
Now in his first year, Coach Mo emphasized the line
in a very trying time.
For the second straight season Kurt Benkert was
supposed to start at quarterback for the Pirates.
For the second straight season we are left to think
about what might have been.
BB
The
Brian Bailey Show airs on Pirate
Radio 1250 on Mondays at 6:30
p.m. Brian's guests this week
was ECU wide receivers coach
Phil McGeoghan (right):
East
Carolina coach Jeff Lebo has plugged
a big hole in the post by luring
Wake Forest graduate transfer Andre
Washington to finish his college
career with the Pirates. The
seven-footer will be eligible to
play immediately. ...