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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
By Brian Bailey |
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Forget the snow,
it’s baseball season
By
Brian Bailey
©2010 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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Billy Godwin |
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(Photo: ECU SID) |
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Kevin McMullan |
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(Photo: UVa SID) |
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I took a second this
past Saturday to venture
over to Clark-LeClair
Stadium to see the venue
covered in snow. It was
so peaceful. It was
absolutely beautiful.
I stood there looking,
knowing that six days
later two of the best
baseball teams in the
nation are set to battle
in what should be an
outstanding opening
series.
Virginia comes to town
later this week, ranked
as high as second in the
national polls. East
Carolina’s highest
ranking is 11th.
The Cavaliers headed
south last week just to
get in some outside
work. Heavy snows have
blanketed
Charlottesville for the
last couple of weeks.
The Pirates have had
some time to work
outside, but we’ve seen
a couple of “snow”
events of late which has
certainly effected East
Carolina’s preparations.
Former ECU assistant
Kevin McMullan returns
to Greenville this week
as associate head coach
at Virginia. McMullan
took over for an ailing
Keith LeClair back in
2002 and led the Pirates
to
a Conference USA
championship.
McMullan should have
taken over for LeClair
on a full-time basis
after being a part of a
program that was 138-46
in his three seasons
with Coach LeClair.
When LeClair had to step
down battling ALS,
then-ECU athletics
director Mike Hamrick
selected Randy Mazey
over McMullan to take
over the program.
Hamrick cited the fact
that Mazey had been a
part of a program
(Tennessee) that had
played in Omaha.
McMullan and the
Cavaliers traveled to
Omaha last season and
played in the College
World Series.
He returns this weekend
and will have to try and
keep his own emotions in
check.
“You have to try and put
your feelings aside,”
said McMullan from his
home in Charlottesville
on Monday night. “My
daughter was born in
Greenville. We had some
great times and the
entire family will be
with me to celebrate
coming back.”
McMullan says this
should be the feature
attraction of the
baseball schedule on a
national scale.
“It’s a great way to
start,” he said. “It’s a
great series for college
baseball and for both
programs. We’re looking
forward to starting the
season against such a
high caliber team.”
The Cavaliers scrimmaged
on the first day of
practice on January
29th. That was the
team’s only work on
their field because of
all of the snow. The
squad has worked out on
the football turf
fields, but the snow has
really put the skids on
practices at UVA.
Virginia will arrive in
town on Wednesday
evening and practice
that night at Clark-LeClair
Stadium. The Cavaliers
are also scheduled to
practice on Thursday at
11 a.m.
As for the Pirates this
weekend, Seth Maness
will get the start on
Friday afternoon in the
opener.
Lefty Kevin Brandt will
start on Saturday.
Brandt vaulted onto the
scene last year in the
Oklahoma State game and
went on to be awarded
freshman All-America
honors by two
publications.
Veteran Brad Mincey will
get the starting call
for Sunday’s game.
Billy Godwin says the
forte of this year’s
team is on the mound.
“The depth that we have
in our pitching staff is
our biggest strength,”
said Godwin. “We return
37 wins on the mound
from a year ago oppose
to just 18 from the 2008
staff. That coupled with
the addition of five
freshmen, a junior
college transfer and a
pair of redshirts, we
have probably assembled
the deepest staff since
I’ve been at ECU.”
Godwin saw first hand
what elite pitching can
do in the NCAA Super
Regional in Chapel Hill
last June. He has made
pitching a top priority
in his bid to get this
program to the College
Baseball World Series.
“Putting together
pitching depth like we
have this season is
something that we have
tried to build since I
got here, and we realize
that you have to be able
to pitch to get to
Omaha,” Godwin
explained.
The weather looks like
it will cooperate.
Friday’s first pitch is
set for 3:00 and
temperatures are
expected to be in the
50’s.
I look forward to seeing
Coach McMullan back in
town and really look
forward to what should
be a great opening
series!
BB
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Brian Bailey.
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