By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — The No. 22 East Carolina Pirates will look for some revenge against the N.C. State Wolfpack in tonight’s game at Doak Field at Dail Park.
First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Freshman Mike Anderson will start for the Pirates (21-8, 4-2 Conference USA). The right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA. It will be Anderson’s second start and third appearance of the season.
State (22-8, 8-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) will counter with Nate Karns. The freshman right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.38 ERA. Karns, who has struck out 14 and walked three in 13 innings, will be making his fourth start of the year.
The Wolfpack took a 5-4 victory in 10 innings on March 3. Mike Roskopf hit a two-out bases loaded single to knock in the game-winner.
Matt Payne had two of State’s 10 hits and Ryan Howard hit a two-run home run.
ECU got home runs off the bats of Harrison Eldridge and Brandon Henderson, who finished with three hits.
Eryk McConnell got the win in relief after throwing 2 1/3 innings of shutout ball. Shane Mathews suffered the loss.
After the setback, ECU went on to win 14 straight. The Pirates have won 15 of their last 17 games.
The Pirates are hitting .295 with 29 homers and 178 RBIs. Dale Mollenhauer leads ECU with a .383 average to go with three homers and 24 RBIs.
Other top hitters are Drew Schieber (.362, three homers, seven RBIs), Stephen Batts (.344, one homer, 29 RBIs), Eldridge (.336, two homers, 15 RBIs), Ryan Tousley (.325, seven homers, 33 RBIs) and Corey Kemp (.289, three homers, 15 RBIs).
The Wolfpack is hitting .302 with 25 homers and 206 RBIs. Dallas Poulk leads the club with a .386 average.
Other top hitters are Pat Ferguson (.375), Tommy Foschi (.364), Payne (.353), Roskopf (.338, five homers, 21 RBIs), Joe Florio (.337), Caleb Mangum (.327, four homers, 23 RBIs), Ryan Pond (.309, five homers, 27 RBIs), Drew Martin (.309) and Jeremy Synan (.308).
The Pirates return to C-USA play at Clark-LeClair Stadium on Friday to begin a three-game series with the No. 8 Rice Owls. Game times are set for 7 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.
ECU, 20-3 at home, has won 14 straight at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Conference USA
Team Conf. Overall
Houston 3-0 15-12
UAB 3-0 15-15
Tulane 5-1 22-8
Rice 5-1 22-10
ECU 4-2 21-8
Memphis 3-3 17-11
So. Miss 1-5 17-12
Marshall 0-6 14-11
UCF 0-6 16-16
Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Division
Team Conf. All
Florida State 8-1 29-2
NC State 8-2 22-8
Clemson 5-4 18-9
Maryland 5-7 18-11
Wake Forest 4-8 15-15
Boston College 4-8 8-15
Coastal Division
Team Conf. All
Virginia 8-4 27-5
North Carolina 8-4 25-5
Georgia Tech 8-4 19-11
Miami 5-7 17-13
Virginia Tech 4-8 15-14
Duke 2-10 20-11