Whitehead earns first start with East Carolina

Published 9:52 am Sunday, March 2, 2008

By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — When the starting lineups were being announced Saturday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium, Trent Whitehead joined the 3,454 fans in listening to the names.
The former Washington Pam Pack star, who was sitting in the East Carolina Pirates’ dugout, wanted to make sure he heard his name announced. It came across loud and clear that Whitehead, a freshman, would be starting in left field.
Whitehead had appeared in four previous games for the Pirates (2-4), mainly as a late defensive replacement and also as a pinch-runner.
ECU coach Billy Godwin said that the freshman outfielder deserved the starting nod.
Whitehead was told that he would be starting shortly before game time.
Whitehead, who didn’t have any chances in the outfield, walked and eventually scored in his only plate appearance.
He stepped into the batter’s box for the first time at Clark-LeClair Stadium in the second inning. After getting ahead 2-0, Whitehead found himself with a 2-2 count. He earned the free pass after two more balls.
Whitehead eventually scored on a shallow sac fly into right field off the bat of Stephen Batts to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead.
It was the second time Whitehead, 0-for-1 on the season, has scored this season. He scored after being inserted as a pinch-runner during the opening series at South Carolina.
Whitehead, who has appeared in five of ECU’s six games, was lifted for a pinch-hitter, Jonathan Ratledge, in the third inning. The Pirates had runners at second and third when Godwin decided to use Ratledge, a right-handed batter, instead of Whitehead.
While Whitehead earned his first college start Saturday, it likely won’t be his last.