ECU baseball mid-week notes: Gill, Francisco and more

Opening weekend of the 2020 campaign is now behind East Carolina University’s (3-0, 0-0 AAC) baseball team. Three wins over The College of William & Mary (0-4, 0-0 CAA) came in three different ways, but they all count the same as the Pirates head to Campbell University (1-2, 0-0 Big South) on Wednesday.

“Well I definitely think it’s good for the young guys to see themselves go out there and know that they have played a different team and we’ve won three games,” head coach Cliff Godwin said. “But it’s behind us now, we got to have a great practice today (Tuesday) and I know Campbell will be ready for us.”

Before the Pirates travel to Buies Creek, North Carolina, however, here are some mid-week news and notes surrounding ECU.

Gill tabbed as starter

For its first mid-week game of the 2020 season, ECU will turn to junior left-handed pitcher Elijah Gill. Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida and St. John’s River State College, Gill put together a stellar sophomore campaign for the Vikings.

Across 84 innings, the southpaw went 8-2 with a 3.11 ERA and racked up a pair of complete game shutouts. A trio of double-digit strikeout games during his final JuCo season, Gill fanned 100 batters against 28 walks.

“He has been in that role in the preseason,” Godwin said. “We want to get him out there and see what he can do. It will not be a long start, so he’ll be on a limited pitch count and then we’ll treat it kind of like a bullpen day.”

Thomas Francisco wins AAC Player-of-the-Week

Sophomore infielder Thomas Francisco pulled down American Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Week honors after going 5-for-8 (.625) in the box with four RBI and three walks.

Sporting a .667 OBP through the first weekend of action, Francisco racked up two hits and two RBI on Sunday, while playing a flawless first base. His catch up against the net down the first base line on Sunday set the tone and fired everyone up, according to Godwin, while his sac-fly in the bottom of the eighth on Friday tied the game at 1-1 and helped force extras and an eventual walk-off.

Thomas Francisco Named American Player-Of-The-Week #ECUBaseball 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️Complete release ➡️https://t.co/zbzpZQcwK9 pic.twitter.com/AbaPAudjQO

— ECU Baseball (@ECUBaseball) February 17, 2020

“Franny is very coachable, No. 1,” Godwin said. “He works hard. He has always been a great hitter. The thing I’m most proud about is, he’s really worked hard on his defense, especially the last two weeks.”

ECU staff racks up 44 K’s over weekend

Fresh off leading the conference in strikeouts with 595 one season ago, it did not take long for the Pirates to resume posting hefty “K” totals. On Sunday, ECU tied its season-high from last year with 17 strikeouts while sophomore right-handed pitcher Garrett Saylor led the pack with seven in 2.2 innings.

As a group, junior right-handed pitcher Trystan Kimmel, redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Matt Bridges, redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Cam Colmore and Saylor logged 18 of those punch outs as ECU’s bullpen posted 30 across 15 total innings of work during the three-game series.

“I think our guys did a really good job of getting ahead of hitters early in the count,” Godwin said. “Then, especially the relievers, when you got a pitch that’s a strikeout pitch, they did a really good job of executing pitches.”

New guys to get opportunities

Already this season, fans and spectators have seen five new faces emerge from ECU’s bullpen. Kimmel, freshman left-handed pitcher C.J. Mayhue, freshman left-handed pitcher Carson Whisenhunt, junior right-handed pitcher Nick Logusch and freshman infielder Zach Agnos have seen the mound while more fresh faces are likely to see work against Campbell.

“(Freshman right-handed pitcher) Bradley Wilson and (freshman right-handed pitcher) Nate Nabholz will most likely get an opportunity tomorrow,” Godwin said. “Also (junior right-handed pitcher) Parker Boyle, who’s kind of been battling some arm issues, is 100% healthy so we’re going to try to run him out for an inning tomorrow as well.”

Williams, Smallwood still out

Both dealing with finger injuries, junior right-handed pitcher and junior outfielder Christian Smallwood missed the opening weekend of contests.

Williams, who was in-line to start on Opening Day, was hit on the finger with a baseball during preseason practice and will continue to be out through at least this upcoming weekend, according to Godwin.

Smallwood, who figures to see time in the outfield as well as at designated hitter, is “probably doubtful” for the weekend, according to Godwin, as he is yet to be 100% healthy.

In Williams’ place, junior left-handed pitcher Alec Burleson pitched seven strong innings on Friday night against William & Mary while sophomore outfielder Lane Hoover started all three games in right field.

The Pirates will be back in action on Wednesday at 5 p.m. against Campbell.