Previewing Texas vs. ECU with On3's Jonathan Wagner

The Texas Longhorns head to Greenville, N.C. this weekend for a best-of-three series with the East Carolina Pirates. ECU, who advanced past Virginia, Coastal Carolina, and Coppin State to reach the round of 16, won the American Conference regular season and tournament title on their way to being named the No. 8 national seed.

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This is the Longhorns’ first road trip for a super regional since heading to Oxford in 2005. Clark-LeClair Stadium will be filled this weekend as ECU looks to make its first appearance in Omaha in program history. Texas is looking for its 38th College World Series appearance.

To preview the series, Inside Texas got in touch with On3 national desk associate editor Jonathan Wagner. An ECU graduate, Wagner previously covered the Pirates for Hoist the Colours and has followed Pirate baseball during its tremendous 2022 season.

He took the time to answer a few questions.

IT: ECU has been to three straight super regionals. They’ve lost one game in their past 20-something efforts. Is this the best team in the history of the program?

JW: Believe it or not, this ECU team is probably a bit further back when stacked up against some teams from recent years, at least on paper. Two months ago, the Pirates were on the outside looking in and most didn’t expect to earn a bid to a regional, let alone host one. But in May, ECU got hot and hasn’t looked back. I’ve never seen a run quite like this one, and everything is certainly coming together just at the right time.

IT: College baseball is filled with a bunch of styles of play. What is this team’s hallmark?

JW: Piecing things together. From a pitching standpoint, the team hasn’t had a set weekend rotation all season. ECU’s opening day starting shortstop – Ryder Giles – turned into an ace on Friday nights for about a month, and CJ Mayhue came on after that late in the year. From there, a bunch of players have stepped up to take on big roles. Offensively, the lineup is really solid 1-9, and everybody is capable of coming through with a big hit. ECU loves to play small ball, and you’ll undoubtedly see plenty of bunting and slashing. That has worked, but really everything about this season has been unconventional and just finding ways to piece it together.

IT: Who are the players to know for Texas fans?

JW: CJ Mayhue is the team’s ace right now, and he pitched to a 2.82 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP this season. Carter Spivey, the AAC Pitcher of the Year, has been used out of the bullpen but got the nod on Monday and shut things down in his start. Garrett Saylor was ECU’s Friday night starter to begin the year, but he has been great since shifting to the bullpen, and his 100 strikeouts on the year show that. Zach Agnos and Ben Terwilliger have also come on strong, as has true freshman Trey Yesavage. Offensively, Bryson Worrell is on a major tear. He is a threat from both sides of the plate and a star in center field. Agnos is a smooth shortstop, good on the mound, and really took off once moving to the leadoff spot midway through the year. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart is also a major threat as a true freshman in the box.

IT: What are the Pirates’ strengths and weaknesses?

JW: ECU started the year 14-13, but then went on a 20-game winning streak. A lot of those wins were thanks to come from behind efforts. The Pirates are gritty and have been playing in close games all year long, giving them a lot of experience in tight situations you see in the postseason. The lineup 1-9 is capable of putting together quality at-bats, and the top end of the pitching staff can be lights out. ECU’s biggest weakness is probably starting pitching, but that depends on how things shake out. After Mayhue, ECU doesn’t have a single solidified starting pitcher. Josh Grosz started the regional opener but has been inconsistent through the year. Jake Kuchmaner hasn’t looked right when he came back from injury, and Ryder Giles hasn’t pitched much at all in recent weeks. But if Spivey is moved to start on say, Saturday, then those woes could be resolved. But then you take away ECU’s top option out of the bullpen.

IT: What will the environment be like at Clark-LeClair Stadium, which was already rowdy just for the Greenville Regional?

JW: Electric. ECU fans are extremely passionate, and that is arguably the most true in baseball. Clark-LeClair Stadium is going to be jam-packed, both in the stands and out beyond the outfield wall in The Jungle. It’s always been loud and rowdy, but it feels like that has been especially true on this run this season. There will be a buzz from probably an hour before first pitch until well beyond the final pitch. It should be an amazing atmosphere, and with ECU’s first trip to Omaha on the line, things should be even crazier.

IT: Game 1 starter?

JW: CJ Mayhue will almost certainly be on the bump on Friday. Anything else would be a massive surprise, and Carter Spivey is a good bet to get the nod on Saturday, assuming he isn’t called on during Friday’s game.

Be sure to follow Jonathan on Twitter @j_wags74.