Marshall University Athletics
Baseball Begins Conference Play with Pirates
3/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 7, 2014
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HUNTINGTON, W. Va.- Marshall baseball will look to begin its 2014 conference schedule with a three game series against East Carolina in Greenville, N.C.
The Herd and Pirates will play a doubleheader Saturday, March 8, with the first game beginning at noon. The second game will begin approximately 45 minutes after the completion of game one.
The series will wrap up with a Sunday contest slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.
Herd fans can follow GameTracker for live stats and @HerdBaseball on Twitter for in-game updates.
Fans with a C-USA all-access subscription will be able to watch the game via ECU's live video streaming.
HAVE YOU HERD?
Marshall is coming off an 0-4 weekend, falling in two games by one run and losing a third in extra innings.
Junior starting pitcher Matt Margaritonda (Freehold, N.J.) threw his best game of the season against Coastal Carolina. The righty went 6.2 innings and tied his career high with six strikeouts.
Redshirt freshman Matt Reed (Purcellville, Va.) was named to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List this week. The award is given to the nation's top collegiate catcher. In 11 games, Reed has caught five stealing out of nine attempts.
SCOUTING THE PIRATES
East Carolina supports a 7-5 record, with four losses coming from the nation's top ranked team in Virginia.
The Pirates are led by junior right-hander Jeff Hoffman, who leads the league in innings pitched (21.1) and is second in strikeouts and strikeouts looking (26, 9).
Hoffman was this week's C-USA Pitcher of the Week after delivering a career high 14 strikeouts in ECU's win over Western Kentucky on Feb. 27th.
Hoffman was also selected as one of five players for Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors.
The Pirates' offensive front is led by sophomore Luke Lowery, who supports a .310 average with 13 hits and 3 RBI, and senior Zach Houchins with a .292 average with 14 hits and 4 RBI.
Junior Ian Townsend also presents a threat, leading ECU with nine RBI to combat his .267 average.
The Pirates' also field a Johnny Bench Watch List member in sophomore Travis Watkins. In seven games, Watkins has allowed six stolen bases.
UP NEXT
Marshall will host its first home games of the year with a midweek matchup against border rival Morehead State on Tuesday, March 11 and then heads to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va. to host CUSA foe Southern Miss for a three game series beginning Friday, March 14.
