COLUMBIA, S.C. – East Carolina gets its 2025 season underway in Columbia, S.C. as the Pirates are scheduled to compete in the Gamecock Invitational, hosted by South Carolina, Feb. 7-9 at South Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
The Pirates and Gamecocks will be joined in the four-day, 13-game tournament by Saint Francis, Virginia, Providence and Toledo. ECU will face every team except for Toledo over the weekend, starting on Friday, Feb. 7 with Virginia at 5 p.m. followed by Providence at 7:30 p.m.
The Pirates are coming off a 38-19 season as the team tallied their most wins in a season since the 2011 campaign when ECU posted a 41-22 record, won the Conference USA Championship for the second straight season and appeared in an NCAA Regional for the second straight year. The 13 conference wins for the Pirates in 2024 were the most for the program in the American since joining prior to the 2015 season. ECU also recorded a winning season for the first time since 2020 when ECU’s year finished at 14-9 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ECU’s high-powered offense is headlined by Emma Jackson and Morgan Johnson as the pair combined for 26 of the Pirates’ 44 home runs in 2024. Jackson was named to Softball America’s and D1Softball’s Preseason Top 100 after a breakout sophomore season, batting .397 with 50 RBI and hit 24 doubles just two away from breaking the single season doubles program record of 26 set by Kate Manuse in 2004. Johnson also exploded on the scene as a big bat for ECU, hitting .364 with 47 RBI and Johnson was ranked as the 12th-best first baseman in the country by D1Softball. Jackson and Johnson’s strong seasons led to the pair earning All-AAC Second Team honors as well as NFCA All-Mideast Region Honors.
2024 AAC All-Rookie Team member Taylor Apple returns to lead ECU in the circle after posting a 14-8 record with a 2.62 ERA and 106 strikeouts, becoming the first Pirate freshman since Toni Paisley in 2007 to record 100 or more Ks in their first year. Senior Jordan Hatch and D1Softball D100 Freshman Watchlist member Kendall Frost provide the Pirates with a strong one-two-three punch on their pitching staff.
The Pirates also return key positional pieces including catchers Annie Kate Dalton and Joie Fittante, outfielders Anna Sawyer, Kanisha Anderson and Hannah Evans and infielders Logan Sutton, Mary-Kathryn Scott, Makenzie Mason and Hailey Massaro. ECU adds two transfers to its infield in Trinity Nichols (Syracuse) and Chloe Geijer (Indiana). In addition to Frost, the Pirates welcome four other freshmen in Jenna Krol, Gabby Fowler, Brooke Masingale and Ava Fisher.
The South Carolina Series
South Carolina leads the all-time series with 21-3 and Sunday will mark the first meeting between the two programs since Feb. 9, 2018 when the Gamecocks won 3-0 in the Felsberg Invitational. Since 2006, the teams have traded wins in their last four meetings.
The Virginia Series
Virginia leads the all-time series 36-25 as the Cavaliers won the last meeting back on Feb. 25, 2017, 7-3, at the ECU Invitational. The Pirates are 6-7 against the Cavaliers in neutral site meetings.
The Providence Series
East Carolina leads the series with Providence 2-1 and Friday evening will be the first meeting between the two schools since Mar. 17, 2001, when ECU eked out a 1-0 victory.
The Saint Francis Series
The all-time series between the Pirates and Red Flash is tied at 6-6 with the last meeting taking place in Greenville in 2023 when ECU defeated Saint Francis, 5-4, in the Pirate Clash. The Pirates hold a 3-2 edge in neutral site meetings.
Up Next
The Pirates host Boston, UMBC and Radford Feb. 14-16 for the Pirate Clash at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium.
Check out Pirate Radio
Website | Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) | Instagram | YouTube