GSU knocked out of NCAA tourney

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Posted 8:36AM on Sunday, June 2, 2002

CLEMSON, S.C. - Giving up doesn't fly at East Carolina. So after a dishearting loss to Clemson and trailing by a run to Georgia Southern in the seventh inning later, the Pirates found a way to keep their season - and their hopes for the College World Series - alive. ``We're down by a run and our season is on the line,'' said designated hitter Clayton McCullough, whose RBI single was part of a four-run rally that lifted East Carolina to a 7-3 victory Saturday night. ``We knew we had to keep fighting. That's what we do here.'' That's a lesson learned up close from their coach, Keith LeClair, who is battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. LeClair began the season as the team's fiery leader. Now, his speech gone and his movement limited, LeClair watches games from a van in a first-base side bullpen. So playing a second game in sticky 90-degree temperatures was not much of a concern. ``Our kids are mentally ready to overcome things. They have done that so much this season,'' assistant coach Kevin McMullan. ``We think that when our feet hit the floor in the morning, it's a good day.'' To keep going, the Pirates (43-19-1) must overcome a very huge obstacle beating the top seeds twice at Doug Kingsmore Stadium where the Tigers have won their last nine NCAA games. Never say impossible with East Carolina. It came to the Conference USA tournament fourth in the league, yet swept its way to the tournament title. Except for a botched double play that led to two runs and Jarrod Schmidt's two-run homer off the glove of Pirates centerfielder Warren Gaspar, East Carolina might be enjoying the night off instead of the Tigers. ``We're going to play East Carolina baseball,'' McMullan said, ``and let the chips fall where they may.'' Getting by the Southern Conference champion Eagles (39-25) wasn't a sure thing early on. East Carolina fell to Clemson 4-2 in a sweltering, 90-degree contest earlier Saturday, then turned around an hour later for its elimination match with Georgia Southern. And the Pirates were more than a step slow early on. They were held to five singles in the first six innings by Georgia Southern starter Brian Rogers and trailed 3-2. In the seventh, though, with the cooling night temperatures, East Carolina found a way to keep its season going. Gaspar bunted to lead off and made it to third when catcher Brendan Gilligan threw the ball down the right field line. ``If we make that play, maybe it's a different scenario,'' Georgia Southern coach Rodney Hennon said. Two batters later, Darryl Lawhorn who had struck out his first three at-bats singled sharply to tie the game off reliever Brian Harrison (1-3). McCullough followed with another single as East Carolina went ahead for good. Bryant Ward added a run-scoring hit and Luke Cherry brought home the last run in the inning with a sacrifice fly. ``We had some older guys in that inning who made things happen,'' said McCullough. ``Darryl had three strikeouts but was going to get a hit, we all knew that.'' Kieran Mattison (2-0) worked an inning in relief for the win. Closer Neal Sears, who pitched the final 2 2-3 innings of East Carolina's opening NCAA win over Elon, held Georgia Southern to two hits the last three innings for his sixth save. Georgia Southern had its chance, but left 10 runners on base. The victory also sets up another matchup between Clemson coach Jack Leggett and one of his best friends and proteges in East Carolina's LeClair. LeClair, 36, played and coached for Leggett when they were at Western Carolina. ``You'd love to see him get to Omaha,'' Leggett said. ``But at this point, you and your team have a lot invested. And he'd feel the same way. The same way.''