ECU baseball has earned a top spot in the NCAA Championship Tournament, with games starting this week in Greenville. The Pirates earned the 16th overall seed after another successful season, with 43 wins on the year and the title of regular season champions in the American Athletic Conference.
The no. 16 national seed grants ECU the right to host a regional, which is a four-team, double-elimination tournament. This year marks the fifth time in the last six years the Pirates have earned the privilege. The winner moves on to a best-of-three super regional round against the victor of the Knoxville regional.
The Greenville regional will be competitive. Filling out the rest of the field are Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Evansville, and Wake Forest University. Wake Forest will be the toughest opponent for ECU in the regional. The Demon Deacons have made several appearances in the top-25 rankings this year.
The Pirates are aiming for a deep run in this year's championship tournament and have the record to do so. ECU boasts several wins over high-profile opponents, including victories over NC State and North Carolina.
ECU is just one of several North Carolina teams making the tournament. North Carolina is hosting a reigonal in Chapel Hill, while NC State, too, is hosting a regional in Raleigh. Duke, High Point, UNC-W, and Wake Forest have also earned berths, though they must travel to compete in their regionals.
ECU plays Evansville in the first game of the double-elimination tournament, starting this Friday.
