News Nuggets, 03.01.04
NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...

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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Pirates sail through LeClair tourney towards Top 25

East Carolina methodically dispatched of both No. 11 Clemson and Georgia Southern for the second day in a row on Sunday to cap off an unblemished four-game run through the First Annual Keith LeClair Invitational and extend its season-opening start to 12-0.

The bats of the Lawhorn brothers were pivotal in the Pirates' positive outcomes on the tournament's final day.

Darryl Lawhorn went 3-for-5, including a home run, and had three RBI's in ECU's 6-4 win over Clemson in an afternoon game, while Trevor Lawhorn also rang up a homer and was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI in the Pirates 7-4 victory over Georgia Southern in the evening matchup.

Despite the first pitch of the tournament being delayed from Friday until Saturday because of icy weather, Bonesville.net's Al Myatt reports that the truncated event turned out to be a big hit on all fronts for ECU, setting the stage for an expanded and prestigious field next season when the LeClair Invitational will be staged in a long-planned new stadium.

In combination with its triumphs over the Tigers and Eagles on Saturday, ECU's Sunday success should be enough to gain the attention of the previously unconvinced voters in the Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball polls, both of which failed to rank the Pirates in last week's Top 25.

Clemson blanked Georgia Southern 9-0 in Sunday's first game of the round-robin competition, which is sponsored by Trade Mart Stores and Wachovia Bank.

Following are the results for both days along with links to the box scores for each of the games in which East Carolina was involved:

Saturday, Feb. 28
   Clemson 4, Georgia Southern 0
   East Carolina 7, Georgia Southern 1 [Box Score]
   East Carolina 3, Clemson 2 (11) [Box Score]

Sunday, Feb. 29
   Clemson 9, Georgia Southern 0
   East Carolina 6, Clemson 4 [Box Score]
   East Carolina 7, Georgia Southern 4 [Box Score]

View a comprehensive account of the tournament action on ECUPirates.com, the official website of Pirate athletics.

National pitching honor named after 'Rocket'

HOUSTON — An award recognizing the top pitcher in Division I college baseball has been named for Astros pitcher Roger Clemens.

Voters for the Roger Clemens Award will include college coaches, baseball writers and broadcasters. The winner will be announced July 15.

The award was organized by a Houston nonprofit organization called College Baseball Pitcher of the Year. It replaces the Rotary Smith Award, which the Houston Rotary Club stopped organizing in 2003.

Bulls AD Selmon steps down

TAMPA — Lee Roy Selmon resigned last week as South Florida's athletic director, citing health problems that he would not disclose.

Selmon, a member of the college and pro football halls of fame, said he will remain with the university as its chief athletic fund-raiser. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end said at a news conference he wanted a job with less stress.

Selmon was the first-ever draft pick of the expansion Buccaneers in 1976 out of Oklahoma. He played nine seasons for the team and remains the club's career sack leader with 78½. A Tampa area expressway is named in his honor.

He was instrumental in the establishment of South Florida's football program, which the school started from scratch in the 1990's. The Bulls began play in Conference USA last season and are scheduled to move into the Big East when the league expands.

C-USA basketball standings, scoreboard & schedule

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News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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