ECU Blasts William & Mary, 12-0, Behind Norby’s Gem and Power Surge
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina (10-8) wasted no time making a statement in its weekend series against William & Mary (5-13), rolling to a 12-0 run-rule victory Friday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Pirates used a dominant start from Ethan Norby, explosive offense, and clean defense to overpower the Tribe in front of their home crowd.
Norby Battles Through Illness, Delivers a Gem
Coming off a week where he battled the flu, Ethan Norby (2-2) didn’t let it slow him down. The right-hander was locked in for seven shutout innings, allowing just five hits while striking out six. He threw 85 pitches (58 strikes) and worked out of his biggest jam in the third, escaping a bases-loaded situation with a clutch strikeout.
"Norby was fatigued from being sick all week. A lot of guys have been battling the flu," ECU head coach Cliff Godwin said. "I thought Norby was outstanding, especially against an older offensive lineup. I thought we played great defense as well. We got a couple of big swings off."
Pirates Set the Tone Early
The offensive fireworks started quickly for ECU. Braden Burress led off the first with a walk, and Dixon Williams crushed a two-run homer to left, giving the Pirates an early 2-0 lead.
After Norby worked around trouble in the third, the Pirates extended the lead. Burress singled and stole second before John Collins launched a two-run home run, making it 4-0.
The fourth inning put the game out of reach. ECU exploded for seven runs, capitalizing on timely hitting and defensive miscues by the Tribe:
Dixon Williams ripped a two-run ground-rule double to make it 6-0.
John Collins followed with a two-RBI single, extending the lead to 8-0.
A wild pickoff throw allowed another run to score.
Walker Barron, Davin Whitaker, and Austin Irby each added RBI hits to push the lead to 11-0.
A Special Moment for Parker Byrd
The Pirates tacked on one more in the sixth, thanks to a solo blast from Michael Kalinich—his first career home run.
Shortly after, Parker Byrd recorded his first collegiate hit, sending a single to left field to cap off ECU’s night. The crowd erupted in cheers for the redshirt freshman, who has battled back from a life-altering boating accident in 2022.
"I knew it was coming," Byrd said. "I've worked really hard. Coaches have been awesome about working with me, physical therapy, and everything that I've been doing throughout the years, it's just a testament to this. I'm very thankful."
By the Numbers
Dixon Williams: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R
John Collins: 2-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R
Braden Burress: 2-for-2, 3 R, 2 BB, 2 SB
Michael Kalinich: 1-for-1, HR, RBI
Parker Byrd: 1-for-1, first career hit
Davin Whitaker: 1-for-1, 2B, RBI
Austin Irby: 1-for-2, RBI, BB, SB
Pitching Line:
Ethan Norby (W, 2-2): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 85 pitches (58 strikes)
Up Next
The Pirates and Tribe will play a doubleheader on Saturday, with Game 1 scheduled for 2 p.m. at Clark-LeClair Stadium. Game 2 will follow approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. ECU will look to secure the series victory and build momentum moving forward.