HOW SWEET IT IS...The Pirate Baseball Team turns up theheat by beating UNC and finishing in thetop twenty.By Ed NicklasComing off a disappointing 21-17 recordin 1983, the baseball team did not beamextreme optimism. It concluded the seasonwith its worst team ERA in Head Coach HalBairdTs tenure. Two out of the previous threeyears the Pirates had sealed an NCAAplayoff bid, and now, in 1984, they wereapproaching spring training without the samenotoriety as before. And to top it off, theinfield and pitching staff would be veryyoung and the outfield unsettled. What couldone expect from this team?Baird expressed caution at the beginningof the season. I think really it is just going todepend upon how quickly these kids aregoing to adjust,? he said. TheyTre going tobe good, there is no doubt in my mind. Butwhether it is going to be this year or notremains to be seen.?Three months later, BairdTs question wasanswered: The Priates had just been oustedby South Alabama 18-2 in the NCAA SouthRegions finals, but it was the farthest anECU baseball team had ever gone. Baird wasright: The team was superb. It was justperhaps sooner than expected.Early in the season, the Pirates wastedlittle time in proving to Baird what they coulddo. Behind the right-handed pitching of walk-on Jim Peterson, all-world Winfred Johnson,and senior lefty Robby McClanahan, ECUraced to a 15-5 record before it met its firstlegimate challenge " the fourth-rankedNorth Carolina Tar Heels.The loss in T83 to the Tar Heels, 9-1,exemplified ECUTs frustrating season. Thisyear, however, the PiratesT 6-4 victory stoodfor something else. It showed Baird that, hey,maybe these men are progressing faster thanhe thought.Against the Tar Heels, gusty hurlerPeterson, using pinpoint accuracy and asharp-breaking curve ball, went the distanceto win his fifth game without a loss, as thePirates overcame a 2-0 fifth-inning deficit onthree-two run homers by centerfielder MarkShank first baseman Johnson, and shortstopGreg Hardison. ITd be lying if I said it (thePhotos by Gary Pattersonvictory) wasnTt nice,? Baird rejoiced after thegame.The Pirates kept streaking. Peterson andMcClanahan continued winning, and Johnsonhabitually sent long blasts over the fence.Freshman second baseman Steve Sides,displaying wide range on defense, came upwith some brilliant plays. SophomoreHardison showed he could fill the shoes ofgraduated Kelly Robinette in the field plusmore, as he led the team in hits, doubles,triples, and runs scored while hitting over.300. Senior Shank alternated with hard-nosed walk-on Chris Bradberry in center toemulate BaltimoreTs successful tandem ofRoenicke /Lowenstein. Co-captain and thirdbaseman David Wells had a below par year,but sidekick leftfielder/first baseman ToddEvans returned to his record hittingperformance of 1982. Finally, with seniorrightfielder Mike Williams hitting way abovehis 1983 clip and catcher Jim Riley providingtimely hits, the Pirates were well on theirway to an NCAA bid.As it turned out, however, a bid was neveroffered despite a magnificent 28-10 regularseason and victories over Goliaths UNC,Northwestern, James Madison, and a nearvictory over N. C. State.So the BucTs future was still uncertain.They would compete in the double-elimination ECAC South tournament, withthe winner getting an automatic bid to theNCAA playoffs. Their chances were good butit would not be a cake walk " the Pirateshad to face defending champion JamesMadison on its home field. Having beaten theDukes twice during the regular season, theodds were in favor of sweet revenge on thepart of the Dukes.After losing the first game to Georgetownin the tournament, the Pirates had theirbacks to the wall. Next up was fiery JamesMadison. The Bucs clobbered Tem. Thencame Georgetown again. And the Hoyas fell,which set up the game of the century "ECU versus JMU in the championship.It wasnTt even close. Williams knocked infour runs and Johnson pitched a completegame, as ECU won 9-5. The Bucs were high-fiving their way to Tallahassee.Reality finally set in, Tallahassee, Florida.The NCAA playoffs! My God, four gamesaway from the college World Series! Withtwo All-Americans, a walk-on leading thepitching, and first-year starters at catcher,Baseball/163