Former Ole Miss assistant Cliff Godwin brings ECU to Oxford to face Rebs
Cliff Godwin saw an opportunity with his spring break schedule.
While East Carolina takes a break from its academic calendar, Godwin wanted to test his Pirates on the road against Southeastern Conference teams. The final leg of that happens in Oxford Wednesday at 3 p.m. against No. 10 Ole Miss.
East Carolina started its midweek with a 4-1 loss at Mississippi State on Tuesday.
“With spring break the goal is to come down here against quality opponents and play two of the best teams in the country,” Godwin said from Jackson on Tuesday. “It’s a good opportunity to challenge us and get some road experience in great environments.”
The No. 18 Pirates (8-5) are trying to get back to full strength after injuries to arguably their three best players. Bryant Packard and Spencer Brickhouse returned to the lineup recently after missing time, and East Carolina is playing the SEC opponents without Alex Burleson, who is hitting .542 on the year with an 1.350 OPS and nine extra base hits, because of a hamstring injury.
Godwin, who served as Ole Miss’ hitting coach from 2012-2014, returns to Oxford for the second time since exiting to become the East Carolina head coach.
The Rebels swept the Pirates to start the 2017 season, and Ole Miss goes to Greenville, North Carolina, for a series in 2020.
It's one of three games in eight days for Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco against former assistants. The Rebels travel to Louisville March 12-13 for a two-game set against the Cardinals, led by Dan McConnell, who was with Ole Miss from 2001-2006.
“Ole Miss remains such a special place to me,” Godwin said. “Great memories were made there, and I was a part of that special team in 2014 that wen to Omaha. It’ll always be fond to me and a place I enjoying going back to. I talk to (assistant coach Carl) Lafferty all the time stay in touch with Mike (Bianco). It’ll be great to see those guys, maybe have dinner together.”
Godwin is 162-95-1 as a head coach, guiding the Pirates to three NCAA Regionals and an NCAA Super Regional in four seasons. Numerous injuries plagued his 2017 team.
Ole Miss hands the ball to freshman left-hander Doug Nikhazy on Wednesday for his first career start. He’s allowed just one earned run in five innings over four appearances. Meanwhile, East Carolina plans to use a by-committee approach after throwing normal midweek starter Gavin Williams against the Bulldogs.
"We want him to put zeroes up and look the part," Bianco said. "He's one of the guys going into the season who had a possibility to start on the weekend. This is a good opportunity to get him in there and he's our best guy to beat them."