Both Duke, East Carolina head coaches ejected after emotional flare in midweek game
Midweek games may be against nonconference opponents but emotions can still get high. Duke and East Carolina reached a new level on Tuesday night, and things went further than the players. The two teams’ head coaches got involved and were quickly tossed from the game.
Tyler Albright has found some success against ECU and let the pitchers know his thoughts. Well, Pirates head coach Cliff Godwin had enough of the trash-talking and said something to Albright. Duke’s Chris Pollard took exception, beginning to chirp back at Godwin.
The two never came together, but whatever was said earned both an ejection. Godwin and Pollard will be handing duties over to somebody else for the rest of the game, currently in the bottom of the eighth inning.
“The ‘ol double ejection in Durham,” Bradley Smart of D1 Baseball said via X. “East Carolina’s Cliff Godwin takes exception with the way Duke’s Tyler Albright celebrated after drawing a bases-loaded walk in the eighth, Chris Pollard comes storming out to defend him and both coaches get tossed.”
Albright has one hit on the night in one at-bat. It’s been his plate discipline that has produced results for Duke, drawing three walks. The incident occurred on Albright’s third and final one, bringing in a run and extending the Blue Devils’ lead.
Tempers certainly flared afterward due to the back-and-forth. Not too often do you see umpires decide to throw out both head coaches after heated moments.
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Unfortunately, this is the only scheduled meeting between Duke and East Carolina this season. Meeting in the NCAA Tournament is always a possibility. The two clubs are off to great starts to the season and will be fighting for spots in the field.
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A win Tuesday night would give Duke its 17th win of the season. East Carolina is not an ACC foe, but come the weekend, NC State will be in town for an important three-game series.
If the Blue Devils can continue to win, some program history can be made. Duke has never made the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons, going back-to-back on multiple occasions. The consistency under Pollard has been great in Durham.
Of course, the goal is eventually to make it to Omaha for the College World Series. You have to go back to 1961 to find Duke’s last appearance, hoping to break a drought spanning well over six decades.