Never Take This for Granted

Anyone who follows college baseball knows at least a little something about the East Carolina Pirates.

Opposing players who have never played in Clark-LeClair have heard stories, and the ones who have competed there either hope they never have to face the din again or, if they are the fortunate few, can’t wait to return to the friends they made beyond the outfield fence, the ones who slipped them a hot dog or made them a care package. The fan population surrounding this baseball program, the winningest team to not yet reach Omaha, lives up to the hype with fervor, commitment and volume, game after game.

But “Purple-Gold” cheers, regional drama, and megaphones are only part of the story. The connections between players, coaches, and fans run deeper than the big moments in the ballpark, forging a community that gives a child a place to belong in left field or enfolds a young athlete, adjusting to being away from home for the first time, into an unexpected second family.