# The Real Reason ECU's Baseball Season Ended Early? Coach Godwin Blames Departing Players!
In a startling post-season revelation, ECU baseball coach Cliff Godwin pointed fingers at outgoing transfers for the Pirates' early postseason exit. Godwin, frustrated and disappointed, accused those players of lacking commitment to winning, claiming they had "one foot out the door" during the NCAA Tournament.
The Pirates, who were a national host for this year's Regional round, had high hopes, playing their initial games in the comfort of their own ballpark. But despite being the favorites, they were shockingly ousted by the lowest-seeded team in the bracket, Evansville.
The season ended on a sour note as Evansville’s victory led to a heated exchange between Godwin and the Evansville coaching staff during the postgame handshake. The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, marring what had been a stellar season for the Pirates.
In an interview on Pirate Radio, Godwin expressed his dismay. “Why should we have won?” he questioned. “We threw two pitchers on Monday that both knew they were leaving, and I didn’t know they were leaving. I would’ve thrown position players. The guy that started and the guy that gave up the three-run homer went to the portal on Wednesday. They knew they were leaving… We would’ve pitched somebody different.”
His comments shed light on a growing issue in college baseball: the transfer portal. For programs like ECU, which face intense competition from wealthier P4 programs offering lucrative NIL deals, retaining top talent has become increasingly challenging. The transfer portal has created an environment where personal gain often outweighs team loyalty, according to Godwin.
Godwin’s candid remarks highlight a significant problem within the sport, but his method of addressing it has sparked controversy. As the debate over the transfer portal continues, one thing is clear: the landscape of college baseball is changing, and not everyone is happy about it.
#ECUBaseball #TransferPortal #NIL #CollegeBaseballDrama #CliffGodwin
In a startling post-season revelation, ECU baseball coach Cliff Godwin pointed fingers at outgoing transfers for the Pirates' early postseason exit. Godwin, frustrated and disappointed, accused those players of lacking commitment to winning, claiming they had "one foot out the door" during the NCAA Tournament.
The Pirates, who were a national host for this year's Regional round, had high hopes, playing their initial games in the comfort of their own ballpark. But despite being the favorites, they were shockingly ousted by the lowest-seeded team in the bracket, Evansville.
The season ended on a sour note as Evansville’s victory led to a heated exchange between Godwin and the Evansville coaching staff during the postgame handshake. The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, marring what had been a stellar season for the Pirates.
In an interview on Pirate Radio, Godwin expressed his dismay. “Why should we have won?” he questioned. “We threw two pitchers on Monday that both knew they were leaving, and I didn’t know they were leaving. I would’ve thrown position players. The guy that started and the guy that gave up the three-run homer went to the portal on Wednesday. They knew they were leaving… We would’ve pitched somebody different.”
His comments shed light on a growing issue in college baseball: the transfer portal. For programs like ECU, which face intense competition from wealthier P4 programs offering lucrative NIL deals, retaining top talent has become increasingly challenging. The transfer portal has created an environment where personal gain often outweighs team loyalty, according to Godwin.
Godwin’s candid remarks highlight a significant problem within the sport, but his method of addressing it has sparked controversy. As the debate over the transfer portal continues, one thing is clear: the landscape of college baseball is changing, and not everyone is happy about it.
#ECUBaseball #TransferPortal #NIL #CollegeBaseballDrama #CliffGodwin
