UPDATE: East Carolina was held to a season-low four hits as Duke powered its way past the Pirates with three home runs, and some excellent bullpen mixing and matching, to win 5-2. 

Another midweek in-state matchup is here, and it's a big one, as sixth-ranked East Carolina and No. 9 Duke are set to meet for the only time this regular season inside Clark-LeClair Stadium on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on ESPN+, with the contest also available to be heard on 94.3 The Game and through the IBX Media app.

ECU comes in having posted a 23-3 home record, with a loss in the most recent contest. The Pirates were tripped up Sunday night to cap a long day with a doubleheader against USF, falling 5-4 in a shortened seven-inning affair. The setback ended ECU's 10-game winning streak and dropped the team to 37-9 overall, and 16-5 in The American.

Duke holds a record of 32-14 and comes in as one of the best hitting teams nationally. Former ECU third baseman Eric Tyler is Duke's hitting coach. The Blue Devils are hitting .316 as a team with more than 80 home runs. Duke, which has an RPI of 21 entering Tuesday's action, is considered a fringe host entering this week's action. The Pirates, as they sit today, are projected as a regional host with just two weeks left in the regular season, and are thought to be in contention for a Top 8 national seed.

Left-hander Erik Ritchie is set to start for ECU, but it's fair to wonder just what the pitching situation is beyond that for the Pirates. Top reliever Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman hasn't been available for a few weeks due to soreness. And potential key bullpen arms Danny Beal and Ethan Norby threw more than 70 pitches on Sunday in the doubleheader against USF.

Here's more on the matchup between ECU and Duke from ECU Media Relations:

Projected Pitching Matchup

LHP Erik Ritchie (1-0, 5.70 ERA, 23.2 IP) vs. LHP Andrew Healy (2-1, 5.19 ERA, 26.0 IP)
 
About Duke

The Blue Devils (32-14) took a break from Atlantic Coast Conference play last weekend and hosted Longwood for a Sunday doubleheader, taking both ends of the twinbill by seven inning run-rule scores of 23-3 and 11-1. Paced by Ben Miller's 409 batting average, 17 doubles and 12 home runs, Duke is hitting .316 collectively with 99 doubles, eight triples and 85 home runs to go along with 231 walks drawn and 41 stolen bases. The Blue Devil pitching staff sports a 4.24 ERA with 499 strikeouts and 209 walks in 401.1 innings of work. Duke is 9-6 away from home this season.
 
The Duke Series

East Carolina leads the all-time series with Duke 42-14-1 and has won 22 of the last 24 meetings. The Blue Devils got the best of the Pirates early on in 2023, picking up a 9-0 win at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in February. ECU has defeated Duke 15 consecutive times in Greenville.

Hoist The Colours is live and on-hand inside Clark-LeClair Stadium for the Tuesday night contest between the Pirates and Blue Devils. Come inside our attached game thread for more in-game discussion with other Pirate fans inside throughout the evening.