By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — When Trent Whitehead first stepped foot in the plush outfield grass at Clark-LeClair Stadium, the East Carolina freshman said it was a dream come true.
Little did he know that the beginning of his first season with the Pirates would prove to be even more than he dreamed. The former Washington Pam Pack star has played in 17 of his team’s 18 games, which includes eight starts.
The 5-10, 169-pound outfielder, who was MVP of the Pam Pack in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, is certainly making the most of his opportunities.
Whitehead, who wears No. 9, is hitting at a .370 clip, banging out 10 hits in 27 at-bats. He has four multi-hit games and has seven hits in his last 15 plate appearances.
One aspect of college baseball that Whitehead is still trying to get accustomed to is playing multiple games each week. In high school, Whitehead played two or maybe three times a week.
While Whitehead grows as a player in front of the Pirate faithful, he can always count on his parents, A.G. and Karen Whitehead, being in the stands. He said that take some pressure off him each game.
Whitehead, who hit his first collegiate home run in a 6-5 win over Michigan during the Keith LeClair Classic, has scored 11 runs, knocked in five runs and swiped three bases.
He started five consecutive games at one point, and has been used as a defensive replacement in the last two games. ECU coach Billy Godwin has generally kept Whitehead on the bench when the Pirates are facing left-handed pitchers.
In the games he’s started, Whitehead is 9-for-23. He did have a clutch RBI single in a pinch-hit role.
Godwin is pleased with the freshman’s hot start.
Whitehead has also been steady in the outfield. The speedy freshman, who has played both left field and right field, is a perfect 14-for-14 in putout attempts.
That can be said for Whitehead and the No. 23 Pirates (14-4), who open Conference USA play this weekend at home against Houston. The Pirates are riding a 13-game winning streak heading into Friday’s series opener.