CONWAY, S.C. (Interstat) — A pivotal nonconference series continues Saturday when East Carolina visits Coastal Carolina at Springs Brooks Stadium, with both teams carrying identical 7-5-1 records into the afternoon contest.

The game, however, may be dictated by the weather as much as the players, with a forecast of 80 degrees and rain at first pitch.

The Pirates and Chanticleers opened their three-game set Friday, with Coastal Carolina earning a shutout victory. East Carolina will look to even the series behind a bullpen that has been effective recently. In their last win, a 5-3 victory at UNC Wilmington on Wednesday, Pirates relievers Joseph Webb, Sean Jenkins and Ryan Towers combined for eight scoreless innings.

Webb, a player to watch for East Carolina, was particularly dominant in that outing, striking out five over four hitless innings. His recent performances have been uneven, but his ceiling was on full display midweek.

Coastal Carolina will counter with its own key arm in Case Bosch. The right-hander has been excellent in relief this season, most recently tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit allowed at North Carolina State on Tuesday. In his last three appearances, spanning 11 1/3 innings, Bosch has surrendered just one earned run.

Both teams have followed similar paths this season, mixing strong offensive showings with occasional struggles. The Chanticleers are coming off a 13-run outburst against Campbell last week, while the Pirates put up 14 runs in a win over Rutgers in February.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, this contest projects as a high-scoring affair, with a predicted final score of East Carolina 6, Coastal Carolina 5.

The series will conclude Sunday at Springs Brooks Stadium before both teams turn their attention to midweek matchups. East Carolina hosts Old Dominion on Tuesday, while Coastal Carolina welcomes Wake Forest.