GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – Not only is East Carolina University hosting the Super Regionals NCAA baseball tournament starting Friday, it’s also hosting several high school graduations for Pitt County Schools.

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With these big events, it’s another busy weekend here in Greenville, and law enforcement wants to make sure we’re all safe when we’re out and about traveling to and from these events. ECU Police Captain Chris Sutton said this is a very exciting weekend for ECU, but that means they are expecting a lot of challenges with crowds and traffic. There are expected to be about 10,000 people in the area at a time.

“When you have this many people coming to two different events that are very close together, and you have the size crowds that we’re anticipating you’re not going to eliminate traffic delays,” said Sutton.

He said they are expecting to really start getting busy Friday morning.

“And so the gates open at 11 o’clock, somewhere between 10 and 11, the traffic will start to pick up coming to the baseball game, and then 11 to 11:30, it will probably be at its most intense,” he said.

And with that, Sutton said if you don’t need to come to campus this weekend, it’s best to avoid the area.

“On Greenville Boulevard, Charles Boulevard, 14th Street, Elm Street, those roads will be most impacted at that time by the baseball game. So if you have to travel those roads, maybe pick a road that’s one or two over,” Sutton said.

Another concern is a lot of people are expected to be consuming alcohol. Sutton said always drink responsibly, but it’s especially important among crowds of this size.

“If you’re consuming while you’re here and tailgating, or sitting in the stands, then do so in moderation so that when you leave, your driving is not impaired so that you will be able to react to the amount of people that will be leaving,” said Sutton.

He said they also have plans in place to keep people safe in the expected hot temperatures, including a cooling tent set up in front of the stadium.

“That tent is managed by Greenville Fire/Rescue, so we have EMTs and paramedics that are able to look after individuals that come in,” said Sutton.

Sutton said he believes there will be plenty of parking spots available for both events. He added they’ve experienced multiple events happening at once in the past. Although this weekend may be a little more intense, they feel fully prepared with their number one priority being safety the entire time.