GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Clark-LeClair Stadium, where East Carolina University’s baseball team plays, can hold about 5,000 fans. But ECU will only allow 30% capacity at Friday’s home game, or about 1,500 people.

It’s part of how the school is following COVID-19 guidelines to keep people safe. The Pirates host Appalachian State in the Keith LeClair Classic, which is revised this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Mountaineers are the only team playing the Pirates this weekend. Typically, ECU hosts four teams in a three-day tournament.

“It will be at a smaller capacity, 30 percent,” said Ryan Robinson, executive associate athletics director for external operations at ECU. “This is kind of a great trial for us to see as we move through the spring and into the fall with what we can do.”

Officials at ECU are working hard to make sure fans feel safe inside the stadium.

“If we do things the right way, if we do things the safe way then we will be able to continue to build on this and where we are now. In a month we may be further down the road, which is the hope,” said Capt. Chris Sutton with ECU Police.

Robinson wants fans to know basic COVID guidelines before showing up. Groups of more than 10 people won’t be allowed.

“We’re just asking people to kind of obey,” Robinson said. “There’s going to be people that are going to stop you and say we may need to have a few people walk away or let’s cut down that gathering. Let’s just all be respectful.”

Overall, officials say having more fans at games is something they have been looking forward to since the pandemic changed things.

“We are so excited to have us move a little bit closer to normal than where we were a year ago at this time,” Sutton said.

Officials say these guidelines will be used for other ECU athletic events for the spring sports season.