The East Carolina softball team won a dramatic 4-3 game over Charlotte in the AAC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday.
The win put the Pirates in the semifinals, where they will play No. 2 South Florida on Friday.
Below is more information from ECU Sports Information.
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Photo credit: Anna Sawyer (ECU Sports Information photo)
TAMPA – Anna Sawyer hit a solo home run and had two RBI while Taylor Apple threw a complete game as East Carolina defeated Charlotte 4-3 in the American Softball Quarterfinals on Thursday at USF Softball Stadium.
LET EM KNOW!🗣️#GoPirates #WeBelieve pic.twitter.com/aLeDp0Llyq
— East Carolina Softball (@ecu__softball) May 8, 2025
ECU advances to only its second AAC Semifinal appearance with the win and enters Friday on a five-game winning streak.
🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️#GoPirates #WeBelieve pic.twitter.com/mWdPK0AeB3
— East Carolina Softball (@ecu__softball) May 8, 2025
The Pirates went down one-two-three in the top of the first and the Niners got into scoring position on a Pirate error but ECU struck out Charlotte at the plate to prevent the game’s first run.
ANNA SAWYER SOLO SHOT!!#AmericanWay x @ecu__softball pic.twitter.com/0CMJWqlqoI
— The American (@American_Conf) May 8, 2025
After Anna Sawyer drew a walk, Gabby Fowler reached on an error to put two runners on with just one out. Sawyer and Fowler would advance on a wild pitch to third and second respectively but Charlotte’s defense forced a pop up to stop the Pirates from scoring in the top of the second.
East Carolina extends their lead to 4-2!#AmericanWay x @ecu__softball pic.twitter.com/k5d2F0WzQR
— The American (@American_Conf) May 8, 2025
Charlotte broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third on Jenna Lord’s two run double but Kanisha Anderson made an impressive catch in center field to stop the bleeding.
ECU responded in the top of the fourth as Sawyer put the Pirates on the board with a solo shot over the wall in right center.
The Pirates took the lead in the top of the fifth after drawing a couple of walks and a sac fly from Sawyer. Emma Jackson’s RBI single in the top of the sixth extended ECU’s lead to 4-2 going into the bottom of the sixth.
Time to work!🏴☠️#HoPirates #WeBelieve pic.twitter.com/VxnekMXVyN
— East Carolina Softball (@ecu__softball) May 8, 2025
Charlotte got runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh and cut the Pirates’ lead to just one run after an RBI single from Lord. After an overturned call, Charlotte had one more chance to tie or win the game, but the Niners popped up to the ECU infield to end the game.
Apple (13-8) tossed four strikeouts to get the complete game victory.
Up Next
East Carolina will face No. 2 seed South Florida in the semifinals Friday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.