East Carolina’s baseball team advanced to the Conway Regional final with an 11-4 win over Florida on Sunday.
The Gators were eliminated and the Pirates advance to a rematch with host Coastal Carolina, which won on Saturday to put ECU in the loser’s bracket. ECU must win twice on Sunday and Monday to keep the season going.
Below is more information from The Associated Press.
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CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — East Carolina freshman Austin Irby continued his tear in the Conway Regional, homering for a third straight game to lead the Pirates past Florida 11-4 Sunday and sending them to the final against Coastal Carolina.
The Pirates (35-26) beat Florida in the regional opener Friday and bounced back from Saturday’s 18-7 loss to Coastal Carolina to set up a Sunday night final against the Chanticleers. ECU would have to beat Coastal Carolina twice to go super regionals.
Florida (39-22) saw its bid for a third straight College World Series appearance end.
Irby is 9 for 14 with seven RBIs in three regional games after going 2 for 4 and driving in two runs against the Gators. He singled in a run in the third inning and homered in the fourth to help the Pirates build their lead to 8-1.
Freshman Braden Burress was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and raised his batting average to .401.
Another East Carolina freshman, starter Lance Williams, gave up three runs on three hits and two walks in a season-best five innings, and Jake Hunter worked four scoreless innings.
Pierce Coppola (2-2) was tagged for three runs, two earned, in two innings. Bill Barlow, who replaced Coppola, surrendered three runs without recording an out.
The Gators were 1 for 12 with runners on base.
Photo credit: Austin Irby (ECU Sports Information photo)