After losing a six-run lead, ECU scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning and held on to beat College of Charleston, 8-7, on Wednesday.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina Pirates overcame a late surge from the College of Charleston and held on for an 8-7 victory Wednesday evening at Segra Stadium in a back-and-forth midweek battle.
East Carolina (4-4-1) built a six-run cushion through six innings, weathered a dramatic five-run eighth inning from Charleston (3-6), and answered immediately in the bottom half before closing the door in the ninth to secure the win.
After Charleston plated an unearned run in the top of the first, the Pirates responded with a three-run second inning to seize control. Back-to-back singles from Matthew Lashley and Walker Barron ignited the rally, with Lashley driving in the tying run and Barron following with an RBI single to put ECU in front. Braden Burress added a sacrifice fly to cap the inning and give the Pirates a 3-1 advantage.
ECU added to its lead in the fifth when Jack Herring doubled to right center and later scored on Austin Irby’s RBI single down the left field line, extending the margin to 4-1.
The Pirates broke the game open in the sixth. Lashley and Barron again sparked the offense with consecutive singles before Burress dropped down a sacrifice bunt that resulted in a throwing error, allowing Lashley to score. Grady Lenahan followed with a two-run single to center, pushing the lead to 7-1.
The Cougars chipped away in the seventh on a solo home run from Landon Penfield to make it 7-2.
Then came the eighth.
After a hit batter and a walk put traffic on the bases, Nick Diaz delivered an RBI single to trim the deficit. With two aboard, Jacob Amman turned the game on its head with a towering grand slam to left field, suddenly knotting the score at 7-7 and silencing the Pirate faithful.
The Pirates refused to let momentum slip.
In the bottom of the eighth, Lashley singled once more, and Walker Barron worked a walk to set the table. Burress laid down a bunt single to load the bases, and Lenahan delivered yet again, lifting a sacrifice fly to left-center that scored pinch runner Alex Peltier for what proved to be the game-winning run.
Sean Jenkins (2-0) earned the win out of the bullpen, entering in the eighth inning amid Charleston’s rally and settling in to record four critical outs. He closed out the ninth by inducing a strikeout and two routine ground balls to secure the victory.
Nick Moran was outstanding in relief earlier in the contest, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out three to stabilize the game after the first inning.
The Pirates return to action looking to build momentum from the dramatic midweek victory as they continue their early-season slate.
The Pirates head home to host their yearly LeClair Classic on February 27. Rutgers, Troy, and Western Carolina will be participants in this year’s tournament and will have a jam-packed weekend of baseball.