ECU’s offense blew open the game with Old Dominion with 15 of its 19 runs in the fourth and fifth innings of Tuesday’s game, which ended in the seventh due to the 10-run rule.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
NORFOLK, Va. – The East Carolina Pirates (26-16-1) exploded for 19 runs across the middle innings to power past the Old Dominion Monarchs (20-20), 19-9, in a seven-inning run-rule victory Tuesday evening at the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex.
The Pirates showed early life in the first inning, capitalizing on a Monarch miscue to put a runner on base, but were unable to convert.
Old Dominion seized momentum in the bottom half, as Efrian Morales led off with a home run. Making his first appearance since March 24 against Duke, Nick Moran settled in and limited further damage to keep it a 1-0 game.
ECU threatened again in the second when Colby Wallace legged out an infield single, but the heart of the lineup could not advance him into scoring position.
The Monarchs applied pressure in the third with a leadoff walk, but Moran, along with Austin Irby and Matt Lashley, erased the runner on a caught stealing. Old Dominion later put two aboard, but a timely groundout stranded both runners.
Irby tried to spark the Pirates with a two-out single to center, though ECU still trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the third. Defensively, the Pirates continued to shine, highlighted by Lashley’s sliding stop up the middle to end the inning.
ECU broke through in the fourth. Davin Whitaker reached on an error and stole second before Jack Herring delivered a full-count RBI single down the right field line to tie the game. Wallace followed with a double to put two in scoring position, and Jeff Sabater battled to a full count before driving in the go-ahead run. A wild pitch allowed another run to score, extending the lead to 3-1.
The inning unraveled further for Old Dominion. Michael Kalinich added an RBI single, Irby drove in another with a line drive to center, and Braden Burress followed with an RBI single of his own. Whitaker drew a walk to keep the line moving, and Herring collected his second hit of the inning to bring in another run. A fifth Monarch error allowed Wallace to reach and score, capping an eight-run inning for the Pirates.
Old Dominion responded in the fifth with a two-run home run from Maverick Stallings, but ECU maintained an 8-3 lead after Ethan Rose entered in relief and stranded a runner.
The Pirates answered emphatically in the next frame. Three consecutive hit-by-pitches loaded the bases, and Whitaker delivered a two-run single. Herring drew a walk to reload the bases, and Wallace followed with an RBI walk. Sabater and Kalinich each added run-scoring singles, while Bouche chipped in an RBI knock as ECU plated seven runs—all with two outs—to extend the lead to 15-3.
The Monarchs chipped away with a four-run inning, capitalizing on walks, singles, and a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 15-7.
ECU continued to apply pressure in the sixth. Irby led off with his third hit of the day, Burress executed a bunt single, and Whitaker loaded the bases with a hit. Herring drew his second bases-loaded walk of the game, and Sabater followed with an RBI single. Kalinich added another run on a fielder’s choice, and Bouche drove in one more to push the lead to 19-7.
Old Dominion added two late runs, including its third home run of the game, but the Pirates closed the door. Wallace took the mound with the bases loaded and recorded three consecutive outs to secure the 19-9 run-rule victory in seven innings.
Irby led ECU offensively, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Sabater also tallied three hits. Six additional starters recorded multi-hit performances, with Wallace providing the lone extra-base hit via a double. The win marked the Pirates’ first midweek road victory since March 11, when they run-ruled William & Mary, 24-3.
The Pirates head into the weekend with their second conference home series in a row, hosting South Florida starting Friday.