Memphis handed ECU’s baseball team its second straight loss and took the series with a win on Sunday.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The East Carolina Pirates (29-19-1, 13-8 American) lose their third away conference series to the Memphis Tigers (18-28, 10-11) on Sunday’s rubber match, falling 9-4. After taking the series opener in a shutout run-rule 12-0 on Friday evening, the Pirates were unable to hold on to that momentum.
The Pirates find their footing and get off to a quick start offensively. Braden Burress, working off a throwing error in the first, makes his way to scoring position off a hit-and-run from Jack Herring. Davin Whitaker, deep in the count, works the shift in his favor, hitting a slow grounder to the left side to score Burress for an early lead, Pirates 1-0.
The Pirates showed they can get on base, but did not capitalize on the opportunities. Jack Herring has a leadoff walk with Davin Whitaker hitting a single for two on base. Jeff Sabater draws the second walk of the inning to load the bases. Although put on base, the loaded bases are stranded with the Pirates not capitalizing.
That missed opportunity turned crucial for the Pirates. The Tigers tie the game with a single, and then smash a homer to score two more for Memphis. At the end of the third, the Pirates lose the lead with the Tigers up 3-1.
Memphis kept the pressure on. After having a 1-2-3 inning on the Pirates, the Tigers kept their momentum in two outs, having an RBI single and a double to score two in the fourth. Memphis is still up now 5-1 on the Pirates.
Memphis kept the edge on two outs. Having their second home run in the game in the fifth, the Tigers pile three more runs off the homer.
The Pirates left zeros on the board until a last small surge in the ninth. Pinch-hitter turned DH Brayden Bachman leads off with a single for a base. Now with two outs, Austin Irby extends the inning due to a miscue by the Memphis second baseman. The miscue leads to Burress having an RBI single to lessen the deficit by one. Herring also comes up in two outs, keeping a ball to left center to score two more.
The Pirates were unable to catch up to the Tigers, and ultimately fell to Memphis in their third conference road series.
East Carolina totaled seven hits on the day compared to Memphis’s nine. The Pirates totaled two extra-base hits on the weekend, both in the series opener win. There have now been six games where the Pirates have struck out at least 10 times, with two of those now put up by Memphis.
Whitaker and Irby both posted two hits, with Burress accounting for two runs on the day.
With the series loss, the Pirates now hold second place in conference standings, with UTSA now standing alone at first.
There is no midweek for the Pirates on Tuesday, but will host their final weekend series of the season against Rice starting Friday, May 8.