Duke rallied for five runs in the final three innings, including a ninth-inning walk-off home run to beat ECU, 9-8 on Tuesday.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
DURHAM, N.C. – In a rollercoaster midweek matchup at Jack Coombs Field, the East Carolina Pirates (15-10-1) saw an eighth-inning lead end as a ninth-inning walk-off home run handed them a 9-8 loss to the Duke Blue Devils (17-10). Despite a powerful offensive display and a historic hitting streak, the Pirates were unable to hold off a late-game surge.
The Pirates jumped out of the gate with aggressive hitting. Braden Burress led off the game with a triple to left-center. While the Pirates loaded the bases later that inning through walks by Jack Herring and Davin Whitaker, they were unable to drive a run across.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first, ECU leveled the score in the third inning. Grady Lenahan drew a lead-off walk, stole second base, and eventually crossed the plate on a RBI groundout by Carlos Jacome.
The fourth inning proved to be the Pirates’ most explosive. After Colby Wallace and Walker Barron reached base, and Nick Parham drew a walk to load the bases, Jack Herring delivered a clutch, two-out, three-RBI double down the right-field line to put ECU ahead 4-3.
The Pirates extended the lead in the fifth when Barron worked a gritty 11-pitch walk and later scored on a Parham groundout. ECU’s momentum peaked in the seventh inning when Lenahan launched a two-run home run to left field. This marked the third consecutive game with a home run for Lenahan, the first time a Pirate had done so since 2024.
Defensively, Ethan Rose provided a strong bridge in relief, throwing 4.0 innings and allowing only one run. In the eighth, the Pirate defense stood tall; Barron erased a base runner with a caught-stealing throw to Parham, and the unit executed a pick-off to end the inning.
However, the bottom of the ninth proved difficult for the Pirates’ bullpen. After a lead-off walk and a wild pitch moved a runner to second, a single put runners on the corners. With one out, a three-run, walk-off home run to deep left field cleared the fence, ending the game in a 9-8 victory for the Blue Devils.
The Pirates left 13 baserunners on compared to Duke’s five.
Whitaker had another great offensive performance, leading the Pirates 2-for-3 with two walks on the day. Lenahan then followed by going 2-for-4 and counting for two of the Pirates’ runs. Wallace, Barron, and Parham all accounted for two runs each, and all had at least one walk on the day to gain baserunners.
East Carolina will now head into the second week of conference play, traveling to UTSA to take on the Roadrunners in a three-game series starting March 27.