The ECU baseball team gave up seven runs in the ninth inning to drop a 10-5 decision to Rice on Friday.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
The East Carolina Pirates (29-20-1, 13-9 American) lost in late innings to the Rice Owls (30-20, 12-10 American) with a final score of 10-5. The Pirates were unable to keep their lead throughout the end of the game, giving up seven runs in the top of the ninth.
Friday night started quickly with two scoreless innings for the Pirates and the Owls, but it took a turn for the worse for Rice in the top of the third.
With two outs, the Rice right-fielder Colin Robson hits a floater into right field to make its way over the fence for a homer and the first run of the game. With their second home run of the game, Rice then notches another on the board to make the score 2-0 going into the bottom of the fourth.
The Pirates climbed their way out of a deficit. Jack Herring led off the innings with a double into right-center, gaining momentum for the Pirates, and extending his on-base streak to 49. Davin Whitaker capitalized on a first-pitch double to bring Herring across home for the first run for the Pirates. With a sacrifice bunt from Colby Wallace, Whitaker makes his way to third.
Jeff Sabater hits a slow roller in the infield to gain an RBI with Whitaker scoring on the groundout, with the Pirates now tied with the Owls 2-2.
With two outs, Grady Lenahan is back in the lineup with his first hit since having to leave the USF series prematurely due to injury, doubling to left field for another base runner. Austin Irby forces an error on the infield to gain a base, giving the opportunity for Lenahan to successfully score for the Pirates to take the lead, 3-2.
The pirate defense worked in a tough spot in the fifth. With one out, the Pirates found the bases loaded for the Owls, putting pressure on starter Ryan Towers. But Towers worked the jam to his favor, leaving all three runners stranded with a strikeout, and forcing a groundout into the infield to keep the lead for the Pirates.
The Pirates were not done. Showing their strength with two outs, Herring singles up the middle for a baserunner. Whitaker, once again, works early on a first pitch to blast the first home run for the Pirates since the South Florida series, going 405 feet to give some insurance for the Pirates. Pirates now up three in the fifth.
The Owls kept up a fight, having their third home run of the game in the top of the eighth inning. Rice gained another run on the day, now with a deficit of only two.
The top of the ninth is when the Owls blew the game open for a late-night win. Although down by two, Rice garnered seven runs, off seven hits, to not only take the lead from the Pirates, but leave them in the dust. The Pirates ultimately fell to the Owls 10-5, unable to pull off six runs in the bottom of the ninth. This loss marks the first time since Rice joined the American Conference that the Pirates have fallen to the Owls.
Whitaker gave a performance, going 2-for-4 on the day, with three RBI and a home run. Herring and Lenahan both had a double on the day, with Barron and Sabater notching a hit on the day.
Saturday, May 9, marks Senior Day for the Pirates. Graduating seniors will be honored at both Rice and East Carolina for their academic efforts throughout their collegiate careers. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. EST.