The East Carolina softball team split its contests on the second day of the Pirate Clash, falling 6-5 to Radford before bouncing back to defeat No. 22 Boston behind a complete game shutout performance from freshman Kendall Frost at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium on Friday.
Final vs. Radford.
Next game set to start in 30 minutes.#GoPirates #WeBelieve pic.twitter.com/vfUSjl8KXM
— East Carolina Softball (@ecu__softball) February 14, 2025
Game One: Radford 6, East Carolina 5
Gabby Fowler went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Morgan Johnson batted 2-for-4 with three RBI but the Pirates could not overcome 12 hits from Radford in what turned into another offensive shootout between the two teams’ second meeting in the Pirate Clash.
Unlike last night’s game where the Pirates jumped out to an early lead, the Highlanders started off hot from first pitch, recording three hits and scoring three runs in the first inning. After recording just one hit in the first two innings, ECU’s offense came to life in the bottom of the third after back-to-back singles from Kanisha Anderson and Emma Jackson put the Pirates in scoring position and pair would advance after a wild pitch.
Morgan Johnson stepped up next to hit a two RBI single, cutting Radford’s lead to 3-2. ECU would take the lead after getting two more runners on base as Gabby Fowler hit a two RBI single of her own and put the Pirates ahead 4-3.
Radford slowed down ECU’s momentum with a run in top of the fourth but the Pirates kept the offense rolling as Johnson tallied another RBI to give ECU a 5-4 lead. The Highlanders would take control of the game in the top of the fifth as Cassi Barbato hit a two-run double that put Radford back in front, 6-5.
ECU had chances to get a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings but a double play and a runner caught stealing thwarted the Pirates’ chances and ECU would go down one-two-three in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Taylor Apple (2-1) picked up the loss in 4.2 innings of relief for Jordan Hatch while Dakota Redmon (2-1) threw a complete game with five strikeouts.
Down goes Boston!🏴☠️#GoPirates #WeBelieve pic.twitter.com/eEwAZwFBXa
— East Carolina Softball (@ecu__softball) February 15, 2025
Game Two: East Carolina 1, No. 22 Boston 0
Kendall Frost pitched her first career complete game shutout as East Carolina bounced back to defeat No. 22 Boston, 1-0, to conclude the second day of the Pirate Clash.
Emma Jackson had the lone RBI of the game as the Pirates third game of the tournament was a stark contrast to its previous two games in which ECU combined to score 15 runs.
— East Carolina Softball (@ecu__softball) February 15, 2025
The Pirates broke through in the bottom of the third after Mary-Kathryn Scott hit a single and Kanisha Anderson reached first base on an error, allowing Scott to reach third and setting up Jackson, who reached first on a fielder’s choice as the Terriers threw out Anderson at second and Scott scored.
Boston threatened to force the potential for extra innings with runners on first and second in the top of the seventh but Frost forced the final Boston batter into a double play to end the game.
Frost (2-2) picked up her second win of the season with the complete game shutout while Kasey Ricard (3-1) took the loss in the circle.
Up Next
East Carolina (4-3) faces Boston at 11 a.m. and UMBC at 3 p.m. Saturday to continue the Pirate Clash.