ECU sweeps twinbill and series from William & Mary

by | Mar 16, 2025

East Carolina’s baseball team completed the series sweep with 19-6 and 9-8 victories on Saturday.

Below is a full report from ECU Sports Information on both victories.

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Photo credit: Ethan Young (ECU Sports Information photo)

By ECUPirates.com

East Carolina ran its winning streak to five games, taking both ends of a doubleheader by 19-6 and 9-8 scores Saturday to sweep its non-conference series over William & Mary inside Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

The Pirates (12-8) wrapped up a 5-0 week by outscoring the Tribe (5-15) 40-14 in the three-game set. ECU produced three run-rule victories and scored double digit runs in all but one of the five contests.

Colby Wallace had a huge day at the plate, batting .500 (4-for-8) with four runs scored and nine RBI over the doubleheader while also clubbing two home runs – including a grand slam in game two. Braden Burress and Jack Herring also registered their first home runs in a Pirate uniform.

Game One: East Carolina 19, William & Mary 6 (Seven Innings)
The Pirates exploded for a 13-run first inning and did not look back in the opener as they built a 17-0 advantage after two complete innings.

Wallace was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBI while Burress collected two hits, three runs scored and four RBI. Lucas Carmichael paced the visitors with two hits and two runs scored.

Ian White Jr. (2-0) picked up the win in relief, tossing 1.1 scoreless relief frames with three strikeouts. Reed Interdonato (0-3) surrendered 10 runs on four hits, completing just 0.1 innings in the setback.

After Pirate starter Sean Jenkins retired the Tribe side in order in the top of the first, Burress kicked off the epic home half with a four-pitch walk. Dixon Williams then worked a free pass of his own and John Collins was hit by a pitch to load the bags with no outs. Walker Barron kept things moving with a two-run double down the right field line and Wallace followed with a two-run single to push the score to 4-0. East Carolina loaded the bases once more with one out and Alex Peltier drove in the fifth Pirate run with a single into center. With the paths still full of ECU runners, Burress lifted a 2-1 pitch into right center and over the wall for a grand slam. Barron later recorded an RBI single to make it 10-0 and Wallace produced a three-run tank into the right field seats to cap the outburst.

Peltier wasted little time increasing the Pirate advantage in the bottom of the second, drilling an 0-2 offering over the left field wall for a two-run shot. Herring then got in on the fun, absolutely crushing a two-run homer to the right of the scoreboard to leave East Carolina ahead 17-0.

William & Mary put up five in the top of the third, but the contest was way out of reach at that point. After the Tribe scored one more in the top of the fifth, Williams iced the run-rule win with the Pirates’ fifth long ball of the day – a two-run job that hit off the scoreboard.

Game Two: East Carolina 9, William & Mary 8
It looked as if ECU was going to run away with the nightcap as the Pirates led 6-0 after the first, but the Tribe responded with six of their own in the second to set the tone for a much tighter affair.

Alex Bouche rapped out three hits while Wallace delivered with four more RBI. Ben Parker was the offensive leader for the visitors with four hits, two runs scored and three runs driven in.

Ethan Young (2-0) was excellent in relief, earning the win after throwing 4.1 innings, scattering five hits, giving up just one run and striking out 10 batters against no walks. Owen Pierce (1-2) was saddled with the loss in a 5.2-inning effort as he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and a strikeout. Wallace complemented his work at the plate by earning his first save of the year after covering the final inning with a strikeout.

Five consecutive singles to begin the bottom of the first saw East Carolina jump out to a 2-0 lead and leave the bases juiced for Wallace who clobbered one down the right field line and out of the yard for the Pirates’ second grand slam of the day. William & Mary would tie the game right away in the top of the second with six runs on five hits, though a throwing error allowed Williams to scoot home from second base on a fly ball out and throwing error by the Tribe center fielder.

ECU added another in the third as Wallace doubled down the left field line to lead off the half inning and Whitaker singled to center before Bouche laid down a squeeze bunt that plated Wallace. Young did a great job holding William & Mary at bay over the next few frames, but the Tribe stayed close and trailed by just one entering the top of the ninth.

Things looked tenuous at best to begin the final half inning as the visitors drew two consecutive walks. Wallace then entered the fray, coaxing a bunt back to the mound and smartly nabbing the lead runner at third for the first out. He then mustered up a huge strikeout then induced a lazy fly ball to left to complete the save and preserve the win.

Postgame Notes Graphic

  • East Carolina increased its lead in the all-time series with William & Mary to 84-19 and have won nine straight over the Tribe.
  • The Pirates notched double-digit hits in every game of the series and have done so eight times this season. ECU is 6-2 in those contests.
  • East Carolina remained unbeaten in 2025 when scoring at least 10 runs.

  • The Pirates were 13-for-24 (.542) with runners in scoring position over both games of the doubleheader.
  • Williams increased his current hitting streak to seven games as well as stretching his on base streak to 16.
  • After not hitting a grand slam in all of 2024, ECU has clubbed three so far this campaign.

Up Next: East Carolina heads back to Fayetteville Tuesday, March 18, for a non-conference bout with UNCW at Segra Stadium.

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