Pirates bounce back with seven homers to split DH with Charlotte

by | Mar 29, 2025

East Carolina’s softball team tied an AAC record for the second most home runs in a single game as the Pirates split Friday’s doubleheader with Charlotte.

The two teams wrap up the series Saturday at 1 p.m.

Below is more information from ECU Sports Information.

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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information photo)

By ECUPirates.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Emma Jackson went 4-for-5 with five RBI including three home runs as East Carolina bounced back to defeat Charlotte, 15-7, in the second game of the series doubleheader after falling to the Niners in the series opener, 11-2, in six innings at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium.


The Pirates’ seven home runs in the second contest tied for the second most home runs in a game in AAC softball history.

Morgan Johnson also had a strong second game for the Pirates (19-15, 6-5 AAC) going 5-for-6 at the plate. Anna Sawyer, Logan Sutton and Chloe Geijer each had multi-hit games themselves in a strong offensive showing to close out the twinbill.

Game One: Charlotte 11, East Carolina 2 (Six Innings)
The Pirates jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after Mary-Kathryn Scott’s two-run blast to left field in the top of the second but Charlotte responded in the bottom of the second with a solo home run followed by a three-run shot to put the Niners in front 4-2.

ECU loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the of the fifth inning but the Pirates were unable to get any runners across to cut into Charlotte’s lead. Charlotte hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to 7-2 and the Niners added on two more runs to make it 9-2.

Charlotte hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to walk off the Pirates and take the series opener.

Kendall Frost (7-9) took the loss in the circle for the Pirates, giving up 10 hits and 10 runs.

Game Two: East Carolina 15, Charlotte 7
In the top of the first, Jackson’s solo home run gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead and ECU extended their lead to 3-0 after Johnson’s two-run shot over the left center field wall.

After three of the Pirates’ four batters were retired in the top of the second, Charlotte captured the lead with a four-run, three-hit inning.


The Pirates responded in the top of the third with Sutton’s three-run bomb to go back in front, 6-4, but the Niners tied things up in the bottom of the third with a two-run blast and went back in front, 7-6, on a sac fly but the Pirates were able to minimize the damage, stranding three Charlotte runners on base.

ECU jumped back in front in the top of the fourth after Jackson’s second home run of the game and a sac fly from Chloe Geijer made it 8-7.

Charlotte threatened to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the fourth but Taylor Apple rebounded from three free passes by striking out back-to-back Charlotte hitters.

The Pirates’ home run barrage in the top of the fifth blew the game open as Jackson, Geijer and Sawyer all went yard to extend ECU’s lead to 14-7. ECU scored an additional run in the top of the seventh and Apple forced three of the final four Charlotte batters into outs to end the game.

Apple (8-6) picked up the win in the circle in relief of Jordan Hatch, tossing three strikeouts and only allowing one run.

Up Next
East Carolina concludes the series with Charlotte in the rubber match tomorrow at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.

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