UTSA eened the series with ECU with a 6-1 victory on Saturday. The two teams will finish out the series on Sunday.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The East Carolina Pirates (16-11-1, 3-2 American) dropped Saturday’s contest to the UTSA Roadrunners (19-8, 3-2 American), as an early offensive burst proved to be the difference in a 6-1 final at Roadrunner Field, evening the series.
Braden Burress set the tone immediately for the Pirates, leading off the game with a first-pitch single and eventually advancing to third on a wild pitch. However, East Carolina was unable to capitalize, stranding two runners in the opening frame.
UTSA responded decisively in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on early opportunities and Pirate miscues. After a leadoff single and a run-scoring double, a throwing error allowed an additional run to cross the plate. The Roadrunners continued to string together quality at-bats, totaling five hits in the inning and taking advantage of two ECU errors to plate five runs, and seize a 5-0 lead.
East Carolina starter Ryan Towers was tagged with the loss after facing five batters without recording an out.
The Pirates looked to answer in the third inning when Nick Parham notched his first hit of the series with a single to center. Burress followed with a walk, and Grady Lenahan was hit by a pitch to add traffic on the bases, but a double play halted the threat and kept ECU off the board.
East Carolina broke through in the sixth inning. Lenahan led off with a single and advanced to third on Austin Irby’s base hit before scoring on a Colby Wallace groundout, trimming the deficit to 5-1.
UTSA added an insurance run in the seventh on a solo home run to center field, extending the lead to 6-1.
The Pirates threatened late in the ninth, as Wallace and Davin Whitaker recorded back-to-back singles to put runners on, but the rally was cut short, leaving two stranded.
Burress led the ECU offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk, while Lenahan added a hit and scored the Pirates’ lone run. The Pirates finished with seven hits but left eight runners on base.
Out of the bullpen, Gavin Marley, Jackson DiLorenzo and Alex Bouche provided a strong response after the opening inning. Marley worked 3.0 hitless innings, while DiLorenzo added 3.0 scoreless frames with three strikeouts. Bouche closed out the final 2.0 innings, striking out three while allowing just one run.
UTSA’s pitching staff was effective throughout, allowing just one run across nine innings while combining three strikeouts and limiting East Carolina’s opportunities despite seven hits.
The final game tomorrow will determine the series winner, with the first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. EST.