ECU got its baseball series with Charlotte off to a good start with a win on Thursday.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
The East Carolina Pirates delivered a complete performance on both sides of the ball Thursday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium, using a dominant early offensive surge and steady pitching to defeat Charlotte 12-2 in convincing fashion.
After a quiet opening frame for both teams, Charlotte struck first in the top of the second inning, capitalizing on a solo home run down the right field line to take an early 1-0 lead. That advantage, however, was short-lived as East Carolina responded emphatically in the bottom half of the inning with one of its most explosive offensive stretches of the season.
The Pirates sent 11 batters to the plate in the second, turning a one-run deficit into a commanding lead. Alex Bouche sparked the rally with a single before Austin Irby was hit by a pitch, setting the table for Walker Barron and Braden Burress to reach base. With the bases loaded, Davin Whitaker delivered the biggest swing of the inning, roping a bases-clearing triple down the right field line to give ECU its first lead of the night. The Pirates continued to apply pressure as Jack Herring followed with an RBI single, and Colby Wallace added another run-scoring hit to cap a five-run inning.
East Carolina kept its foot on the gas in the third inning. After Irby worked a leadoff walk and stole second, Barron launched a two-run home run to left-center field, extending the Pirates’ lead and providing even more cushion for the pitching staff.
On the mound, Luke Payne earned the win with a career outing, working into the middle innings while limiting Charlotte’s opportunities. After allowing the early home run, Payne settled in effectively, totaling his longest outing to date with 4.0 innings, and a career high of six strikeouts. Gavin Marley and Joseph Webb combined in relief to preserve the lead, with Webb shutting the door in the late innings and stranding potential base runners to halt any comeback attempt.
Charlotte attempted to chip away in the fifth inning, using a walk and a single to set up a sacrifice fly that trimmed the deficit. However, ECU’s bullpen responded with timely strikeouts and key outs to maintain control.
The Pirates added insurance in the sixth inning with another multi-run frame. Whitaker continued his standout night at the plate, crushing a two-run home run to deep right field. Later in the inning, Wallace delivered an RBI double, and Michael Kalinich added a run-scoring single to extend the lead even further and put the game out of reach.
Offensively, Whitaker led the charge with a triple and home run, driving in multiple runs and igniting the Pirates’ attack. Barron’s two-run homer and Wallace’s multi-hit performance also played pivotal roles, while Irby contributed with aggressive baserunning, including a stolen base that helped generate scoring opportunities.
East Carolina’s ability to capitalize with runners in scoring position and string together quality at-bats proved to be the difference, as the Pirates combined timely hitting with disciplined pitching to secure the win.
First pitch for Friday’s game is set for 6:00 p.m. EST for the opportunity to secure the series against Charlotte.