The ECU baseball team completed its sweep of Charlotte ahead of Easter with another win on Saturday.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
The East Carolina Pirates (20-12-1, 6-3 American) delivered another dominant performance at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium on Saturday, run-ruling the Charlotte 49ers (18-13, 3-6 American) 15-5 to complete a series sweep, their first of the season and first in conference play.
East Carolina’s offense, which erupted on Friday night, and carried that momentum straight into Saturday, producing one of its most explosive innings of the season in the opening frame. Braden Burress jump-started the Pirates with a leadoff double down the left field line before Davin Whitaker followed with an RBI single to right-center to open the scoring.
The Pirates continued to apply pressure as Grady Lenahan and Jack Herring reached to load the bases, forcing an early pitching change by Charlotte. Coby Wallace kept the line moving with a fielder’s choice, and Jeff Sabater delivered an RBI single up the middle. Walker Barron followed by reaching on a fielder’s choice that plated another run, and a wild pitch allowed Wallace to score as the inning unraveled for the 49ers.
Matt Lashley added a two-run double down the right field line to extend the lead, and after Austin Irby was hit by a pitch, marking all nine starters reaching base. Burress returned to the plate and delivered again with a two-run double. Whitaker followed with another RBI single before Herring capped the inning with a two-run home run to right-center.
By the end of the first inning, East Carolina had plated 11 runs on eight hits, sending the lineup around and forcing three Charlotte pitching changes in a 44-minute first inning.
The Pirates added to their lead in the third inning when Burress launched a solo home run to deep left field. Lenahan and Herring later reached with two outs, and Wallace drove in a run with a single before Sabater followed with another RBI knock down the left field line to push the advantage to 14-0.
On the mound, Joseph Webb set the tone early in his first start of the season, working three scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and striking out two without issuing a walk. He was backed by clean defensive play early, including a key double play in the first inning that erased a potential Charlotte threat.
Charlotte broke through in the fourth inning after loading the bases, scoring on a walk to end the shutout bid. The 49ers added two more in the fifth on a two-run double by Alec DeMartino, capitalizing on another bases-loaded opportunity to cut the deficit to 14-3.
East Carolina’s bullpen worked through traffic in the middle innings, as Charlie Hoagland and Gavin Marley combined to limit further damage despite multiple Charlotte baserunners. The 49ers threatened again in the fifth, but the Pirates were able to escape without allowing the inning to spiral further.
After a brief offensive lull, the Pirates added an insurance run in the sixth. Nick Parham reached on a single and advanced into scoring position with the help of a defensive miscue before Whitaker delivered his fourth RBI of the day to extend the lead to 15-3.
Charlotte added two more runs in the late innings, including a solo home run by DeMartino in the seventh, but Alex Bouche closed the door, recording the final outs to secure East Carolina’s second run-rule victory of the weekend.
Burress and Whitaker led the offensive charge, each going 3-for-5 on the day. Whitaker drove in four runs, while Burress scored three times and added a home run. Herring’s two-run shot marked his sixth of the season. The top six hitters in the Pirates’ lineup each recorded multiple hits, while all nine starters scored at least one run and seven players tallied a hit.
For the weekend, East Carolina’s offense overwhelmed Charlotte, totaling 39 runs on 42 hits across the three-game series. The sweep underscores the Pirates’ ability to control all phases of the game and builds momentum as they continue conference play.
East Carolina will be back in Clark LeClair on Tuesday, looking forward to a rematch against Duke. First pitch is set for April 7, at 6:00 p.m. EST.