The ECU baseball team won a wild 7-3, 14-inning game against Tennessee in the opening game of the Chapel Hill Regional. The team will play again on Saturday afternoon.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The East Carolina Sick Puppies (37-22-1) outlasted the Tennessee Volunteers (38-21), 7-3, in a thrilling 14-inning battle Friday afternoon in the Chapel Hill Regional opener.
The postseason pitchers’ duel became the longest NCAA Regional game since 2023, with ECU emerging victorious after four and a half hours of relentless baseball.
East Carolina now advances in the winner’s bracket and will face No. 1 North Carolina. First pitch for the Pirates’ next game is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on Saturday.
East Carolina made its 36th NCAA Regional appearance one to remember, battling through a 4-hour, 31-minute contest that now ranks as the sixth-longest game in program history since 2000. It also marked the Pirates’ first game exceeding four hours in length and just the fourth 14-inning game in program history, with the school record standing at 15 innings. This also marked the longest NCAA Tournament game in program history.
After six consecutive outs opened the game, the Pirates generated the first scoring threat in the third inning.
Austin Irby recorded ECU’s first hit of the Regional, shooting a ball through the left side into the gap vacated by the shift. Nick Parhamfollowed with a sharp single to left, giving the Pirates two runners on and accounting for the only hits of the game at that point.
Grady Lenahan added another hit in the fourth inning to keep pressure on Tennessee, but ECU was unable to capitalize.
The Volunteers finally broke through in the bottom half of the inning. Blake Grimmer launched a solo home run deep to right field to give Tennessee a 1-0 lead. The Vols threatened for more with two runners on and one out, but the Pirate defense stood tall as Colby Wallaceand Irby turned a clutch 5-3 double play to end the inning.
East Carolina responded immediately in the fifth.
Irby doubled to deep right field to begin another rally, and after Walker Barron advanced him with two outs, Parham delivered an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.
The Pirates were tested again defensively in the bottom of the fifth after Tennessee opened the inning with a double and moved the runner to third with one out. Once again, ECU’s defense answered the call. Braden Burress and Wallace combined for another inning-ending double play, keeping the game tied.
The Pirates nearly grabbed the lead in the sixth. Burress reached on a fielding error and moved into scoring position before Davin Whitakerblooped a single into right field. Burress attempted to score from second but was thrown out at the plate on a perfect throw from Reese Chapman.
The game remained deadlocked at 1-1 entering the late innings.
Tennessee threatened again in the eighth with a leadoff walk that eventually advanced to third base with one out. Ethan Norby entered in relief of Joseph Webb and escaped the jam with back-to-back strikeouts, stranding the go-ahead run at third.
ECU finally broke through in the ninth inning.
Whitaker blasted a solo home run to deep right-center field, giving the Pirates a 2-1 advantage and completely shifting momentum. The homer was Whitaker’s team-leading 10th of the season, making him the first Pirate to reach double digits in home runs this year.
But Tennessee answered in dramatic fashion.
With two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth, Henry Ford crushed his 20th home run of the season to tie the game at 2-2 and force extra innings.
The 10th and 11th innings passed scoreless as both pitching staffs continued to dominate. ECU repeatedly escaped danger with runners in scoring position while Norby continued dealing out of the bullpen. The right-hander finished 4.2 innings with eight strikeouts, carrying the Pirates into the 12th.
East Carolina regained the lead in the 13th using small ball to perfection.
Burress led off the inning with a double before the Pirates executed back-to-back sacrifice bunts. Wallace then laid down a perfectly executed suicide squeeze, allowing Burress to score and put ECU ahead 3-2.
Once again, Tennessee responded.
The Volunteers opened the bottom of the 13th with a double down the left-field line before tying the game on an RBI single later in the inning. Brett Antolick, who entered in the 12th, limited the damage and kept the game alive for the Pirates. The outing marked his longest appearance since March 15.
The Pirates finally delivered the knockout blow in the 14th.
Barron launched a leadoff home run to left field to give ECU the lead for good. Lenahan followed with a single, and Matt Lashley worked a walk to keep the inning rolling.
Burress then punched an RBI single through the left side to score Lenahan and extend the lead to 5-3. Moments later, Wallace ripped a two-run double down the left-field line, bringing home both Lashley and Burress to cap off a decisive four-run inning.
East Carolina out-hit Tennessee 15-10 and stranded just four runners across the extra innings. Meanwhile, the Pirates’ pitching staff repeatedly escaped pressure situations, leaving eight Volunteer baserunners stranded overall, including six in extras.
Antolick earned the win after striking out five batters, tying a career high. Ryan Towers and Norby each provided four-plus innings on the mound, while the ECU pitching staff combined for 18 strikeouts. Norby and Antolick accounted for 13 of them.
Burress led the offense with three hits, while Whitaker and Barron each delivered go-ahead home runs in critical moments.