GREENVILLE — East Carolina erupted for nine runs in the sixth inning for an 11-4 American Athletic Conference win over Memphis at Clark-LeClair Stadium on Friday night.
Eric Tyler had a three-run homer to put the Pirates (26-24, 5-14 AAC) ahead 4-3 in the big frame.
Freshman Spencer Brickhouse launched solo homers in the second and seventh innings for ECU.
Memphis slipped to 26-24 overall and 6-13 in the league going into the second matchup of a three-game series at 4 p.m. today.
Evan Kruczynski (3-2) started and went seven innings for the win. The senior left-hander yielded a three-run homer to Tigers first baseman Trent Turner in the top of the sixth as Memphis took a 3-1 lead.
Kruczynski allowed seven hits with one walk and eight strikeouts before Davis Kirkpatrick pitched the last two innings. Kirkpatrick gave up an RBI single to Kyle O’Keefe that completed the scoring in the eighth, one of two hits Memphis managed off the junior right-hander.
Kirkpatrick did not issue a walk and had one whiff.
Dwanya Williams-Sutton had a one-out single for the Pirates in the sixth and Charlie Yorgen walked before Tyler homered to left.
Travis Watkins followed with a single up the middle. Wesley Phillips doubled down the left field line to bring in Watkins. Phillips went to third on a wild pitch and Brickhouse was hit by a pitch.
A sacrifice bunt by Turner Brown scored Phillips and extended the Pirates’ lead to 6-3. Kirk Morgan walked to load the bases. T.J. Riles drew a walk that forced home a run.
Williams-Sutton drew a base on balls that brought Brown in for an 8-3 lead. Tyler’s two-out bunt single plated Morgan. A walk to Watkins forced Riles home with the last run of the inning.
Williams-Sutton, Tyler and Brickhouse each had two hits for ECU. Tyler totaled four RBIs.
Chris Carrier, Turner and O’Keefe each had two hits for the Tigers.
Drew Crosby (5-3) went five-and-one third innings and took the loss.
Leave a Reply