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Pirates slip by Memphis to
square series
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Brett Mabry pitched three innings of shutout middle
relief and Drew Reynolds had three hits, including a run-scoring double, to
help East Carolina capture a come-from-behind 4-3 Conference USA victory
over Memphis Saturday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Facing a deficit after the Tigers used two walks, a
double and a groundout to produce a pair of scores in the third, the Pirates
pushed across two runs in the fifth to knot the game and struck for two more
in the seventh to seize the advantage.
Mabry, who came on for ECU starter David Lucroy with no
outs and one on in the sixth, blanked Memphis on two hits until turning the
mound duties over to Reynolds to start the ninth.
The Tigers pounced on Reynolds for a run on three
straight singles to pull within one with no outs. But Reynolds retired
cleanup hitter Tucker Tubbs on a flyout and enticed Drew Griffin into a
double-play grounder to seal the outcome.
The Pirates didn't get to Memphis starter Sam Moll
until the fifth when Travis Watkins and Jack Reinheimer opened with
back-to-back singles and Reynolds delivered a double to right center to
drive in Watkins.
Zach Houchins followed with a sacrifice fly to center
that brought home Reinheimer and tied the game.
ECU chased Tigers reliever Conner Porter with the
decisive uprising in the seventh.
After Bryan Bass and Reynolds singled, Porter loaded
the bases by issuing an intentional walk to Houchins. Bass scored on Chase
McDonald's sacrifice fly to center to tie the score.
Ben Fultz hit an infield single off reliever Blake
Myers to once again load the bases, setting the stage for the Pirates to
score their final run when Myers walked Jay Cannon, forcing in Reynolds.
Lucroy surrendered two runs through five innings on
three hits and four walks before handing off the hurling chores to Mabry.
Mabry (2-2) got credit for the win, while Reynolds
picked up his ninth save of the season.
Porter (1-1) absorbed the loss.
The outcome evened the weekend series and lifted ECU to 22-21 overall,
7-7
in the conference.
Memphis, which
won Friday's opener 6-5, fell to 26-18, 9-8 in the league.
The teams will decide the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. |