Pirates pull off improbable comeback

From electronic and staff reports
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Trailing 5-3 and down to its final out with no runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, East Carolina erupted for five runs to defeat Elon Tuesday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

The key blows in the remarkable rally were Zach Houchins' two-run double that knotted the game and Ben Fultz's three-run homer that sealed the outcome.

After Dylan Brown hit into a groundout and Bryan Bass was retired on a flyout, Jack Reinheimer walked and Drew Reynolds singled to ignite the uprising.

Houchins followed with a double to right center, driving in Reinheimer and pinch-runner Deshorn Lake to tie the score.

Nick Thompson kept the rally alive with a walk, setting the stage for Fultz's base-clearing, walk-off blast.

The triumph was ECU's fourth in a row, equaling its longest winning streak of the season. The Pirates improved to 21-20, the first time in more than a month they've been above .500.

The Phoenix fell to 22-21.

Houchins went 4-for-5 on the night, including a pair of doubles and a sixth inning home run. Fultz and Reynolds each had two hits.

Freshman lefthander Nick Durazo picked up the victory after coming on in relief with two outs in the top of the ninth and two runners on base. Durazo fanned the only batter he faced to cut off Elon's push to pad its lead.

Nate Young, the seventh in a parade of nine Phoenix pitchers, absorbed the loss.

ECU now turns its focus to a Conference USA home series with Memphis this weekend. The three-game set gets underway Friday at 6 p.m.

PAGE UPDATED 04/24/13 09:55 AM.

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