Error-plagued Pirates go down in 11

From electronic and staff reports
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GREENVILLE — East Carolina battled Conference USA baseball leader Southern Miss for 11 innings on Saturday at Clark-LeClair Stadium before the Pirates stranded the potential tying run at second base in a 10-9 Golden Eagles victory.

The outcome dropped ECU to 25-22 overall , 9-8 in C-USA and evened the best of three series at one game apiece.

Southern Miss (25-20, 14-6 C-USA) scored twice in the top of the 11th and the Pirates managed one run in the bottom of the frame.

The teams played a see-saw contest with Southern Miss breaking on top 4-0 in the first inning. ECU had its big inning in the eighth when five runs with two out provided the Pirates with an 8-5 lead.

Jack Reinheimer's RBI single drove in Philip Clark, who had walked with one out. Clark had moved to third on a single by Luke Lowery and a fly out by Bryan Bass.

Drew Reynolds singled to bring in Lowery and tie the score at 5.

Zach Houchins belted a three-run homer to left for an 8-5 ECU lead.

One of four Pirate errors on the day contributed to a three-run ninth inning for the Golden Eagles that tied the score at 8. ECU got out of the inning with a double play that concluded at the plate. Centerfielder Garrett Brooks fired home after a fly out to get USM's Dillon Day trying to score from third.

C-USA save leader Reynolds took the loss. Reynolds extended his hitting streak to 11 games as ECU outhit the Golden Eagles 17-13. Bass, Houchins and Chase McDonald had three hits each. Getting two each were Reinheimer, Reynolds and Clark.

Redshirt freshman right-hander David Lucroy started for ECU. The visitors scored four unearned runs in the first inning. Lucroy struck out six over four innings. He allowed three hits, walked three and hit three batters.

Seven of USM's 10 runs were unearned. Bradley Roney moved from third base to pitch the last three and one-third innings for USM. Roney scored what proved to be the winning run in the 11th on an infield single by Connor Barron.

Six of ECU's eight league losses have been by one run.

The third game of the series is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday. Ryan Williams (6-2, 4.17 ERA) will be opposed by USM's Conor Fisk (4-1, 2.08) in a matchup of right-handers.

PAGE UPDATED 05/04/13 10:58 PM.

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