Pirates win in 10th

From electronic and staff reports
©2014 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.

GREENVILLE  — East Carolina scored an unearned run with two out in the bottom of the 10th inning to top Western Kentucky 2-1 in the Pirates' opening game of the Keith LeClair Classic on Friday. The outcome rewarded sterling pitching performances by Jeff Hoffman and Ryan Williams.

Garrett Brooks drew a walk for ECU (4-5) with two down in the final frame and Drew Reynolds followed with a single through the right side that moved Brooks to third.

Zach Houchins reached on an error that allowed Brooks to come home with the game-ending run.

Williams (3-0) pitched two innings with four strikeouts to get the win in relief. Williams did not allow a hit or issue a walk.

Hoffman started for ECU, recording 14 strikeouts over eight innings. Hoffman allowed five hits and one unearned run while walking one.

Western Kentucky took a 1-0 lead in the sixth when Cody Wofford doubled and later scored on a single by Ryan Church.

ECU got the tying run in the seventh as Ben Fultz walked and came in on a double by Bryce Harman.

The Pirates were limited to four hits. Fultz and Ian Townsend also had hits for ECU.

The final result halted a four-game winning streak for Western Kentucky (6-3) which was coming off a 3-2 victory at No. 4 Vanderbilt on Tuesday.

ECU is expected to send left-hander Reid Love (0-1) to the mound at 3 p.m. today to face Pitt. The Panthers (4-3) lost the first game of the 11th annual event to Ohio State (6-2) on Friday by a 6-2 margin.

Western Kentucky and the Buckeyes are scheduled to meet for the first time since 1925 at 11 a.m. today.

Sunday's matchups include Pitt and the Hilltoppers at 10:30 a.m. and the Pirates versus Ohio State at 2 p.m.

Freshman righty Davis Kirkpatrick (1-0) is the probable starter for ECU in the concluding game of the event.

PAGE UPDATED 03/01/14 02:08 AM.

Copyright © Bonesville.net. All rights rights reserved. No content on this site may be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any fashion without explicit written permission from the editor. Information from Bonesville staff members, East Carolina University, Conference USA and other sources was used in composing and/or compiling the articles and data on this site. This site is editorially independent and is not affiliated with East Carolina University or Conference USA. View Bonesville.net's privacy policy. For advertising or other information, e-mail editor@bonesville.net.