Bases-loaded walk lifts ECU in 11th

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HATTIESBURG, MS — Hunter Allen drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the 11th inning to score Eric Tyler and Ryan Williams retired Southern Miss in order in the bottom of the frame as sixth-seeded East Carolina topped the third-seeded hosts, 9-8, in the last game Wednesday on opening day of the 2014 Conference USA Tournament.

The Pirates will meet Texas-San Antonio at 8:30 tonight. The seventh-seeded Roadrunners defeated second-seeded Alabama-Birmingham, 4-1, on Wednesday.

Williams inherited an 8-4 lead with two runners on base after Reid Love went the first six and one-third innings. Williams (11-3) allowed four hits and two earned runs after the inherited runners came home. He walked two and struck out four.

A five-run fifth put the Pirates ahead 7-4. Another run in the seventh on an RBI double by Bryce Harman extended the lead to 8-4.

"I'm just really proud of our kids to have (a four-run) lead and squander it," ECU coach Billy Godwin said. "A lot of times, you lose that game. But we showed great resiliency and I'm proud of our team."

Garrett Brooks was 3-for-5 for ECU and Harman was 2-for-4 with a solo home run to lead off ECU's two-run third. Charlie Yorgen was 2-for-6, bunting to score Brooks in the third.

Luke Lowery had a hit and two RBIs for the Pirates (33-24).

Dylan Brown led off ECU's 11th with a double to the right-field corner off Sean Bucholz (0-1).

Brown moved to third on a fly to center before catcher Eric Tyler managed a walk after falling behind 0-2 in the count.

USM coach Scott Berry was ejected by home plate umpire Scott Wilkerson in the top of the 11th.

The Pirates attempted to bunt Brown home but Bucholz fielded and threw to Golden Eagles catcher Austin Roussel for the tag out.

A walk to Brooks reloaded the bases and Allen walked on four pitches to force in the go-ahead run.

Southern Miss (32-24) committed six errors, contributing to four unearned runs for ECU.

The Pirates played errorless in winning their 14th one-run game of the season.

ECU is 6-0 in extra-inning games this year.

In other action Wednesday, fourth-seeded Middle Tennessee State topped fifth-seeded Old Dominion, 3-2, and top-seeded Rice downed eighth-seeded Florida International, 9-2.

In elimination games today, FIU plays ODU at 10 a.m. and Southern Miss meets UAB at 1:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee and Rice play at 5 p.m. today.

PAGE UPDATED 05/22/14 03:05 AM.

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