Boots costly in 8-4 loss to VCU

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

GREENVILLE  — East Carolina committed five errors and allowed six unearned runs in an 8-4 nonconference loss to visiting Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday night.

The Pirates (10-11) took an early 2-0 lead with lone runs in the first and second innings.

Drew Reynolds had a solo homer in the first inning. Charlie Yorgen doubled down the right field line with one out in the second and moved to third on a bunt by Hunter Allen. Ben Fultz had an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

Bill Cullen had a three-run homer to right with two out off of ECU starter Tyler Bolton (0-2) for a 3-2 Rams lead after the Pirates had committed a pair of errors in the fourth.

Matt Davis singled for VCU (17-3) in the fifth and Landon Prentiss had a double. A passed ball, an error and a hit batter contributed to a sequence that allowed the Rams to add three more runs.

Brett Mabry came to the mound in the fifth and went three and two-thirds innings without allowing a hit or a run.

Bryce Harman started a two-run sixth for the Pirates with a walk. Dylan Brown followed with a run-scoring double down the right field line. Eric Tyler singled through the right side. A ground out to first by Yorgen got Brown home and cut VCU's lead to 6-4.

Cody Acker's two-out double down the right field line scored two runs for an 8-4 Rams lead in the ninth.

Singles by Zach Houchins and Ian Townsend helped ECU load the bases with two out in the ninth.

Harman went ahead 3-0 in the count with VCU reliever Matt Lees, who went three innings for his third save. Harman was called out looking to end the game.

Daniel Concepcion (3-1) got the win against the Pirates for the second time this season. VCU topped ECU 3-0 in Richmond on Feb. 25.

The Pirates start a Conference USA series at Charlotte at 6 p.m. Friday.

PAGE UPDATED 03/20/14 12:55 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.