ECU nips Owls to take series

From electronic and staff reports
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BOCA RATON, FL  — A wild pitch allowed Eric Tyler to score the go-ahead run in the fifth inning as the Pirates edged host Florida Atlantic 2-1 on Sunday, the same margin by which ECU took the Conference USA series.

David Lucroy (2-4) pitched seven innings and allowed just one hit as the Pirates improved to 27-18 overall and 13-8 in league play going into a nonconference game at North Carolina on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Lucroy yielded a score-tying earned run in the fourth inning. He struck out 11 and walked five.

Ryan Williams went the last two innings for his seventh save. Williams surrendered two hits while issuing one walk and recording two strikeouts.

ECU took a 1-0 lead in the third after a one-out single through the left side by Hunter Allen. Drew Reynolds drew a walk with two away and a single to left by Zach Houchins put the Pirates ahead.

The Owls' run came after a one-out walk to Tyler Rocklein. He stole second and moved to third on a fly out to right center by Robert Buckley. C.J. Chatham's RBI single tied the score at 1.

Tyler was hit by a pitch to start the fifth. Allen's sacrifice bunt moved him to second. FAU (22-21, 10-14 C-USA) brought Bo Logan to the mound in relief of starter Drew Jackson (5-2) and he was greeted by a single from Charlie Yorgen that moved Tyler to third. A wild pitch by Logan allowed Tyler to score for a 2-1 ECU lead.

Williams stranded the potential tying run at third in the eighth.

The Owls had apparently taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Rocklein flied out to Dylan Brown in deep left. Stephen Kerr was initially ruled safe at the plate but he was called out for leaving third too soon on an appeal by the Pirates.

Ian Townsend and Bryce Harman each went 2-for-4 as ECU outhit their hosts, 8-3. Brown had his 10th double of the season.

PAGE UPDATED 04/28/14 02:44 AM.

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